Abby

Lore

Abby is deaf. This has never made her world quiet in the sense of uneventful. The ground trembles, leaves move, and somebody has walked past wearing a truly informative smell.

At Lakeway Estate, her family catches her eye before signaling. A lifted paw means wait. A clear sweep of light shows the safe route. Abby answers, then races ahead with the enthusiasm of someone who has mistaken a corridor for a personal recommendation.

One night, the lanterns went out. While everyone studied the darkness, Abby studied the soil beside the posts. New tracks. Shifted stones. A vibration where there should not have been one. She brought Chanel’s attention to it, and the travelers took another path. Information had arrived without making a sound.

Her left eye is deep sapphire; the other is pale blue. Both are interested in things grown-ups call ordinary. A moth turning. A footstep changing weight. The universe sends messages in more ways than anyone can count. Abby is busy reading a few the others missed.