Riding in Duke's truck to his restaurant, Hazel thought about how much the Troubles sucked. She was listening to so much music because she could hear the Troubles. All of them. They were discordant songs screaming at her. She wondered how her mother dealt with it. Probably the same way.
"You know, your mom always liked secluded places. The woods, Tuwiuwok Bluff, anywhere with few people. I've always wondered why." Hazel knew he was just trying to strike up a conversation, but her head was filled with so much noise.
"Shut. Up." Hazel's voice was strained.
"Not a talker, huh? Well, Your mom wasn't either. She didn't seem like a people peerson." Duke just kept going on and on and on.
"Well, if you had a supernatural Trouble antenna for a head you wouldn't be too eager to chat either." Lucky Duke knew about the Troubles, though her mom probably wouldn't have put her with someone who didn't.
"Wait, your Trouble is already active?" Duke asked. Hazel was honestly ready to duct tape his mouth shut.
"Mom's."
"But someone can't have more than one Trouble." Duke's voice was filled with confusion
"Has anybody ever tested that theory?" Hazel had found the the longer the conversation went, the easier the noise was to bear.
"Acually, I don't know. I guess it was just assumed that multiple Troubles wouldn't happen."
"Of course. Why would you?"
Duke arrived at the Grey Gull. "There she is. The Cape Rouge." They got out of the truck. "The smaller boat could be yours, if you want it."
Hazel shot him a look. "I don't know how to drive a boat."
Duke smiled. "I'd teach you. If you want it."
"Thank you. What's her name?"
"Celeste."
As she stepped on deck, she stumbled. Duke went to grab her. When his hands made contact with her skin, the sound screeched in her head. She reflexively pushed him away.
"What happened?" Duke was frantic.
Hazel was curled into a ball. "You're Troubled," She finally managed.
"Yes."
Hazel slowly opened her eyes. "How did it activate?"
"Blood. Troubled blood."
"Then why don't we do that? Just get it over with, if I'm your daughter or not."
"Because you don't want my curse."