Whispered Darkness by Jessica Sorensen Page 0,34

closer and closer—

They unexpectedly turn and stride out from under the picnic area. I quicken my pace, rushing after them. But they only move faster, practically sprinting toward the forest that lines the back of the park.

“Wait!” I shout, but it’s too late—they’re already vanishing into the trees.

I continue to run after them, dashing into the trees myself. I look around for a while but find no sign of them. And when I spot a death stealer nearby, I decide to bail out, hurrying out of the trees and into the park.

I’m pissed off at myself for screwing this up. I wanted to protect Harlynn, but I may have just chased off the possibility of her getting some answers.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath. “Why do I have to mess everything up?”

Self-irritation swells inside me as I start back toward my car. Halfway there, my gaze travels to the spot Harlynn was supposed to meet Death, half-hoping that maybe the shadowy figure wasn’t Death, and that I didn’t really mess this up. But the bench is empty. Well, empty of people, but something is on it.

I veer right and head toward the bench. Once I reach it, I see that it’s a book. A thick, leather-bound book that looks ancient. On the front are engravings and unrecognizable hieroglyphics, along with what appears to be an eye.

Peering around, I pick up the book and turn the pages. Drawings and writing cover them, but it’s written in a language that I don’t recognize. Well, I don’t recognize most except for one.

On one of the pages is a feather-shaped mark that looks a lot like the scar that appeared on me after I died and came back to life. If I can figure out a way to decipher the words on the page, then maybe I can learn what the mark means and why it appeared to begin with.

Closing the book, I tuck it under my arm and start toward my car.

I’m almost there when I feel it—this overwhelming and undiluted wave of terror. I’ve felt it only once before, right before Foster’s truck went off that cliff with Harlynn in it.

Harlynn is in trouble.

No, her life is in danger.

9

Harlynn

My mom isn’t anywhere in the house. After searching for a while, I send her a text. She replies that she had to run into work for a while, but that she’ll be home soon and wants me to stay in the house until she does. Sighing, I reply:

Me: Okay, but what time do you think you’ll be home?

Mon: Around five or so.

I breathe in relief. That gives me enough time to get what I need to get done today then return home before she does.

Me: When you get home, I need to talk to you about some stuff.

And by stuff, I mean Kingsley and what really happened that night. I’m also going to talk to her about this house arrest thing she’s kind of put me on. I know she’s worried, but I can’t just stay inside forever.

After I finish messaging her, I wander into the kitchen to get something to eat before Kingsley gets here. My dad is at work, so the house is quiet. I used to love the quiet, but now my mind crams with all sorts of worries, like finding Beth’s body and trying to figure out what Star has to with all this. Plus, I’m meeting Death soon and need to be prepared for what they’ll tell me. What if it’s bad? What if I—

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Someone taps on the front door.

I’m in the middle of pouring a bowl of cereal, but I set the box down onto the counter and head to answer it, wondering if maybe Kingsley is early or something.

When I answer the door, however, Star is standing on the front porch. She looks strung out, dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, and she has her arms wrap around herself, like she’s cold even though the air is muggy and warm. She’s also not dazzled up like she normally is, her hair down and straight, and she’s wearing jeans, a worn T-shirt, and sneakers

“Star? What’re you doing here?” I blink at her, questioning if I’m hallucinating. And not just because she looks so worn out. No, it’s weirding me out that Kingsley and I were supposed to track her down yet she ends up showing up on my front porch. A coincidence, perhaps? Yeah, with everything that’s been going on lately, all the supernatural stuff,