Page 54 of The Vanishing Place

Adam balled his fists, his body hot and angry, as he stomped across the park.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

Dinah spun around, so fast that the roundabout wobbled.

“Nothing,” she said.

“You were holding hands,” Adam shouted, the red-hot pulsing in his tummy.

“We were just chatting, bro,” said Cameron.

Adam shook his head. “You’re lying. I saw you.”

Cameron held his hands up in surrender—almost as big as Dad now—then he shuffled around the roundabout, moving away from Dinah.

“You’re not allowed to touch my sister.” Adam put his hands on his hips. “She’s mine. Not yours.” He pointed at Cameron. “Dinah looks after me. Not you.”

“Adam,” Dinah snapped.

“You’re always talking.” He looked from Dinah to Cameron. “Always doing naughty things.”

“Naughty?” Cameron frowned.

“That bad stuff.” Adam spat out saliva with his words.

Cameron looked at Dinah.

“Dinah’s not meant to be friends with you.” Adam tapped his head. “You have evil outside thoughts. Dad will get mad. Then he’ll shut—”

“Adam, quiet!” Dinah glared at him. She looked back at Cameron. “He’s just being dramatic.”

Dinah was lying. Liar. Liar . Lying was a sin.

“ Am not ,” Adam yelled.

He glued his feet to the ground. Not moving. Not taking his eyes off Cameron.

“Maybe I should tell Dad,” said Adam, his arms shaking.

Dinah stared at him, and the sad look on her face hurt his tummy—even sorer than when Dad belted him for swearing. Adam slapped a hand to his mouth, wanting to swallow his words back, to wipe the sad away from Dinah’s face.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered.

Adam took a step toward Dinah, but she flinched, and the sore in his tummy hurt even worse.

“I won’t tell Dad,” he pleaded. “I won’t. I promise.”

Dinah looked at him, her face different. Ages passed and she just looked at him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep you from him.”

“From who?”

Dinah gave a small sad smile. “From Dad.”

Dinah went quiet, and Adam stood with his arms hanging at his sides. He wanted to say something—something good—but he didn’t know what that was.

Dad loved them. Dad was the best.