The Way Home

**The Way Home** is an InCryptid short story. It is first in the Alice and Thomas Shorts.

## Synopsis

Alice Healy is sixteen years old and chafing at the yoke of her father's regard. His overprotective streak has blossomed in the absence of his wife, leaving his teenage daughter sneaking out at every opportunity, trying to find herself and her place in the world without any parental support. But she knows the woods, and she knows what she wants to do with her life; it's just a question of whether she can keep herself alive long enough to actually accomplish her planned future.

Thomas Price is a man still paying for his past. He's smart enough to understand that his assignment is essentially an exile, and has enough of a sense of self-preservation not to argue. Those who vex the Covenant of St. George rarely live long enough to explain themselves. At least in Buckley Township, he'll be far away from danger...unless you're counting Alice Healy.

Worlds will collide and a new story will begin as Thomas Price arrives in his new home, and Alice Healy does her best to stay alive long enough to say hello for the first time.

## Plot

Alice skips school to go hunting for rumored acid-spitting salamanders. Instead, she is caught by a swamp bromeliad that tries to digest her.

Meanwhile, Thomas arrives in Buckley weary from travel and passive-aggressive banishment from the Covenant. The townsfolk assume he is related to the Buckley Healy family, and he does not dissuade them. He gets the paperwork for his purchased-sight-unseen home and goes there to discover it is incredibly dilapidated.

Alice escapes the bromeliad but gets lost in the woods. She finds her way out by a light at the old Parrish Place and knocks on the door, curious about its inhabitant. She introduces herself to Thomas, unaware of his true identity. While his back is turned, she falls asleep on the couch.

He leaves her on the couch while he goes to introduce himself to the Healys, laying bare his supposed and true intentions in Buckley. Enid and Alexander are distracted, however, by their missing granddaughter. Thomas makes the connection and leads them to the Parrish Place to collect Alice.

Jonathan is furious with Alice for disappearing and being found in the company of a Covenant agent. As he drags her home, Thomas muses that he likely won't see the girl again.

## Characters

* Thomas Price
* Alice Healy
* Jonathan Healy
* Enid Healy
* Alexander Healy
* Bank clerk, bank manager
* Shelly Wainwright

**Mentioned**

* Sally Duffy - Alice's classmate

## Field Guide

* Acid-spitting salamander
* Fricken
* Swamp Bromeliad (species)
* Aeslin Mice
* Angler Tortoise

**Mentioned**

* Barnacle goose
* Screaming yam
* Will-o-wisp
* Apraxis Wasp
* Gorgon
* Bat-leeches
* Swamp light
* Bloodworm

## Locations

* Buckley Township, Michigan
	+ Healy family home
	+ The swamp
	+ Old Logger's Road
	+ Parrish Place

## Continuity

* References to Jonathan and Frances's adventures: fighting a hive of Apraxis wasps, brokering peace between gorgon communities, helping a community of finfolk, Frances's death

## Quotes

* "My name is Thomas Price. I've been sent to observe your family and report back to my superiors. As I feel that is a bloody stupid idea, I've decided not to do it, but thought I should tell you I was here anyway, just to prevent someone 'accidentally' slipping and putting a bullet in the back of my skull. I quite like my skull in its current configuration. A bullet would disrupt it."

## Trivia

* Old Mr. Parrish killed his whole family to gain the favor of the god from the swamp.
* Enid Healy's maiden name is Carew. She grew up in Wales.