The Raven Four Books 1-3 - Jessica Sorensen Page 0,71

nod, but inside, I remain worked up.

What if it happens again? What if our bosses force us to play again?

What if I hurt someone again?

Nineteen

Raven

The first time I realized my uncle Ben was a total nutjob was about a week after I moved in with him and my aunt. He had mostly ignored me up until then, although my aunt and cousin were pretty verbal about how much they loathed the new edition to their “perfect” family.

Before I moved in with them, I’d met my aunt, uncle, and cousin a whopping two times. Once was at my dad’s parents’ funeral after they died in a car crash. My uncle and my dad were the only children they had, which left them only having each other. According to my dad, though, he never got along with my uncle. He never embellished on the specifics, but I figured he wasn’t a fan of my dad being a thief and a conman, since my uncle was—and is—a cop.

The second time my uncle made a presence in my life was a couple of weeks before my parents were killed. He just showed up at our house, something my mom was really upset about. I can’t remember much about what happened while he was there, but my memory has always been pretty shitty. I can always remember having gaps in my memories; tiny holes that I could never fill.

I once asked my mom about it when I was younger and couldn’t remember how I got home after school.

She felt my forehead for a fever then looked at me worriedly. “You don’t feel warm, but maybe we should take you to a doctor just in case.”

I shook my head. “No, I hate doctors.”

She crouched down in front of me. “Now, Raven, remember what we talked about. Doctors help us. There’s no reason to fear them.”

I knew she was probably right. My mom usually was. But every time I even thought about going to see a man or woman wearing one of those creepy white coats, I felt like I was going to throw up—

“Raven! Are you up yet?” My aunt pounds on my shut bedroom door, startling me.

I’ve been awake since before the sun came up, ever since I woke up from that second dream then saw my uncle burning shit in the backyard. I haven’t gotten up yet, though, partly because I’ve been overanalyzing the dreams and what the hell my uncle was burning, and partly because my side hurts like a bitch—

“Raven!” my aunt shouts again. “Wake up! You’re taking the damn bus today, and it gets here in twenty minutes.”

I grit my teeth but manage to say in an even tone, “Why can’t I just ride with you when you drive Dixie May to school?”

“Dixie May’s car arrived last night, so she’s driving herself to school,” she says. “You’re taking the bus this morning. Dixie May doesn’t need your moody, sullen, depressing presence ruining her chances of making friends here.”

I scoot over to the edge of the bed. “Now, Auntie, I’m sure Dixie May’s bitchy, slutty stupidity will make up for me cramping her style. In fact, I predict she’ll have a minion of idiots following her around like mindless sheep by the end of the day.” I stand up, wincing from the pain and tightness in my side.

“How dare you talk about my daughter like that?” She wiggles the doorknob and curses. “Open this door right now, Raven, or I swear to God—”

I throw open the door. “You’ll what?”

She’s standing on the other side, breathing furiously. Her blonde hair is pulled into a messy bun, and she’s wearing a pair of yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt, her usual morning look.

She takes a frustrated breath, her lips parting, her nostrils flaring. “You little shit—”

“Honey, remember what we talked about.” My uncle appears in the hallway, dressed in his uniform, buttoning the top button of his shirt.

My thoughts go straight to what I saw last night, of him burning stuff in the darkness with people watching in the background. I still can’t wrap my head around it. I mean, sure, my uncle is a creeper, but what I saw last night goes beyond the realms of weird.

“Right.” My aunt’s lips twist into a malicious grin as she looks at me. “The bus gets here in twenty minutes. If you miss it, you can walk.” She tosses me a smirk then spins around and walks toward my uncle. When she reaches him, she places