Far Away: Chapter 13–Epilogue

by Lisa Graff
When twelve-year-old Caraway June Ames learns that she may lose the connection to her mom's spirit in Far Away, she tricks the new employee of her aunt's psychic tour, sixteen-year-old Jax Delgado, into taking her on a road trip.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue–Chapter 5, Chapters 6–12, Chapter 13–Epilogue
30 words 14 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. bluff
    a high steep bank
    When I finally spot him up on the bluff overlooking the water, I wave him down.
  2. covert
    secret or hidden
    “I must say, CJ,” Roger replies, looking around, “of all the locations I’ve been summoned for covert meetings, this is by far the”—he sticks his hands in his pockets—“outdoorsy-est.”
  3. smug
    marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction
    There are many things, I decide, to dislike about Roger Milmond. But probably the biggest one is the smug look he gets on his face when he’s sure he’s right.
  4. craggy
    having a steep, rough, and rocky surface
    Roger Milmond is standing on a craggy beach, on a chilly December evening, arguing with a twelve-year-old.
  5. rational
    consistent with or based on or using reason
    This world would be a much better place if we were all purely rational creatures, but we’re not. We’re emotional.
  6. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
    I set the crab back down on the rocks, and he scuttles off to safety.
  7. intimate
    innermost or essential
    Explain to the nice lady interviewer how you discovered your aunt was using her client’s email addresses to learn the intimate details of their lives.
  8. rustling
    a light noise, like leaves blowing in the wind
    More and more and more until it’s coming too fast to take it all in, and the rustling in the audience is turning to shouts, and Aunt Nic is getting confused.
  9. catwalk
    a narrow platform extending out into an auditorium
    As soon as he calls the woman out, a spotlight finds her in the audience, illuminating her for everyone to see. This spotlight isn’t coming from the spot bay, where Oscar works, but farther up the catwalk.
  10. unfurl
    unroll, unfold, or spread out
    As the lights spring bright back to life on the theater audience, there’s a tremendous burst like fireworks sparking, and from above hundreds of objects begin to tumble down toward us. Just like everyone else, I shriek and duck, covering my head—but the unfurling objects halt, midair, bobbing just above our hair.
  11. snippet
    a small piece of anything
    In the chaos, all I catch are snippets of words and phrases.
  12. cue
    a stimulus that provides information about what to do
    From here the tech operator can control most of the light and sound cues.
  13. feedback
    the process in which output of a system is returned to input
    If there’s one thing Oscar and Cyrus have taught me about working in a theater, it’s how to avoid that deafening yowl of feedback. “One bad screech like that,” Cyrus told me once, “will stop a show cold for a full thirty seconds.”
  14. burly
    muscular and heavily built
    A burly man is right in his face now, shouting and poking him in the chest, while a woman clings to Jax’s arm and sobs.
  15. slough
    cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers
    As I’m sloughing off my backpack straps, I spot one corner of my tablet poking out of the half-zipped front pocket.
  16. blare
    make a loud noise
    I walk closer and hear music blaring from inside.
  17. bangle
    jewelry worn around the wrist for decoration
    She is broad and tall, and dressed in a sequined black shirt and flowy black pants, with a dozen gold bangles clanking on one wrist.
  18. quiche
    a tart filled with rich unsweetened custard
    “Fabulous. I made mini bacon quiches. I knew you’d love them.”
  19. recede
    pull back or move away or backward
    “I just wish I had hair,” he replies, rolling his eyes toward his receding hairline.
  20. easel
    an upright tripod for displaying something
    There’s an easel in the corner and huge scraps of cut metal piled up on a sheet in the open closet.
  21. futon
    mattress consisting of a pad of cotton batting
    There’s a futon against the far wall, with stacks of boxes and books and who knows what on top.
  22. dabble
    work with in an amateurish manner
    “Sometimes I dabble in oil,” she says, like it’s so easy to paint something.
  23. canvas
    a piece of canvas cloth prepared as the surface for a painting
    “Oh, yeah. I like to smear ’em all over the canvas with my bare hands. It smells awful, but once it dries, you should see the color.”
  24. lull
    calm by deception
    She’s being funny, but I know she’s still mad at me. She’s using her words to lull me in, just to snap at me when I least expect it.
  25. conscience
    motivation deriving from ethical or moral principles
    I think she wants me to be impressed or something, that she finally grew a conscience.
  26. straggler
    someone who strays or falls behind
    Aunt Nic lets out a growl so loud then that the stragglers in the doorway don’t even bother to wave goodbye.
  27. groggy
    stunned or confused and slow to react
    "Nic?" Jax says groggily. It takes him seven rings, but he finally answers.
  28. nomad
    a member of a people who have no permanent home
    Aunt Nic says it’s hard to stop being a nomad, after so long on the road.
  29. dollop
    a soft lump or portion of something, especially food
    Aunt Nic ends up putting five dime-size dollops of shampoo into my hair before she gets a good froth.
  30. culinary
    of or relating to or used in cooking
    Last month, Jax said he had his choice of recipes to master during “Custard Week” at his new culinary school, and he picked caraway pudding.
Created on Wed Feb 22 10:41:53 EST 2023 (updated Wed Feb 22 18:38:33 EST 2023)

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