(Fiery red hair. Eddie sees a face, freckled with wide eyes, can almost hear a voice, then it's gone. Didn't he know someone with red hair before?

...It makes him feel weirdly calm towards this adult. This Shepherd. What a weird name for a lady. Eddie discovers pretty quickly he doesn't care that much about her name though.

Whenever adults said that there was good news and bad news? The bad news was almost infinitely worse.

........Except. In this case. Well. Eddie visibly sags with relief, dropping his head back.)

Oh thank God. (If there were ever a creature to strike true fear into Eddie? It was his own mother. Adults were still, in his opinion, the scariest things he has ever dealt with. He picks his head back up.)

Is this like one of those communes that doesn't really have a government?

(On that note of danger, Eddie felt a little reluctant to believe her. Kids were always in more danger than adults ever seemed to realize. His eyes fall.)

...Yes, I guess so. Are you a cop or something?