The next day at school, Lily is nowhere to be found. She knew what I was going to do last night. Ever since I texted her with a short message saying I made it back safely, I haven’t heard from her.
“So what’s happening?” Newt asks by my locker.
You don’t have enough time in your day.
“Later, okay?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, sure—just dealing with—everything.”
I haven’t quite figured it all out myself, so I’m not sure how to even begin explaining it to him.
Uh, yeah, well, the guy who first discovered Solitary came from Europe and was into some strange weird stuff that got passed down through the generations. Oh, and he can somehow see spirits, like ghosts and angels and demons. Some people inherit the gene of baldness. I inherit being able to see ghosts.
Even if—well, there’s no way I’m denying this anymore—but even if every single thing that man who I still can’t call my great-grandfather, not to mention Marsh and Stanch, said is true, I still don’t know where it leaves me.
I’m supposed to continue what? What am I supposed to do?
This whole dark world needs hope. Hold on to it.
I hear the words Jocelyn wrote to me in her last letter.
She still feels so close sometimes.
I don’t want her death to be in vain.
So what am I supposed to do? Take over what?
“You can tell me,” Newt says.
But I only laugh, because how am I supposed to tell him this? That I’ve not only figured out who the bad people are, but that somehow I’m one of them?
Being related to one and being one are two different things.
I try to get hold of Lily, but she still doesn’t reply. It makes me worry that something happened to her. Something to do with Staunch.
I go by the B and B after school, but the lady who answers the door tells me that “Lillian moved out a week ago.”
Lillian.
“Do you know where she went?”
The elderly lady only shakes her head. I thank her and then send another text to Lily before leaving to head home.
HEY, LILLIAN. JUST STOPPED BY THE B AND B AND HEAR YOU CHECKED OUT A WEEK AGO. ARE YOU GONE FOR GOOD?
I wait a few minutes for a reply, but nothing.
Later on at home, I keep my phone with me through dinner. No reply.
None that night and none the next day.
The weekend is coming and Lily is nowhere to be found or heard from and I suddenly start getting worried.
I’m worried that she’s going to be another Poe/Rachel.
Or worse, another Jocelyn.
She lied to you so why should you care?
I still don’t know everything—all the reasons and all the lies and the entire picture on Lily, but …
Nobody deserves what happened to Jocelyn.
Friday afternoon I send another text. Friday afternoon classes are the absolute worst. We’re supposed to be reading in English class, but nobody is in the mood to read. It’s raining outside. November rain. Too warm for snow, but still way too chilly to avoid jackets. I send a simple text.
WHERE ARE YOU???
And then, a reply.
I’LL SEE YOU LATER.
I start to reply again when another message pops up.
DITCH YOUR PHONE AS FAST AS YOU CAN.
For a while, I try to make sense of what she’s saying.
And then …
I’m an idiot.
How could I forget? I didn’t forget actually. I just sort of buried it along with everything else.
Seems like I’ve suddenly gotten pretty good at burying things. Jocelyn, Poe, revenge, answers, hope …
And the iPhone that Marsh gave me.
They didn’t even have to try to monitor me. I’ve had a built-in surveillance on me for the last few months.
Maybe Lily discovered that the other day during her meeting with Staunch.
Or maybe that’s not even Lily who answered you. Just like those emails from Jocelyn that Poe got after Jocelyn died.
Before the end of school, I have an idea.
Seeing Newt out of the blue reminds me that of all the people around here, he’s one I can trust. So I go up to him.
“Newt, can you do me a favor?”
I explain to him what it’s for.
“I don’t want them knowing I’m involved,” Newt says.
“Yeah, that’s what you always say. Look—listen—you keep telling me I need to do this and that, but I need help, okay?”
“What if someone calls?”
“Don’t answer it. It’s just—if they can keep track of me, I want them thinking I’m with you.”
“They’ll know.”
I force the phone in his hand. “Listen, I bet anything they already know, okay?”
“But then—”
“Just do this, okay?”
Newt leaves with my phone in his backpack. I watch him go and wonder if he is indeed safe.
Nobody around you is safe, Chrissssssssss.
I can hear my great-grandfather’s sickening hiss in my thoughts.
I sigh and head out the doors of Harrington. Something in me expects Lily to be waiting there. But nope.
I arrive home. Mom is back to working, taking a few shifts just to get back in the swing of things. But no late nights. That’s her promise. No mornings reeking of booze. That’s her pledge.
I’ve been home for an hour when there is a knock on the door.
I pause for a moment, hoping.
Wondering what’s going to be my next big surprise.