Whispered Darkness by Jessica Sorensen Page 0,6

brutal truth is that, in the past, I did wait around for him to call me. All the damn time.

I’m so pathetic.

What I don’t understand is why he doesn’t realize I’m mad at him. The last time we talked, I basically spit in his face. Is he that clueless? Or does he just not care?

I hear Foster dial someone else’s number. At least, I think it’s someone else, but then I hear my voicemail again. This happens three more times before Grey returns.

“Hey, so Eli just told me something weird,” he says. “He said he saw Harlynn a little while ago. He also said she was wearing what looked like pajamas and no shoes.”

“What the hell?” Foster mutters. “Did she come here with someone?”

“Not sure,” Grey replies. “But he said, when he saw her, she came here from a path that goes into the woods … a path that leads to the lake.”

A beat of silence drifts by.

“Why the hell was she by the lake, Foster?” Grey asks demandingly.

“How the hell should I know?” Foster snaps. “And watch your tone with me.”

“You’re the one who’s supposed to be keeping an eye on her,” Grey bites out. “But you clearly aren’t.”

“I’m trying,” he stresses, irritation biting his own tone. “But she’s …” He heaves out a frustrated sigh. “There’s been something off about her since the lake incident.”

Silence trickles by, and I trap my breath inside my chest.

“You think she knows?” Grey finally asks.

“No.” But a hint of doubt rings in Foster’s tone. “How could she?”

“I don’t know.” Grey pauses. “If she’s here, though, she can’t see us hanging out together.”

“I know that.” Foster lets a beat of silence trickle by. “I wonder if my brother knows anything about this?”

“Why would he?” Grey questions. “Him and Harlynn aren’t even friends.”

Foster hesitates. “Maybe not in the past, but ever since the incident, she’s been hanging around him. One of my friends even said they spotted her at a party with him the other night.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. And it’s pissing me off. She’s not his; she’s mine.”

Every single one of muscles constrict as irritation bites through me.

I’m his? Is he kidding me? I belong to no one. I’m a freakin’ person, not an object.

Does he seriously think I belong to him?

Apparently, Grey thinks so, because he says, “I know. And Kingsley should know, but he’s always been an idiot. And he’s been obsessed with Harlynn for years, yet she doesn’t even like him.” Foster doesn’t comment right away, leaving Grey to ask, “Unless that’s changed?”

An unsettling stillness creeps by, and I swear I can hear whispering from the darkness, hundreds of voices overlapping and making it nearly impossible to hear what’s being said. I can make out a few of them, though.

Be careful.

We see you.

It’s coming.

Danger.

Come closer.

The sounds are horribly chilling, but amongst them, I sense the strangest sensation of worry and nearing comfort. Still, with all these things mixed together, it’s making me nauseated to the point that I feel like I’m going to vomit. I force down the urge, though, and bottle it inside me, knowing if I throw up, I’m going to get seen.

“I already said she’s different,” Foster mumbles.

“Different how?” Grey questions. “I mean, I always thought she was a little bit weird, but you never agreed with me.”

“I’m not talking about weird, so shut the fuck up,” Foster warns. “And don’t pretend like you don’t want to fuck her. You’re lucky I haven’t beaten the shit out of you with how many times you’ve hit on her.”

“Yeah, well, you’re usually okay with sharing,” Grey remarks amusedly.

“Not with her. And you know that, so you better watch your mouth before I make sure you can’t use it at all.” And just like that, Foster goes from composed to chilling in the time it takes to suck in a breath.

I know Foster wasn’t who I believed him to be, but hearing him sound so violent, without a drop of remorse in his tone, is startling. I swear, in that moment, the sound of his voice cracks my past apart, and it crumbles, right there beneath my feet, dissolving into the darkness and dirt.

My past was nothing but a lie.

“Dude, chill the hell out,” Grey says. “I was just kidding.”

“No, you weren’t. And you won’t insult her again. Got it?” Foster doesn’t wait for him to reply. “I’m going to go find Harlynn and make sure she heads home. Then we’ll go to Anna’s. And you’re going to stay as far away from