Chapter 16

“Lucky you, huh? I bet you’re glad to hear it, after last time, when I practically bored you to death going on and on.”

A nearby crow cackled.

“Yeah. That was a pretty dumb choice of words, there. Even the crows are making fun of me. You’d laugh at that, I bet. I miss your laugh. After twenty-some years—almost thirty—I’m not sure if I even hear it right anymore or if I rsquo;m just making it up now, making up memories that arenhrsquo;t real. We didn rsquo;t have all that long to create so many yearsnrsquo; worth, so Itrsquo;m pretty sure yousrsquo;ll forgive me for that, at least.trdquo;

I reached out to touch the stone, as if I could still touch Dougie.

“The night you left me, it could have been a beginning, instead of the end.”

Thinking about the last time I’d seen Dougie vibrant and alive, I entered through that curtain I’d imagined.

* * * *

“What are you looking at?”