The Tethering: The Complete Collection

Prologue-2

Five Years Ago

The cafeteria at Fairfield Middle School was particularly noisy that day. Jacob liked the noise. People were less likely to notice him.

He headed straight to a table in the far corner. No one ever went over there. No one but Emilia. Eating with her was the best part of his day. He sat and waited for her to come to him.

“Hi,” Emilia said as she emerged from the crowd. She sat across from him and started organizing her lunch tray. She looked at Jacob and the empty table in front of him where his lunch should have been. “Your dad’s still not back.” It wasn’t a question.

Jacob traced the graffiti on the table with his finger. He didn’t like to talk about his father with Emilia. It ruined his time with her. He didn’t like to think about bad things when she was around.

“Did you run out of money?” Emilia asked.

Jacob didn’t answer. Whenever Jim left town for a job, he left behind some money. Jacob had learned over the years to be careful with it, to stretch it as far as he could. But occasionally he ran out anyway.

“Here.” She cut her burger in half, passing him the larger of the two pieces.

“I’m fine.” Jacob shook his head.

Emilia’s right eyebrow arched as she stared him down. “There’s no point in going hungry.” She gave him her milk, too. “Come over after school, and we’ll make up some grocery bags for you. Molly is making pizza tonight. You can stay for dinner.”

Jacob looked away. Tears burned in his eyes. He hated pity.

Emilia reached over and grabbed his hand. “Jacob, don’t. I was lucky when I got Aunt Iz. It’s only right I share her with you.”

* * * *

Four Years Ago

It was hot. That horrible kind of hot that seemed to make even Jacob’s bones sweat. He lay on the floor of the living room underneath the ceiling fan. He watched as it swirled around. It didn’t make the room cooler, but it kept the air moving, making it easier to breathe.

School would be starting again soon. Usually, Jacob dreaded the start of school, but it had been so hot all summer, he had been daydreaming about sitting in an air-conditioned classroom.

This hadn’t been his best summer on any account. Jim had left five days after school let out, and he hadn’t been back since. Luckily, Jacob had gotten old enough he could find odd jobs around the neighborhood. He weeded for twenty dollars, mowed for fifteen. It wasn’t much, but he had managed to keep himself fed.

The only good part of the summer was Emilia. Most days she would come over to get him, and they would go somewhere. Anywhere. To her house, to the park. He didn’t care where they went as long as she was there.

Jacob closed his eyes and waited for the knock on the door. He loved that knock. It meant good things were about to happen.

He only had to wait a minute before the porch step squeaked.

Knock, knock, knock.