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Dedication
THE RETICULATED WOMAN
THE PASSAGE OF SLOW-MOVING TRACTORS
EDEN ROAD SNAKED WITH SHARP CURVES
HE WAS PEDALING THE BIKE STANDING UP,
THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY FROM THE ROAD
SHE WAS STILL COMING AT HIM, ARMS OUT-
BEFORE CHURCH THE NEXT DAY, AND BEING
WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF ADULTHOOD,
AND ACROSS THE ROAD, WATCHING THEM
TO KYLE AND GRACE, HE BECAME LESS A
GRACE AND KYLE WERE PLAYING HIDE-
IT’S RIDICULOUSLY EASY TO HIDE IN A
HE WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN PLAYING
THE SLEEPING ARRANGEMENT WAS THE
JASON WAS SMART. HE WAS THE MASTER-
DARL GRAYBEAL’S SHATTERED SPINAL
AND SO KYLE TRACKED HIS BROTHERS TO
HE FOLLOWED THEM TO A SMALL CLEAR-
KYLE FIGURED TO SCRAMBLE RIGHT PAST
AFTER INSPECTING THE ROAD AND FIND-
AFTER CHURCH, THE EDWARDS FAMILY
NOW SHE TRULY WAS THE RETICULATED
THE PARALYZED MAN
KENNY AHEARN SAT ON HIS PORCH AND
A FALLOW FIELD CHOKED WITH WEEDS,
THEY TOOK THEIR TIME ADDING TO IT,
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING HIMSELF TO
LOUISE EDWARDS LOOKED AT HER BONY
THEY WERE ALL STANDING IN THE FALLOW
WEARING THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE WON-
KYLE WAS WATCHING TV, CHIN CRADLED
KYLE TREKKED TOWARD THE CORNFIELD
THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH THE PARALYZED
“KYYYYYYYYLE!”
COUNTY WATER WAS COMING TO EDEN
KYLE WAS IN A FRENZY. HE WAS COM-
HE WAS GETTING TO BE PRETTY GOOD AT
JUST ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE KYLE ED-
FALLS RIVER DRIVE INTERSECTED WITH
EDEN ROAD ENDED AT MT. VERNON ROAD,
DANA SAT ON A CONCRETE BENCH OUT-
ONCE SHE MADE IT PAST THE HORSE PAD-
THE SUMMER DRAGGED ON, AND MELODIE
HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA IF IT WAS MID-
KYLE WAS SCARED OUT THERE BECAUSE
THE SPACES IN THE WEB WERE FILLING
IT WAS JUST STARTING TO GET LIGHT OUT-
THE THROBBING IN HIS GOOD WRIST
LATER, KENNY SAT ON HIS PORCH. HE WAS
THEY SAT THERE AT HIS KITCHEN TABLE. IT
AND THEN SHE COULD TELL DAY FROM
KYLE OPENED THE DOOR AT THE TOP OF
MAMA WANTED TO K NOW WHAT HAD HAP-
DANA TURPIN FOUND THE BOY BACK AT
KENNY SMILED UP AT THE COLORED PO-
IT WAS MIDNIGHT. THERE WAS NO MOON
HE GAVE KYLE THE ORANGE TOAST CHEE
DOWNSTAIRS, THERE WAS A LONG-
KYLE COULD SMELL THE BODIES EVEN
KYLE WAS DRIVING MELODIE GODWIN’S
IT WAS LIKE A MONOCHROME KALEIDO-
EDEN ROAD DEAD-ENDS AT MOUNT VER-
“THUM-THUM-THUM-THUM-THUM-THUM
IT USED TO BE, SHE COULDN’T HAVE EVER
ALTHOUGH GRACE CERTAINLY HAD A WARY
HE HAD HIT HER. AFTER ALL THESE MONTHS
WITH THE DOOR AJAR, SHE COULD SEE
“IT’S OKAY, SWEET-GIRL,” THE PARALYZED
“ALRIGHT, NOW, I’M READY. YOU JUST GO
KYLE HAD BROUGHT HER AN APPLE AND
KYLE GOT TO THE BOTTOM AND IT WAS
KYLE WOULD NE VER COME TO KNOW WHAT
THE SERVANT OF THE ASH
HER SERGEANT CALLED HER AT HOME
SHE WAS DISAPPOINTED.
THE SHERIFF WRESTED THE DRIVER SIDE
THEY WERE AT THE FREE CLINIC IN AT-
BOYD HAD TO LEAVE THE HOUSE AT 5:45
IF LOUISE HAD BEEN ABLE TO THINK
IN THE CAR, TEARS STREAKED LOUISE’S
THE TICKING OF THE CLOCKS IN THE EMPTY
DANA DROVE STRAIGHT FROM THE CRIME
KYLE’S FATHER ANSWERED THE DOOR,
SHE SWUNG HER VEHICLE INTO AHEARN’S
OUT FRONT, MR. AHEARN ASKED, “DID YOU
THE BOYS HAD FORCED KYLE TO A COR-
THE FIRST BOY FELL IN BEHIND HIM WHILE
IT HAD TAKEN DANA A LOT LONGER TO
MRS. EDWARDS REMEMBERED DANA FROM
SHE COULD NOT SEE THE CHAIN ANY LON-
BUT WHAT TO DO NOW? SHE HAD GIVEN IT
MELODIE STOOD MOTIONLESS IN THE SI-
KENNY DIDN’T NEED HIS KEY TO ENTER
THE BUS HAD DROPPED HIM OFF TWO
HEADING TO DOUGLAS COUNTY, DANA
THE BOY HAD BEEN WRONG. IT WASN’T A
DANA KILLED THE SIREN AS SHE EXITED
NEARLY BLIND, GUNSHOT, HER MIND SHAT-
KYLE SLIPPED QUIETLY INTO THE PARA-
“IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT HERE, BOY.”
DANA KILLED THE ENGINE AND LIGHTS
“I’M STILL DIZZY. MY SUGAR’S NOT COM-
DANA FIRED THE SHOT OVER THE WRAITH’S
LATER THAT YEAR, THE COUNTRY-ROCK
BY THE TIME DEPUTY TURPIN TOOK THE
IN THE FEW MINUTES THEY HAD BEFORE
MERCUROCHROME
Acknowledgements
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