Absolute debacle.’
I’m trying to digest this, but it’s just too big.
‘I know you weren’t there, because you were with us in Morocco.’
The image of a decapitated monster flashes in my mind. ‘It’s all real?’
The redhead regards me. ‘This is a freaking tragedy, Gabe.’ She swings a leg over the bench so she’s straddling it, facing me. ‘Listen, I can’t stay long. We’re in lockdown, so someone’s going to notice I’m gone, but I had to come and see you for myself.’
‘Why?’
She blinks. ‘Because you’re my friend.’
‘I don’t remember you.’
‘You will. I don’t know who’s done this to you, but we’ll find a way to fix it.’
Who says I need fixing?
I rip a splinter from the bench. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Daisy.’ She smiles. She’s got tiny dimples. ‘I know. But it’s better than the one I started out with.’ She laces her fingers together and turns them inside out, stretching her arms. ‘You need to keep your head down. Nathaniel will send others, and god help us when Daniel gets back and finds out.’
Who are Nathaniel and Daniel? I don’t get a chance to voice the question.
‘Has Rafa called for back-up?’
‘Not that I’ve seen.’
‘Oh, you’d see those posers if they were around. So, he’s still on his own? That’s interesting.’
I stand up and move away from the bench. Maybe if I can get some distance, her words will make more sense.
‘I don’t know what Rafa’s game is,’ Daisy continues, ‘but you’re safe enough with him for the moment. He can be a dick, but he’ll look after you—for Jude’s sake if nothing else.’ She springs to her feet. ‘And tell him to get some balls and explain the facts of life to you.’ A smile, wider this time. ‘I wish I could be there for that conversation.’
‘Why don’t you just tell me?’
‘Trust me, you’ll have a mountain of questions, and I have to get back. Plus, it won’t kill Rafa to do something useful for a change.’
I manage a small laugh. ‘He seems to enjoy watching me stumble around in the dark.’
‘I bet he does. But the longer he screws with you, the more trouble he’s going to be in when you get your memory back—and he knows it.’
A gust of warm wind blows my hair across my face and I push it back without taking my eyes off her.
‘Listen,’ Daisy says. ‘Give me a few days, and I’ll come back. We’ll work this out.’ She pulls a piece of paper from her jeans and holds it out to me. ‘Don’t lose this.’
‘What is it?’
‘My number.’ She steps clear of the bench. ‘God, Gabe, it’s so good to see you.’ She regards me for a few seconds, and then runs to the edge of the cliff and jumps off.
STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED…RIGHT?
I scramble to the cliff. There’s no sign of Daisy below. The rocks are clear.
‘What the…?’ I don’t even bother finishing the question. It’s too ridiculous. About as ridiculous as the idea hellions exist and people fight them with swords. In nightclubs.
Maybe I’m losing my mind. But I wasn’t on my own last night, so that at least must have been real. I walk back towards the house. I don’t want to be out here alone anymore.
Maggie is at the kitchen bench, hunched over my laptop. ‘That was quick,’ she says, barely raising her head. When I don’t answer, she takes a longer look. Her fingers stop moving on the keyboard. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I met this girl. Daisy. One of them.’
I tell her what happened but not what Daisy said about Jude, only that she knew him. I write down the names she said: Nathaniel, Daniel, and something about Mayans.
‘She really jumped off the lookout?’
I hesitate. ‘Yeah.’
Maggie bites her lip, shakes her head, and goes back to typing. I can usually read her, but I’ve got no idea what she’s thinking right now.
‘What are you doing?’ I ask.
‘Research. What was the name that girl said last night?’ She closes her eyes in concentration.
I’m trying to digest this, but it’s just too big.
‘I know you weren’t there, because you were with us in Morocco.’
The image of a decapitated monster flashes in my mind. ‘It’s all real?’
The redhead regards me. ‘This is a freaking tragedy, Gabe.’ She swings a leg over the bench so she’s straddling it, facing me. ‘Listen, I can’t stay long. We’re in lockdown, so someone’s going to notice I’m gone, but I had to come and see you for myself.’
‘Why?’
She blinks. ‘Because you’re my friend.’
‘I don’t remember you.’
‘You will. I don’t know who’s done this to you, but we’ll find a way to fix it.’
Who says I need fixing?
I rip a splinter from the bench. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Daisy.’ She smiles. She’s got tiny dimples. ‘I know. But it’s better than the one I started out with.’ She laces her fingers together and turns them inside out, stretching her arms. ‘You need to keep your head down. Nathaniel will send others, and god help us when Daniel gets back and finds out.’
Who are Nathaniel and Daniel? I don’t get a chance to voice the question.
‘Has Rafa called for back-up?’
‘Not that I’ve seen.’
‘Oh, you’d see those posers if they were around. So, he’s still on his own? That’s interesting.’
I stand up and move away from the bench. Maybe if I can get some distance, her words will make more sense.
‘I don’t know what Rafa’s game is,’ Daisy continues, ‘but you’re safe enough with him for the moment. He can be a dick, but he’ll look after you—for Jude’s sake if nothing else.’ She springs to her feet. ‘And tell him to get some balls and explain the facts of life to you.’ A smile, wider this time. ‘I wish I could be there for that conversation.’
‘Why don’t you just tell me?’
‘Trust me, you’ll have a mountain of questions, and I have to get back. Plus, it won’t kill Rafa to do something useful for a change.’
I manage a small laugh. ‘He seems to enjoy watching me stumble around in the dark.’
‘I bet he does. But the longer he screws with you, the more trouble he’s going to be in when you get your memory back—and he knows it.’
A gust of warm wind blows my hair across my face and I push it back without taking my eyes off her.
‘Listen,’ Daisy says. ‘Give me a few days, and I’ll come back. We’ll work this out.’ She pulls a piece of paper from her jeans and holds it out to me. ‘Don’t lose this.’
‘What is it?’
‘My number.’ She steps clear of the bench. ‘God, Gabe, it’s so good to see you.’ She regards me for a few seconds, and then runs to the edge of the cliff and jumps off.
STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED…RIGHT?
I scramble to the cliff. There’s no sign of Daisy below. The rocks are clear.
‘What the…?’ I don’t even bother finishing the question. It’s too ridiculous. About as ridiculous as the idea hellions exist and people fight them with swords. In nightclubs.
Maybe I’m losing my mind. But I wasn’t on my own last night, so that at least must have been real. I walk back towards the house. I don’t want to be out here alone anymore.
Maggie is at the kitchen bench, hunched over my laptop. ‘That was quick,’ she says, barely raising her head. When I don’t answer, she takes a longer look. Her fingers stop moving on the keyboard. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I met this girl. Daisy. One of them.’
I tell her what happened but not what Daisy said about Jude, only that she knew him. I write down the names she said: Nathaniel, Daniel, and something about Mayans.
‘She really jumped off the lookout?’
I hesitate. ‘Yeah.’
Maggie bites her lip, shakes her head, and goes back to typing. I can usually read her, but I’ve got no idea what she’s thinking right now.
‘What are you doing?’ I ask.
‘Research. What was the name that girl said last night?’ She closes her eyes in concentration.
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