“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Paige smiled.
Joy sipped on her hot tea, the honey soothing her singed throat as it went down.
“There will be no school today.”
The room erupted with cheers.
Ha. Not so fast girls. It was pretty clear what was coming. Even the new girl could see there was another part to this announcement.
“Bad news.”
The cheering stopped.
“Bad news is, you’re all on fire-cleanup duty.” Ben held up his hands to silence any coming protests. “Everyone in old clothes after breakfast. Then meet us right out at the old house to get this thing straightened out today.”
The dining room filled with a chorus of groans. Forks tinked as they were dropped on plates, and a couple of napkins flew into the air where girls tossed them.
“What had they expected? A day at the mall?” Savvy scowled.
“All hands on deck.”
A chorus of groans filled the dining room.
“Really.” It was way better than kitchen duty as far as Joy was concerned. If only it hadn’t been totally her fault. Reminded her of those army movies where one dummy’s mistake sentenced the whole troop—or whatever they called it—to a thousand push-ups. Well, probably not a thousand.
“… and then we’re bringing in some crews to clean up the mess.” Ben lowered his hands. “See you over there in about twenty minutes.”
No sense wasting any more time. Joy wobbled to her feet and dumped the contents of her tray into the trash. She was dying to get over there to find out what she could salvage from the damage in her room.
Chapter 32
So we’ll be moving you girls over to the big house now.”
Ginny grinned at Joy and Savvy like she’d just given them a surprise.
Really? Did she really mean they weren’t going to make her and Savvy stay in the ashes? Joy fought off the eye roll.
Oh boy, the snark was in full force today. Well, anyone would be a bit testy if they had her injuries and had gone through all she’d been through. Wouldn’t they? Still, Ginny hadn’t hurt her.
“So where will we go?” Savvy lugged her suitcase into the hallway and hefted her backpack onto her shoulder. Most of her things would survive after a heavy laundering. What a relief. Ginny and Joy? Not so lucky.
“You’ll both move in with Paige and Tonya.”
Joy nodded. “Makes sense.” That’s where the most recent openings had appeared. Roommates would be good. Companionship.
What would Mel have said about Joy being Paige McNichols’s roomie?
“So, I want you two to go get settled. And Joy …” Ginny looked Joy up and down. “I want you to take a nap or rest in bed for a while. You need to let your body heal.”
Joy nodded. No strength to argue … or even speak.
Savvy led the way, dragging her things.
Everything Joy could salvage fit into her backpack. Half full, it still dragged her body down. She felt … um … depleted. That was it. Depleted of energy and health. Life. She had no life left in her. A nap would help.
Joy followed Savvy into Paige’s room. “Hello? Anyone in here?”
Tonya poked her head out of the bathroom. “Yeah, I’m in here, and Paige will be right back. Make yourselves comfy and grab an empty bed. The dresser at the foot of each bunk is shared, so fight for your drawer space.”
Savvy chuckled. “Want to arm wrestle for it?”
Joy held up her belongings. “Pretty sure we’ll be fine.”
Tonya stepped from the bathroom, rubbing her dripping hair with a towel. “I hope you guys don’t mind, but Paige and I already have the bottom bunks, so you guys are stuck with the tops. At least until we leave.”
Joy slung her bag onto the bed above Paige’s. “Works for me. I was terrified of sleeping on the bottom. Claustrophobic, you know.” She reached for the crisp white sheet folded on the bare mattress.
Ha. Not only was she Paige McNichols’s roommate, but now they were bunkmates. She’d have to get pictures. Someone would care to see them one day. Maybe.
Where was Silas? Joy searched the floor space. Ah. There he was, right at her heels. Would he be able to get into the top bunk? Or would he have to stay on the floor? She turned back to her bed to tuck the sheet around the mattress, and there he was, curled at the foot of the bed. Well, that answered that—he’d sleep at her feet like always.
Did Silas actually sleep? Heh. Joy looked into his eyes. What do you do all night, boy? Did they have some late-night spirit poker game on the roof?
Savvy cleared her throat.
Had she been watching? Savvy must think Joy was nuts.
Savvy opened her suitcase, and the room filled with the smell of smoke.
Tonya wrinkled her nose and waved her hand in front of her face. She ran to the bathroom and came out spraying an aerosol air freshener.
