The child, Lex, was about eight years old. He was contentedly playing video games. Harmony stood at the window, staring out into the street, studying.

“What are you looking for?” Lex asked, not looking up from his game.

Harmony’s fifteen-year-old eyes moved from detail to detail, but at the same time held a quality that made it seem her mind was somewhere else entirely.

“Something’s odd here,” Harmony answered.

“What?” asked Lex.

Harmony paused for a moment, then turned to study Lex. “Your parents offered me five thousand dollars to watch you for the weekend. Why?”

Lex didn’t look up. He just shrugged.

“What’s the meaning?” Harmony asked as she turned back to the window, the question not directed specifically at Lex. “Why are things this way?”

All Harmony heard was the clicks of the video game remote and the sound effects coming from the screen.

Her dark form stood still against the midday light coming through the window. It was an average day.