Graveminder

Chapter 31

DAISHA SAW THE MAN COMING TOWARD HER. HE STUMBLED AS HE walked, not steady on his feet or maybe not sure of where to step. She felt bad for him. Since she’d come home to Claysville, sometimes the ground didn’t feel right under her feet either. She’d felt better since she’d gone to her home, but she still felt a disconnect with the world around her.

The man stopped just in front of her and sniffed.

“Hey.” She jumped backward, out of his reach.

With a sound that might’ve been a word, he reached out and grabbed the back of her neck. His other hand clutched her shoulder at the same time, and he pulled her against him. The hand holding her neck caught in her hair, and he forced her head to the side.

Daisha shoved against him, but he didn’t seem to notice. It was the first time since she woke up that anyone had been unmoved by her touch.

Then he buried his face against her throat and inhaled.

“What are you—” Her words ended in a yelp as he shifted his hold. He shoved his face up against her lips and sniffed again.

“Stop this,” she hissed.

The hand he’d had on the back of her head moved to her jaw, cupping her chin. His other hand shifted from her shoulder to her lower back, holding her securely against him. She could feel his arm like a vise around her side.

Then he squeezed and forced her mouth to stay open. He peered into her mouth and then sniffed.

Daisha couldn’t move away.

For the first time since she woke up dead, she wished she could control that dissipating thing that happened sometimes. Fear. Fear was what she thought caused it, and she was very afraid. Why am I not fading?

She needed to swallow, but couldn’t with her mouth held open like this.

He inhaled, drawing as much breath as he could from between her lips. He didn’t touch her mouth. He just breathed in.

And it hurt like he was pulling things out of her.

She remembered hurt , and in remembering hurt, she remembered what could stop it. She pulled her knee up as fast and as hard as she could.

He gargled and dropped her.

And as soon as he let go of her, she faded into nothingness and was gone.