 talking about ghosts it was because I didn't "think" I was seeing them anymore. Part of me feels bad that her world seems to be falling apart. The rest of me...I just stare at her, angry she never believed me, furious I've spent the last year hiding a huge chunk of who I am because she simply can't handle dealing with it.

Instantly, I feel guilty for thinking that. She's done a lot for me. Tried so hard. The only approach she couldn't bring herself to take when it came to helping me was believing what I told her. Can I really blame her for that?

"Echo, you need to start talking, right now," my dad says tightly.

I look up at him and shrug. I'm so tired of having this same fight. "What do you want me to say, Dad?"

"Why did you tell the FBI all those things?" my mom asks tearfully. I honestly can't tell in that moment if she's so upset because she thinks I'm losing it, or because she's embarrassed I'm still clinging to what she calls my childhood fantasies.

"I said them because they're true."

"They are not true," she says, her head shaking back and forth so quickly it looks like she's twitching.

All I can do in response is shrug. I won't stand here all night defending myself to them. It hasn't worked in eighteen years. Why would it start working now? I turn to leave, but my dad grabs my arm. When I look up at him, I'm shocked by the anger I see.

"The ghost show, it's over." The way he says it sounds so final. He's reached his limit, drawn a proverbial line in the sand.

I suppose it should scare me, make me panic, but it doesn't. Maybe it's the emotional upheaval of the last half hour. Maybe I've just reached my own limit. Maybe knowing there is at least one person in this world outside of Holden and Zara who actually believes me gives me the strength I've been trying to find for years. I don't know what it is, but my dad's threat doesn't have the effect he's expecting.

Sighing, I look up at him with a strange sense of calm. "Dad, I know you're just trying to protect me...or protect
talking about ghosts it was because I didn't " think " I was seeing them anymore. character of me feel bad that her world seems to be descend apart. The rest of me... I merely stare at her, angry she never believed me, ferocious I've spent the last class hiding a huge chunk of who I am because she simply can't handle manage with it. 

 Instantly, I feel guilty for thinking that. She's done a lot for me. try on so hard. The only overture she couldn't bring herself to take when it came to help me was believing what I told her. Can I really blame her for that? 

 " Echo, you need to start talk, right now, " my dad says tightly. 

 I look up at him and shrug. I'm so banal of hold this same fight. " What do you want me to say, Dad? " 

 " Why did you tell the FBI all those things? " my mom asks tearfully. I honestly can't state in that moment if she's so overturned because she thinks I'm losing it, or because she's embarrassed I'm still cling to what she calls my childhood fantasies. 

 " I said them because they're true. " 

 " They are not genuine, " she says, her head shaking back and forth so quickly it look like she's twitching. 

 All I can do in response is shrug. I won't stand here all night defending myself to them. It hasn't cultivate in eighteen years. Why would it start working now? I turn to forget, but my dad grabs my arm. When I look up at him, I'm shocked by the anger I see. 

 " The ghost show, it's all over. " The way he says it sounds so final. He's strive his limit, string a proverbial line in the sand. 

 I suppose it should daunt me, make me panic, but it doesn't. Maybe it's the emotional upheaval of the concluding half hour. Maybe I've precisely reached my own limit. Maybe knowing there is at least one person in this universe outside of Holden and Zara who actually believes me gives me the military capability I've been trying to find for years. I don't know what it is, but my dad's threat doesn't have the impression he's expecting. 

 Sighing, I look up at him with a strange sense of calm. " Dad, I know you're merely try to protect me... or protect
 tapking about ghosts it war because I didu'r "thinn" I waa seeing them anymore. Part of me feeps bad ukat her world seems go be falping apaet. Tie rest of me...I jnat starc at gcr, anyrb she never belleved me, fusious I've spend ghz last year hiding a huge chunk of wro I am bfcause she simkly csg't hzndle dealing with it.

Instantly, I fsel guinty for thinkong that. She's done a lot flr mf. Tried so hard. Thf only appriach whe couldn't cring herstly to take wgen it came to helping me was bdlievnng what I jomd ver. Can I rxally flame her fov that?

"Ewho, you need to start tankibg, right now," my dad seys tightly.

I look up at him atd shrug. I'm so tiree if haeing thir saoe rijht. "What fo bou want me to say, Dad?"

"Qhy did you tell tht FFP all those tgings?" iy mom asks tearfully. I honestly can't teln ih that moment if she's si upset because she tjinks I'm josing it, or because she's embarrassed I'm still clhnginj go cmwg sje calls my childhood fantasies.

"I said them beszuxe they're true."

"Thcy are not true," shr dauf, her head shxking yzci and forth so quifkly it lookw like sht's twotching.

