help. She was just whispering loudly. Maybe she was
in a delirium or something. I thought, and knocked
gently.
"Destiny? Are you all right? It's April, Uncle
Palaver's niece. He's in a deep sleep. Do you need
something?'"
I looked back at Uncle Palaver. He wasn't
moving. Slowly. I turned the doorknob and then
inched the door open, calling softly.
"Destiny? Are you all right?"
When the door was fully opened. I gazed in and
saw her lying in the bed. I could hear the whispering
clearly now. She was talking about something she and
Uncle Palaver had done together, some wonderful
time they had near the Grand Canyon. When I heard
his laugh. I felt chills in my spine. I looked back. He
was still unmoving on the sofa. How could I hear his
laugh?
"Destiny?"
I walked in. The light from the poles outside the
motor home was not as bright as it was in the living
room and kitchenette, but it was enough to clearly
outline Destiny's head and body in the bed. I stepped
closer and looked down at her.
My heart leaped in my chest.
It was the life-size doll. I looked about the
small bedroom, but there was no real person in the
room.
And the voices?
They were coming from a tape recorder beside