#clem 1

“The line between our world and the world of spirits,” Pandora said, very very slowly so she would not slur, “it’s really blurry tonight. The veil’s thinned, Clem. We should be outside! We should be under the stars!”

26 March, 1979

Clem,

Smoked a really good joint the other day, which reminded me I’ve been meaning to ask you: is the weed better in Costa Rica?

—B

Gawain didn’t like feeling like a coward. He didn’t like feeling like a failure. But he felt both those things when faced with his sister, and over them both, he felt the hard grip of fear that he’d been trying to ignore since he’d heard the news.

He’d heard the news. What kind of person heard the news about his siblings’ torture and his mother’s death? 

He knew he had to bring himself to say something to Clem. But everything felt like too little, or too much. So he stayed quiet, all but looking at his feet in silent shame.