Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

“Not now,” Wallace said. “I want you to be strong for me.”
He had a stubborn set to his jaw. “What about what I want?”
Nelson sighed. “I know this is hard on you. I don’t think that—”
Hugo laughed hoarsely as his hands curled into fists. “I know. I just … I
don’t know what to do.”
Mei laid her head on his shoulder. “What you have to,” she whispered.
“And we’ll be there with you. The both of you. Each step of the way.” She
peered up at Wallace. “You turned into a pretty good dude, Wallace Price.”
“Not as good as you, Meiying … what the hell is your surname?”
She chuckled. “Freeman. Changed it last year. Best name I’ve ever had.”
“Damn right,” Nelson said.
He had so much more to say to all of them. But before he could, Apollo
growled, going to the window that looked out to the front of the tea shop. The
hands of the clock began to stutter as time slowed down.
“No,” he whispered as a blue light began to fill Charon’s Crossing. “Not
yet. Please, not yet—”
Apollo howled, a long and mournful sound as the light faded. The clock
froze completely, the hands unmoving.
A light tapping on the door: thump, thump, thump.
Hugo rose slowly from his chair, footsteps heavy as he walked toward the
door. He hung his head, his hand on the doorknob.
He opened it.
The Manager stood on the porch. He wore a shirt that read IF YOU THINK
I’M CUTE, YOU SHOULD SEE MY AUNT. Flowers hung from his hair, opening and
closing, opening and closing.
“Hugo,” the boy said in greeting. “How nice to see you again. You’re
doing well, I see. Or as well as can be expected.”
Hugo took a step back but didn’t respond.
The Manager walked into the tea shop, the floor creaking under his bare
feet, the walls and ceiling beginning to ripple as they had before. He looked
at each of them in turn, gaze lingering on Mei before turning to Nelson and
Apollo, who growled at him but kept his distance.
“Good dog,” the boy said.
Apollo barked savagely in response.
“Well, mostly a good dog. Mei, you’ve taken to this Reaper business like
a fish to water. I knew assigning you to Hugo was the right thing to do. I’m