by Amy Richie
His breath felt hot on my face, his hand hot against my exposed flesh. “How is that possible?” I whispered, turning to look at him.
“That I liked you better silent?” His eyebrows dipped low on his forehead.
“How can I feel you?” I had never felt Toby's touch before. Not that he made a frequent habit of touching me, but the few times he accidently got too close, all I felt was cold. Why could I feel him now? What did that mean?
“Come on,” he tugged against my unmoving body. “Get up.”
“I don't think I can.”
“Try.”
“Why couldn't I find you before?”
“We can talk about that later,” he grunted close to my ear.
“I tried to find you.”
“Just... come on, Crazy.”
I had searched for Toby, was desperate to find him. I never could though; so how did he find me so easily? Had he always known where I was, but just didn't come until it was too late to help me?
Because if I died at the hands of Zac, he would be free. Of course. How could I blame him?
“Are you going to get up?” he hissed. “I'm not carrying you.”
“You shouldn't have come here for me.”
“Get up.”
Balancing my weight between Toby and my uninjured ankle, I somehow managed to do as he asked. It wasn't easy and I would have rather stayed on the ground, but years of Toby's commands weren't easy to just ignore.
“Now what?” I gasped. “Are we going to run?” It was impossible and we both knew it.
“We just need to get to the bus stop.” He kept his hand out, hoovering just above my waist in case I decided to try and fall.
“And where is that?” I glanced up and down the empty road, searching for the familiar bench where I could sit and wait.
“It's not far.”
“Do you know where it is?” Because I really didn't think I was up for a pointless stroll through the night.
“Yes.” He took the time to glare back at me before taking a few steps forward.
“Just making sure,” I grumbled, shuffling to follow him.
“Why are you walking so slow?” he snapped. “You think we're just out shopping for new shoes?”
You try having Zac kiss you beside a volcano that's completely in your head. “I'm trying to go fast,” I scowled, keeping my eyes trained on my feet.
“Try harder.”
“How did you find me anyways?” I fished, hobbling towards him with slightly increased speed.
“You weren't hiding.”
“So you knew where I was the whole time?”
“Hurry up.”
“Did you know I was looking for you?” I pressed on. No need to tell him that I had purposely sought out the ghost-people to find him; that I regretted leaving him. He wouldn't like it if I said those things.
“Watch out.” He pointed down to a tree root that had settled itself above the earth, waiting to trip up unsuspecting walkers.
Being with Toby again made me feel stronger, but I still wasn't sure how far I could walk. “Wait,” I called out to him, “I left my bag back there.”
Somehow, over the last few weeks, that bag had become the only solid thing I had to hold onto. I didn't want to leave it behind; especially if I wasn't dying tonight.
“Just leave it,” he growled, not bothering to turn around.
“I don't want to leave it.”
“Fine,” he spun abruptly back to face me, “I'll go get the stupid bag. You keep moving.”
He was gone and back before I had taken two steps. “Why did you stop?” He flung the familiar red book bag into my chest.
I reflexively wrapped my arms around the bulge. “I didn't stop.”
“Let's go, Crazy,” he started forward without me. “I've seen you run before, I know you can do it.”
“I still don't know if I'm dreaming or not,” I panted. I had to jog to keep up with his long strides. “I must be dreaming- you feel real.”
“You're not dreaming.”
“But you're here.”
“Yep. You always were a bright one.”
“Why would you come here? If you save me- you can't be free.”
“Don't worry about that. He shouldn't have told you.”
I couldn't agree with Toby though; I was glad that Tristan told me the truth. It made everything else... clearer. My life- and death- had a purpose now. I couldn't waste it.
“I still don't...”
“Tristan found me,” he cut me off.
“Tristan?”
“He found me and sent me to you.”
“Why?” I breathed out the word heavily.
“He didn't want you to die.”
“So I can join him,” I nodded. I knew that much already; I just didn't realize he'd go so far as to find Toby for me.
“I don't know.”
“It would have been better for you if I had died here tonight.”
“Why do you say stupid things?”
He said things like that all the time. Why was it stupid when I said it? “Where's Tristan now?”
“How should I know?”
“He knew where you were.”
“It doesn't work both ways.”
“Can you call him?”
“I doubt he carries a cell phone.”
“You know what I mean.” I failed to keep the whining out of my voice.
“Even if I could call him here, I wouldn't do it.”
“Why not?”
“I'm not your errand boy,” he scowled. “If he wants to see you, he will. Neither of us can stop him.”
Where was he though? Did he go after Zac? What would happen to him now? He had made Toby come to save me- would he just disappear now?
The wind picked up around me, signifying the approach of another storm. Ahead of me, Toby's outline shone like a beacon of hope. It wasn't like before though- he was solid now. How had that happened?
“Come on, Crazy,” he called back through the darkness.
