author-carla-h-krueger

Nader refused to bring her the feathery dream catcher _ her asabikeshiinh _ with its willow-web and invisible __ady spider_ apparently weaving her spells _ an object Bea insisted always hung above her in bed.

I__e always thought that the best moments can come from the worst times.

Shush _ it__ silent time again.

The fear of silence is a fear everyone should overcome.

Too old for dolls. Too ill for tablets.

She heard him speak, but did not recognise the problem in his voice _ only later did she realise it was that thing he__ been concealing _ known as guilt.

A silence absorbed them both _ a lack of sound so potent it blackened the place with something richer than hate.

For no real reason _ well, perhaps because of the seriousness under the trees or Nader__ hair, which was very messy and covered in little grass seeds _ Katie began to giggle. She knew it was wrong, yet it was also natural. She covered her mouth with both hands, but Nader was already pale with revulsion. He turned and marched away into unwanted sunlight, leaving her to wonder why bad things happened and why no good person prevented them.