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30
DOOM
Ember
Therobotbeforeme twitches as it comes online. The project Kieran and I are working on is almost complete after endless months of slow progress. He wanted to learn more about coding and mechanics, and I’m eager to encourage his interest.
I’m proud of the kid. He’s bright and curious. Wise beyond his years too.
Right now, he’s off at a day camp for kids interested in coding and robotics. He should be getting home soon though. Ash left to pick him up an hour ago.
I’m going about powering down the project when my phone rings with Ash’s name lighting up the screen.
“Hey, Ash. What’s up. Y’all almost back? I wanna show Kieran his robot. I finally got—”
“Sage isn’t picking up. Ember, he’s gone,” she interrupts.
I sit there for a moment, absorbing her words.
“What do you mean he’s gone,” I respond slowly.
“I mean, I went to go pick Kieran up, and the counselor said he was already picked up.”
My feet are already moving me towards the door.
”Ash, who picked him up?” My voice is cold. I suspect the answer, but I need to hear her say it.
We talked about this extensively. It’s summer, and you can’t keep a nine-year-old cooped up inside all the time. So we agreed to send him to this camp. But only because we thought it would be safe.
I’ve never known Ash to hesitate. She’s one hell of a shot, and she’s always been an act first, think later kind of person. Hearing her hesitate means things are bad.
“They said his dad picked him up.”
And I’m sprinting up the stairs. “Shit. Get back here. I have to tell Sage.”
I check Sage’s room first before remembering she’d retreated to Juliana’s with Griffin.
“Sage!” I call out. I don’t even bother knocking before throwing Juliana’s door open wide. “Sage, Kieran’s gone.”
The three of them are curled up together on the bed. They are tangled together, their nakedness a reminder of their vulnerability. I feel that same tug from when we first found Juliana. A craving for connection. Not quite the same as their physical connection, but a desire for belonging. Something I haven’t felt since meeting Cy.
I feel a twinge of guilt having to wake them up to this kind of news, but there’s no way I can hold this back.
“Sage,” I say, shaking her. “You need to wake up. Ash went to pick up Kieran and he’s gone.”
Clearly they had fun together because they all seem dead to the world.
“Sage! Arrick has your son! Wake the fuck up!”
This gets her attention, and she bolts upright. The fear on her face is earth-shattering.
She is already up and out of bed, going about putting on clothes. Juliana and Griffin are coming back online as I repeat, “Ash went to pick up Kieran from camp. She called and said Kieran isn’t there. The camp said his dad picked him up.”
“Shit,” Sage says. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sage curse before, but it seems like a good time for her to start. “How is that possible? We filled out forms. Arrick isn’t on the list we sent of who’s allowed to sign him out. Shit. How did he even know Kieran was going today?”
“I told you. Arrick is obsessed. He’s been hunting y’all,” Griffin chimes in. “He had me hunting you.”
“Yeah, but how would he have known where we are?” Sage’s voice is so small.
