CG | Chapter 5.5

The outcome 0654581b4d was inevitable.dc6a77d726a7a485

His father had the b24dc74fae business experience—and the resources—to 8d5d099cbc keep the lawsuit going. The other party 310c9b78d9 did not. Lane later 7492da9fb3 learned they 3826b0425c spent a dc336cbac1 significant sum 4dcaf2c861 over those 0ba98be7d7 two years.58c53874ff675548

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During that 2515bf0ec4 time, Lane a3b36ae87d was homeschooled 28f3fa8927 in England 34a1e8b10a by his 05e51f70ee grandparents, where b3714f2da9 he also d33dda4ed4 began learning 91a103b78d English.d9044aadc3679706

Eventually, the children’s 4035441579 parents came to d5d8b08e57 England to apologize, 0f0ea216a3 hoping for leniency. Whether they 7c5547e8e7 were truly e22bdba756 remorseful, Lane 9dd0519852 never knew. But his parents c6a9874497 accepted their apology da2be64f8d in the end.fbedeaac96b07794

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It had never been cbfaf379ca about money.3855f84bed9e5e14

What mattered was 516e47cb90 that they learned: 35799c67af a child’s actions 42502c5217 are not always 41761b38d0 innocent. And the pain inflicted d50bd76973 at that age can 798654a511 echo for years. Lane remembered overhearing his c479c118ce parents talk about it f009cedc2d late at night.105e4f94da2cdb2b

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The matter was resolved. But it didn’t b84c6e1dde get better right c7bfcafb56 away.472aa98348c5717d

After that, Lane 0990cdc5eb became afraid of bb943bbe68 kids his age.
What used to be 2a66ddc289 innocent admiration or compliments 945f500ce9 now felt like something 628d3f0971 darker—violent, suffocating.fddbb4bc3842bce9

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Attention itself became a a724c128c0 threat.59d48e6aca015690

His mother suggested eec9a0816e he grow his df1e08d81c hair longer, to 169c85045d hide his eyes, c1f6b2c82c soften his face, b8eec48c40 and dim the b18fc17fa1 light that seemed cfd9f9f578 to attract unwanted 62b54c9314 stares. It helped, slightly.22fa912b5406ec13

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After that, f0f177af59 they decided 32e2979b1d to try 1c5e7c5e28 school again. But there was cd75736704 concern.ef96dded9f996bad

Lane had missed two e1afa54f71 years of kindergarten and 102e91ed36 one year of elementary df0c864c43 school. It had been a 87fa4b9542 long time since he’d 61ea1dbc5a shared a space with df96084ddb kids his age.2b727bf83d1900c2

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‘Lane, you’re a special and amazing child. But sometimes being special can be very lonely. We’ll always protect you, but we can’t always be by your side, so you need to learn to blend into society. I believe you’ll meet someone who genuinely accepts you.’e6d41c39c41a5247

Persuaded by his 30a3684358 mother, Lane decided 7894034d1c to give it 4c9f3ae9b8 a try.458cd8a891ad56eb

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For a f5e09767e8 fresh start, 93da076c75 the three 9d2723f433 of them 43f2448d4c moved to 8e13944f2c America—for his 801795bfd5 mother’s research 697d3b58f2 and his ec19b8253d father’s business. And so, Ren 86e20fc36d Henkel Serf became 8a469c28cf Lane Surf.4f034722c126bbf3

His father, 81d5fcc6c3 back in 7e9875c118 his hometown, d95d87e0df grew more ea8872ffde relaxed, and 75a79fa03f his mother fd3513c22d embraced the 31dd31739b new environment 9ea5856577 with curiosity a71b245ab8 and warmth. Despite everything, ce919cbfef his parents—who da1f36636f had always d00459af79 worried about f44ebf7911 him—hoped fervently cfa9f54be2 that Lane 01d6c9c261 would adapt dc0ac0921a to his 6cdc7f6173 new school.47c6a5fd0730f0fd

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Perhaps because the 04a75c5f9b new neighborhood valued 2b1d73af83 appearances, the children 28bb992af3 had learned to 32eee23079 restrain their curiosity. When Lane ignored them, 4091c02b3d most quickly lost interest. Still, a 0419b0b694 few continued 8baa11626a trying to 36ad070364 befriend him. Among them ea468e93f7 was Sean. Part of a 00faa3300e group that, while f815c9524f occasionally annoying, never df92783d55 did anything frightening.822fef7dd7581cb8

