Amy was sitting cross-legged on my bed, holding a mug of tea, looking as neat as a cat. As I pulled on clean clothes, I told her about my day. I edited my meeting with Grace, saying only that I’d seen her with Haze again and that it worried me.
Amy was puzzled. "This is going to sound mega weird but until you said his name, I'd forgotten all about Haze. That's pretty mental isn't it?"
I held my breath. Amy was remembering. She'd forgotten but somehow now she remembered.
"Did we have a fight about him and Grace yesterday? I can't think…It’s like something is fogging my memories." She screwed up her face in concentration.
"Yes! Ay-Amy that's ruh right!" I seized her in a hug. Whatever was messing with Grace’s memory wasn't working on Amy yet.
"There's something really off the wall going on here, Emlynn. I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this. Is there anything else you haven't told me?" Her grey eyes focused on me sharply.
"Nuh nothing." I didn't know why I had to lie. But it seemed important to keep Amy out of it. Protect her. It was stupid to be relieved that I wasn't alone. Amy would be safer if she didn't remember. Haze didn't appear to be too interested in her.
"Em, I can tell you're not saying something. What is it? You can trust me. You know that."
"Nuh not sure it's relevant. Duh don't worry." I lied again.
Amy looked hurt for a fraction of a second then her expression shifted. "I think the minute I leave this room everything is going to get foggy again."
"Wuh what do you mean?" I said, chill fingers trailing up my spine.
"I can't explain it right. Feels like something is pushing at my mind. Telling me to forget." She looked up at me, her light eyes very serious. "You're different, Emlynn. I think you can keep it out. I'm trying but I'm not sure I can. Grace doesn't want to." As usual Amy had put her finger on heart of the problem. Grace didn't want to fight. So she was completely unprotected.
I hadn't told Amy half of what I saw today. Not just because the living shadows were too bizarre to even begin to describe. I didn't want to frighten Amy but it was more that I didn't want anyone to know how much I saw. I trusted Amy. More than anyone but… I was going on instinct here. Instinct was warning me to tread carefully. I ignored the small reasonable voice at the back of my head that argued that Amy couldn't protect herself if she didn't know there was any danger. I'd protect Amy. She didn't need to know.
"Em?"
"Hmm?" I started. I'd been miles away.
"Haze is really bad, isn't he?"
I couldn't fault her on that one.
"Yeah, st-stay away from h-him." I glanced at the clock. "Ay-Amy I've guh got to sort duh dinner!" I lurched towards the door.
"Wait for me! You haven't told me any of the good stuff yet…."
She hurried after me down the stairs. I hoped the potatoes weren't baked to ashes. Luck was with me. I got out plates and told Amy about meeting Ciarán. Including stepping in the stream. She was excited despite my repeated attempts to point out that he wasn't likely to be interested in me. I heard Dad's study door open. Another fun family dinner had begun.
If I expected Dad to say something about Grace's darkened hair I was disappointed. He was even more abstracted than usual. Grace was lost in a dream world of her own and barely touched her food. Even Amy was distracted. Feeling thoroughly depressed, I stabbed my potato with a fork. If everyone started acting as if no-one else existed then I was in for a lot of long dinner times.
Tomorrow I'd be able to see Mrs Cranford. I wasn't completely alone. I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe I'd finally get some answers.
I Belong to the Earth (Unveiled Book 1) Page 21