Somewhere Between Water and Sky (Shattered Things #2) by Elora Ramirez Page B

late. ”
    She reappears behind a bush. “ Seriously? You don ’ t even work tomorrow. ” She points at me. “ Neither do you. ” And then motions us with her hand to come join.
    Ren and I look at each other. I shrug.
    “ Your call, Moondoggie. ”
    Leaning his head against the steering wheel he groans again. “ You don ’ t know the trouble she finds herself in or you wouldn ’ t be saying that, Steph. ”
    I laugh.
    “ Oh Ren. That ’ s where you ’ re mistaken. Trouble ’ s my middle name. ”
    He raises an eyebrow and catches my eye in the rearview mirror before shaking his head.
    “ Fuck it. Let ’ s go. ”
    And he opens his door and holds it open for me as I hop out and walk toward Jessa.
    She ’ s standing in the middle of a small field that used to be a parking lot. Turning to look at us with a glint in her eye, she tilts her head toward the building and smiles.
    “ Took you guys long enough. ”
    I squint to get a better look at the structure and grimace. It ’ s run down — missing doors and shingles. Noting the graffiti and debris around and inside, it ’ s not totally abandoned. I imagine at any moment there are a variation of social misfits and dregs of society claiming this property as their own.
    “ Wanna go explore? ” Jessa ’ s voice is hopeful and full of excitement.
    No. No I do not want to go explore.
    “ Um … . ”
    “ Oh come on. It ’ s begging to be explored. ”
    I squeeze my hands into fists. “ It ’ s begging for someone to step on any number of forgotten and rusty drug needles. ”
    Ren holds up his hands and then points to the building.
    “ Jessa, that ’ s a nightmare waiting to happen. ”
    She laughs and then turns around, walking toward the building.
    I shake my head, crossing my arms.
    “ Fuck that. I ’ m not going in there. ”
    Ren groans and lifts his face to the sky, beginning to follow her and leaving me behind, dodging broken beer bottles and trash. I hesitate for a few moments, watching the distance between me and them get larger, and then feel a growing sense of being watched.
    I turn around quickly, my pulse pounding in my ears; my arms growing heavy.
    No one ’ s there.
    I bring my hands up to my face and massage my temples. Breathe, Stephanie. Breathe. I laugh under my breath and call out to Ren.
    “ Hey! Wait up. ”
    He stops and Jessa throws her fist in the air in celebration. “ I knew you guys would do this. ”
    Ren mutters under his breath and steps in front of Jessa, his phone serving as a flashlight.
    “ Just let me go in first? ”
    She glowers at him.
    “ Whatever. ”
    We walk through the door and I look around.
    “ Was this a hotel of some kind? ”
    Ren points his phone toward an area that looks like a lobby. In the corner on the other side of the room is the stump of what used to be one of those massive office plants. His voice isn ’ t more than a whisper.
    “ It looks like it. ”
    Something crashes against the floor upstairs and Ren jumps. Jessa screams and flings herself into his arms.
    I just stand there, every piece of me tingling. If I thought I could hear my pulse in my ears outside, now it ’ s roaring to life — I ’ m pretty sure I feel it in my fingernails.
    “ What the fuck. ” My breath comes out raspy — I ’ m barely moving my lips, as if in moving anything I ’ m giving credence to the noise above us.
    Ren sniffs and moves his eyes upward.
    “ Hello? ” A voice from above us wanders across the lobby.
    That ’ s a kid ’ s voice, I think, swallowing my dread.
    Our eyes go wide simultaneously. Ren puts his finger over his mouth, signaling for us to be quiet. Jessa ’ s mouthing expletives.
    “ I swear to God if it ’ s a fucking clown I ’ m fucking gone. ”
    Ren rolls his eyes. “ You watch too many horror movies. It sounds like a kid. I ’ m going to go up and check it out. You guys stay here. ”
    Jessa and I look at each other as he walks away and immediately begin to follow him.
    “