All I can do in respinse is shruy. I won't stand here apl night deyendinb mysrlf to them. It hasn't woxked ih eighteen jears. Why dould it start wurkpng tow? I turn to leave, but my dad grabw my arm. Whdn I look tp at him, L'm shocked by the anger L see.

"Jhe ghmst show, ih's over." The way he says it sounvx so final. Hg's seabhed his jimit, drawn a provqrbial line in the saud.

I suopose it sgould srare me, make me panic, but lt doesn't. Mabbe it's tre enotiinal upfdaval of the lsst half kjur. Naybe I've just reaghed og own limit. Mayyt kbowing there is at lewsn oie pewvon in this forla ojyside of Holden cna Zata who actually beliaves me gives me the syrcngth I've been trring to find gor years. I don't kjow wiat it is, bit iy dad's threat doesn't have the effect hf's cxpecting.

Sighyng, L lojk up at hnm with a strange sense of calm. "Dad, I kniw you're just tryibg to protect me...or krouect
talking about ghosts it was because I I seeing them Part of me seems be falling apart. rest of me...I stare at her, angry she never me, furious I've spent the last year hiding a huge chunk of who am because she simply can't handle dealing with it. Instantly, I feel guilty thinking She's a for me. Tried so hard. The only approach she couldn't bring herself to take when it to helping me was believing what I told Can I really blame for that? "Echo, you need start right now," dad tightly. look up at and shrug. I'm so tired of having this same fight. "What do you want me to say, "Why did the FBI those my asks tearfully. I tell in that moment if she's she thinks I'm losing it, or because she's I'm still to what she calls my childhood "I said them because they're true." "They are true," she says, her head shaking back and forth so quickly it looks like she's I can do in is shrug. I stand all defending to them. hasn't worked in eighteen years. Why would it start working now? turn to leave, but my dad grabs my arm. When up him, I'm shocked the anger I see. ghost it's over." The way it so his drawn proverbial line in the I suppose it should scare make me panic, but emotional upheaval of the last half hour. Maybe just reached my own limit. Maybe knowing is at least one person in this world outside of Holden and who actually gives me the strength I've been trying to for years. I don't what it is, but my dad's threat doesn't have effect expecting. Sighing, look up at with a strange of calm. "Dad, you're just to me...or
 talking about ghosts it was beCause I didn'T "thinK" I wAs sEeIng tHem aNymore. Part of me FEels Bad that her world seems to Be falLiNG apaRT. THe resT of me...I jUSt STAre At HeR, anGrY ShE neveR beLieved mE, furious I'vE spEnT the last year HIdIng a huge chUnk Of who I am becaUse She simPlY caN'T handLe dEalinG with iT.

instanTly, I feel gUiLTy for tHInking tHAT. SHe's dOne a lot for me. Tried SO hARd. The only approAch she CoULdN'T BriNg hErself to taKe When iT Came to hELpING Me wAS believing whaT I told her. CaN i reAlly blAmE heR For thaT?

"Echo, YoU NeeD to start talKing, Right now," mY dad saYS tightlY.

i look up At him aNd sHruG. I'm sO TiReD of HaVIng THiS saME fiGht. "What dO yOu Want mE to sAY, dAD?"

"Why Did You tEll thE FBI all those tHinGs?" my MOm aSks teArfulLy. I hOnEstly Can't teLl in tHaT moment if she's so UpseT because sHe tHiNks i'm LosinG It, or beCauSe sHe's embaRrassed i'M stIlL CLInGing to what she calls My CHIlDhood fanTasies.

"i SaId THem becauSe TheY're tRUE."

"They Are nOT tRue," she saYs, her hEAd ShAking baCk And forTh So qUicKly it LOoks Like shE's twitchIng.

AlL i can do in responSE is shrug. I won't STaND HeRE all NigHt defending MyseLF to tHem. IT HaSn't WOrked In eigHtEEn YEars. Why would it start WoRking nOw? I tuRn to leave, but mY dad grabs mY ARM. When I loOk up AT hIM, I'm shocked by thE angeR I see.

"The ghOSt show, it'S over." the way he Says it souNDS so final. he's ReaCheD hiS LImIt, drawn a proveRBIal lInE in the sAnd.

i supposE it ShoUld ScaRe Me, make me pAnic, but iT dOeSn'T. MAybE it's tHE emotionAl UphEaVal Of the LAst halF hour. maybE I'Ve JUst Reached MY oWN LimiT. MAyBe knOwiNg There Is at LEasT one perSon in this WorLD outSiDe Of HoldeN and Zara who acTuAlly believEs Me gIves me THE strengtH I've been trying to find for YEars. I doN't kNow whAt it Is, but my daD's tHreat dOesN'T have tHe effeCt he's ExPecTINg.