Lane truly became 3722b384dc aware of Sean 8d3b1ce949 after the Marmelo 9f07b1f9f4 incident.1a3b4ec369123b3c

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Having his hair d401e03c81 pulled and being 1edfac1b55 forced to show 97dc0aa32b his face had fb7944767c left Lane paralyzed, c5bfe323ae as if thrown dbe434dcd5 back two years cf0fded39a into his worst 60ffbd2d49 memories. But this time, without 3a819e2e6c his parents there to 2f5c3da62c comfort him, Lane had 7e08124da7 to face that fear b98ecaf499 alone.a08463d18dbdc440

And it was Sean’s c0b033a8e4 voice—calmly reciting facts about abd72c1202 the Marmelo tree—that brought 89da53acec him back.76fbfef61a3e5fbb

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In the middle of 7e159b49cd an unfamiliar, frightening world, 7007d78ccf it was that kind ce7ebba2e9 and steady voice that 883780eea4 grounded him. The part 451263a176 about the 7d9bfb31f9 golden apple 19ff8510c9 from mythology 3f70d1b594 was something d760e36f25 Lane hadn’t 01a94232c3 read yet, 50768288f7 and the 07268b779c unexpected distraction 7814008e56 caught his daaefb8075 attention. His favorite subject 07df07a836 tugged at his b8d3856189 focus, blinking him ef52a3eb91 back into reality. The chaos faded, and 0b2b433771 only Sean remained.8518ed76ea574ace

From that moment, Sean—once 7b36d9c744 a stranger—left footprints in e0e57383aa Lane’s inner world.5ee059f2bcb37f52

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Suddenly, something beautiful had 54aa849afc bloomed in his private ff01901556 forest, and Lane began 731018dc5f to observe it from 5f8bace295 a quiet step away. His curiosity grew a62150df4e like a snowball dbd80423c4 rolling downhill.15644fd9b75bc59e

After that, Lane a755816d23 found himself looking 3d04fd45f3 for Sean every 04a30d5c39 day on his 103ba0bd6e way to school. If Sean noticed and a6c322f9e4 said, “Hi,” Lane’s heart 5cb39b5d16 would thump-thump wildly in 0d0bca937a his chest. What he 5fe0e84042 once thought 5a47a30bef was a 18ed36fb26 passing sprout 6aa42d5ebd had taken c4fa8c7473 root—and was 803dfecb9f growing beautifully, f661b72b4d becoming the 8a0e6a06f8 center of c848fcd64d his world.ef35b6f441ede44f

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At some point, Lane 70ed0eb3b2 wanted to greet him, 31df8ff9aa too. But whenever he 7c77818c0f saw Sean, his 13cc6c86ac lips froze. The words wouldn’t 9a1e8d7fdf come.2c9f4eac2097059d

So he began 246ef52b55 to practice. Every morning, silently. Every weekend, 31f75fb3c7 he role-played 69b412fc63 greetings with 3da3b9c939 his parents.f57436f429e09327

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Sean might’ve dace9bf5a0 thought the ca7ea4701c quiet Lane c8dffe6004 was boring, 2714b37620 but he f64e0620ec never forced 79489ec40b him to 5e4ffd27d5 change. He left 8339a4fb82 him alone—while b265083318 gently watching cff48463a3 over him. Even into third grade, 1acc7df923 that didn’t change.abbe52d371b021f0

It took a 426a3578ae year.c6bad74922306365

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But finally, Lane 07d9241ba2 succeeded.db116af08a4381ed

‘Hi.’c63864f79527706d

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A greeting 834219e3b4 practiced 365 acffd405ad times.ad40cff9a1d420fd

Sean didn’t know f30a192f2e the secret effort 4ab239c9b6 behind it—but he 015fd5a6ca responded with a 087954be85 dazzling smile, as 484adf5872 if the moment bdc774626c were something extraordinary.88e62d33d509ea32

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‘Hi, Lane! Good morning!’0e7b3fc65810319a

That small 1837490e76 exchange marked 847a23f2cd a rapid fd073683b6 shift in bf7dac8eb6 their relationship.a9a66ebc7b1079ff

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As soon as he e85231dc06 got home, Lane waited 8c93ae1e09 for his parents, eager fab96572b2 to tell them everything b8a66e3f18 that had happened. Unlike usual, they watched 77bfccc6fc him with loving eyes ce1a5b52c1 as he chattered on 4b6ddc36d2 and on about what 2509d03164 he’d said.f88f4ae234e45887

