Page 117 of Danger

Nobody’s yelling. Nobody’s leaving.

“Come back,” I whisper. “Please.”

It doesn’t sound strong. It sounds wobbly.

“I need you. Daddy needs you.”

My chest feels hot, like I swallowed soup too fast and it’s stuck there. The tears make everything shiny and far away.

“What do you mean transfer?” Daddy shouts. “Transfer her where?”

“Sir, you need to calm down?—”

“I am calm!” he roars. “You don’t wanna see me when I’m not calm.”

They sound like they’re fightin’ over her.

I squeeze her hand. “Everybody thinks I want a mama real bad. And I do. But mostly… I wanted you. For him.” My voicebreaks on the last word. “If you don’t wake up, Daddy’s gonna break. And I don’t know how to fix him. I’m only six.”

That’s when I feel it.

Not big. Not dramatic. Just… tight.

Her fingers. They squeeze mine.

My heart jumps so hard it almost hurts.

I freeze.

“Winnie?” I breathe.

Her hand squeezes again. Weak. But real.

I scoot closer. “Winnie, it’s me. It’s Fisher.”

Her eyelid flutters. Once. Twice. Slow like she’s pushing through mud.

“C’mon,” I whisper. “Wake up.”

Her eyes open just a tiny crack.

They’re blurry at first. Then they find me. And I know it’s her because even tired and sleepy, her eyes do that blue-ice sparkle thing.

Her mouth moves. It takes a second. Then?—

“Hey, little cowboy,” she whispers.

I start crying so hard I can’t even say hi back. And then I do the only thing I can think of.

She’s awake.

I scream.

“Daddy!” I yell. “She came back!”

She heard me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE