A deep frown creased Derek’s brow. “You shouldn’t have been able to see him,” he said, his voice quiet, apprehensive, causing needles of foreboding to prick their way down my spine.
“That’s ridiculous. Why shouldn’t I have been able to see him?”
“Because he’s dead.”
“Dead? What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. He’s dead.”
“Then how could you see him?”
“I’ve...seen him before. I know him, sort of.”
“So what does that mean, then, that I could see him?”
Derek stared at me for several long seconds, his expression a mixture of puzzlement and concern. When he finally spoke, the razor-sharp edge of his words cut right through me. “The only thing it can mean. It means you’re dead, too.”
CHAPTER TEN
My heart stopped for an instant before restarting at a faster pace. “What? That’s crazy,” I scoffed, looking anywhere but at Derek’s face. “Now that really is ridiculous,” I mumbled. When he made no comment, didn’t so much as move a muscle, I looked back at him. His face was so serious, so grave, I felt the burn of the bitter truth in my heart. Willfully, I swallowed back tears. “How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know, but there are only two ways people can see the dead and, as far as I know, you haven’t been over there.”
“Over where?”
“To the Darkness.”
“The Darkness?” This evening was beginning to take on a surreal quality, just as the previous night had. It was like I was in an extended opening scene of a cheesy sci-fi movie.
“Yes. It’s where you’ll go to fight. And win, preferably.”
The bottom dropped out of my stomach. Fight?
Despite my determination not to cry, I felt my chin quiver. “Fight? What are you talking about?” Derek said nothing, didn’t even acknowledge that I’d spoken. He just continued to stare at me as if I was the enemy. And that sparked my anger. “Answer me! What are you talking about?”
Derek whirled away from me, suddenly furious. It lashed out at me like a physical entity, like a slap in the face. “I don’t know,” he spat, flinging his arms emphatically. “None of this,” he spun around, indicating the clearing, the power, the situation. “None of it may apply to you. I don’t know why he’d want you.” He stopped abruptly and stared into my face, as if struck by a realization. “Something’s wrong,” he said, taking two large steps away from me. “Very, very wrong.”
Bending, Derek angrily swiped his jacket off the ground then, without a backward glance, he strode past me. He stalked across the clearing then disappeared into the forest.
As I watched him go, I clung desperately to the denial that had served me so well recently. His footsteps faded into the distance and the events of the past few days crowded in on me, drowning out all that was recognizable about my life. The warmth and comfort of the familiar was all but gone, replaced by the cold reality of a strange world and an outlandish existence where my body and my life were not my own.
Inside, I was breaking. Again. Too much was happening too fast. How many times could I break before I shattered? How much more could I bear?
Before I could give in to the breakdown that was bearing down on me, a sharp, distant voice pierced the heavy night air.
“You coming?”
As much as I needed to think, I needed answers. And there was only one person that really seemed to know what was going on. And he was steadily making his way further and further away from me.
Springing into action, I took off after Derek, walking as quickly as I could through the dark forest, chasing the sound of rustling leaves and moving branches.
When I reached him, he was already at his motorcycle, the engine grumbling softly in the darkness. I started to ask him a question, but he preempted me, shaking his head and revving the engine. Obviously now was not the time. I climbed on behind him and he eased onto the road and turned toward home.
When he pulled up in front of Leah’s, I dismounted, assuming he’d do the same and we’d have a chance to talk. Instead, as soon as I was safely away from the bike, Derek punched it into gear and hit the gas, speeding away like the devil himself was right on his heels.
He left me there, on the curb at Leah’s house, alone to deal with my myriad feelings. They swirled