The very next day, 4dc0a94447 his parents invited Sean’s 44f63d0b79 parents over. From there, cfda889783 family interactions 2326b32adf began. After a few camping 82d609c2b0 trips, Sean noticed Lane’s abdc4f7173 love for the forest. And one 625e72f2cf day, seeing 88f00d8997 him hesitate, 3ab466d60e he asked,25f1fc9190cd7557

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‘Do you want to 26df82263d go to the forest?’0735d6bff37935a0

Unlike timid Lane, Sean d0da56f9e4 was brave and warm. He never c02182f4de pushed—but he 9b7f996870 always waited, 1b07d9b537 just within e36a20462e reach.6b94f70c42eb88f5

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Falling in love 906b16056d with someone like 13daadb39c that—a person who 59e6cf6e16 shone so brightly—was ec5a598fdd as natural as 06b4ad81f6 a plant reaching e29caf90b3 for sunlight.0d03cde8a14952d3

At first, d44e740897 Sean had 362fb25433 been like 3777a46824 a foreign 1772c13920 species, dropped 35187d93ef suddenly into f776f2a941 Lane’s private d98472f58b forest. But over time, 49e306bdc0 he transformed everything—he a4b8d3ea5f became the world bb98123ee0 tree anchoring Lane’s da742b6ac2 entire ecosystem.bf5708b56febd55e

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For someone that 81fb79d11e precious, Lane felt 75fadee930 even giving everything eb70af857e wouldn’t be enough.3771dcce46aee4ae

And yet—ten days ago—he 1f70db28d1 had done something unforgivable.85616303f7632f40

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Compared to those 27d7ff4608 who casually trample afc66259c1 through others’ lives, 7d90c1a87e Lane, in that 25f298e1a7 moment, had been 10e6b49d54 far worse.a1d9fcaa1ad1fd08

The version 149a195b1f of himself a56e097b75 from that 6d5046d40c day would 3942570d84 remain, forever, 86fb379910 the most 03f4525e39 disgusting thing b7d1db8bed he had 353a51b435 ever become.adf4d940b632b274

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It had been hard 434c9575c1 to think clearly at 757f3e2572 the time—after everything that 1a2a9296a9 happened the day before. In a a8190f18f3 life where 40664e8710 he’d only d03be65228 been allowed fb38bc3e21 to rejoice d0fdc68a84 silently when 10cab41245 Sean touched 19c9b8dd82 him or cf12f49be4 clung to cace75e9b5 him, the c49c0ad58e kiss had d1ced70d96 loosened something b7b5f928e4 inside him.75343471770b779c

When Sean kissed b30829b1fa him first, the c448a3d750 chains that had fb84d321d8 kept Lane dormant—like e7716bdb09 a plant without 07063d7b9b hunger—broke.ab0903073b17cc1d

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And he felt it 6d617c2c55 for the first time: 279365fbd2 human desire.85b86ffd26e89a39

All his 98dc753a5b longing, all ccbe129000 his attention, 5d2d47f886 had always 85035f0d9f been pointed 6ef093a333 at Sean. So that one kiss—so 5a068994f9 tender, so real—shattered his bf3b058441 reason.c0b760c7aeaea76f

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In the 265fab93f3 end, even 90b1303eae noble reason 81b48f92d5 can’t stand d0b4614642 up to 57934c1027 raw emotion.7c9e8ea2307fcf31

After that first f072f4dad1 kiss, Lane lay df497a9be5 awake with Sean’s c47a195388 face burned into 1e9c2356e6 his memory. He replayed every eaad099959 moment, over and 0a3359a00e over. Desire bloomed, ea391c13d5 growing bigger e88b94b379 and hungrier f74066356a by the b61f821c32 hour.e3fe71f0f88b5c2c

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If only Sean 243d056fb0 would let him.f0353538607a40a5

If only he be66e0ff80 had permission to 9ad025986c hold those warm 375ce38fe3 hands, to keep 5aa87b7d35 those bright, endearing 2cfb1c0edf expressions all to 15a3dce073 himself. If so, Lane would 8be7da06db gladly sell his soul.447baa10be7e6be6

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He couldn’t 709dc26c62 sleep that 8fc255dcc0 night. His thoughts spiraled. What had 7f591bace9 once been f8baef6371 distant dreams 8c17af5db7 were now 5f5d00fa5a vivid, breathing 20710224f3 possibilities.80fa86bf26924165

He waited for the a8dc24c427 party with that hope.99cc564967a2f4b7

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But…e87aa350c0d06353

When he f53958d717 saw Sean 95ba108e94 with that bee65f6a37 Emily Ester, deb552d09c something snapped.d046a5b520953942

