tent to listen to Carrie babble and sit quiet in thought, Heather didn’t say anything more until she pulled into the small space for the Bel Aire. “Unfortunately, I have nothing to offer.” She poi the dipidated farmhouse, “I am…we….” Heather shut off the engine and hopped out to get Carrie, when Cire scooped the baby up. “...we are staying in the barn. It is surprisingly well preserved.” Heather lifted the seat a Dusty run free. “...Do I get to have my daughter baytime soon?”
“Nope.” Cire ughed and bouhe infant in her arms. “So, I mentiohat Tatum needed a body.”
Making their way bato the barher chose to go into the front of the building rather than the small back door. Swinging one of the heavy doors open with a rusty squeal, she flicked on the light and slowly the area illumio show off a very messy art dispy upstairs and a cozy warm makeshift living space downstairs. “The ter ptform has a little burn scarring, but if you watch the pnks you easily go up there and look at all of Denise’s graphiovels.”
“How about I py with Carrie and ge her unfriendly diaper, and you go up there and figure out what you wao see.” Cire ran her fingers over Carrie’s nose ughing. “Gave Auntie Cire something to do…stinker.” She ughed and reached for Heather's baby bag. “I fess…I am a little petrified about seeing the runes of a neancer.” Cire paused, “...nothing good e from them…” Cire looked up and watched as Heather asded the steps. “...mostly nothing.”
Sifting through the stacks of ics that she’d hastily anized when designing her impromptu atta the shadewraiths, Heather grabbed a few that showed different versions of the simucrum that she knew infiltrators used and headed downstairs. “Earlier I mentiohat it was mostly our fault that the city is on fire, I think now is the time to say why.” Heather walked to the edge of the ptform and jumped over, only to float down harmlessly to the floor. “I see that smile, kiddo.” Heather smiled back at her daughter and plopped in one of the well-used chairs and flipped the pages open. “Since ull up the past, I firmed it with magid these.” She hahe ics to Cire. “That portal was closed. Whatever Denise did here, caused enough damage that the portal cover was weakened.”
Once she’d finished ging Carrie and buttoning up her onesie, Cire made a b pile and surrouhe edges with as many pillows as she could. “Don’t roll too far cutie.” She then stood up and took the art strips, studying them with her mahogany-colored eyes. “Denise…wow.” Cire looked up with a horrific look, “She literally sacrificed the other members to feed herself. Food didn’t do any good.” Cire heard the barn door close and looked over only to see Dusty pulling on a rope. “Heather, these are just models of the darkwalkers.”
Gd that Dusty bounced by her at that time Cire mentiohe darkrealm and their inhabitants, Heather turo watch her dog circle Carrie a few times before settling down about a foot from her head. Stretched out lengthwise over a pillow, Dusty flopped on his side and then tilted his head so he could see both Carrie aher from his lopsided angle. “Dusty, good boy. Did you shut that door?” With a little bark the yellow b affirmed what Heather requested and sat up then gave Heather a couple of tent rumbles from his chest as he nudged Carrie back to the ter of the ring. “Dusty, what would I do without you, boy?” Heather got anht bark, followed by a tender whine as he sniffed Carrie. “Okay, we will keep it down as we talk.” Heather looked at Cire. “Super dog. I swear he uands us.”
“He does.” Cire ughed, “You know that he is what is only called a familiar. He uand you, and if you pay attention…” Cire smiled at Dusty, “...you will uand him perfectly. I wonder what Deually taught you.”
Promising herself to look into Dusty’s capabilities ter, Heather instead looked at her daughter and then to the soft look on Cire’s face. “This is such a strange night. I never knew Halloween could be so eventful.” Taking a small ce sihere was no definitive a with regards to Tatum, Heather spoke up and furled her eyebrows. “Cire.” Heather paused. “Ever since I walked into the diner…you have been all over Carrie and overly o me.” She wiggled her finger, “Paul also gave you fifty dolrs like…to get a room.” Heather stood up and clutched her chest exactly like Cire had done a few times during the night. “Did you - he pn…oh no.”
“What?” Cire walked over a Dusty on his head. “The money was so I could have a pce to sleep tonight…without staying in my car.” Cire rubbed her forehead, “I am homeless, Heather. I have lived out of my car for years now.” She rolled her umber eyes pyfully, “..I mean you are cute and everything, but Paul was looking out for me.” It was only after seeiher turn as red as a tomato, Cire decided to let that ta pass. “Okay. We need a little order. You are swimming in fusion and rightfully so.” Walking over to the table, Cire dug around and found the keys to the farmhouse. “Let’s get Carrie settled first. She was in that car carrier way too long.”
“Cire. I was homeless until st night myself. We lived out of the piece of junk out there. I came back because I had nothing else, if I am being ho with myself.” It took a reassuring look from Carrie for Heather to fess even more. “I thought Tatum would be able to help me, and big surprise…” Heather waved her hand so that she indicated the entire barn. “...everyone I know, or knew is dead. I ended up with this pce.”
“That’s very iing, Heather.” Cire flipped the keys in her hand. “We were both homeless, but that isn’t what o be done. Carrie o sleep fortably, wouldn’t you agree?” A simple nod from Heather firmed what Cire was saying. “Alright. I will head into that old farmhouse and see if there is some sort of crib.” With a light kiss oher’s cheek, Cire headed for the door. “Once Carrie is settled, we will work through the Tatum topibsp; I mean the longer we wait the more she suffers in there.” With a quick flick of her hand, Cire outlined herself in a soft yellow glow so it illuminated everything around her. “Until then, you think..and sider why you are watg me leave..” Cire ughed and disappeared from the back door.
