MORNING
They left early, before the sun was even up. Mom, Dad, and Alistair—back to the police station. Presumably because Alistair is ready to talk. About wombats?
I’m home alone, which isn’t unheard of (I’m fourteen, you know), but considering that there’s still a crazy person out there stealing kids and shooting people in the stomach, I’m surprised they think this is a good idea.
Unless they think Alistair is that crazy person. Which from what he was telling me, maybe …
God. This is so messed up.
I’m not really alone, for the record. Mandy is here. If that counts. She came over as soon as the others left, and I guess that was enough for my parents. She’s in the bathroom, which means she’ll be a while. She treats bathrooms like crime scenes. She doesn’t come out until there is absolutely no evidence that she’s been in there.
When she got here, she hugged me right off the bat and said, “I love you.”
Girls say stuff like that to each other all the time, but Mandy rarely says it to me. So it means something. That she loves me, I guess. I hope.
I love Mandy too. I do. How could I not? We’ve been friends forever, and do you know what love is? It’s when you try to picture your life without someone and you can’t.
I love Mom. Dad. Alistair. Mandy. They all frustrate me, but life without any of them would be impossible. I have to remember that when I think about the Dwyers and the Loomises. Their families are facing lives without the ones they love. Apparently, Kyle is stable and the coma he’s in is actually caused by doctors, who did it to keep him alive. They’ll probably be able to wake him up when they’re ready.
But Charlie? Fiona? Still not a word about them.
Or maybe a lot of words, pouring from Alistair’s mouth into the tape recorders at the police station.
Worst-case scenario:
“Where are they, son?” says the cop.
“Buried by Frog Rock,” says Alistair.
“Why’d you do it?” says the cop.
“Because a wombat named Jenny Colvin told me to,” says Alistair.
Best-case scenario:
“Where are they, son?” says the cop.
“Wombats,” says Alistair.
“What in the Sam Hill are you talking about, son?” says the cop.
“Wombats,” says Alistair. “It’s a resort in Australia run by Jenny Colvin. They’ve got phosphorescent stuff in the water there. Very romantic. Those two fell in love and ran off. First Fiona left, and then Charlie. So people didn’t suspect it. Don’t worry. They’re fine.”
Yes, yes, yes, I know. I’m making jokes when I shouldn’t, but what the hell am I supposed to do?
Actually, here’s what I’m going to do: when Mandy comes out of the bathroom, I’m going to tell her that I love her, because I do, and I don’t tell her enough. Things have changed. They’re changing by the second. I have to hold on to everything I have.