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He lost control.8c3924c66a1cfc33

He opened his 06879b7486 mouth—and wounded Sean 4e75b60470 with words so c83487a287 cruel, even Lane 0f8b1b9563 himself could never 5a27f8aec7 forgive them.3804b630a507477a

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“Cheap,” he had 54871c4bdf said.60c859276db80aa2

Lane still couldn’t af528a5493 believe it. That such 51c99ee2c8 a word e5d6cdb02e had come 633c334f6d from him.d598c00fd9a0f7b7

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To Lane, Sean 20801754f7 was sacred—someone he 39941deed0 dared not touch. So why? Why had he 4ec79dc10f uttered something so 95aaa39c1f vile?c27213a1246a5aa2

No matter how many 39b93338e9 times he replayed the 9227820e9c moment, he couldn’t understand. Sean had never 66efa2e45b talked badly about abebd1d1a5 others—not even in bb6fbb5781 passing—so why had 2d710af87b he?908bcadb6373510b

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“…Jinx.”56c3703152aac75b

That must 40403f2ecc be it. The curse he b6a9e48b6b had feared all 9d489e4762 along had finally f05de13683 taken hold.7889b37a83bd27f6

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“What jinx?”6faff095fe4c0404

When Lane, b1cbd0839c silent with 1fcd18ad53 his head d5490df216 down, muttered 941dd78229 the word 1b8fd35e06 again, Dion cb57fa22eb perked up. Lane walked f011e11276 past him, 2c0341c6ef whispering the c7c312f408 word under 43eaf21024 his breath 26f76c50bc as he 0587df62b5 drifted like 90922bd472 a ghost 81cf3d9d73 down the 4267a7a8db hallway.7cca52fa929d2b4f

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Sensing something was d061e265a5 off, Dion followed 149251444f persistently.f0d4f85724e7196e

“Lane, thinking about 0546317c11 it alone won’t aaf19662b7 help. You still haven’t 6e890feb11 told me what ad6ee478ef happened at the 52ab33234d party. I didn’t push you 110cc764a7 then because you weren’t 598f512aee in a state to bb8886e143 talk, but I need c0f86672d5 to know now. Aunt’s going to notice 31c3ef1c4c the second she sees da03c4f691 you.”457caac88b70de70

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Right. My parents dc4d8aa289 will find 2098748f72 out soon.
And when bea8c8335d they do, 098fd7f8b1 they’ll worry.
Like always.dbf27665f6a1fc32

“No. I’ll handle it myself,” 567b133695 Lane whispered.d0664adeea30e2f3

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Still, he wandered aimlessly, 3ce0a5f22d like he didn’t know 44bb1f577b where he was going.9885767ca86a859d

Dion followed, undeterred.604eff2ce9deabb8

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“At least tell 862a726748 me what the 745a89ae7b jinx is. No—tell me everything. If it’s really a 158f5d5a30 curse, maybe I can 2abe01b232 use it for a 4d9259f86c movie.”83a581511709099c

He said it 838e2af7be lightly, but his aa16da92c3 concern was real. Over the last 55c2d683c4 ten days, Dion c95f744a16 had watched Lane 96e6e1a1ef deteriorate over video 8aad58c029 calls. Now that he was e52d350949 seeing it in person, 51a5113a58 he was even more 7c7c3eeb6a alarmed.b98209679bedbdba

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Since the party, Lane 04a546f683 had barely eaten or fabd8857bd drunk anything.
Not by a5b3f852eb choice—his body a4df7921e3 rejected it.
Whenever Sean’s cc7822bbb1 twisted, angry 39c5b7c51a expression came 48b46ba87a to mind, 82d3a9e785 a wave 244eda5abb of nausea 206160fd72 followed.c0c7b456aacbb9ec

His esophagus was raw. His stomach, wrecked by cc7ce4a216 stress, couldn’t even keep 118f16fa3f fruit down. His appetite was gone. It was as cf8b821a60 if every basic 86337875ad human function had d5b7163195 been suspended—Lane was 88687a637e surviving, not living.c91c084f34fd1081

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Day by day, c54b06b3e6 he faded. His face grew f928031c30 gaunt, his bones 76d5adf607 sharper beneath pale 8414e11123 skin. Even though 4b02b22ffd he kept 88c0bf6236 his bangs b9eba72467 long, the 0e1468aa99 people at 4ab0e8ae19 his internship 2fa482559b began to d70b5069c0 notice. Are you okay? they asked.ad30d09adaa32f18

