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They hopped Annie’s fence and pried her window open. Shed their shoes and outside layers and traveled miles across the room to the harbor of Annie Watanabe’s bed. Yulia turned over to gaze at them in the moonlight.

They pulled off their sweater, unbuttoned their jeans, and tossed them in with Annie’s dirty clothes. Yulia scooted over as they crawled across her tangled pile of sheets and comforters, making room between her and Annie for them to fit.

Annie snored softly as Hollis bent their long arms and legs, shifting until they were under the covers. Then Yulia wrapped an arm around their waist and hooked her chin over their shoulder.

“Are you all right?” she whispered.

“Yeah. It’s over, one haunt-free town for yours truly. Bottom-barrel-priced.”

Yulia grinned against their neck.

“Are you in pieces?”

“Just the one.”

“Mmm. My dad’s not happy. You should have heard him yelling, he almost drove all the way up to Rose Town to do the exorcism for you. You’re supposed to do it with elders, not alone—”

“It was too dangerous,” Hollis interrupted. “I wouldn’t have wanted him there. I couldn’t handle it if anything happened to him.”

Yulia snorted. “I know. That’s what I told him. That won’t get you out of the doghouse though, and he does think you’re an abomination now. He said, “‘‘kò sí ìpàdé láàrín òkú àti alààyè.’” There is/should be no meeting/meeting place for/of the dead and the living. So he and Walt are going to have to have an argument at some point.”

Walt grinned. Yulia tightened her arms around them.

“Five bucks says I’ll win.”

“You might, who knows, but don’t underestimate him. He does think our plans have legs though. He agreed to let me use what was set aside for this year’s tuition for down payment on the land if you managed to pull this off. Made me promise to graduate in three years instead of four. He’s gambling on us.”

“Shrewd businessman.” Walt huffed. “I’ll have to thank him in person.”

Yulia yawned, she was fading fast.

“What will you build, Wallis Brown, to make my efforts worth it? What will we make of that wreckage with my money... ?”

They shivered. Wallis. Wallis wallis wallis.

Threaded their fingers through Yulia’s and closed their eyes.

“Everything for you, sweetheart. We’ll build it all.”