Manipulation (Shadows)

by Jolene Perry

  “Does it have to do with what you can do?” she asks.

  I freeze. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because I got all that information from Dad’s computer.”

  Ice runs through me. “Just… Remember how we talk using Dad’s hidden thing?”

  She nods. Her wide eyes are made even more vulnerable by her tears.

  “Soon. I promise. Love you.” Before I can process the look of fear on her face, I close her door.

  I’m being ripped apart. Should I have woken her? Too late now. I run on the balls of my feet, now knowing my dad is definitely a part of this, and that he’s not the boss and that he plans to bring me in.

  I step through the front door and close it quietly behind me. I hit the elevator button. Then I pound it with my fist. Why is it taking so long? The foyer shrinks as the seconds tick by.

  My cheeks are soaked, my body’s shaking and all I can think about is getting to Dean before they do. Whoever they are. And my dad. My dad…

  The elevator opens. I jump in and slam my hand on the lobby button. My eyes dart to my door, the door I expect Dad to come out of at any moment. But he doesn’t. I don’t see him. The elevator closes and I nearly collapse onto the floor in relief. Now I just need to get to Dean. Please let me be there in time. I start to lace up my shoes. Please, please, I just need Dean.

  TWENTY-SIX

  Dean

  Why won’t the banging stop? I groan and roll over in bed.

  “Dean?” Bill pokes his head in my doorway. “Do you know what’s going on?”

  “Huh?”

  “Someone’s banging on our front door and calling your name?” He disappears out of sight.

  I climb out of bed and put on jeans. I don’t bother with a shirt. It’s one AM, and I’m not going anywhere.

  When Bill opens the door, Addie bursts through and comes straight for me. There are tears streaming down her face, immediately tensing me up. What happened? She’s shaking but she stops, staring, before she reaches me.

  “What’s going on?” I’m trying to keep my voice calm, but I’ve never seen her like this.

  “Dean, we have to go.” She shakes her head. “I’m so sorry.” She’s hyperventilating, gasping in for air and Bill lowers her into a chair.

  I’m frozen like an idiot. “I don’t…”

  “Go!” She’s completely panicked. “We don’t have much time. They’ll be here any minute.”

  I bolt toward my room. I can’t know exactly what she’s talking about, but I know enough. My brain was rolling through our research as I fell asleep. Addie freaking out like this has to have something to do with that, right?

  “Dean? What’s going on?” Bill calls.

  “I’m sorry, Bill.” Addie’s voice is near hysterical. “It’s my fault. Something my dad’s involved in and the whole thing is confusing. I promise we didn’t do anything wrong, just bad circumstances.” Her voice pauses and chokes as she tries to talk.

  Where are we going? What do I pack? What do I do? Her dad… We’re going to Carolina. To the people from the boat. I stuff my pack as full as I can. The bottle of Daniels from Katy rests in my drawer—I grab it. There’s three hundred dollars stashed in my closet. I grab that, too. My iPod is already in the outside pocket. I run into the living room and jerk things off the back shelf until I find my sketchpad and a box of pencils.

  “Dean?” Jeannette’s in her robe, her hair haloed around her face in a frizzy mess.

  It hits me. I’m going to have to say goodbye to them. They’ve been more like parents to me than I realized. I grab Jeannette first. “Thank you, for everything.”

  She grabs me back, sensing the urgency of our situation.

  I grab Bill next. God, please don’t let me cry. Not now. I squeeze my eyes tight. “Thank you.”

  Addie’s by the open door, and she’s listening down the hall and waiting. “Dean… I’m sorry, but I barely got out. They know about you and they’ll be here next.” Her voice is shaking.

  “Don’t worry.” I look at Bill and Jeannette through blurry eyes. “You’re fine.” I hope I’m not lying.

  Leaving them stunned in the middle of the night is not at all how I thought I’d say goodbye to Bill and Jeannette.

  I put my arm around Addie and we walk out. Having her underneath me eases some of the live wires sending shocks through my body. Everything’s shaky blurry—the walls, the doors we pass, the stairs we walk down. Chills run through me again, and I feel Addie sob in fear next to me. I try to stop her. To put my arms around her, to feel like I can help both of us.

