Honesty Falls

20-seven

            Charlotte was a delight, and it was impossible not to cheer up around her. Nevaeha promised to visit again soon, and she asked if she could bring a friend next time.

            The young girl was doing well in school, but she wasn't making friends. Guess it was hard to be friendly when you've had to hide away your whole life.

            That's what this town is supposed to be all about. A place where everyone is welcomed and safe. The curse wasn't ideal, but what the town stood for was more important than any stupid curse.

            If she had her way, she'd find all the people like Charlotte and her mother who need a safe place and bring them here and all the people who hoped for freedom would be free to go.

            Only then would things be put to right.

            Daniel Logan lived on the other side of town, but the long walk would give her time to dwell on the path her life had taken. She felt she was being pulled in a million different directions and none of the directions were the way she wanted to go.

            She missed Trinity. So much. She missed the peace and quiet of having alone time. Silas needed to be back home. His mother missed him. She missed having him to take care of. Nevaeha did not know why, but the woman truly enjoyed cooking and cleaning up after him all day. Alison also needed a man in her life. A good one.

            Charlotte needed a friend.

            Nevaeha missed her mom, too. She only now realized how much it had helped to talk to her mother. Even if her mother couldn't talk back.

            It would be nice when her grandmother had two legs again. Her guidance was needed.

            Waiting for Carrigan was worrying her as well. A part of her wanted him here, and a part of her wasn't prepared to see him yet. It would be a betrayal to Vallen to want Carrigan with her, but it was a betrayal to Carrigan not to want him here. A betrayal to him to be worried about the feelings of his killer.

            That was assuming Vallen had feelings. She wasn't so sure he did.

            How was it so easy for him to kill someone? How did he not know how precious life was?

            She watched a teen be murdered in front of her, and it broke her heart. It broke a piece off inside of her. Just like when she'd watch Pike be killed. She'd never heal from those two events.

            Could Vallen be as much a monster as the monster who was preying on those young girls?

            She couldn't bear it if he was. He couldn't be, but hadn't she seen proof that he was?

            What made someone not value life?

            The first thing she noticed about Daniel Logan's place was that it needed mowing. The fence around his place was falling down and the only thing keeping his front door closed was a string wrapped around a nail.

            His lawn mower started and went to work right away.

            There wasn't much she could do about the fence without new boards, but she was enough of a carpenter that she could figure out the front door.

            A wrinkled hand untied the door and opened it for her. "I knew you'd be over right quick, Nevaeha Roe. How are you on this fine day?"

            "Why didn't you tell me you need a helping hand, Daniel Logan? I saw you just last week in town and you never mentioned your place getting behind on chores."