Blackfeather Woods Wait, so psych eval isn't a formality?

Your mother isn't here— the shadow declared; the boy did not hear the empathy in her voice, did not see the look that crossed her face. He barely heard anything beyond those initial words.

He was shaking his head. He was shaking all over, actually; a rise of emotions that shuddered through his skin and down in to his bones, as if he might not stay cohesive in this physical world for long. He grit his teeth and ground himself in to the dirt, writhing there.

No, no no no — no— if mother wasn't here then where was she? Where was father, or sister? How could he be here but be alone? This wasn't right!