  “Not now, Dean.” She takes my hand and starts to run.

  “What’s going on? What happened?”

  “My dad’s one of them, Dean. His Middlemen thing. I overheard a conversation…” Her voice breaks but she doesn’t look at me. “I overheard a conversation, and I think we were right. I think people like us are collected or something. I don’t know. I don’t understand all of it, but I knew I needed out of there and I know he’s going to come looking for us.” She uses her free hand to wipe her tears away and I wish we weren’t in such a hurry because I want to take her in my arms. Her dad. What are the odds… ?

  Another thought stops me in my tracks. Katy. Who knows when we’ll back?

  “No, Dean. No time.” She’s shaking her head.

  “No one knows about Katy,” I argue. I can’t imagine just walking away.

  “No one that we know of, knows about Katy.”

  “Addie, you may not understand this, but she’s been my best friend since I moved in here. I can’t leave without saying goodbye.”

  “Tell me we’ll be okay.” Her lower lip is shaking. We’re walking now, but fast.

  “We’ll be okay. Fine. Come on.” I put my arm around her again and try to think nothing but positive thoughts, and I also try to think nothing that she might construe as me forcing something on her.

  Her arm pulls on me more tightly as we walk. Whatever I’m doing is working.

  We go up the stairs to Katy’s place. Both her parents are in shows right now so she’ll be alone. If she’s here. That would suck. To miss her. Addie tenses next to me. As much as she tries to be okay with Katy and I, I’m sure part of her isn’t okay with how close we are.

  “It would be weird for me, too.” I kiss her head. “Thank you.”

  Addie’s silent.

  I knock. “Katy?”

  Katy answers the door a minute later in tousled hair, a tank and boy’s pajama pants. “Dean? Addison?”

  Addie tries to smile, but is latched to my side.

  “We’re leaving.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We’re in trouble, but not the kind we got ourselves into.”

  “Katy?” Jesse steps up behind her, looking groggy. Katy blushes.

  “Just a sec.” She glances behind her, then back to me. “When will I see you?”

  I shrug because I don’t know when I’ll see her again. Or anyone I know.

  She puts her small arms around me and hugs me so tight I can’t take a deep breath. She doesn’t look up and then does the same to Addie, almost knocking her over. “You two take good care of each other.” Katy still hasn’t moved, which means that her and Addie are still hugging tightly.

  I can see Addie soften. Her face relaxes, she closes her eyes and rests her head on Katy’s, which I’m sure is what Katy’s been waiting for.

  Jesse’s eyebrows are drawn in confusion but there’s nothing I can say to him.

  Katy lets go of Addie and steps back inside. Her huge doe-eyes meet mine as they fill with liquid. “See you around, Dean.”

  “See you around.” It stabs and pulls at my chest—leaving her, and Bill, and Jeannette. I can feel tears coming, but I’m still determined to keep them down.

  The door closes. Addie grabs my hand and immediately starts to run. I grab her, pull her to a stop and kiss her, in the dirty hallway of Katy’s building. I’m scared and desperate and need to
feel her close to me like this. By how desperate her mouth is on mine, I’m guessing she feels the same way. I pull back, just an inch. “Ready to go?”

  I feel her breath as she exhales. “I’m ready.”

  “Okay.” I take her hand. “We’ll keep a close watch until we can find somewhere to crash for the night. I have a little money.”

  “I’ve been saving too. It’s not a lot, but it’ll help.”

  I chuckle. “I’m really afraid to compare your stash with mine.”

  She ignores my comment. “Our only lead is the people we saw today.”

  “I know.”

  “I thought about going to the harbors here, but I really just want out of town right now. Somewhere I feel safe.”

  “So, to the Carolinas?”

  “I can’t believe this is happening. I mean, it doesn’t feel real, does it?” Our hands are still clutched together like one of us will disappear if we let go.

  “No. It doesn’t feel real,” I agree.

  “Let’s get a cab. Maybe we could find someplace in Jersey to stay tonight.”

