"Thank the Darkness," Karla mumbled. "I get genuinely and truly scared when he goes home nowadays."

Because then he came back with more scars and nightmares.

"I'm glad you went with him and kept an eye on him last time," she added. "But I'm even gladder he's decided just to sit the rest of the summer out."

And then they'd be off to Shakespeare and what Luke did or didn't do would no longer be Ben's concern.