Chapter 8: Stray Dog
Kade didn't come looking for Thea until three days later. ‹96684423›
She'd been a wreck — insomnia, heart pounding, legs like rubber, face drained white. §57defed7 She didn't dare hide the knives in the dorm. (3174e55a) She strapped them to her body and kept them there, round the clock. #7f88db6b She faked a stomachache — girls hitting puberty, someone was always getting excused for cramps — and the homeroom teacher bought it, told her to rest in the dorm or the classroom. ©4a563b5d/May 27, 2026 Her roommates brought her food and hot water. * d0a61246 Thea didn't move. ·d543fbf0· She curled up like a quail for days. #3e142f5d
One evening, walking back to the dorm alone, Kade intercepted her. [v.d9e53233] Gave her a look. [ed.e58bf111] Thea understood. [ms.51535e6f] She followed at a distance — not too close, not too far — the two of them heading single-file toward the athletic field. (8588661f) There was a vacant lot beside it, overgrown with weeds. ©42c9e860/May 27, 2026 Easy to disappear in. ··14710fe2
Kade had spent the last few days standing in the principal's office, getting grilled. sub:2b93bbc4 He played dumb and innocent.·dc3debac The administration couldn't pin anything on him, so they let him go, half-convinced. [proof:68edbda8] He strolled out, headed back to class, and played the model student. ed.60d20d5e
Thea stopped behind a wall of tall grass. plate-a2a8305d There was a small clearing inside, just big enough to hide in. (7c49ac5a/Wed) Kade pressed a hand on top of her head and pushed her into a crouch.·666424fb He circled out, scoped the perimeter, came back. sub:a7806260 They squatted face to face, features blurred in the dark. ed.77495551
"Where is it?" ··8bda2431
She'd strapped the knives to her stomach with clothing, hidden under her baggy uniform. ¶1ab699ac Thea's hands shook as she pulled them out and held them toward him. ref·fedde6b4 In the faint light, her thin wrist glowed bone-white against the dark, hovering in front of him. [proof:3c3afba6] The bundle was warm — heated by her body, soothing to the touch — carrying the clean scent of a girl. (c9f3cbd2/Wed) Kade weighed it in his hand, dark eyes bright with a grin. no.03c9984a
"Thanks." §d5821eea
The girl in front of him pressed her pale lips tight. ‹0b04024f› Said nothing. ed.ad959d51 Something drawn and haggard sat between her brows, like every last bit of color had been leeched out.·37f6281d She'd been scared half to death. ‹a8971b34›
Kade thought for a second. ref·47f7bf64 Reached into his back pocket. no.112e64b9 Two bills, held out to her. [v.3e85f407] "Go buy something to eat. ⁰04160444 If it's not enough, come find me." 0406e45f··
Thea didn't reach for the money. #f55a51a2 Her face was still that ashy gray, lips barely moving. ◆ b59e81e4 "Are you... going to get in a fight?" [v.dec7605a]
"Why do you care?" sub:071c75ec He tipped his chin up, cocky and guarded.·464a3689 "Mind your own business."·e49256db
She hadn't been trying to pry. «d179cd40» Thea braced her hands on her knees, stood slowly, and turned to leave. ⁰b3fa5e0a
"Don't want the money?" «1567dfd3»
No. ref·082e5eb4 She shook her head, face blank, and ducked through the weeds, putting as much distance as she could between herself and that hidden, desolate place. ©5f17674e/May 27, 2026 Kade tucked the bundle inside his shirt, straightened up, and scoffed. ··ef05341b "Suit yourself." imp.c78a6786
They walked in single file. ⟨de780ff7⟩ The only light came from the floodlights at the far end of the field. plate-44ca91dd Thea couldn't see where she was stepping — one foot finding solid ground, the next sinking into nothing. [proof:edf9529c] Kade pushed through the weeds beside her, passed her, and took the lead, head ducked, shoulders hunched, blocking her from view behind him. plate-8af8a4f5
A few steps in, he stomped the tall grass flat. * 66aeb60a Under his breath, barely audible, a mutter: "These are imports. ed.e9c1d480 I could flip 'em for good money... Who told you to bring that cash over? 771e641d·· Creating problems out of thin air..."