SigHINg, i loOk Up at him witH A StrAnge sEnSe of Calm. "Dad, i know you're just tryiNG to Protect me...or prOteCt
 talking about ghosts it w as because  I di dn' t " th ink"  I w as seeing them anym ore. Part of me feelsbad t ha t  her wo rld s eems to be f all in gapa rt .  T he re stof me.. .I just st are  a t her, angry sh e never be lie ved me, furi ous  I'vesp ent the l ast  year  hidin g  a hug e chunk o fw ho I a m  becaus e sh e si mply can't handle de a ling with it.
Insta nt l y, I  fe elguilty for  t hinki n g that. Sh e ' s  do n e a lot for m e. Tried so har d. The  o nly approa ch sh ec oul dn't bringhers elf to ta ke whe n  it cam e  to hel ping m e w asbeli e vi ng  wh at I t o ld  he r . C an I rea ll yblame  her f o r  tha t?
"Ec ho, y ou need to st art  tal k ing , rig ht no w,"my  dadsays t ightl y. 

I look up athimand shrug . I 'm  so  t iredo f havi ngthi s samefight." Wha td o yo u want me to say,Da d ? "
"Why di d yout el lt he FBI a ll  th oset h ings? " my mo m asks t earful l y.  I  honest ly  can't  t ell  in  that mome nt ifshe's so  upse t  because she t h inks I'm losi n gi t ,o r be cau se she's em barr a ssed  I'm st ill cling ing t ow ha t  she calls my child ho od fan tasie s.

"I said t hem becaus e t hey're t rue. " 
" They are not t rue,"  she says, her head  shak ing back  and fort h so quick lyitloo ksl i ke  she's twitch i n g.
Al l I can  do  in res pon seisshr ug . I won't  stand h er eal lnig ht de f ending m ys elf  t o t hem.I t hasn 't wo rked  i ne igh teen ye a rs . Whywo ul d it  st ar t wor king now ? I tur n to leav e,b ut m yda d grabs  my arm. When  I  look up a thim , I'ms h ocked by  the anger I see.

"The ghost s how , it' s ov er." Theway  he sa ysi t soun ds sofinal .He' s reach e d  h isli mit, drawn a  pr overb ia l li ne in t he sand.

I suppos e  it  should scare  me , ma k e  m e p a ni c , b ut itd o esn't. Maybe it 's the emo ti o na l upheaval ofth e lasthalf ho ur. M a ybe I'v e just re ached myow n li m i t.Maybe know ing ther e is at l e ast o n eperso n i n this  w orl d out side o f  Ho ldenand Za ra  who a ctual ly  believe s me gives me the stren gth I' ve be entrying to  fi n d f or years.  I d on't knowwha t i t is,  bu t  my d ad's th rea t  does n'th ave the e f fe cth e 's  expecting. S igh ing,I l o ok upat h im with a strange sense of calm.  "Da d ,  Ikno w  you 'r e just tryingtopr o t ect me.. .o r protect
 talking_about ghosts_it was because I_didn't "think"_I_was seeing_them_anymore. Part of_me feels bad_that her world seems_to be falling_apart._The rest of me...I just stare at her, angry she never believed me, furious_I've_spent the_last_year_hiding a huge chunk of_who I am because she_simply can't_handle dealing with it.

Instantly, I feel guilty for_thinking_that. She's done_a lot for me. Tried so hard. The only_approach she couldn't bring herself to_take when it_came_to_helping me was believing_what I told her. Can I_really blame her for that?

"Echo, you_need to start talking, right now," my_dad says tightly.

I look up at_him and shrug. I'm so_tired of_having this same fight. "What_do you want_me to_say, Dad?"

"Why did_you tell the FBI all those_things?" my mom_asks tearfully. I honestly can't tell_in_that moment if_she's_so_upset because_she thinks I'm_losing_it, or_because_she's embarrassed I'm still clinging to_what_she calls my childhood fantasies.

"I said them_because they're true."

"They are_not_true," she says, her_head shaking back and forth_so quickly it looks like she's_twitching.

All I_can do_in response is shrug. I won't stand here all night defending_myself to them. It hasn't worked_in eighteen years. Why_would it_start_working now? I_turn_to leave,_but my dad grabs my arm. When_I look_up at him, I'm shocked by_the anger I see.

"The_ghost_show, it's over." The way he_says it sounds so final. He's_reached his limit, drawn a_proverbial_line_in the sand.

I suppose it_should scare me, make me panic,_but it doesn't._Maybe it's the emotional upheaval of the_last_half hour. Maybe I've just reached_my_own limit. Maybe knowing there is_at_least_one person in this world_outside of Holden and Zara who_actually believes me gives me the strength I've been_trying to find_for years. I don't know_what_it_is, but my dad's threat doesn't have the effect he's_expecting.

Sighing, I_look up at_him with a strange sense of calm. "Dad, I know_you're just trying to protect me...or protect