know how.
Actually I don’t, he says. It’s supposed to not be possible, so I’m really curious as to what book you’ve been reading.
The one that was stole from me, I say. From my shadow stalker.
“They can’t kill you,” Mr. Morgan says, interrupting Cameron’s and mine’s conversation. “But they can make you want to kill yourself.”
Shock soars through me and strikes me in the chest, knocking the breath out of me. “You mean, they can possess me and force me to… to die.”
He wavers with hesitancy, folding his arms. “Not necessarily force you, but get you to that place, enter your thoughts and mess with your mind enough that you want it to all end.”
That’s not what I’m doing, Cameron insists. I want you around, Ember.
Sure you do.
Ember, think about what’s going on here, he says. This guy pretty much just comes out of nowhere and willingly tells you all this stuff. Why would he all of a sudden do that?
I don’t know… because he’s Asher’s uncle. I get what he’s saying, though at the same time, it’s hard to be on the same page as Cameron.
Yeah, on his father’s side.
What the hell’s that supposed to mean?
“Ember, are you sure you’re okay?” Mr. Morgan is staring at me like he’s starting to grow concerned with my state of mind. “You seem a little distracted.”
I tear myself away from my internal conversation with Cameron. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a little sick. That’s all.”
“Maybe you should go home and lie down.” He glances out the window at the school yard and his face pales.
I track his gaze and find that everyone has stopped moving except for one person. As soon as I see the guy everyone’s looking at, my head starts to pound, my lips start to tingle and my back starts to burn. He moves with confidence through the sea of motionless people, taller than most with broad shoulders, a scraggy jawline and blonde hair that reaches his shoulders. He’s wearing a black suit and a red tie. Everyone seems to be drawn to him as he makes his way slowly across the yard with heads turning, eyes following his movements. And the dead girl that walked in the room is walking just behind him, watching him, then she glances up at me. Our eyes lock and there’s a silent plea inside them: help me.
“Who is that guy?” I ask as I scratch at the spot burning on my back, but as I say it, recognition clicks. “Wait, is that our new mayor?” Why is he here? Better yet, why is he here when the entire school is possessed? Is it a coincidence? And is the dead girl trying to say he’s the one she’s talking about? That the mayor has their souls trapped?
Hmmm… I bet you’re right, Cameron says . And I’m guessing he has something to do with all those murders .
As the Mr. removes his gaze from the window, I detect a hint of fear in his eyes. “I think so… but I really think you should head home while all this is going on.”
“But what is going on?” I ask, aware that he’s extremely uneasy all of a sudden, more than before. “I mean, everyone in the town… they seem so—”
“Under the influence of the Anamotti,” he finishes for me. “They’ve somehow managed to take over minds in large quantities.
Just like Raven. Oh, my God, it’s spreading like a virus. “You know about the Anamotti?”
“I know of the Anamotti,” he corrects, sitting down on one of the nearby tables, his shoulders slumping inward. “But they’re sort of like a secret society and no one really knows anything about them.”
Dammit. “Well, why all of a sudden are they taking over everyone? I mean, they’ve pretty much got the entire school walking around like robots.”
His expression plummets. “I have no idea right now, but I’m going to try to find out.” He gets to his feet, returns to his desk again, and starts sifting through a collection of old books.
Sure he
Actually I don’t, he says. It’s supposed to not be possible, so I’m really curious as to what book you’ve been reading.
The one that was stole from me, I say. From my shadow stalker.
“They can’t kill you,” Mr. Morgan says, interrupting Cameron’s and mine’s conversation. “But they can make you want to kill yourself.”
Shock soars through me and strikes me in the chest, knocking the breath out of me. “You mean, they can possess me and force me to… to die.”
He wavers with hesitancy, folding his arms. “Not necessarily force you, but get you to that place, enter your thoughts and mess with your mind enough that you want it to all end.”
That’s not what I’m doing, Cameron insists. I want you around, Ember.
Sure you do.
Ember, think about what’s going on here, he says. This guy pretty much just comes out of nowhere and willingly tells you all this stuff. Why would he all of a sudden do that?
I don’t know… because he’s Asher’s uncle. I get what he’s saying, though at the same time, it’s hard to be on the same page as Cameron.
Yeah, on his father’s side.
What the hell’s that supposed to mean?
“Ember, are you sure you’re okay?” Mr. Morgan is staring at me like he’s starting to grow concerned with my state of mind. “You seem a little distracted.”
I tear myself away from my internal conversation with Cameron. “Sorry, I’m just feeling a little sick. That’s all.”
“Maybe you should go home and lie down.” He glances out the window at the school yard and his face pales.
I track his gaze and find that everyone has stopped moving except for one person. As soon as I see the guy everyone’s looking at, my head starts to pound, my lips start to tingle and my back starts to burn. He moves with confidence through the sea of motionless people, taller than most with broad shoulders, a scraggy jawline and blonde hair that reaches his shoulders. He’s wearing a black suit and a red tie. Everyone seems to be drawn to him as he makes his way slowly across the yard with heads turning, eyes following his movements. And the dead girl that walked in the room is walking just behind him, watching him, then she glances up at me. Our eyes lock and there’s a silent plea inside them: help me.
“Who is that guy?” I ask as I scratch at the spot burning on my back, but as I say it, recognition clicks. “Wait, is that our new mayor?” Why is he here? Better yet, why is he here when the entire school is possessed? Is it a coincidence? And is the dead girl trying to say he’s the one she’s talking about? That the mayor has their souls trapped?
Hmmm… I bet you’re right, Cameron says . And I’m guessing he has something to do with all those murders .
As the Mr. removes his gaze from the window, I detect a hint of fear in his eyes. “I think so… but I really think you should head home while all this is going on.”
“But what is going on?” I ask, aware that he’s extremely uneasy all of a sudden, more than before. “I mean, everyone in the town… they seem so—”
“Under the influence of the Anamotti,” he finishes for me. “They’ve somehow managed to take over minds in large quantities.
Just like Raven. Oh, my God, it’s spreading like a virus. “You know about the Anamotti?”
“I know of the Anamotti,” he corrects, sitting down on one of the nearby tables, his shoulders slumping inward. “But they’re sort of like a secret society and no one really knows anything about them.”
Dammit. “Well, why all of a sudden are they taking over everyone? I mean, they’ve pretty much got the entire school walking around like robots.”
His expression plummets. “I have no idea right now, but I’m going to try to find out.” He gets to his feet, returns to his desk again, and starts sifting through a collection of old books.
Sure he
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