Charcoal Tears by Jane Washington

and parked outside an apartment building. It faced onto the water and had a fairly nondescript look from the outside, though the windows were long and wide, tinted almost to black, and quaint little half-moon balconies splattered the exterior with white patterned railings. There was a well-dressed man at the entrance to the lobby who opened the door for us, and another at the elevator, who pressed the button for us. We stood around quietly until we spilled into the elevator car and Cabe pressed the button for the top floor. The number six lit up.
    “You guys live here?” Tariq asked, a little bit of awe touching his tone.
    “Hmm.” Cabe hummed a non-committal sound.
    There only seemed to be two apartments on the sixth level, and we entered the closest, our small group spilling into a sunny living room. The carpet was an appealing mocha, with snow-white rugs stretching out beneath the leather couches and heavy dark-wood furniture. There was a breakfast bar set up against the window looking out over the bay, and a kitchen tucked off to the side, a wall backing it. It was all very open-plan with the living room sunken a few steps down in the middle.
    “Give us a moment to grab some stuff,” Cabe said, jogging over to one of the doors. “We’re going somewhere after this.”
    Noah wandered into the kitchen and we followed. He opened the fridge and brought out a collection of things. Tariq and I stood there watching as he gathered the ingredients for sandwiches, and then I stepped up quietly beside him. We coordinated smoothly, and soon had four chicken and salad sandwiches made. Noah bumped me out of the way and laid them out on a tray to set into the grill.
    He turned the oven on and tapped me on the cheek. “Thanks for the help, pretty girl.”
    Tariq cleared his throat and we both turned. I jumped a little bit. I may have forgotten that he was there at all.
    “Aren’t you worried?” he asked me.
    “I don’t know.” I twisted my hands. I’m terrified . “I can take care of myself.”
    He nodded. It was the reason I always stood between him and Gerald. “I know,” he said, hesitating. “But they even knew that you came crying to me last night. That’s why they put the pictures in my room this time.”
    I tugged on a strand of hair hanging over my shoulder, letting it slip through my finger and wrap around of its own accord.
    “I have no idea how they knew that,” I admitted.
    “We’ll find out.” Noah leaned up against the counter. “I’ve got someone working on it.”
    “Silas?”
    “He’s a bit of a genius. You’re in good hands.”
    “Does he go to our school?”
    “No, he’s a little older.”
    I didn’t know what to say to that. “You’ve told him about me?”
    Cabe’s door banged open and he shot Noah a look. They seemed to communicate something with each other, and then Noah was pulling out the sandwiches. We gathered to eat and I passed the other half of mine to Tariq out of habit, even though he had his own. Cabe swung a sports bag over his shoulder and we all descended back to the car. We drove back into the city and parked outside a cute little brick home with a well-manicured garden out the front. Despite the inviting façade of the house, there was something off about it. I couldn’t place the feeling until we reached the front door, and I found myself staring up at a surveillance camera. 
    Cabe and Noah walked straight in without knocking and Tariq followed them, leaving me to linger in the doorway. I glanced toward the window beside the front door and caught the glint of metal. Caught by my own indecision, I hesitated too long, and then Cabe was calling out for me. I stepped through the doorway and followed the smell of cookies down the long hallway.
    “Cabe!” A woman’s voice carried to me as I reached a kitchen area. “Noah!” I couldn’t see the woman, but I slipped forward, planting myself directly in front of my little brother.
    He set his hands on my shoulders,