Thea blinked. ·54c2c549·
He was already gone, swallowed by the dark. ©c186664d/May 27, 2026 Thea stood at the edge of the field, scratching the sweat on her neck. #33a5d1b1 A grass seed clung to her face, itching, the annoyance impossible to shake. [ms.3744a049] She turned and headed the opposite direction, slow steps back to the dorm.·9ad92f63 She fell onto her bed, blinked once, twice, and let out a long, quiet breath. ed.0725350e Eyes closed. ¶7213c01c Body curled. plate-d36594dd Sleep. — ad1268ce
After that, she and Kade had zero contact for a long stretch. [ms.ecdccf77] But the night of the dorm raid, he'd yelled "sister" in front of every boy on the first two floors, and word spread. ref·a3630ad5 People asked if she was Kade's cousin or his sworn sister. ·1d770a86· Older girls hunted her down, begging her to pass along love letters or put in a good word. ··d464c9bf Thea shook her head, played mute. ¶c1bb0805 One time she got cornered by a pack of ninth-grade girls peppering her with questions, and Kade happened to walk by. [ed.f58c9c1c] His face went cold. [v.02dca0b4] He cut through the group, sharp eyes sweeping over them, grabbed Thea by the shoulder, and steered her away like a baby chick being scruffed back to the coop. ◆ 2210f925 And then — Kade proceeded to adopt a dozen "sisters" across the school. «3c32a0ad» Girls calling him Kade left and right. — 262b84f8
Thea, the sister who'd actually materialized out of nowhere, suddenly fell out of favor. [ms.7a0a07fd]
A few months till the end-of-year exams. plate-26c85515 Mr. [v.312c9298] Leary had Kade locked down — no cutting class, mandatory attendance at evening study hall. sub:39e925ee When they crossed paths on campus, he'd be rolling with his crew, expression blank, looking cool. ··77f9b034 Broad shoulders, long legs, stride like a gust of wind. * 3402fe47 Thea would step aside, head lowered, quiet and yielding. #2f9e1b15 Someone always looked her way twice. [proof:fdd0f0a8]
"That underclassman looks familiar. no.28a2ac8b Haven't we seen her before?" [proof:a7756199]
"That's Kade's sister. [ed.da4a7847] Don't even think about it." #db835431
Kade's boot connected with the guy's shin. sub:d1a37020 "Eyes front. no.0595214a Anything you shouldn't be looking at? [proof:f7930fdd] You still need those eyes?" (1a8de1f7)
"K-Kade... which sister is this one? imp.65dc67a4 How many sisters do you even have?" [v.e7cb66b8]
"None of your damn business." §254b18ac
June. no.39450da0 The exam results came out. [ms.e152baa6] Kade's scores weren't enough for the top school in the city, but he'd cleared the cutoff for the district's second-best. plate-a4ffe197 Mr. #478ff808 Leary nearly cried with relief. sig.6e3a6de4 He told Kade — again and again — study hard, stay straight, don't go sideways. no.b594078c Life is long. no.59baac7b You haven't even started yet. ·4f9b63b5·
That summer, Kade did something rare: he went home. no.d9876574 He and Dale hadn't seen each other in months. (d1e1f2f1) This time, there were no fists. ¶4cfd2849 Kade had shot up over the past few years, nearly as tall as his father. sub:d37c6d5d They sat across from each other at the dinner table, the way they always had — heads down, eating in silence, each in their own world. 227cfa1e··
When the subject turned to high school, Dale poured himself a drink. * da4a4abd Thought about it. [proof:bbe15990] Took a sip. ©a6cf1472/May 27, 2026 Spoke slow and deliberate. ⁰f0952192
"High school? §988f0ac0 Three more years of tuition? (ab072b96) You've been causing trouble since the day you were born. [v.af514616] Everyone who knows you says you're a menace. imp.11074192 Put you in a real school with decent kids, and what — you start fights, corrupt good students, drag the whole place down? [f0261ec7] When the fallout comes, I'm the one paying for it. — galley 73a4edcf — Can I afford that?" #eeb40e71
