Jack got out of the car and scanned the grass. Four boys. No Eli. He started walking. Then faster. Then with the first cold turn of something old and immediate beginning to move under his ribs. He reached the boys near the goal. “Where’s Eli?”
Marcus looked up first. Shrugged. “Dunno.” Jack stared at him. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” “He was here.” “When?” Marcus looked briefly offended at being expected to know the passage of time. “Like… before.” “Before when?” Danny glanced toward the path and back. “Maybe ten minutes?” Ten minutes.