by Ho, Jo
While Eve had been keen to focus on the research, she found her mind flicking back to the yellow dress, despite how she fought against it. It had returned from being buried, but now it had survived being burned to a crisp as well. How could that be possible? Was the dress enchanted in some way? Or was Eve beginning to lose her mind? Her eyes slid over to Marley, who now lay on the mats, exhausted from the punishing workout Christian had put her through. She’d been called many things before in the past, and as a Goth, she took her fair share of hits, though she was beginning to understand what hell Marley must have gone through to believe that she had a mental illness her whole life… And Eve had been experiencing her own issues for less than a day.
Shaking herself from the direction her thoughts had gone in, Eve gathered together a list of things they had found, mostly places that were aligned to that symbol somehow. Places they would have to investigate on foot. Stretching, she rubbed the back of an aching neck, hoping they could call it day soon.
Across from her, Cassie had diligently poured through the research, all the while noticing how every time Tyler sagged from a lack of energy, she would take a sip from her water bottle and immediately perk back up again. She kept her suspicions to herself, however. She would wait until the right moment to bring them up…
As if she could read Cassie’s thoughts, Tyler jerked suddenly awake, staring around in confusion until she remembered where they were. She was exhausted, her nap not having brought her any relief whatsoever. Automatically, she reached for the bottle of “water” that was beside her, only to discover that it was out. A moment of utter panic flashed over her face before she quickly covered it but Cassie had caught it and knew without a doubt that she was onto something.
Tyler stood up. “Guys, I think we need to stop. I’ve run out of water and I need to get some food.
From the mats, Marley raised her weary head. “You’ve got my vote. I’m sticky with sweat, I can’t do any more today.”
“Is Christian cool with that?” Cassie asked, just to play devil’s advocate. She was immediately rewarded with a flicker of annoyance on Tyler’s face.
Yep. Definitely onto something.
“I don’t know,” Marley replied. “He disappeared a while ago. He’s getting better at staying but it’s still taking him a lot of focus to do it.”
“I’ve put everything we’ve highlighted so far into a list. We can go over it back in your dorm while we eat,” Eve said.
“You don’t want to go back to your place?” Cassie asked, surprised, as that is where they had been earlier.
“No, Marley said needs to shower. We can do it all back at the dorm,” Eve spoke quickly, hoping she didn’t sound as desperate as she thought she did. There was no way she could risk going home and that dress appearing again in front of them. She was not ready to have that conversation with anyone.
“So let’s go already,” Tyler said, unable to contain her need to go.
Cassie stepped in line behind her, studying her quietly all the way back.
A plan forming in her mind.
Chapter 10
Across town, Ally’s head dipped low as she fought off another wave of tiredness. However, she knew this wasn’t a side effect of her dialysis.
This tiredness was caused by the nightmares.
Ever since she had started to read the book that the man had recommended to her, Ally had found herself dreaming about monsters every night. Terrifying, shadowy things with creepy black legs who scuttled back and forth in her mind, their pincers reaching out, hoping to catch her in their grasp. She always managed to just evade them, though she would still wake, dripping with sweat, her heart pounding like it was trying to beat its way out of her chest.
But Ally was almost ten and knew they didn’t exist, which was why she felt so frustrated with herself. The worst thing that could have happened to her already had. Her parents were dead, and she and Tyler were separated; what were monsters going to do to her that would be worse than how life already was?
She trudged along the sidewalk, watching the cracks blur into one. Her foster mom, Cheryl, walked beside her, talking a mile a minute into her cell. The woman loved to talk and was always on the phone with one of her friends. Currently, she was going through the details of her recent internet date in excruciating detail. Ally had heard enough about his trendy clothes, polished leather shoes, and immaculate hair to last a lifetime. Luckily, the local bank of shops was just appearing ahead of her. Cheryl said goodbye to her friend, promising to catch her up on the other details, as they stopped outside Ally’s library, one of the buildings that formed this small cluster of businesses.
“I’m not going to be long. I just need to grab a pair of shoes that doesn't pinch my feet. You’ve got fifteen minutes, twenty max before you meet me back here,” Cheryl said, looking down at her.
Ally nodded, holding her bag to her chest as she went inside the library, glad for this time alone. The sudden stillness was a relief for Ally, who found it difficult to cope in the noisy house that Cheryl ran. Though she kept to herself, she could often hear her foster siblings through the thin walls of the house as they fought over everything. A few of the older ones actually scared her, but she hadn’t told Tyler any of this. She didn’t want her to worry any more than she already was. She hated that her sister had so many problems to shoulder now. She was determined not to add to her burden.
The line for returns was small as it wasn’t very busy this time of the day with most people out having fun on their weekend. A young mom walked past holding the hand of a girl not much younger than her. The girl was having some sort of tantrum, not wanting to be there, while her harassed mom tried her best to placate her. Bitterness flooded Ally’s mouth as she thought how lucky the girl was to have her mom in her life, yet she didn’t even know it. She wanted so badly to tell her not to take these moments for granted.