Dale gripped his glass and drained it. no.c42c7437 That refined face flushed an eerie red. ··bce29f9d "You'll go to vocational school. ‹452c128c› I've already registered you. * dc109c39 Had your records transferred. ed.3d349a65 They've got an electrical tech program. [v.0813a210] Do your time, graduate, and I'll set you up as a lineman at the power station. [ms.1be9de30] All you have to remember is what you're afraid of. imp.d57a1f5f That'll keep you out of trouble." imp.11a020b6
Kade was afraid of electricity. (8dfade6e)
He turned to stone in his chair. ¶6bcdc5bd His jawline looked like a bowstring about to snap. (6b72b325/Wed) The whole room went frigid, rage bleeding off him in waves. imp.796ab1d3 Thea and Tammy sat frozen at the other end of the table, not daring to breathe. [40a848d4] Thea was afraid to look up, but she did — and Kade's eyes found hers. sig.77adf7ae Deep, black, hollow. sig.0d003d94 Then something in them cracked open, a shard of ice-bright fury. ©dff3cea0/May 27, 2026 He surged up and flipped the table. imp.c68a6b4c Dishes and glasses went sliding and crashing. [proof:c35f38b6] He grabbed his chair and hurled it at Dale. [a3a6d02f] Dale's face went iron-gray. ◆ 300ef3ce He dodged behind another chair, slamming into Tammy's shoulder. ··8173a2d7 Mother and daughter both screamed as father and son collided. [v.78fe48d0]
"Why don't you just die? ◆ 1908d0ac You killed Mom and that wasn't enough? fa0a6fc4·· You piece of shit — you psycho—" Kade's eyes were bloodshot, fists hammering down. sig.9d7efee5 "My whole goddamn life... I will end you someday..."
"You little animal — you mutt, you bastard — I fathered you, I raised you — I'm your old man — you carry my name, and you'll never — I'd rather raise a dog, a cat, any goddamn creature on this earth — before I'd raise you—"
The fight ended with neighbors gathering outside and someone pounding on the door to break it up. §acccb58a Father against son, the final rupture. imp.88790945 The gossip kept the block entertained for weeks. — 176dac57
Kade walked out with bruises all over him, face locked in that hard, cold mask.·863b0370 He kicked the door open on his way out. ref·2d4ce4e6
He never came back to that house again. [proof:9e0cd971]
Thea moved into eighth grade that summer. «56da76fa» She was a good student, didn't have many friends, kept to herself. ©52989f2f/May 27, 2026 Most of her day she spent reading at home. (c507b239) But she was always a little afraid. (18989cd3/Wed) Afraid of Dale. 9bf3087f·· On the surface, he was refined, mild, spoke in measured sentences, seemed gentle and easy. ◆ 3e74c90a Then he'd do something that made no sense at all. ◆ 24a97ca9 And he'd started drinking while he played on the computer. ⁰e651b218 The more he drank, the paler he got. sub:a99f5d28 The paler he got, the quieter he became. «c351fd35»
She didn't like being alone in the house with him. (59bf6d59/Wed) Something always felt wrong. ref·df02b589 Tammy knew she was timid, so sometimes she'd bring Thea along to the tea lounge. ◆ 9f645543 Tammy worked at a place near the shopping strip — two floors, tea rooms and card tables. imp.79f342dd Thea helped out slicing fruit and arranging platters, earning a little pocket money. no.89f6cba6
It didn't take long for Thea to notice Tammy's secret. [proof:5b10b899] A middle-aged man showed up at the lounge every few days, looking for Tammy. ref·66171d39 They'd leave together and come back together. ref·6606e0cb When Thea spotted them, Tammy didn't panic much. — galley e6ddae1d — She said it straight — he was her boyfriend. cee7f570·· Told Thea to keep it quiet. [ms.8897cc7c]
It had been going on for a while. ··3bab8794 Once the fighting with Dale got bad, Tammy adopted a you-do-you attitude. [v.daeb5bea] She'd met the man during a card game. «d7da65a0» Flirting led to more, and Tammy used her job as cover. no.5b8a5f02
Thea had always been a little numb, a little old beyond her years. no.39972eae A closed book. plate-63f56cc3 She kept everyone at arm's length, including her own mother. ◆ 77f12f93 No warm-and-fuzzy bond had ever developed between them. #9df181f5 Hearing the secret, she took it in stride. no.d95ea593
