At least Rainie wasn’t so bad. She liked to be outside, too, and she didn’t make him talk a lot, particularly about his feelings, which was nice. Dougie didn’t have many feelings that didn’t involve fire, and deep down inside, even he understood that made him a freak.

Now he ripped back more bark. A big, hairy beetle came racing out, and Dougie chased it with his stick. It was fast. He was faster.

“Dougie.”

The voice came from behind him. Dougie turned. His second mom was standing a careful distance away. She wore a faded gray sweatshirt, her arms folded around her for warmth. She looked tired and unhappy. She always looked tired and unhappy.

“Come inside for breakfast, Dougie.”

“I already ate.” He opened his mouth, revealing a feast of three beetles.

“Dougie…”

She stared at him, he stared at her. One of the beetle’s legs moved between his lips. He used his index finger to shove it back in.

“Have you seen Rainie today?” his second mom asked abruptly.

“What?”

Her voice grew impatient. She was already moving away from him and his beetle-churning cheeks.

“Have you seen your advocate, Rainie Conner, today? Did she stop by, maybe call?”

“No.”

“All right. That’s all I needed to know.”

“Are they looking for her?”

His second mom stopped. “What do you mean, Dougie?”

“Are they looking for her? Is she missing?”

“Do you know something, Dougie? Is there something you need to tell me?”

“I hope she’s dead,” he said simply, then turned back to the log and prodded another beetle from its rotten depths. “She lied to me. And liars get what they deserve.”