a
minute… something is up,” Linnie says.
“ What’s
up?” I say, focusing on my tea cup.
“ We’re
supposed to leave in two seconds and you haven’t said anything
to convince me not to go with you today. You missed your line ages
ago, it was something like: ‘you can’t go! Stay behind
while I sacrifice myself!’”
I
slap her knee, and force a laugh before I say, “My voice is not
that high pitched. So what do you think Madeline lied about? And,
what do you think is happening at home? Albert has probably torn down
the mansion in a rage.”
Linnie
says, “You’re rapid-fire changing the subject—”
She looks at her cup, then at me, and then says, “You didn’t?”
I
chew on my lip and don’t answer her.
“ Raven…?”
She says, throwing her tea cup. “Raven! This is one of the
shittiest, of the shitty things…you’ff donefff,”
Her voice gets heavy, “Screw thifff. You alwayth pufth mettt…”
She topples, but I catch her, moving her back onto the couch.
The
irony is not lost on me; last summer I hated Linnie’s friend
when she drugged me (or, I thought she did, it was Andras who truly
did it). But Madeline’s words ring true for me also, my sister
and I can get through anything, if she’s alive. And if I die,
again, at least I know she’ll be safe.
“ She’s
out,” I say, raising my voice.
“ Finally,”
Madeline says, as she pulls bags out of compartments. “Then
it’s time for you to be gettin’ goin’.” She
rushes over to me, and then hands me a charm that looks like a smooth
stone.
I
look down at it; it’s about the size of a large pill or small
round pebble.
“ It’s
the same as I gave you in the church, just smaller. Smaller, but
it’ll work the same, hold your soul if you die so I can
recompose you; It’s…perfected…I think,” She
says. “It only lasts for a day, so try not to die after that.”
“ Okay…”
I say. With my last swig of tea, I take and swallow it.
“ I
managed a couple impermanent transformations,” she says, too
loudly. “Your mental clarity and physical reflexes should be
better for a couple days.”
“ Okay.”
“ You
won’t get tired, for a while.”
“ Okay.”
“ You
will heal faster from serious injuries, for a day or two.”
“ Okay.”
“ Alright,
then,” She says.
“ Um,”
I inhale, and then say, “Is there something…anything,
that you’re hiding from me that I should know?”
“ Well,
I will lock myself in the cockpit then! And release Jones! A car
already waits outside to take you to Stephen’s hotel on Khoasan
Road.” She backs away, not looking at me. Then she sighs, turns
on her heel and disappears into the cockpit.
“ Are
you ready for this, Raven?” Cassidy says from where she stands
by the airplane hatch. She’s wearing a t-shirt that says ‘I’m
drinking to make you pretty’ on it and scuffed up jeans. She
actually has a real backpacking backpack. Jeez, Cassidy comes
prepared; she looks like any college backpacker. I guess I do too,
still in yesterday’s jeans and dirty collared shirt, but I
could have done with a backpack of clothing alternatives. At least I
had the foresight to stuff my wallet with cash as the credit card I
brought could easily be tracked by my dad, or moreover, Albert.
The
only other thing I brought was a calculated risk, my watch. Albert
always assured me that the watch only tracked my location if I hit
its ‘save me’ button; I guess if he’s waiting in
the parking lot I’ll know he’s a liar. However, the only
way I’ll willingly call Albert to cage me is if my only other
alternative is a very, very painful death.
Getting
my mind back into the game I ask Cassidy, “What did Madeline
lie to me about?”
“ I
can’t tell you; as in, I literally can’t, the witch spelled me. Obviously she’s either doing
unnatural spells or she’s spent quite a bit of money on them.”
Suddenly,
hands grab my shoulders and I’m swung around to look directly
at
minute… something is up,” Linnie says.
“ What’s
up?” I say, focusing on my tea cup.
“ We’re
supposed to leave in two seconds and you haven’t said anything
to convince me not to go with you today. You missed your line ages
ago, it was something like: ‘you can’t go! Stay behind
while I sacrifice myself!’”
I
slap her knee, and force a laugh before I say, “My voice is not
that high pitched. So what do you think Madeline lied about? And,
what do you think is happening at home? Albert has probably torn down
the mansion in a rage.”
Linnie
says, “You’re rapid-fire changing the subject—”
She looks at her cup, then at me, and then says, “You didn’t?”
I
chew on my lip and don’t answer her.
“ Raven…?”
She says, throwing her tea cup. “Raven! This is one of the
shittiest, of the shitty things…you’ff donefff,”
Her voice gets heavy, “Screw thifff. You alwayth pufth mettt…”
She topples, but I catch her, moving her back onto the couch.
The
irony is not lost on me; last summer I hated Linnie’s friend
when she drugged me (or, I thought she did, it was Andras who truly
did it). But Madeline’s words ring true for me also, my sister
and I can get through anything, if she’s alive. And if I die,
again, at least I know she’ll be safe.
“ She’s
out,” I say, raising my voice.
“ Finally,”
Madeline says, as she pulls bags out of compartments. “Then
it’s time for you to be gettin’ goin’.” She
rushes over to me, and then hands me a charm that looks like a smooth
stone.
I
look down at it; it’s about the size of a large pill or small
round pebble.
“ It’s
the same as I gave you in the church, just smaller. Smaller, but
it’ll work the same, hold your soul if you die so I can
recompose you; It’s…perfected…I think,” She
says. “It only lasts for a day, so try not to die after that.”
“ Okay…”
I say. With my last swig of tea, I take and swallow it.
“ I
managed a couple impermanent transformations,” she says, too
loudly. “Your mental clarity and physical reflexes should be
better for a couple days.”
“ Okay.”
“ You
won’t get tired, for a while.”
“ Okay.”
“ You
will heal faster from serious injuries, for a day or two.”
“ Okay.”
“ Alright,
then,” She says.
“ Um,”
I inhale, and then say, “Is there something…anything,
that you’re hiding from me that I should know?”
“ Well,
I will lock myself in the cockpit then! And release Jones! A car
already waits outside to take you to Stephen’s hotel on Khoasan
Road.” She backs away, not looking at me. Then she sighs, turns
on her heel and disappears into the cockpit.
“ Are
you ready for this, Raven?” Cassidy says from where she stands
by the airplane hatch. She’s wearing a t-shirt that says ‘I’m
drinking to make you pretty’ on it and scuffed up jeans. She
actually has a real backpacking backpack. Jeez, Cassidy comes
prepared; she looks like any college backpacker. I guess I do too,
still in yesterday’s jeans and dirty collared shirt, but I
could have done with a backpack of clothing alternatives. At least I
had the foresight to stuff my wallet with cash as the credit card I
brought could easily be tracked by my dad, or moreover, Albert.
The
only other thing I brought was a calculated risk, my watch. Albert
always assured me that the watch only tracked my location if I hit
its ‘save me’ button; I guess if he’s waiting in
the parking lot I’ll know he’s a liar. However, the only
way I’ll willingly call Albert to cage me is if my only other
alternative is a very, very painful death.
Getting
my mind back into the game I ask Cassidy, “What did Madeline
lie to me about?”
“ I
can’t tell you; as in, I literally can’t, the witch spelled me. Obviously she’s either doing
unnatural spells or she’s spent quite a bit of money on them.”
Suddenly,
hands grab my shoulders and I’m swung around to look directly
at
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