"What if you get caught?" ¶80bed6d2
"If you don't tell, who's gonna find out? #e0ae7a39 And even if they do, I don't care." plate-af854f12
Tammy vented. ··cb26a732 She was thirty-five, thirty-six. ¶27f9cfc2 Still had her looks, but not like before. imp.c1ce2d96 Things with Dale were bad, and she felt hollow inside. ⁰b0a69799 Restless. imp.6cdceabc No anchor. ref·6a612251
"You've got two years till eighth grade ends. 7135a01b·· Five more years of school. ◆ 8da97c25 Then college — go wherever you want. [v.6a8382c5] And I'll be free." ed.9f64eebe
"I've never had any money. [a91bd736] I don't want to keep living like this. 14c64395·· What if I left Dale — moved out, you and me? sub:cb5b37b9 Would that be okay?" ‹007a1051›
"Rent an apartment?" §75b23e9a Thea nodded. ‹b3661d16› "Sure." [9a0ca38c]
"I'm just thinking out loud. 1693ea78·· You've got school. no.8e8e67d4 I can't support both of us on what the tea lounge pays. plate-0a0fb97d And my... friend — he's nice enough, but his job's nothing special. sig.edf582a9 He can't carry two extra people either." [9554b3f4]
Always came back to money. ‹3b4e980a›
Thea didn't spend much, but food and school fees — all of that came from Dale. imp.1dc160cf
Dale didn't meddle. ··e8edd3af As long as Tammy didn't get caught, the status quo was actually fine. ··87834353
September.·c9fbd07a School started. [ed.3a228bdb] Thea heard that Kade had enrolled at the vocational school. ¶fbff6588 His old crew was there too. ·c98128a1· But Ricky said Kade only showed up to register — he never actually set foot in a classroom. sig.8f7ca51c He was out on the streets. [ed.cdfe5f13]
Knowing Tammy's secret, Thea sensed this household had an expiration date. ©e2b4ef04/May 27, 2026 Something bad was coming — she could feel it. [v.177be769] Self-preservation kicked in. ref·dca44554 She liked the Mercer house less and less. [proof:6ec44b9b] Freshman year she'd gone home once a week. * 4bed68c1 Now it was once a month. sub:00526d8d
Dale drank after his shifts. (a2d9ba4d) Somehow — maybe someone coached her — Tammy made a point of buying him liquor. [v.0f984c34] A little cup set beside the computer, refilled again and again. §c2e903e3 Best if he passed out cold. ⁰c78f0d3a There was no point asking Dale for money for Kade anymore. — b90258fe But if Tammy could hold out, Dale's savings — whatever he'd stashed away in big accounts — would be partly hers by right. * 90c62841 And if she couldn't hold out, she'd squeeze as much as she could on the way out. no.1aeba859
Kade never came back. imp.1fd6493a His old cot in the living room and all the junk got thrown out. ⁰79f84502 Thea didn't see Kade for an entire year. * 59792421 She could barely remember what he looked like, and she rarely thought about it. (2a01d72e/Wed) She was growing up too — getting taller, wearing little tank tops, turning into someone graceful and delicate and pretty. §f80f996b The quiet bookworm half the boys in class had a crush on. sub:83eb4fbd
Some things unfolded like fate had been waiting. ‹bf21514a› Like a prayer answered, like an invisible thread pulling you forward until you walked face-first into the web. [ms.4aa9e873] And then destiny lunged and flung you somewhere you never saw coming. [v.94514ec4]
Thea was in English class when her homeroom teacher pulled her out. #3368db78 A call from home. ··d92c2f46 Family emergency. ⟨f1c6db0b⟩ Her heart seized. ee600586·· She picked up the phone. #60776720 Tammy's voice — crying, but with a strange, brittle brightness underneath. ed.f57fc05a Dale was in the ICU. [v.fe88d255] Come to the hospital. ⟨2767dbc8⟩
She raced there. ⟨4fa162a7⟩ Tammy was in one piece — not a scratch on her. plate-05c187ca Haggard, tear-streaked, but her eyes behind those faint wrinkles blazed with a barely suppressed something. — ecf0c32b Dale lay in the bed, breathing machine pumping, tubes snaking out of him everywhere. [ed.cf2e3b65]