Chapter Thirteen
Following along behind Toby came naturally to me; I had been doing it all my life. Whenever he told me to move, I did it without question. It was the same now, even with all the questions flipping around in my still foggy mind.
He had said we would talk later, I reminded myself. Later. Hopefully that wouldn't be too late for Tristan. I wasn't even sure I should be worried about him, but it didn't feel right to me to just leave him behind. He had helped me- saved me more than once.
“Toby will take you somewhere safe,” Tristan spoke suddenly from right beside me.
Years of practice allowed me to suck my scream back in before I could make a sound. “Tristan!”
“You scared me back there,” he jerked his head slightly, as if I wasn't sure where he meant.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“You'll be safe now.”
“You went to get Toby?”
“Yeah,” he nodded, the ghost of a smile playing with the corners of his mouth. “I didn't think you'd make it on your own.”
He was probably right.
“You were just laying there.”
“I was watching the stars.”
“Watching for what?” he asked, sadness creeping in to make his voice go soft.
“Spaceships.”
The smile that had been just peeking through broke out into a full grin. “You're so weird.”
I'd been called worse.
“I thought you left me to die,” I admitted.
“I should have.”
“But you didn't.”
“Probably a mistake; now Zac will be after you for sure.”
He could get to me in my dreams- there would never be anywhere safe for me. “I'm not scared,” I lied.
“Me either.” His eyes locked with mine. “Too late now though.”
“You knew how to find Toby all along?”
“Of course.” He didn't even have the decency to pretend to feel bad.
“I was looking for him,” I needlessly pointed out.
“I know, I was there.”
“Why didn't you tell me where he was?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I didn't want to.”
“Would have been helpful,” I grumbled lightly.
“We need to get going,” Toby interrupted, coming to stand close to me. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah,” I nodded quickly. Tristan didn't move.
I knew Toby though. Once he was ready to go, he didn't wait around for me. Tristan and I could wait until later to talk- when Toby told me everything. If there was anything left to say, we could say it then.
Right now, we had to go.
“We should probably get moving.” I pressed my lips together. “He won't wait for us.”
“He's right to be anxious to get as far away as possible.”
I glanced behind Tristan, at the old picnic table resting harmlessly on one side. Looking now, it didn't seem that scary. Zac had found us there though- it wasn't safe to linger.
“Alright.” I turned again to follow Toby, and once again Tristan didn't move. “What are you doing? Let's go.”
“I'm not going with you, Ren.” Tristan kept his gaze locked on me.
“What do you mean you're not coming? Of course you have to.”
“I can't.”
“Why not?” For all his talk of getting somewhere safe, why wasn't he moving?
“Just come on,” Toby clicked his tongue impatiently. “Who cares if he doesn't want to come with us?”
He didn't say he didn't want to, he said he couldn't. There was a difference. My eyes narrowed as they searched Tristan's face. What was he afraid of? He had stayed with me all this time- followed me even when I didn't want him to- so why was he staying behind now? Maybe it was Toby. The two obviously didn't like each other. Tristan must not want to stay so close to Toby.
“We can just go for now,” I suggested uncertainly. “And then we can...”
“Can what?” Toby demanded angrily. “All have a nice picnic lunch together?”
“I just meant...” I wasn't really sure what I meant, but I did know that I didn't want to leave Tristan behind to face Zac alone.
“I'm sure he's touched by your thoughtfulness,” he sneered, “but it's time to go.”
“What about him,” I mumbled, twisting my fingers together.
“What about him?”
“We can't just leave him here.” I took the chance to peek up at Toby.
“We're not leaving him. He just doesn't want to come.”
“But...”
“He doesn't need you to save him. He can handle himself.”
“I...”
“Just leave it alone.”
“Yeah...”
“Enough.” Tristan held one hand in the air, effectively silencing both of us with one gesture. “Toby is right, you need to go and not worry anymore about me.”
I clamped my lips tight together to stop from arguing. I wasn't worried about Tristan and I certainly didn't think I could do anything to protect him- I just didn't want to leave him behind. I wanted him to stay with us.
Crazy.
Toby was right.
“If I go with you now,” Tristan continued, “it would be easy for Zac to find you. I'm just trying to keep you safe.”
“Will he come back for me?”
“Yes. I won't be able to keep hiding you for long.”
How was Toby going to help? Did he know something Tristan didn't? Not likely.
They should have just left me. No one living cared if I was alive or dead, what did it matter to a couple of ghost people?
I danced awkwardly between the pair; not sure if I should leave Tristan, but sure that I didn't want to be separated from Toby again.
“Do you want to die?” Toby asked loudly. “If you stay here, it will be the same thing as suicide. Then you'll join the Cursed.”
I tore my eyes away from Tristan to find Toby.
“Is that what you want?” he demanded.
“No.” Did I say the word out loud?
