I Heard Animals' Voices novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Chaperones

The first night Duke and Poppy shared a den, someone had to watch them, and that someone was us.

The observation room was a closet with a window and a monitor.

It had two plastic chairs, a heater that clicked, and a thermos Derrick had filled with hot chocolate without being asked.

"It's a camera and a door," he said. "Nothing happens. You can sleep."

"I'm not going to sleep," I said.

At ten past midnight, Duke began to narrate.

"She's asleep," he whispered, through the wall, to me. "Tierney. She's asleep."

"Good," I said, low. "That's what people do at night."

"She's right next to me."

"I know."

"She sleeps with her mouth open," said Duke, with a terrible wonder in his voice.

I looked at the monitor.

Poppy lay on the straw on her side, and her jaw had come open in a small, undignified way.

"He says she sleeps with her mouth open," I told Derrick, because I never edit.

"It's the physiology," Derrick said gravely.

"He says he would die for her mouth."

Derrick put his hand over the lower half of his face.

"Tell him," he said, behind the hand, "that she can hear him."

I did.

Poppy didn't open her eyes.

"I can hear him," she said, in a voice thick with sleep. "Duke, go to bed."

"I am in bed," said Duke, and then, a moment later, softly, "I'm so happy I could throw up."

"Please don't," said Poppy.

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