Don't Whistle Past the Graveyard

Ch. Forty-Three

We all just kind of stood there, looking at Shane for a moment, wearing expressions that varied from shock to fear. Because Shane doesn't say things like that; he doesn't admit out loud that something's gone wrong.

Mostly because he doesn't believe in stating the obvious, but a little bit because if he's saying it, then it's probably worse than you think it is.

Shane sighed and rubbed at his eyes briefly before he met my gaze. A little hoarsely, he said, "We need to go get them."

I felt fear beat in my chest like wings, separate from my heart, and desperately tried to keep my mind in check before it could supply me with ideas of all of the horrible things that could happen to Kyle and Sacha.

It didn't work too well.

Shane pulled out the map he and Kyle had put together, when they'd been scoping out the town and spread it out on the ground, crouching down and tracing a finger over what I thought had been Kyle and Sacha's quadrant.

Cassidy caught my eye, and I went over to her.

Her eyes flicked to Shane, then to the kids and she nodded her head, asking me to follow her. I saw Shane look up briefly as she and I wandered a little away from the group before looking back down at the map, his eyebrows pulling together sharply.

I could practically see a plan being formed.

Cassidy touched my arm to regain my attention, making me start slightly. She bit her lip and asked, "What is he going to do?"

I frowned. "He's going to go get his brother."

There was no other answer here. Not for Shane. Not for me.

Cas rolled her eyes, making me scowl, and said, "Yeah, no. I understand that part. I mean how is he going to do that?"

"I'm sure you'll know just as soon as he does," I snapped, then inhaled deeply. I opened my mouth to apologize, but Cas just shook her head.

She got it.

"Raleigh?" Shane asked. I looked up to find him waving me over.

Cas pushed me lightly, and I went back over to Shane who looked grim. He took my elbow and turned me slightly away from the others, which I hadn't been expecting. Shane didn't usually keep important discussions like this all hush-hush.

I understood why he did this time, when he said, "Sam and Vik need to go back to the cars. I'm not taking them with us. I'm not going to risk it."

I looked over his shoulder at where the others were watching us and nodded minutely. After what we had seen I more than understood where he was coming from. Shane leaned in a little closer and asked, "Do you think I could get Danny to stay with them?"

Now I bit my lip. Yeah... that was probably not going to happen.

I told him as much and he sighed. He looked down at me and asked, "You have your gun right?"

I nodded.

Shane looked up at the sky, which was a pale, watery blue, then looked down again. But he looked down too fast. He hadn't given himself enough time to hide how truly worried he was from me. I wrapped my fingers lightly around his wrist and squeezed gently before letting go and stepping aside.

He squared his shoulders and turned to the others, who had subconsciously gathered in, like they knew he was about to speak. Shane looked at me one last time before he just ripped the band-aid off. "Sam, Vik. You're going back to the truck."

He waited as an instant uproar ensued, both arguing violently to come with us. The only time he wavered though was when Vik said, "Why do you get to go after your brother, but I can't go get mine?"