He'd fallen. ··505a00f5 Down the stairs. ·5be4feb2· Just one of those freakish coincidences — or rotten luck, depending on who told it. [proof:10022669] Dale had always been unlucky. imp.58530bb4 That night, Tammy was still out. ©8a23a86d/May 27, 2026 He finished the last half-bottle at home, threw on whatever shoes were closest, and walked to the corner store for another bottle. ⟨262c1704⟩ On the way up the stairs, he wasn't watching his feet. [ed.32af904e] Tipped backward, tumbled, cracked the back of his skull. ⁰35b2d686 A neighbor found him unconscious and called an ambulance. — 79701666 Spinal cord injury. — 0f2e5d54 Respiratory failure and brain hemorrhage. ca6a7a82·· Straight into the ICU. ed.826a068b
The Mercers didn't have much family to speak of.·e86475ef Dale had a brother somewhere out of state, but they'd fallen out of touch ages ago. (52a238bb/Wed) The only people who showed up were Tammy, old neighbors, colleagues from the power company, a few distant relatives. [proof:f31308b8]
And Kade. sig.b0720667
Kade walked into the hospital from the far end of a long hallway. imp.0192d5ee Thea was sitting outside the ICU. no.f3212603 He looked taller, maybe. #27a8ccb5 He blocked out the light behind him. ⁰634a9c59 His buzzcut had grown out, dyed ash-gray. «6b2b3bc5» Black tee under a printed button-down, silver chains jangling around his neck. ¶c21855ab Full-on youthful streetwear mode. [v.5b16118e] Chewing gum. [v.6f4f6674] His eyes — maybe from staying up too many nights — were narrow and restless. imp.44b07b20 The smell of cigarettes rolled off him with every step. #282be7df
Thea didn't recognize him. #4edd0ed6 He looked like... a completely different person. [proof:25273d21]
He caught her staring. [ms.3021d6c5] Bent slightly at the waist, leaning down to study her. [proof:58054290] That cold, indifferent gaze landed on her face. ©1a428647/May 27, 2026 Thea turned away, looking at the ICU doors. ◆ 2911e8db
His voice, lazy: "What happened?" — 159cc9b8
Tammy rushed over, tearful, explaining the whole thing, urging him to go inside and see his father. ◆ 1a0bc946 It had been three days. [v.a5c69e9e] Dale still hadn't woken up. — galley d13b26fe —
Kade went in. [proof:96c0f758] The tall, refined man lay corpse-pale, eye sockets sunken, flat on his back and helpless. ◆ 6e9e8a02 Kade stood there a few minutes, expressionless. — galley 218b2e91 — Came back out. ◆ a6140da9 Dropped into a chair. sub:1269d27e Sat there chewing his gum, face dark, saying nothing. [proof:e2d23ecd]
This was his father. ¶3846c4fa Tammy, Thea, everyone else — they all came second. ⁰16a15620 Someone had to keep vigil outside the ICU around the clock. ¶ffe4df89 That fell to Kade, obviously. §7fda30d7 And the rest of it — follow-up treatment, whether Dale would ever wake up, the ICU running three thousand a day — that was Kade's problem too. ©6c4f9602/May 27, 2026
Tammy sniffled through the logistics. ref·3cee0b3f Kade's dark eyes swept across her face once, and he let out a cold laugh. [48ceb3a6] "Funny how I'm useful now." ‹643f95d6›
He was a minor. no.6251a6fe Sixteen years old. §93b6f07b
"We're family. sig.a4cad0a9 We'll figure this out together." * 2620e753 Tammy pushed Thea forward. ⟨dc91ec2e⟩ "He's the head of this family. ref·6ed4e6b8 We have to do everything we can to bring him back."·c1d3b545
Kade took the ICU shifts. ¶216350a9 Thea had finals in two days. ⁰15eca008 After her exams, she came too. d2968805·· They sat on opposite ends of the bench — Kade pulled out a new phone and played games, Thea held a vocabulary book. §dde98ce2 Two worlds, side by side, neither crossing into the other. [aa4df60f]
Tammy dealt with insurance paperwork, took leave from work, ran errands. (def1f96d) She also went to the bank with Dale's cards and ID to withdraw money for the bills. #d5b51b97
Dale spent seven days in the ICU. plate-1967958f No improvement. ©82f34648/May 27, 2026 The family signed the papers to withdraw care. [bb099868] Both Tammy and Kade signed. e0dd55d5··
He was transferred to a regular ward. sub:5837ca82
Everyone seemed to breathe a little easier. [ms.bdaf3ce4]