“Hello again, sweetie,” a female voice called out to her. It was the old librarian who worked there. Ally recognized her from her previous visits. She had platinum hair that she wore in an elaborate up-do that seemingly stayed there of its own accord. Her clothes were always impeccably neat, and she smelled of roses. Ally had liked her on sight.
“Hi,” she answered as she took out the big book she had been reading every night. Although the stories were exciting, the nightmares she had been having due to them were less fun. Having decided that sleep was more important than entertainment, Ally had decided to return the book. Hoisting it onto the returns desk, she slid the book over to the librarian who peered over the tops of her glasses at the title.
“Hmmm, I’ve never seen this book before. Is it any good?” she asked.
Ally nodded. “Yeah, but it might be a bit too exciting for me. I keep having nightmares when I read it.”
The librarian took out a scanner, opening the book to the inside page. She flipped through several pages of the book looking confused. Finally, she put the scanner down.
“I’m afraid I can’t take this book from you. It doesn’t appear to be one of ours.”
Ally’s nose wrinkled in confusion. “It’s not?”
The old woman shook her head as Ally marveled at how her hair didn’t move at all. “Nope. You must have picked it up somewhere else.” She helped Ally put the book into her bag.
“If you’re having trouble sleeping though, I suggest you just put the book somewhere out of sight and forget about it. I find that helps,” she smiled, kindness crinkling her eyes.
“I guess I will,” Ally said, turning away. The book felt heavy in her bag, weighing her down. She knew she could just leave it on a table or something, but somehow that felt wasteful. It wasn’t the book’s fault that she found the stories a little too vivid. Shrugging her thin shoulders, she walked back outside to wait for Heepie Jeebie’s return.
Chapter 11
Water poured off Marley’s back as she washed away the hard work of the day.
The others were in Tyler’s room, debating
on a pizza delivery or a trip to the food court. As bad as it seemed, it was leaning towards the pizza. Everyone was exhausted from the work they had put in on their first ‘rest day,’ yet as they still had papers to go through, and vegging out with a pizza didn’t seem a terrible way to go.
Thinking of the food, Marley’s stomach rumbled as she hurriedly finished rinsing her long, dark brown hair. Wrapping herself in a towel, she padded into the next room, where her sweat-encrusted clothes lay on the floor in a messy heap. Rifling through her wardrobe, Marley realized suddenly that she was running low on outfits. She sighed inwardly. Great, she’d have to do laundry today too. A meme that she had seen recently flashed into her mind. It was of a cat sleeping in a funny position, its paws draped over its eyes dramatically with the words “Adulting is hard work” stamped across the bottom of it. That meme was her life now.
Grabbing a pair of jeans from her chest of drawers, Marley gave them a cautious sniff before stepping into them, then threw on a faded T-shirt that had been a constant when she was on her old swim team. While it wasn’t glamorous, it was one of the most comforting shirts she owned, and she felt almost as if she were back home on the West Coast wearing it.
Taking the dirty clothes that had somehow spread over her side of the room into an untidy mess — Cassie’s side was frustratingly neat — she shoved them into her laundry bag, heaving the bag over her shoulder. Leaving her room, she stuck her head in through Tyler’s door to find the others poring over a pile of menus like they were the latest Pulitzer winner. “Just make sure to get me ham and pineapple,” she requested to a shudder from Tyler.
“Pineapple? What kind of sick person are you?” Tyler’s brows raised in mock horror at the thought. Apparently, the girl took her pizza very seriously. Eve shot Tyler a grin, playing along.
“Forgive the uncultured swine, she does not know of what she speaks.”
Marley swapped shoulders with the heavy bag, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just make sure it’s here by the time I get back. I’m starving.”
* * *
The laundry block was only a short distance away, though by the time Marley stepped into the building, she could already feel herself breaking out into a new sweat.
Fantastic. At this rate, she’d need another shower.
Rows of washing machines lined the perimeter, with a small square of machines in the middle of the room. There was only one other student there, a girl listening to music on her phone who she thought she recognized. It was possible she was in one of Marley’s classes, or maybe she had just seen her around campus before. Whatever it was, the girl didn’t have the same recollection, as she paid her no mind. Though many of the machines were empty, Marley chose the one farthest away from her, aware of that unspoken rule for personal space.
Bending down, she had started to load it up with her clothes when, from the corners of her eyes, she saw the other girl pick up her basket full of fresh clothes, making her way towards the exit. She passed two figures who stood waiting outside; one held open the door for her. Marley heard her says “thanks” as she moved past and left. Opening her box of detergent, Marley fished out a pod as a hit of lavender filled her nostrils. Tossing the pod inside, she sniffed as another strong aroma filled the air. It was some kind of cheap cologne that had been sprayed so liberally that she wanted to sneeze. Her eyes began to water from the overpowering smell as she felt a tickle in the back of her throat. God, she wasn’t allergic to it was she? She wondered why anyone in their right mind would ever wear so much aftershave.
“Hey, I recognize that view,” a male voice said, breaking the silence.
Still bent over her machine, Marley froze. Was he referring to her?
