whisper, not wanting to disturb Celeste but I remember what a chore it is to wake this kid up.
Celeste wakes first.
“Merrick? Everything ok?” she creaks, sitting up and looking around.
“Celeste, I can’t find Sherry. I thought she might be in here with Danny but...”
She cleared her throat.
“Well, we’re just sleeping,” she said defensively. “I just sleep in here with him, ok?”
“Celeste, really, it’s none of my business.”
“But you’re his Keeper and I know you try to stop worrying about him but you still do. I know you do. Kay is still a freak about so many things with me.” She looked uncomfortable. “Ok, I may not just sleep in here but I just wanted you to know, I’m not gonna do anything to hurt him, ok? I would marry him if I could! I love him.”
Wow. What a time for a confession.
“Celeste. I appreciate it. Really. And I’m happy that you and Danny are making it work, but Sherry is missing.”
“What?!”
“Sherry is-”
“I heard you! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” she asked in a high peeved voice.
“I did,” I said exasperatingly and silently cursed sleepy people. “Why else would I come in here?”
“I- whatever,” she says and turns to Danny.
I’m dreading the long process of waking Danny. Sherry has to punch and yell and practically abuse him to get him to cooperate. But...as I watch Celeste, I am fascinated. She leans over him and whispers his name in his ear. Then rubs the back of his neck with her palm in a small massage.
He rouses almost instantly.
My mouth gapes open in surprise. And then turns into a scowl as Danny doesn’t realize I’m here and thinks Celeste is trying wake him up for...other activities.
She pries his hands from her head and leg and pushes him back gently.
“Danny. Baby, Merrick is here,” she said and looked at me with a grin of embarrassment.
“Merrick?” Danny says squinting and sits up with his hair spiked in every direction, rubbing his eyes.
“Sherry’s missing. Have you seen her?” I ask getting more impatient by the second.
“What? No. What do you mean missing? There’s not a lot of places down here she could go, man.”
“I know that. But I’ve checked every place I can think of to look and she’s not here,” I say standing up and turning to leave.
If he doesn’t know where she is, then I have to find someone who does.
“Wait. Merrick, where are you going?” Danny yelled to me.
“To find your sister, Danny,” I yell back and try to call her again in her mind.
Sherry? Sherry?! Come on, honey. I’m getting worried.
No answer.
Just as I’m about to grab Jeff’s door knob, I hesitate and knock instead. I would want the same courtesy for myself and wouldn’t want to find another Danny and Celeste situation. Then I remember who I’m talking about and snort. Jeff, in bed with someone. A human. Yeah right.
I knock again and he comes and looks surprised to see me.
“Merrick?” he says, coming from his room quickly into the hall and shutting the door with no shirt or shoes on.
“I can’t find Sherry.”
“What do you-”
“Enough of this. Would I really wake you if she were just in the bathroom? I’ve looked everywhere and called her. I’m telling you, she’s not here.”
“Call them. I’ll be right back,” he says quickly and slips back into his room, shutting the door behind him.
I know who he means by ‘them’. He wants me to call all the other Keepers and get them to look where they are for her. All I can think about is her in one of the tons of rooms we have, how many men are present in this bunker and the Phillip incident. My anger growls in my throat just thinking about it. But I can’t think of anyone here who would hurt her.
Sherry. I know you can’t answer me, but if can hear me, send me a signal of some kind if you can. What happened? What-
I can’t help but curse and growl, at the irony of only being able to talk one way when I so
Celeste wakes first.
“Merrick? Everything ok?” she creaks, sitting up and looking around.
“Celeste, I can’t find Sherry. I thought she might be in here with Danny but...”
She cleared her throat.
“Well, we’re just sleeping,” she said defensively. “I just sleep in here with him, ok?”
“Celeste, really, it’s none of my business.”
“But you’re his Keeper and I know you try to stop worrying about him but you still do. I know you do. Kay is still a freak about so many things with me.” She looked uncomfortable. “Ok, I may not just sleep in here but I just wanted you to know, I’m not gonna do anything to hurt him, ok? I would marry him if I could! I love him.”
Wow. What a time for a confession.
“Celeste. I appreciate it. Really. And I’m happy that you and Danny are making it work, but Sherry is missing.”
“What?!”
“Sherry is-”
“I heard you! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” she asked in a high peeved voice.
“I did,” I said exasperatingly and silently cursed sleepy people. “Why else would I come in here?”
“I- whatever,” she says and turns to Danny.
I’m dreading the long process of waking Danny. Sherry has to punch and yell and practically abuse him to get him to cooperate. But...as I watch Celeste, I am fascinated. She leans over him and whispers his name in his ear. Then rubs the back of his neck with her palm in a small massage.
He rouses almost instantly.
My mouth gapes open in surprise. And then turns into a scowl as Danny doesn’t realize I’m here and thinks Celeste is trying wake him up for...other activities.
She pries his hands from her head and leg and pushes him back gently.
“Danny. Baby, Merrick is here,” she said and looked at me with a grin of embarrassment.
“Merrick?” Danny says squinting and sits up with his hair spiked in every direction, rubbing his eyes.
“Sherry’s missing. Have you seen her?” I ask getting more impatient by the second.
“What? No. What do you mean missing? There’s not a lot of places down here she could go, man.”
“I know that. But I’ve checked every place I can think of to look and she’s not here,” I say standing up and turning to leave.
If he doesn’t know where she is, then I have to find someone who does.
“Wait. Merrick, where are you going?” Danny yelled to me.
“To find your sister, Danny,” I yell back and try to call her again in her mind.
Sherry? Sherry?! Come on, honey. I’m getting worried.
No answer.
Just as I’m about to grab Jeff’s door knob, I hesitate and knock instead. I would want the same courtesy for myself and wouldn’t want to find another Danny and Celeste situation. Then I remember who I’m talking about and snort. Jeff, in bed with someone. A human. Yeah right.
I knock again and he comes and looks surprised to see me.
“Merrick?” he says, coming from his room quickly into the hall and shutting the door with no shirt or shoes on.
“I can’t find Sherry.”
“What do you-”
“Enough of this. Would I really wake you if she were just in the bathroom? I’ve looked everywhere and called her. I’m telling you, she’s not here.”
“Call them. I’ll be right back,” he says quickly and slips back into his room, shutting the door behind him.
I know who he means by ‘them’. He wants me to call all the other Keepers and get them to look where they are for her. All I can think about is her in one of the tons of rooms we have, how many men are present in this bunker and the Phillip incident. My anger growls in my throat just thinking about it. But I can’t think of anyone here who would hurt her.
Sherry. I know you can’t answer me, but if can hear me, send me a signal of some kind if you can. What happened? What-
I can’t help but curse and growl, at the irony of only being able to talk one way when I so
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