  But my brother.

  “Dean. Time.” She’s terrified. Her voice still shakes.

  “We’ll talk in the cab. How about we use our powers of persuasion to get someone?” Fortunately there’s still a bit of traffic. “Just think it, the next one that comes by. Okay?”

  “Okay.” She clutches my hand even tighter.

  I spot a yellow cab. Pull over here.

  A jolt of a chill runs through me.

  Addie makes something like a short, strangled scream next to me.

  “What is it?” I whip my head around.

  “Did you feel that? And I thought I saw something. Like a…a…moving shadow.” She makes a choking sob sound and her arms wrap tightly around me as we climb into the car.

  “I got a pickup on Eighty-Seventh.” The driver looks mad about pulling over.

  “That’s where we’re headed.” To see Jeremy.

  He steps on the gas. Guess we’re okay.

  Addie’s trembling next to me. I’m trying to keep it together. She needs me to keep it together, right? Only we have a handful of cash, no place to stay and something unknown after us.

  “I saw it Dean. Like a person, only not a person. Like a shadow of a person.” She jerks again next to me. “I thought it was a code or something.”

  Goose bumps break out over my body. “Shadow people.”

  “I’ve watched so many horror movies, and I always laughed at the girl in tears and now I’m her.” She attempts a smile as she looks up at me. “This can’t be real, Dean.”

  I wipe her tears with my thumbs across her cheeks. “You’re so brave, Addie. We’re going to be okay.” Only hell if I know if we’ll be okay or not. This is madness. And she’s right. It doesn’t feel real.

  Her phone rings in her pocket. She jerks it out and immediately hits the button. “Uncle Mac?”

  “Hey, Bunny. What on earth have you gotten yourself into?”

  “Why do you say that?” But her voice is shaky and even over the phone he’s bound to notice.

  “Because I got a call from your Dad a few minutes ago asking about you.” His voice is low and calm.

  “What did he say?”

  “Said he had to find you, that you were out with friends. He asked me if you’d had me do any favors for you.”

  “And you told him.” She’s nodding as if she knew he’d have to.

  “I did.” There’s a pause. “Don’t trust your phone, Addie. I don’t know what your dad is into, but I know some of it isn’t good. Ditch the phone, you know where to find me if you need me. Let me know where you are. All the time. What’s going on. Okay?”

  “Okay.” It comes out in a whisper breath.

  “I’ll wait to hear from you.”

  “We’ll be heading south.”

  “Meeting up with anyone?” he asks.

  “Yeah. We haven’t exactly met, but—”

  “Don’t tell me now. It sounds like you’re ahead of the game.”

  “Thanks, Uncle Mac.” Addie breathes out. “I love you.”

  “Love you, too. And yes, I’ll watch out for Ellie.”

  I squeeze her shoulder as she shakes in soft sobs next to me. Addie rolls down the window and pitches her phone onto the street. I wonder why her dad hasn’t simply called us. Actually, he probably tracks her through the phone. That would make sense for someone like him.

  “Here we are.” The driver says. “Eighty-Seventh.”

  “Oh no.” Addie’s eyes hit mine. “Dad has to be here.”

  “I heard. Let’s get out and get moving.” If her dad’s not here now, he will be soon. Jeremy. It tugs and pulls at me but we have to go.

  “Agreed.” Addie’s hand squeezes mine. “I’m so sorry.”

  We stand up out of the cab and Addie falls against me. “That’s Dad’s car. He can’t see us. Can’t.”

  “I know.” I stand on the sidewalk. We’re on one of the lucky New York streets with trees. “Pull up your hood. We’ll walk together, okay?”

  “Take my hand. I don’t think we should talk out loud.”

  “Okay.” I can’t believe we’re doing this together. I can’t believe she trusts me to do this with her.

  Second Avenue, she says.

  I see it.

  Cab there and go south?

  And go south.

  I’m so sorry about your brother.

  I’ll see him again soon. Will that be enough to appease her? It doesn’t make me feel better at all.

  I set him up to talk to you online.

  Is that safe?

