17

Josh tilted his head to the side and placed a heavy paw on top of my hand. I smiled despite the tears.

“The clock is ticking for me to accept postgraduate placements. I was accepted to Yale, Auckland and Cambridge. They're all in exciting, faraway places that aren't here, but when I think about telling my mom I'm leaving… I just can't. I sighed. “I'll stay in Crookshollow forever, trapped here by the ghosts of the dead.

Josh pressed his nose against my hand and whimpered. That's exactly how I felt when I thought about the pile of acceptance letters burning on my desk at home. His weight pressed against me, warm and reassuring, and my anxiety about the future disappeared. Calm washed over me. That would work.

I had Josh now. With his strong body and sharp mind by my side, I knew that, one way or another, I would work things out.

“Good night, Josh. I kissed the soft fur on top of her head. He tapped my chin with his wet nose, then curled up next to me, a reassuring weight beside me. He