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And then I take one last deep breath and fall asleep.
Forever.
26
TAP TAP TAP
Mom’s knock. I’m alive.
“Alexis, are you awake? You’re going to be late for school.”
She tried the doorknob, but it was locked.
I’m on the floor.
“Honey, time to get up.”
I turned my head, feeling the carpet fibers drag against my face—but that was nothing. I had a headache that was like a thousand little mallets pounding on every part of my skull.
“Alexis?”
“I’m good, Mom,” I croaked. “I overslept.” “I have to leave for work now.” I pictured her standing on the other side of the door, her hair neatly blown dry and pi
“I haven’t seen her. I guess she’s still asleep.”
“Okay, love you,” I said, rolling onto my back and pressing my palms over my throbbing temples. “Good luck today.”
“Thanks, sweetie,” she said. “Love you too.”
I waited until I heard the car pull out of the driveway, and then I forced myself to get up off the floor. I had some serious time to make up. I slipped on my jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, and reached into my sweater pocket for the heart.
That’s when my dream came rushing back to me.
“Shara,” I whispered, putting it close to my lips. “I know you saved her life.”
I had to find Megan and tell her the truth about what happened that night.
And I needed her necklace. If just one half of the heart had scared Sarah off, two might be sufficiently powerful to hold her at bay—at least long enough for me to find the doll.
I went across the hall to the bathroom and flipped the light switch.
Add to the list of things I never knew about almost suffocating: it can cause blood vessels under the surface of your skin to burst, forming bruises. The girl staring back at me when I looked in the mirror had disheveled pink hair and two black eyes.
I opened the medicine cabinet, took out a bottle of Tylenol, popped one in my mouth, and swallowed. It stuck in my throat, but I forced it down.
I ducked into my bedroom and closed the door. Then I picked up the phone and dialed information.
“St. Margaret’s Hospital,” I said, and waited for the call to be co
“Hello?”
All of a sudden there was a lump in my throat. “Hey, Dad, it’s Alexis.”
“Hi, honey!” he said. “Thanks for checking on the old man. When are you go
“Um, soon,” I said. “I just was thinking about you, though, and I wanted to call.”
He was quiet. “Lex, is everything okay?”
“Mostly,” I lied.
“Listen, sweetie. Being in this accident…I’ve been thinking. And I want you to know that you and Kasey and Mom are the most important things in my life. Maybe sometimes I act like I don’t feel that way, but…I’m going to try to be a better dad.”
“You’re a good dad,” I whispered.
“So…yeah, well, you should skip that stupid parade and come see me.”
I swallowed hard. “I wish I could.” I wanted to go see him at the hospital, give him a hug, tell him I missed hanging out with him. But there wasn’t time. “Hey, Dad? I better go.” “Okay, sweetie. I’m glad you called.” “Me too…I love you.” “Love you too.” I hung up.
It took a few deep breaths to regain my composure, but finally I pressed my shoulders back, held my chin up, and opened the door.
Kasey, her hair mussed and her eyes glazed over (but blue), stood at dazed attention, like a zombie prison guard.
“You look terrible,” she croaked. I didn’t answer. I just reached into my pocket for the heart.
She didn’t flinch, but she also didn’t come any closer.
“Going somewhere?” she asked.
“Maybe.”
“Are you going to find Megan?” “Maybe.”
Her eyes flashed green for a millisecond. “I wager I can beat you there.” I shrugged.
“Actually,” I said, “you might want to stick around here.”
She made a rude sound and grimaced as she stretched her neck to one side. “And why is that?”
“Just to make sure nothing happens to your doll.”
That got her attention. “What about my doll?” she demanded.
“Nothing specific,” I said. “I just wouldn’t leave her on her own, if I were you.”
She shook her head, her nostrils flaring. I held the heart in front of me like you’d hold a cross up to a vampire.
“You don’t even know where she is,” Kasey said. “I hid her.”
“I found her last night,” I said. Kasey exhaled slowly.
“That’s how I know that her right thumb has a chip on the fingernail,” I said, trying desperately to remember details from Shara’s photos in my dream. “And her eyes are dark green, but when she’s mad, they glow.”
Kasey’s threatening face had turned fearful.
“And most of her hair is cut off, but there’s one big piece that hangs over her ear.”
“Stop!” Kasey cried.
“But you should go,” I said. “Go to the parade. Go back to city hall.”
She backed away from me and shook her head. “You can’t stay away forever,” she said. “Maybe I’ll just hide in the bushes and wait for you to leave,” I said.
“Get out,” she growled.
She followed a few feet away as I went down the stairs. As I put my hand on the doorknob, she made an exaggerated sigh.
“I hope I don’t have to do anything terrible while you’re gone,” she said. “I hope I don’t decide to punish your sister.”
I looked up at her.
“The way I punished Shara.”
My confusion must have shown on my face.
“Go on, Alexis,” she said, her voice light. “Your sister probably won’t be dead when you get back.”
I said a quick prayer to whoever might be listening, and then I slammed the door closed behind me and ran.
27
The Homecoming parade was already under way. Only a few floats were left in the school parking lot, waiting their turn to join the long, snaking line that twisted through the blocks ahead.
I followed the parade route, weaving through the spectators lined up along the sidewalks. The farther I went forward, the thicker the crowd got.
Maybe I should have thought to put on a little concealer before I left the house, because the looks being tossed in my direction made it clear that I wasn’t blending in. Combine my raccoon face and my limping, dragging stride…
Kiss that Homecoming Queen crown good-bye, Alexis.
I tried to ignore the shocked looks coming from every direction, even tossing out a few smiles to make people think I was okay. Yeah, of course I know what I look like. It’s the new style. The entire Doom Squad is going to show up looking like this in about ten minutes. It’s a theme. We have a float.
The problem was that, depending on the cheerleading float’s position in the parade, I didn’t know if it would be faster to follow the line or to cut across town and meet the parade head-on. It could be a difference of ten minutes—ten minutes I couldn’t spare.
Sca
The Doom Squad! They might be a
They were camped out in front of an abandoned storefront. Lydia hovered on the fringes like a watchdog.
“Lyd!” I said. “Have you seen the cheerleaders’ float?”
She swung to look at me, and her jaw dropped. “Whoa, Alexis, what’s wrong with your face?”
“Forget it. I just need to find Megan.” By now the whole group was staring at me.
“Why do you even care about her?” Lydia asked. “She’s a total drone.”
“Please,” I said. I took a step back. “Anybody? Anyone?”
Lydia sighed. “Listen, it sort of hurts your image for you to be seen with her, you know.” She glanced behind her. “People are talking already. About lunch yesterday…? And Carter Blume? I mean, what’s up with that whole thing…?”