Page 54 of Secrets That Bind Us

Noah

Present Day

Noah’s hair stood on end, but made sure to keep his head down, looking anywhere but at the man he knew as his father, who was now seated beside him while he built a new obstacle course for his Hot Wheels.

His mother had let him choose the new police cruisers, no bigger than the palm of his hand.

His plan was to see who was faster– the regular car, or the police one. Sarah thought it was a good idea.

She had no problem staring at the man beside him with daggers in her light gray eyes.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be here.” Noah whispered into the room.

“No?”

Noah shook his head, not daring to look at Micah’s face again.

It wasn’t like Sarah’s, that could shape and shift into her younger and older self.

Micah’s face stayed the same all the time.

And he made the room colder. So cold that Noah shivered as he looked down at the building blocks on his favorite rug that had a whole city on it.

“Why not?” His dead father rasped.

Fear licked at Noah, fear so palpable it made his body lock up. “I think you should really go this time.”

Micah leaned down, close to Noah’s face. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

Noah closed his eyes, doing his best not to pee. “Because we’re happy. You don’t have to take care of us anymore. Remember? That’s what you said.”

“Is that right?” Micah asked with a growl.

“You can go now.” Noah replied, his little chest rising and falling quickly as he whimpered.

And just like that, he was alone in his room with Sarah once more.

“I don’t like him.” Sarah said with a scrunch of her nose.

Embarrassed, Noah wiped his tears away, stood up, and went to the bathroom to shower and remove his soiled pajamas.