Page 122 of A Light in the Dark
“Zero point five. They only figured it out because they checked for evidence my head injury was back, saw nothing on the scans, and decided to do blood tests. I’ve been given a doctor’s note dictating I am not permitted to work more than three hours a day for the next two weeks.”
“All right. Would you prefer if we came earlier?”
“If you want to finish your renovation project, finish your renovation project, Dad. I’ll check in daily with an update.I’m going to be spending my three work hours a day trying to get this mess cleaned up, and I’m a bit of a monster with a headache. But I’ll call daily and let you know if anything changes. If I worsen, I’ll recruit someone to come pick you up and bring you to Stonecreek.”
“I can work with that. Your mother isn’t going to handle the news well,” he warned.
“They made a better drug than when my brother died. I’m on the new one.”
“They made the better drug because your brother died,” my father replied. “We wrote to Mirage, sent a blood sample, and donated his body. You remember how we had a closed casket funeral.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“Your brother’s bodyisin his grave; he just went to Mirage first. We didn’t want to tell you. We didn’t think you’d understand. But they used his body for research on how to make the new drug.”
While we lived on a progression locked world, we were allowed to innovate within the confines of our tech restrictions. New drugs, new vaccinations, and so on were permitted if we could do so without violating those restrictions.
I took a minute or two to mull over the reality of what my father told me. “He would have liked that. He always wanted to help others.”
“And now Zac gets to help his little sister. Your mother’s going to be a mess, but I’ll ask that she wait to call you in the morning. I’ll tell her you’re tired and you need sleep so you can get better.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“But seriously, do you think you can let us see those luna moths?”
“If you need to get into contact with a luna moth flutter due to any compulsions, desire to fly, or obsession over any scraps of silk that cross your path, that is not a problem. You’ll have to swear secrecy so the gossips in town won’t go stalking the poor moths, but if you want to meet some luna moth shifters, that is no problem.”
“The ghost moths are shapeshifters?”
“Yes, Dad. They’re shapeshifters. I’ll tell you a little secret. Go buy some roses, plant them on the edge of your property, and set up some patio furniture. When the moths come to visit your garden, put out a plate of sliced oranges for them. You might not have frequent visitors, but you should get some visitors with that scheme. If you go to Watercrest, there’s a garden shop there that sells some roses. Just tell them I sent you. But don’t try to match my rose garden, Dad. Mine is a thing of epic beauty.”
“You have a rose garden?”
“Most of my courtyard is dedicated to all things roses, and I have some indoor roses as well. You’ll get to see them soon enough. Just don’t lock the luna moths in your house, however tempting that might be. Oh, and leave out a basket with a smooth liner. If you’re lucky, the luna moths might leave you with a gift.”
“I think I’ll try that, thank you. I’ll go tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, there’s a really good butcher there. Tell Jolena I said hello, please!”
“You’ve been to Watercrest?”
“That’s where I bought some of my roses. My neighbor took me. If you see any sticks on the road when you’re driving, stop and check for luna moth eggs or larvae. Put the stick carefully in your vehicle and tell someone in town you have them. They’ll direct you to the luna moth farm, I’m sure.”
Joel chuckled, shaking his head at my commentary.
“We have a tub of larvae we’ve been feeding,” my father confessed. “That’s my renovation project. There’s not a lot of food for them, so I have been gathering stuff to feed them. I can go to Watercrest and someone can take care of them?”
Sucker. “Since your car might not survive the trip, I can ask for a favor or two from someone in Watercrest to help you with your babies, Dad. It won’t be a problem, and they’ll get the care they need. You’re running out of food for them, aren’t you? How large is the tub?”
“We are. I think we have enough for a few more days before they eat everything. The tub is… rather large.”
“How large is the tub, Dad?”
“It’s ten feet by ten feet, and it’s six feet tall, and I had to install magicked plastic to keep them all in. I have mesh over it to keep the predators out.”
Goodness. How many larvae was he trying to feed? “I’ll take care of it,” I promised. “And don’t be surprised if you have a visitor sooner than later. They’re a bit obsessed about their luna moths over in Watercrest.”
“Thank you. Please give them my number if they can help.”
