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Back The Infinite Noise Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  70. Newsletter Sign-up

“You guys can’t just throw stuff at him without explaining it, you know that,” my sister lectures my parents like she’s the adult. Twelve and the only one in the family who’s learned how to keep her head in a crisis.

“We’re sorry, son.” My dad looks shamefaced and my mom looks close to tears. God, everyone had been in such a good mood when we started dinner (all of ten minutes ago, I realize, even though it feels like hours), why did I have to ruin it?

“What the hell is going on?” I choke out, my throat still tight from the poisonous combination of feelings that’s been running through it. “What are you guys so stressed about?”

My mom blinks away her unshed tears and takes a deep breath.

“When we first took you to Dr. Bright, she explained that there are—” She pauses and I feel like I’m about to be told that I have three months to live. I unthinkingly turn my hand over and squeeze Alice’s. “There are people who like to keep tabs on people like you—people who can do special things.”

“These people aren’t dangerous”—my dad takes over, giving me an earnest look that I don’t believe—“but she thought it was best that they didn’t know about you. We don’t want anyone trying to meddle in your life or telling you how to live it.”

“We just want the world to be open to you, Caleb.” My mom smiles at me.

“And it wouldn’t be if these people knew? I mean, who the hell are they?” My parents let the curse slide as they share another inscrutable look.

“Well, to be frank … we don’t know.” My dad exhales, and I know he’s telling the truth.

“Are you saying there are superspies after Caleb?” Alice scoffs, voicing the insane thought that was running through my own head.

“Of course not, sweetie,” my mom says. “No one knows anything about what Caleb can do, and we’re going to keep it that way.”

“That’s why it’s important to trust the people you tell,” my dad explains. “We’re not saying never tell anyone, but just be careful about who you trust.”

“Yeah.” I find myself agreeing. “Okay.”

My parents smile at that and I venture out of Alice’s cocoon of calm to check in with their feelings. The stress and concern are down from eleven to one and the pastel pink exhale of relief is filling them up.

I pull my hand away from Alice’s and with it try to pull back into my own feelings. All that I find is a swirl of confusion twisting around a weight of fear in my gut.

24

CALEB

“Okay, I know I said I don’t know anything about clothes, but you absolutely cannot wear that.”