Chapter 6

He must have sensed Derek’s presence because he looked up then cocked his head. “You dressed for Halloween, kid? It’s still a couple of months off, you know.”

Derek shook his head. “No, sir. Can I ask, sir, where I am?”

The man frowned, coming over to the fence that separated his yard from the trees beyond it where Derek was standing. “You don’t know? This is Barkerstown. Where you from, kid?”

Derek chewed his lip then pointed behind him. “Up there. Way up there.”

“There ain’t nothing but mountain and forest back that way for a hundred miles or more.”

“I know, sir.”

“You telling me you lived somewhere in them?”

Derek nodded. “For a while, sir.”

The man beckoned for him to come closer. “You got a name?”

“Yes, sir. Derek.”

“Derek what?”

“Just Derek, sir.”

“Okay, just Derek. I’m Nolan. Nolan White.” Nolan looked him over more carefully when Derek moved tothe other side of the fence. “Where’s your family? Still back there?”