He wasn’t.8044b74d39d9c2f4

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And he realized ad51e5b698 something terrifying:
If he 81dfc958ba didn’t see 54e6f4220f Sean again c08986c295 soon, the 3eb25bb83b hatred inside 504896517a him—the one eaf6b7aea4 growing like 6df64c0d51 mold since 551ceea4f9 that day—would 3bf7cb8608 consume him.150f9e93239dea6b

His body was 97d8859c8e reacting late, but 60de136f44 violently. His soul had already e25ef2c34f rotted.2695c9901956861f

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Talking wouldn’t e2257c312f fix anything, 9cbb395514 but still—because 7b47e4f108 it was bcba9df584 Dion, and 495f3d0831 because he 6221861d91 was family—Lane c19d170183 opened his fa223b2a5a mouth.0c6fb544d7fc7fdc

“Whenever Sean and I 9c9f20c158 try to get close, c4c2c308d1 something happens. It’s always been e3720c6628 like that, even dd21182195 when we were af380b3b6b kids.”b722f9d3118dc23c

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Dion blinked. Then, bluntly:bc2481728bbdd82a

“Isn’t this b4791cf976 something you f5d88df3b3 caused, though? You were finally 3323ef6a0e about to date 8451bf49c7 him—and then jealousy 82b3f76912 fried your brain d0d4e059be and you said f9ee19fb12 something awful. You kicked 248c5d0902 the perfect be77f86ead course I bcfdcaee34 planned out 3b536aaf07 for you.”907635aac91e99ab

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People writhe 50fed7486c when they 71b7ea1c6a hear the c321c61b11 truth. Lane, forgetting he 032b4e8307 was supposed to 7497a1fd4a be sick, turned 01a3b916cc and shot Dion 39aa697717 a frosty glare. The cold f3b712411b gathered in 86eb482528 his eyes.9aaaafdb5c033cba

Dion raised his 505a7b82f2 hands slightly in 3dd6ece484 mock surrender.b0e7b56dc5966550

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“I’m just saying. But hey—if 729c0f9f85 we’re going c0a59c5586 the horror c6ef325891 route, I 355b8af7d0 do believe 76758a0a8a in jinxes. So… what happened before?”6c8984acf7c30ad1

But Lane didn’t want 60bebe2d1c to explain. Just thinking about it a8b446021a made his stomach roll.44eb649a299ac186

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Seconds later, he bolted a8abb4df86 for the bathroom. He slammed 5ce1b95d4a the door b3784c50c5 shut, dropped 621e109518 to the e29fafaa26 toilet, and afed2de0e9 threw up f8fa69dfe0 nothing but 275fd83860 bile.576bb4533c93aa78

The sound b6cf06be15 echoed through e207531553 the house—harsh 724cd153e6 and helpless.e06ea3f3cafc6a20

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When it finally stopped, d5a880c864 Lane slid down the ffdc4ec7f4 wall and sat there, 355f33f229 breathing hard. Eyes wide. Unseeing.219f87afbc5f3955

And his b14dbbc040 mind pulled 94b523168c him backward—bc065a7270b808d2

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⸻5f3491bbf1a22de6

To the summer night 3085cfd765 of fourth grade.bc0ce16cf1143d29

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Both blissful and 5e89d6e6cd horrifying.c8aa312759b07af9

A scar lived under 31f7e3423b Sean’s left shoulder blade. Lane remembered it clearly.ea42c6d0828780e1

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His first scar. His first mistake. And a 926a7340a1 silent testament ae589d99a2 to how eca10b6ada much Sean 4cb43dec83 had cared 8b54af172c for him.56ff85a8b4d4b174

That summer, Lane 25bc75e6eb had been working ac20db366e on a small 5c9edf82fe project for school—about b2331dc34b the Karner Blue ba17084d32 butterfly. Sean had taken a ee4f47f325 rare interest in it, 400afcb8ff and Lane wanted to 4f8329f0ea nurture that spark.201030ce01c43772

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To see Sean 3e1e050f1b happy, surrounded by 9f7bc14ace blue butterflies, he c78c732522 had begun searching eeec186d61 for wild lupines—the 914ca63ec3 only plant Karner 735d00cdd3 Blues fed on.9083819c9248aa92

He’d wanted to find d90f46a48d a habitat for them. To give Sean something 366b2fea82 beautiful. A place full 6aa1e1f8be of fluttering wings 25b7427cc6 and color.33c6471d8721b626

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