Sunday, September 16, 2012

Curiouser And Curiouser

Rachel Rising 5
Abstract Studio
Terry Moore, writer and artist




There's not a great deal of advancement in Rachel's story in this issue. She speaks with her best friend, and we find out more details of what little Rachel remembers about being buried alive and escaping from the shallow grave. Beyond that, there is just a rather shocking announcement about Rachel from a new character, and since this character is a new one, we the readers have no real basis for knowing how valid this person's declaration might ultimately prove to be.

However, we do get some more insight into the little girl whose entire family just met tragic ends, either at the hands of the mysteriously silent woman who witnessed Rachel's "resurrection," or at the hands of the little girl taking cues from the silent woman. First off, we get a name for the little girl -- Zoe Mann. Zoe is in the hands of child protective services following her family's deaths in a house fire. A genuinely well-meaning social worker arranges to have a couple of "old reliable" foster parents take charge of Zoe until something more permanent can be arranged. The silent woman apparently reveals to Zoe that this couple, the Boyles, are not quite on the up and up, especially the husband who has a history of child abuse. When Mr. Boyle threatens Zoe, the silent woman intervenes, quite effectively protecting Zoe. And we have more evidence that the silent woman is not visible to everyone.

One more tidbit on this silent woman: I've read some online reviews that refer to her as also being Rachel or another aspect of Rachel. I don't think we have been given enough information at this point to rule anything definitively as fact or nonsense. But I will say that Rachel and the silent woman are drawn so that they certainly don't look like the same person. I did not get the impression that they are one and the same on my own. Hopefully, time will tell.

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