Chapter 32 · The Thing Inside Dad

Dad's skin is splitting.

Not all the way. Just at the edges of his knuckles where the black blood's still wet. The cracks run thin and dark like someone drew on him with a pen that goes too deep.

Rona's got her field kit half open. Bandages in one hand. The other hand won't stop shaking.

"Don't." Dad's voice comes out wrong. Tight. Like he's talking through his teeth because opening his mouth all the way would let something else out. "Don't come closer."

She's already closer.

Three steps between them and she doesn't remember taking any of them. Her blood-bond system's going insane. The interface is flickering in her peripheral vision like a busted screen. Half the text is garbled. The other half keeps flashing the same warning.

HOST INTEGRITY COMPROMISED.

TARGET MANIFESTATION INCOMPLETE.

BOND FORBIDDEN.

"What the hell does that mean?" she says.

Dad looks at her. His eyes are still his. That's the worst part. Everything else might be cracking open but his eyes are exactly the same as they were when he taught her how to tie a tourniquet.