Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune
But a river only moves in one direction, no matter how much we wish itweren’t so.The night sky began to lighten.Nelson’s eyes were closed. He whispered, “I can hear it. The door. Thewhispers. The song it’s singing. It knows I’m ready.”Hugo gripped Wallace’s hand tightly. “Grandad?”“Yes?”“Thank you.”“For?”“Everything.”Nelson chuckled. “That’s quite a lot to be thankful for.”“I mean it.”“I know you do.” He opened his eyes. “I’m a little frightened, Hugo. Iknow I shouldn’t be, but I am all the same. Isn’t that funny?”Hugo shook his head slowly. He squared his shoulders and became theferryman he was. “There’s nothing for you to fear. You’ll no longer knowpain. You’ll no longer know suffering. There will be peace for you. All youhave to do is rise through the door.”“Will you help me?” Nelson asked.And Hugo said, “Yes. I’ll help you. Always.”Nelson rose from his chair slowly. He was unsteady on his feet, swayingside to side. “Oh,” he whispered. “It’s louder now.”Hugo stood. He looked down at Mei and Wallace and Apollo. “Will youcome with us?”Mei hung her head. “Are you sure?”“Yes,” Hugo said. “I’m sure. Grandad?”“I’d like that very much,” Nelson said.And so they did.They followed Nelson and Hugo up the stairs to the second floor.To the third.To the fourth.They gathered below the door. Wallace knew what Nelson was hearing,though he could no longer hear it himself.Nelson turned to face them. “Mei. Look at me.”She did.
“You have a gift,” Nelson told her. “One that cannot be denied. But it’s theimmensity of your heart that makes you who you are. Never forget where youcome from, but don’t allow it to define you. You have made your place here,and I doubt there will ever be a better Reaper than you.”“Thank you,” she whispered.“Wallace,” Nelson said. “You were an asshole.”Wallace choked.“And yet, you’ve managed to move beyond it to become the man whostands before me. An honorary Freeman. Perhaps one day you’ll become anactual Freeman, like Mei. I can think of no better man to share a name with.”Wallace nodded dumbly.“Apollo,” Nelson said. “You—”“Should go with him,” Hugo said quietly.Apollo cocked his head up at Hugo.Hugo crouched before him. Apollo tried to lick his face, but his tonguewent through Hugo’s cheek. “Hey, boy,” Hugo said. “I need you to listen tome, okay? I have a job for you. Sit.”Apollo sat promptly, cocking his head as he watched Hugo.Hugo said, “You’re my best friend. You did more for me than almostanyone else. When I was lost and couldn’t breathe, you grounded me. Youreminded me that it was okay to hurt so long as I didn’t let it consume me.You did your part, and now I need to do the same for you. I want you to dome a favor. Keep an eye on Grandad for me. Make sure he doesn’t get intotoo much trouble, okay? At least until I can join you.”Apollo’s ears flattened against his skull as his head drooped. He whinedsoftly, trying to butt his head against Hugo’s knee to no avail.“I know,” Hugo whispered. “But I swear we’ll run together again one day.I won’t forget it or you. Go, Apollo. Go with Grandad.”Apollo stood. He looked between Hugo and Nelson as if unsure. For amoment, Wallace thought he’d ignore Hugo’s order and stay right where hewas.He didn’t.He barked at Hugo, a low woof before he turned toward Nelson. Apollocircled Nelson, sniffing at his legs before pressing his snout against Nelson’shand. Nelson smiled down at him. “You ready, Apollo? I think we’re goingon an adventure. I wonder what we’ll see?”
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- Page 338 and 339: Apollo licked his fingers.Hugo rose
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“You have a gift,” Nelson told her. “One that cannot be denied. But it’s the
immensity of your heart that makes you who you are. Never forget where you
come from, but don’t allow it to define you. You have made your place here,
and I doubt there will ever be a better Reaper than you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Wallace,” Nelson said. “You were an asshole.”
Wallace choked.
“And yet, you’ve managed to move beyond it to become the man who
stands before me. An honorary Freeman. Perhaps one day you’ll become an
actual Freeman, like Mei. I can think of no better man to share a name with.”
Wallace nodded dumbly.
“Apollo,” Nelson said. “You—”
“Should go with him,” Hugo said quietly.
Apollo cocked his head up at Hugo.
Hugo crouched before him. Apollo tried to lick his face, but his tongue
went through Hugo’s cheek. “Hey, boy,” Hugo said. “I need you to listen to
me, okay? I have a job for you. Sit.”
Apollo sat promptly, cocking his head as he watched Hugo.
Hugo said, “You’re my best friend. You did more for me than almost
anyone else. When I was lost and couldn’t breathe, you grounded me. You
reminded me that it was okay to hurt so long as I didn’t let it consume me.
You did your part, and now I need to do the same for you. I want you to do
me a favor. Keep an eye on Grandad for me. Make sure he doesn’t get into
too much trouble, okay? At least until I can join you.”
Apollo’s ears flattened against his skull as his head drooped. He whined
softly, trying to butt his head against Hugo’s knee to no avail.
“I know,” Hugo whispered. “But I swear we’ll run together again one day.
I won’t forget it or you. Go, Apollo. Go with Grandad.”
Apollo stood. He looked between Hugo and Nelson as if unsure. For a
moment, Wallace thought he’d ignore Hugo’s order and stay right where he
was.
He didn’t.
He barked at Hugo, a low woof before he turned toward Nelson. Apollo
circled Nelson, sniffing at his legs before pressing his snout against Nelson’s
hand. Nelson smiled down at him. “You ready, Apollo? I think we’re going
on an adventure. I wonder what we’ll see?”
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