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Troy called out from the next room, “Mom?” but was met with silence. A light shone on the walls of his bedroom and he lay, petrified, with Rocker Patch purring at his feet, until Scarlett responded and opened the door, finding only darkness, a cat, and a frightened little boy.
She took them with her into the soft double bed in her own room, and they nestled together while a noiseless wind ruffled the curtains. She kept the bedside light on to keep at bay the fear.
A deep comfortable voice hummed, “Ballad of Easy Rider” until morning, but that might have been a dream. They both heard it, though. The voiceless almost noiseless music didn’t frighten Troy, but seemed to give him comfort. The orange cat purred at their feet.
“Orange tabbies all came from Vikings,” Michael had explained,
