Water pools around me; I become part of the flow. I imagine myself in the ocean, every breath of air tinged with water. My lungs revolting as if I'm drowning.

The path beneath me softens into mud and I roll, allowing it to coat me, thrashing in the water and muck and tears.

I yell at the thunder. Shout at the lightning. I scream at the Unconsecrated, demanding to know why they have taken everything from me.

But the Unconsecrated only moan and paw at the fences.

I stand, race up and down the path, waving my fists. Baiting them. But they drop their hands.

They wander away, shuffling down to taunt Harry and Jacob and Jed with their hunger.

Angry, I race to the fences, thrust my fingers through the links and shake with all my might. I bang against the metal.

But they leave me be. The Unconsecrated slip past me as if I'm not even there. The water and mud masking my scent.

Finally, Harry braves the rain again and comes to me where I'm slumped against the fence. He pulls me back just as Unconsecrated fingers slip through my hair like a fleeting memory.

With gentle movements he wipes the mud from my face. And then he pulls me to his chest and as the storm rages around us and the Unconsecrated beat at the fences he whispers in my ear, “I miss him too.”

For a moment we are one in our grief, and then we hear the shouts.

I look up to see Jed skidding down the path, waving his scythe in the air above his head. When my eyes meet his he stops and motions us forward. I can't hear what he is shouting.

Harry and I stand, find our footing and follow.

We pass Cass and Jacob shivering under a wide bush. Argos begins to trail after me and I hesitate and then push him back toward Jacob. The little boy grasps at the dog's scruff, burying his head in the fur at his neck. Argos looks up at me and whimpers slightly. I flip one of his ears through my fingers, scratching the tip, and his eyes relax into contented slits as he slides to the ground against Jacob. Absently the little boy rests a hand on the dog's tummy, fingers drumming, causing Argos's left hind leg to twitch. Cass glances up and mouths “Thank you” and keeps her arms tight around Jacob, returning her lips to his ears as if recounting some secret story.

I run to catch up with Harry and Jed where they wait still and silent. Here the path is wide enough for us to stand shoulder to shoulder all in a row, Jed taking center position.

He lifts the scythe, pointing down the path, and then lets it drop as if the effort is too much.