“Surprise, we’re back.” This was from a different male voice. Though she had yet to see who was speaking, Marley could feel her body tense. Adrenaline kicked in as she realized that she was alone in this stone block with these two guys, whoever they were. Her fingers gripped onto the detergent box — the only thing she had to hand — as she started to turn slowly around until she faced the speakers.
The two guys were older than the usual student. Both had the sickly glow of too much fake tan and slicked back hair. More alarming than their too-slick appearance was the hostility they exuded towards her.
“I guess you thought you’d seen the last of us last night. I gotta say, it wasn’t very friendly of you to lead us on like that then send us away,” the taller of the two spoke.
Marley’s eyes whipped around the room just to make sure that they weren’t speaking to someone else before landing on them again. “I think you’ve got me confused with someone else,” she began.
Taller Guy, laughed though there wasn’t a hint of humor in his eyes, which were growing more hostile by the second. “Are you calling me stupid?”
“No,” Marley said quietly as an icy finger of fear ran up her spine. She looked over their shoulders, at the exit beyond, hoping desperately for another student to arrive, but the path outside was empty. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Marley remembered it was dinner time on a weekend. If anything, the students would be far away in the food court if they were even on campus at all.
Shorter Guy sidled closer, invading that personal space Marley held so dearly. “So where’s my hug? Aren’t you glad to see me?” he asked, stretching out his arms.
Marley didn’t know why these guys thought she knew them, but it was clear that they weren’t going anywhere. She stood up straighter, pulling her shoulders down hoping her more confident stance would deter them.
“Look, this isn’t funny. I don’t know either of you and you’re coming across very aggressively. Please back away so I can leave.” Marley felt proud of the way her voice never wavered at the end. She might feel vulnerable, stuck here with these two, but she was damned if she was going to show it. If experience had taught her anything about bullies, it was that they tended to leave you alone if you stood your ground and showed no fear.
The two guys swapped a look at each other. “Ooo, she’s getting feisty now,” Taller Guy said.
“Way more fun than when they’re just lying there,” Shorter Guy finished for him. Suddenly he launched forward grabbing her by the arms. Marley yelped as she tried to wrench herself free but he was a lot stronger than he looked. Taller Guy side-stepped behind her, wrapping one arm around her shoulder while the other one forced her face to his friend’s.
“We only came to finish what you started last night, sweetie, so open up,” he commanded coming in with his disgustingly thick lips to kiss her. Marley opened her mouth alright, but not to kiss him. Sucking in as much air as she could, she let out a scream of rage.
“NO! Let me go!” she yelled, twisting every which way to get free.
Annoyed with her struggles, Taller Guy seized her chin in his hand, his fingers digging into her until they hurt, while his buddy readied himself to come in again. Abruptly Christian’s early self-defense lessons came into her mind. Thinking of the holds he had demonstrated to her, Marley desperately tried to remember what he had taught her when her stomach sank like lead. As it was only her first lesson, they had only tackled how to escape from a single attacker’s hold, not two.
She didn’t know how to get out of this.
As Shorter Guy’s face came in, Marley felt herself calling out with her mind for the only person who might be able to help.
CHRISTIAN! CHRISTIAN! Please help!
She felt herself leaving her body almost as her spirit searched through that black space for him, she was rewarded by his appearance just moments later, just as the Shorter Guy landed a sloppy wet kiss on Marley’s lips.
Christian couldn’t hide his distaste. “Of all the… why on Earth would you summon me now?” he asked, misreading the situation entirely until Marley twisted her face away.
“Help me!” she called out desperately, staring him dead in the face. Her words had the effect of making the two guys pause as they looked around the empty room before deciding she
was full of it.
“More games, huh?” Taller Guy said. “Well, I like to play too.” Sliding his hands down, he gripped them around Marley’s wrist, forcing her arms behind her back.
Any bravado Marley might have felt earlier faded away into nothing as she realized that these two would not stop until they got what they wanted. Christian’s already pale face grew even paler as he summarized the situation.
“The others,” Marley managed to get out before she found those fat wet lips on hers again. Nodding, Christian choked out, “I’ll be right back, hang on.”
Then he vanished.
* * *
Christian reappeared almost instantly in Tyler’s room where the girls were now huddled over several boxes of pizzas. Choosing a large slice of pepperoni, Eve picked it up as Christian ran in front of them, yelling as loudly as he could.
“Marley’s in trouble, you’ve got to help her!”
But like every other time, they couldn’t see or hear him.
Knowing that Marley didn’t have much time, desperation flooded him. He had to get through to them, but how? The more the girls talked inanely, enjoying their food, the more Christian felt like his head would implode, until Eve raised the pizza slice to her mouth to take a large bite and he went to slap it away from her.
Instead of his hand flying through the pizza as expected, it connected to it. The slice flew out of her hand, landing on the carpet topping side down. Eve started, shocked.
“What the hell? My pizza just flew out of my hand.”
The others stopped eating, all having seen the same thing. “It was like someone knocked it away.”
Eve blinked, looking around the room, suddenly creeped out. “You think it was Mary?”