There was no doubt left in Barney's mind that those three people from earlier had not been telling him the whole story. Not that they had lied, specifically - except maybe about the carnival - but just that they had omitted a lot of the truth. Because if they were in any way connected to Ghastly and Dad - Grandad - which they were, they just had to be, coincidences like that didn't exist ...
Barney watched the old man with the rest of the kids in the ward, and he could almost believe. Right along with Allie. He stared at the scene for a moment, mesmerised, and then broke the spell himself with another little shake of his head. Images of the man downstairs with the stab wound in his leg filled his vision instead. These people, whoever they were, still had to be treated with caution. They were still dangerous.
"Fancy that, Allie," he told her with a smile. "A personal visit from Santa. Better start thinking about what you want for Christmas this year!"
She wouldn't be here for Christmas this year. Logically, Barney should be planning for that. But he couldn't. Not now, not as he watched her squeezing the life out of her new teddy bear.
He looked over at the kind-eyed bald man, who was still watching Grandad with a sort of... wariness? No. No, not quite. It was something Barney couldn't quite place, and it was gone when Ghastly turned back around to face them. "The best part," Ghastly said to Allie, "is that he can read minds. I've seen him do it. You don't even have to tell him; you just have to think of it."
If only, Barney replied silently, life were that easy.
no subject
There was no doubt left in Barney's mind that those three people from earlier had not been telling him the whole story. Not that they had lied, specifically - except maybe about the carnival - but just that they had omitted a lot of the truth. Because if they were in any way connected to Ghastly and Dad - Grandad - which they were, they just had to be, coincidences like that didn't exist ...
Barney watched the old man with the rest of the kids in the ward, and he could almost believe. Right along with Allie. He stared at the scene for a moment, mesmerised, and then broke the spell himself with another little shake of his head. Images of the man downstairs with the stab wound in his leg filled his vision instead. These people, whoever they were, still had to be treated with caution. They were still dangerous.
"Fancy that, Allie," he told her with a smile. "A personal visit from Santa. Better start thinking about what you want for Christmas this year!"
She wouldn't be here for Christmas this year. Logically, Barney should be planning for that. But he couldn't. Not now, not as he watched her squeezing the life out of her new teddy bear.
He looked over at the kind-eyed bald man, who was still watching Grandad with a sort of... wariness? No. No, not quite. It was something Barney couldn't quite place, and it was gone when Ghastly turned back around to face them. "The best part," Ghastly said to Allie, "is that he can read minds. I've seen him do it. You don't even have to tell him; you just have to think of it."
If only, Barney replied silently, life were that easy.