The light was back.

It was real bright.

It hurt Devon’s eyes.

He was so hungry. The angel had given him a drink and some bites of sandwich last time the light came. But that was a long time ago.

His belly growled as the light got closer. He knew he should be scared but he was too tired.

He didn’t know how long he’d been in this dark place but it felt like a real long time.

Leslie had probably quit looking for him by now. She was prob’ly sad.

He’d heard the kids in the house crying again. And the man and woman yelling at each other. Once when he woke up he thought he heard the blond lady cop talking but he prob’ly dreamed it.

The angel put the light down on the ground by Devon’s feet. He heard a tearing sound. More tape, he was pretty sure. He blinked. Tried so see but his eyes wouldn’t work good. The light made them hurt. More of that yucky tape was stuck to his face. This time over his eyes.

He didn’t like it but he couldn’t say anything. He was pretty sure it wouldn’t matter anyway.

The angel was pulling at his arms. Dragging him. Where were they going? Was the angel taking him home?

Maybe he was going to heaven. Tears made his eyes sting. He didn’t want to go… he wanted his sister.

Devon went inside himself.