The Dream Thief by Kari Kilgore (books for 10th graders txt) 📕

them in sight, and it didn't make a single sound. What disturbed Karl the most, besides seeing terrifying stories from his childhood come to life, was the creature's eyes.

They were deep blue and utterly human. George was right. This one looked more intelligent than most people did.

"Will it tell the other ’sters we're out here?" Karl said.

"Good question. I only see others sometimes, but this one's always keeping watch over me. I have no idea if it can talk or not."

The creature rustled its wings, and Karl drew back. George didn't seem to notice.

"Why doesn't it just fly away?" Karl said. "There's no fence big enough to keep it in here."

"Now that is an excellent question." George smiled as he looked up at the creature. "One I asked a few times when I first got sent out here. I was told a ’ster with wings would never be sent out here under the clear blue sky for that very reason. When I explained that I saw this handsome devil every time I was out here, I was informed that there's no record of that. The monster with wings isn't in the files, therefore it didn't come from the Ministry, and they would never send one with wings out here. So it doesn't exist."

Karl snorted, staring into the ’ster's blue eyes.

"Bureaucracy at its finest."

"All in a day's work, my friend." George stopped testing the fence and glanced at Karl. "The truth is no one besides me had been out here for a few years until today. Rotten as the smell is, I don't mind coming out here by myself. Maybe I'm the first to see this one. It either really likes me, or it plans to eat me."

"If it didn't come from the Ministry..."

"Another excellent point," George said. "Who knows? Maybe it came from the Fog and just likes the company. Karl, I'm not going to point this out to Gemma or Loretta, but there is a gate in the fence. See it, just beyond where the tunnel entrance goes into the house?"

Karl saw the thicker border around a square section of the fence. He hoped the ’ster wasn't paying attention.

"Do you have a key to that?" he said.

"I do, but only one. Sorry to do this to you, buddy, but it's yours."

George held out a key, this one marked with an F. Karl wished he hadn't done that where the creature could see, but he put the key in his pocket with the others.

"Yeah, thanks for that," Karl said. "Anything else I need to know?"

George held both arms out. "You know everything I do about this place. I really do think she'll be okay out here for a while, but I'll rest easier when she can move back out to the Gate."

"Me too. The fence seems sound enough, as long as none of them can squeeze through it."

"Not so far," George said. "At least not out here. If I hear of a new transfer, I'll be sure to let you know."

Karl wished he could feel as confident as George's smile.

"We have a problem here, Georgie, besides all the obvious ones. But it could help us. If at least one ’ster knows we're here, we can't just not tell Gemma and Loretta. Think we should bring them out and see what happens?"

George blinked and raised his eyebrows.

"You want to do some kind of test and see if they notice?" he said. "Or if they panic?"

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," Karl said. "I really do think Gemma will be fine. A bunch of people tried to break into her house in the Northlands, and she just turned on her security and waited it out. She's pretty damn tough, but we can't just assume she'll be calm about your friend up there."

George crossed his arms. "Hang on, what kind of security? You know we can't let her kill any of the ’sters. I mean, I don't want her or Loretta hurt, but killing one of them would bring the whole damned world down on our heads."

Karl closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. That wasn't an easy promise to make.

"I'll tell you the truth," he said. "Her security up there was electricity strong enough to knock a grown man out cold and burn his hands pretty badly. I know that's hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes. She's perfectly capable of generating enough to give anything that touches this fence a hell of a shock. Even worse for the door."

George was shaking his head before Karl stopped talking.

"She can't do that, Karl. I'm not sure who the ’ster in the sky is linked to, assuming it's linked to anyone, but it's up there a lot. We can't risk giving some random person back in the Gate seizures or worse. Even if her handiwork didn't kill people, we don't know what will happen here."

"I know," Karl said. "I hadn't thought about that. I'll have to talk to her about the fence. I don't have any problem with her covering the doors or windows, though. Do you?"

"No, if something happens there we need to know the fence isn't secure."

"None of this will matter," Karl said. "Not if Gemma sees one of them and refuses to hang around. You with me?"

"As long as they know it was your idea if it all goes to hell, be my guest."

They walked inside under watchful blue eyes.

"We checked the fence if you want to take a look at the yard," Karl said, watching Gemma closely.

Loretta could hide out with him a bit longer if she needed to. The true concern was leaving her grandmother out here alone.

"Oh yes!" Gemma said. "Even if I can't have animals, I want to see how the space would work for a garden."

"Is the smell worse out there?" Loretta said.

"To be honest, I think I have been getting used to it a little bit." Karl wrinkled his nose, surprised at the lowered distress he'd been feeling. "But it is