much. That’s why I have to keep my mind busy. I have to find a way to help.”
Ollie nodded, but Kate frowned at him. She could tell his attention was elsewhere.
Ollie scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think I can focus right now. I’ll catch you in a bit, Kate.” He brushed his lips against her cheek and pulled her briefly against his chest, then he walked away.
Kate stood still, watching him go. She couldn’t help it, but felt a heavy sense of worry, and helplessness. Ollie turned the corner and disappeared from sight. She shrugged her shoulders and headed for the library.
∞
After class Maya stashed her rucksack in a locker and then walked briskly through the corridor towards the exit. She wore her hair fixed in plaits either side of her head, close to her neck, along with a black leather jacket and black jeans. Her silver stake was tucked out of sight.
Mrs Kinnley stepped into Maya’s path.
“Miss Ellis, if you’ll accompany me please.”
Maya silently cursed and followed Mrs Kinnley in to her office.
“Although we have a policy that allows you to leave the college grounds, I do not think it is wise in your case. You have shown an inability to settle into a routine of classes and the best way to tackle this is to spend ALL your time right here. Between classes you are to stay in the library and catch up on the work you have missed. Do you understand?”
“Yes Mrs Kinnley. Of course. Is that all?”
Mrs Kinnely gave her a brisk nod and Maya stood, then turned and headed for the door.
“I’ll be watching you,” Mrs Kinnley muttered, as Maya left.
Did she seriously just say that? Maya shook her head, swung open the door to the exit and ran down the steps, refusing to look over her shoulder, even though she could practically feel Mrs Kinnley’s eyes on her back.
Outside the sun peeked out from behind a cloud as Maya broke into a gentle jog and then hopped onto a bus. Ten minutes later she jumped off and walked toward the graveyard. As the iron gates appeared before her someone stepped out of an alley and into her path. Her heart leapt.
“Ollie! What the hell are you doing out here?”
“Waiting for you, of course. I couldn’t let you do down there alone,” he said.
“Yes you could. You—”
“No. I couldn’t. Will and Lewis are missing. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try—”
“You need to leave.”
“No. No way. I’m coming.”
“Ugh. Fine. On your head be it.”
“Fine by me.”
Maya started walking and Ollie hurried after her. At a heavy touch the gate to the cemetery creaked open. It felt practically as eerie in day light. The gravestones were old and overgrown, and ivy grew up scraggly, gnarly trees. As they stepped further in a heavy silence surrounded them, transporting them away from the sounds of the city. Maya scanned the horizon, and it seemed the cemetery extended for miles.
“How big is this place anyway?” she said.
Ollie shrugged. “I—” he started.
“Shh,” said Maya. “I need to focus.”
She focused on her werewolf sense, but it gave her confused signals. It seemed like there were wolves everywhere, up ahead somewhere, and below her, too. She eyed the stairs leading down to the underground tunnel where she had discovered Lewis with the werewolf, and she remembered how that old werewolf had seemed to come from behind her, from further within the tunnel.
“We go down there,” she said.
“So this is it,” Ollie said, rubbing his hands together.
“Wait a sec,” said Kate, and she fumbled in her pocket. “Here’s a silver cross. It might come in handy.”
“Thanks,” Ollie said, and clutched the cross in his hand.
Together they walked down the steps to the passage, Maya in the lead.
The door to the passage creaked open and Maya stepped through, Ollie close behind her. He pulled the gate closed behind them. She scanned
Ollie nodded, but Kate frowned at him. She could tell his attention was elsewhere.
Ollie scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think I can focus right now. I’ll catch you in a bit, Kate.” He brushed his lips against her cheek and pulled her briefly against his chest, then he walked away.
Kate stood still, watching him go. She couldn’t help it, but felt a heavy sense of worry, and helplessness. Ollie turned the corner and disappeared from sight. She shrugged her shoulders and headed for the library.
∞
After class Maya stashed her rucksack in a locker and then walked briskly through the corridor towards the exit. She wore her hair fixed in plaits either side of her head, close to her neck, along with a black leather jacket and black jeans. Her silver stake was tucked out of sight.
Mrs Kinnley stepped into Maya’s path.
“Miss Ellis, if you’ll accompany me please.”
Maya silently cursed and followed Mrs Kinnley in to her office.
“Although we have a policy that allows you to leave the college grounds, I do not think it is wise in your case. You have shown an inability to settle into a routine of classes and the best way to tackle this is to spend ALL your time right here. Between classes you are to stay in the library and catch up on the work you have missed. Do you understand?”
“Yes Mrs Kinnley. Of course. Is that all?”
Mrs Kinnely gave her a brisk nod and Maya stood, then turned and headed for the door.
“I’ll be watching you,” Mrs Kinnley muttered, as Maya left.
Did she seriously just say that? Maya shook her head, swung open the door to the exit and ran down the steps, refusing to look over her shoulder, even though she could practically feel Mrs Kinnley’s eyes on her back.
Outside the sun peeked out from behind a cloud as Maya broke into a gentle jog and then hopped onto a bus. Ten minutes later she jumped off and walked toward the graveyard. As the iron gates appeared before her someone stepped out of an alley and into her path. Her heart leapt.
“Ollie! What the hell are you doing out here?”
“Waiting for you, of course. I couldn’t let you do down there alone,” he said.
“Yes you could. You—”
“No. I couldn’t. Will and Lewis are missing. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try—”
“You need to leave.”
“No. No way. I’m coming.”
“Ugh. Fine. On your head be it.”
“Fine by me.”
Maya started walking and Ollie hurried after her. At a heavy touch the gate to the cemetery creaked open. It felt practically as eerie in day light. The gravestones were old and overgrown, and ivy grew up scraggly, gnarly trees. As they stepped further in a heavy silence surrounded them, transporting them away from the sounds of the city. Maya scanned the horizon, and it seemed the cemetery extended for miles.
“How big is this place anyway?” she said.
Ollie shrugged. “I—” he started.
“Shh,” said Maya. “I need to focus.”
She focused on her werewolf sense, but it gave her confused signals. It seemed like there were wolves everywhere, up ahead somewhere, and below her, too. She eyed the stairs leading down to the underground tunnel where she had discovered Lewis with the werewolf, and she remembered how that old werewolf had seemed to come from behind her, from further within the tunnel.
“We go down there,” she said.
“So this is it,” Ollie said, rubbing his hands together.
“Wait a sec,” said Kate, and she fumbled in her pocket. “Here’s a silver cross. It might come in handy.”
“Thanks,” Ollie said, and clutched the cross in his hand.
Together they walked down the steps to the passage, Maya in the lead.
The door to the passage creaked open and Maya stepped through, Ollie close behind her. He pulled the gate closed behind them. She scanned
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