ELENA
My father’s laughter filled my ears. I opened my eyes. I still lay between the ovens behind the buffet area. “Sweet pea, what the hell did you do?” he asked.
I lifted my head. “What are you doing here?” His corporeal form stood in the cafeteria with me. Time stood still. It was our special moment. I’d expected this…next week.
“What happened to the big claiming in Etan? This wasn’t supposed to be it.”
I realized what he said. “No.” I closed my eyes.
He laughed again. “You can’t back down now. You have to claim him.”
“He made me so furious, Dad.”
“About what now?”
I shook my head. I couldn’t tell my father. A tear rolled over my face. “I’m ascending?”
He smiled. “Look for yourself.”
I got up. I stared at Blake’s ugly mug. How had he gotten so big? The last people had just mad
