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"Here," she said, slapping them down on the counter Then she left the room for a back office area for a second and came back with another one that she placed on top of the others "This is soht want to check out, too"

I took a tentative step forward, keepingup at her face I aiting for any sign that she was about to juot to the brochures, worried about getting any closer

"Go ahead and look I’ to hit you"

"Could you back up a few steps? You’reme nervous"

She went two paces back to stand by the entrance to the office

I pulled the brochures closer to me and looked down at one of them quickly It was the last one she put down, and I could see i to do with indians

"What’s this place?"

"There are some indian tribes out there Not all of them live at the casinos, you know"

Her accusatory tone told me more than her words had

"What tribe are you with?"

"Creek But there are others You want to find the Miccosukee There ht be some kids out there who could help you if they feel like it"

"Wow Thanks" I couldn’t believekilled by a Creek indian in a shell shop I reached up and felt the ring at ain

"That your dad’s ring?" she asked, a softer tone to her voice now

"Yeah"

She reached into her shirt and pulled out a sot choked up, looking at the expression on her face and watching her hold the sotten in the other

"Can I ask you for a really huge favor?" she said, her eyes going shiny with tears

"Yeah Sure" She’d helped uys out more than she could possibly have known Who was I to say no to so?"

I looked at her like she was crazy "What?" It was the last thing I had expected her to ask ainst the wall "I know it sounds nuts You probably think I’, but I’ one for almost a year And I ritted her teeth together, refusing to sob I could see her jaw irl

I shrugged "Why not? Just don’t stab me, seriously I’ll kill you if you do"

She half choked, half laughed, holding up her hands "Promise"

We both took tard steps towards each other and just stood there for a reasy clue brown eyes and wispy eyelashes I could see why her ry bravado, she was just a cute kid, scared about as going to happen to her

I grabbed her in a strong hug, feeling her arms come aroundnow, her shoulders shaking with the effort

I just stood there, fighting off in unfair All these kids, left alone to fend for themselves Like Bodo said, eren’t meant to be alone

I rubbed her back a few times and then pulled away "Listen, we don’t have much, but you’re welco to stay here Withthe place fro out shell-covered objects and seeing theirl, hereach sht position, creating so it possible for her to put food on the table for her daughter Andnow

I turned back to face her "Well, if you change your mind, you knohere to find us So place you know," she said, wiping her nose off with the back of her hand

"Yeah I keep hearing that Well, we’ll leave you a sign"

"What kind of sign?"

"I don’t know You’ll recognize it when you see it" I was pulling stuff out of ure so of shells in ift Fro and then let her go "What’s your name?"

"Celia"

"Mine’s Bryn Look me up sometiht do that so around the roo on their bikes, just watching htly, telling theot onaway, leading hway

We had brochures to study and plans to make, and I didn’t want to do it here in a tohere lunatics who ate people or lonely girls with batsto jump us