No, I didn't want to kill myself; I didn't want to become one of the Cursed. I was the only one who could free Toby; I couldn't give up now.
“Then let's go. We'll miss the bus if we wait much longer.”
“You go,” Tristan nodded his head toward Toby. “Go with him.”
“I will,” I whispered, solidifying my decision as instantly as I'd made it.
I would go with Toby; I would leave Tristan behind if that was what I had to do. He didn't need me. I needed him more than he needed me, but it was a dangerous game I was trying to play and I had never been good at games.
Was this it, though? Was this the last time I would see Tristan? No.
At least, I didn't think so. He would find us again after he talked Zac out of wanting to kill me.
“When will I see you again?” I asked out loud.
“I don't know.”
“But I will, right? I'll see you again?”
“I don't know what will happen now. I've never disagreed with my brother before,” he grinned.
“It's not like he can kill you,” I reasoned. Tristan wasn't even alive, so he couldn't be killed.
“Yeah,” he said slowly, “at least there's that.”
“Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?”
“I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“Who else is here?” His nose scrunched briefly. “I'm not going to give Toby a gift.”
A gift? No one had given me a gift in a very long time.
“Here.”
He lifted his hand out to me; a thin silver chain dangled down through his fingers. On the end of the chain was a small white charm shaped like a tear drop with barbed wire embracing it.
“A necklace?”
“Thank you works too,” he chuckled.
I held my hand out so he could drop the unexpected necklace.
“Put this on and keep it on,” he ordered. “It will keep you hidden from my brothers.”
“Hidden?” I whispered.
“Where did you get that?” Toby asked, his mouth falling open.
“Don't worry about where I got it- just make sure she wears it.”
The dormant breeze picked up again.
“Starting now.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Come on, Crazy.”
Toby grabbed my elbow and pulled me backwards, away from Tristan.
“Wait.” Unfastening the tiny clasp, I swung the chain around my neck and secured it in place. The tear drop didn't go down far, but it felt warm against the skin near my neck.
When I looked up again, Tristan was gone. Just like that.
“Where did he go?” I looked all around us, but he was nowhere.
“Where did who go?”
“Tristan.”
Toby's eyes narrowed as he stared down at me. “You already said goodbye to him. Are you going to start crying now?”
“No.”
“The bus will be here soon, then you can leave this place behind.”
That was the best I could do, leave it all behind. I hadn't even known him for long and he was one of the ghost- people.
“Where is the bus stop at?” I asked dully, turning to him without calling out to Tristan. “Is it far?”
“Not that far, but I'm not carrying you.”
“Would you be able to?”
“I already told you I'm not.”
“I wasn't asking you to.”
“Good.”
He scowled down at me before turning to lead the way- away from the picnic table that had been my refuge. Tristan was already gone and Zac could be back any time.
It didn't take long to reach the road; we had already come further than I realized
while Tristan was there. By the time I fell into obedient step behind Toby, we were within feet of the smooth black road.
Every step sent a sharp pain through my ankle all the way to my hip. It had only been a few hours since I pulled myself out of the overturned bus, but it felt like days- maybe weeks ago.
Except for my ankle. That felt like a few hours ago.
I limped along silently though. Toby wouldn't care if my ankle hurt and it wasted too much energy to complain about it. Where ever we were headed, I really hoped it had a bed. And maybe some hot water.
Clean clothes and food would be good too.
There wasn't much money left in the red backpack. Certainly not enough for a hotel room, even a cheap one. Toby had gotten me money before, maybe he could do it again.
Would I really be able to hide from Zac? I slid my fingers across the smooth surface of the necklace Tristan had given me. Did it really work? Or was it just a pretty necklace?
It wasn't even very pretty, actually. Not if I was being honest. The all white tear drop appeared almost dirty- milky white and all scuffed up. The tiny barbed wire was smoothed down but had definitely seen better days.
“Have you ever seen a necklace like this?” I called up to Toby, who was doing his best to ignore my existence.
“Yeah,” he answered shortly.
Yes? Maybe he hadn't heard me and just answered yes anyways. Then again- Toby had been around for a long time.
“Where at?” I pressed. “Tristan wasn't wearing it earlier.”
“No, he wouldn't have been wearing it himself.”
“It looks old,” I mused out loud. “Really old.”
“There's the bus stop.”
Toby's abrupt announcement stopped me in my tracks. Just ahead of us was a bench, painted green but with huge patches of grey peeking through.
At least half a dozen people were there waiting. Four of them had somehow managed to squeeze onto the bench together. Another pair stood beside them, talking in hurried whispers.
“I think we should just wait here,” I hissed loud enough to attract a few stares.
“Why should we wait over here?”
“There are too many people over there.”
“There aren't that many people,” he denied with one arched brow.
Easy for him to say; they couldn't see him. “Can't we just stay over here?”
“You'll be safer around other people.”