  Very.

  I kiss her forehead. How the hell am I going to keep her safe when I don’t know what we’re doing or what we’re up against? Since I was a kid I felt older that I actually was. For the first time, I feel younger.

  Thank you, Addie, for trusting me.

  Just as the thought goes from me to her, a chill hits us. Something jumps from the shadows only it still is a shadow, like a person and then slides away again. Just like that my heart’s on speed. My vision blurs with adrenaline.

  Neither of us has to ask the other. We run. This can’t be real, this can’t be real, this can’t be real...

  We’re almost run over by a cab as we hit Second street.

  He lays on his horn, and I jump inside, dragging Addie with me.

  “Excuse you!” A woman scowls as we climb in.

  “Just for a few blocks,” Addie pleads. “We’ll pay your way.” Who on earth could say no to Addie’s tear-stained face.

  “Just a few.” The woman crosses her arms and our driver scowls in the rearview.

  Addie’s trembling next to me—like she can’t stop it. I wrap both of my arms around her, like the more tightly I can hold her, the safer we’ll be. The heat of her presses against me and makes me feel like I’m doing something for her. Even though I can’t do anything for her—I don’t know where to go or how to keep her safe.

  “This is me,” the woman says one block later.

  Finally a break. The cab is ours.

  “You two gotta get out, too. I’m headed home.”

  “You don’t live in Jersey do you?” Please. Please.

  He laughs. “This is your lucky night. You know it’ll cost you, right?”

  “I don’t care.” I squeeze Addie more tightly in my arms. She’s pale, isn’t speaking, and looks like she’s in shock. Her eyes stare into nowhere. I have to do something.

  I open the front pocket of my pack and pull out my iPod and headphones. I give one ear to Addie. She doesn’t take it. I carefully stick the earbud in her ear and put the other one in mine. I scroll down to the playlist I draw to—the one that relaxes me. Her shoulders fall just an inch halfway through the first song and she leans into me. As much as I want to ask her for details on her night, what she heard, why we’re running, I can’t bring myself to do it. I breathe in the smell of her against me and concentrate on the feel of her
in my arms.

  The music flows through me, relaxing me, too. Now I will have a forever soundtrack to this terrifying night. It’ll start with Let’s Get Lost by Beck and Bat for Lashes…

  I wonder what will come next.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Addison

  I follow Dean into the hotel. A Super 8 in Jersey. As soon as I try to form a coherent thought, the reality of our situation hits me. I clutch Dean as he walks us to our room.

  “I didn’t know how you felt, so there’s two beds, you know, so you can have your own.” His voice is quiet and he’s just trying to give me something to think about. He slides the card into our door and holds it open for me to walk inside. I have never in my life been scared of the dark, until now. Seeing something so real but so unreal as those shadows that move… It sends another shudder through me.

  “You first.”

  He steps in, still holding the door and hits the switch.

  My arms wrap around my body as I follow him in. It feels like I haven’t taken a real breath since Dean dropped me off at my house and I rode up the elevator in a haze of happiness from our kiss. A whole lifetime away. A world away, but in a world that feels so much safer than this one. A world that existed only hours ago. My pack is still on my back and my arms ache from clutching myself to Dean so tightly.

  “You’re scaring me, Addie. What do I do?” He slides his pack to the floor and sits on a bed.

  “Dean, I’m scared.” I feel papery, as if I’ll just blow away.

  He takes my hand and pulls my arm gently until I’m seated next to him. “We need to rest.” I’m reminded again of how deep his eyes are. “We’re okay.”

  He doesn’t know if we’re okay. He has no idea. I feel like I could be watched from anywhere, everywhere. I don’t know what we’re running toward or who we’re running from.

  “Addie this room is stifling. We have to get some of these clothes off of you.” His voice is trying hard not to have an edge of desperation but I can hear it. The panic that he’s trying to keep from me.

  “Are you just messing with me?” I attempt a smile.

  He grins as relief relaxes his shoulders. “No, I’m not messing with you.” He stands up and stretches his hands over his head. “It’s almost three AM. We need sleep.”