Joy froze. “What is that smell?”
Tonya looked at the label. “Pumpkin spice. Isn’t it yummy?”
Mm-hmm. Joy closed her eyes. Too tired to get into the story. She’d have to deal with the smell for now. And destroy the can later.
Savvy piled her clothes in a heap in the hallway then stepped back into the room. “Okay. So anything we need to know?”
“Well, while she’s out, I’ll warn you. Paige snores.” Tonya laughed.
Joy could see the exaggerated tabloid headlines. YOUNG STARLET SNORES AND DROOLS. “Won’t bother me a bit. I’m a really sound sleeper—obviously. About slept through a building burning down on top of me.”
“Cool then. How about you, Savvy?” Tonya flashed a grin.
“I’ll be fine. How about shower time?” Savvy tipped her head toward the bathroom.
Joy opened her mouth to beg for a time slot for bedtime showers. Her hair took too long to dry to wait for morning. The door crashed open, and Paige sailed into the room.
“Hey! Guess we’re going to be roommates now.” She grinned at Joy.
Savvy cleared her throat. “I’m really sorry to interrupt, but I have to know something, especially since we’re going to be rooming together.” She turned to Joy and took a deep breath. “I have to know. What’s the deal with you? Why are you here, and what’s up with that ring around your neck?”
Joy felt the color drain from her face. “Why do you ask?” Think of something. Quick.
“I’m just saying … I feel like … well, I need to know if anything is going to be going on in here.”
“Anything like what? What are you talking about?” Paige’s grin had disappeared as she looked from Savvy to Joy and back again.
“Look, no, everything is cool. I’m totally cool. I’m here because, well …” She hadn’t really had to answer that question yet. What to say? “I’m here because I turned to some dark things looking for answers about light and life. I didn’t find what I was looking for.” Come on, Silas. Figure it out. She was just saying what she needed to say. Don’t take this out on the other girls.
Savvy nodded, her eyes clouded with skepticism. “That doesn’t sound very convincing. Are you into all that kooky stuff … like, are you going to be talking to spirits?” Savvy’s voice softened. “I ask because that’s how my parents are … my dad now, and Mom, well, before the fire.” She inhaled sharply. “And I really don’t want to live with that right now.”
Joy shook her head. “No, I promise, neither do I. That’s why I’m here. I’m healing and trying to move on.”
“Good.” Paige nodded and rubbed Joy’s shoulder.
Ow. Would people please quit touching her?
Paige dropped her arm “That’s all we need to know. We’ll support you however we—”
“Not quite. I just want to know about that ring.” Savvy pointed at Joy’s chest.
“So what? I have a ring on a chain around my neck. It was a gift. Why do you care?”
“Like I said, I’ve been around the occult my whole life. I know what a ring like that represents.”
> “Well, it’s got nothing to do with the occult. I was given this ring by friends.” Joy shrugged. Enough already.
“I’m sure you were. But in what setting was it given to you? I know you’re not going to shoot straight with me, but I’ll tell you for sure—it was a spiritual thing. I can tell.”
Tonya came back with four cans of Dr Pepper. She stopped short as she took in the somber scene. “What’s going on?”
Paige held up a finger. “Just a sec.”
“Okay, yes. It was a spiritual thing. It was given to me in the middle of a ceremony, like a séance.”
Tonya grimaced. “Lovely.”
Paige gasped and shivered. “Freaky. But so what? We’ve all done things we regret. Haven’t we? I know I have. Why all the drama?”
Savvy shook her head. “That’s different. Mistakes, we just leave behind. This … having a foot in the world of the occult … you don’t just leave that behind. It’s not that easy.”
She could say that again. Joy crossed her arms. “What do you want from me? I’m doing my best.”
“You can’t come in here in this room with that ring.” Savvy planted her feet like she was ready for a fight. Did she think Joy was going to punch her? Get over your bad self.
But what was she saying? Did Savvy actually think she would be able to make Joy turn the ring in to Ben? Yeah, like that was going to happen. “Look, I’ve removed the power from this ring. And if I don’t give this ring any authority other than it being a gift from a friend that I care about, then that’s all it is. I use it to pray for her.” That was a good one. As long as Silas knew her intentions. Joy didn’t dare glance his way for fear Savvy would catch on. But she heard no growls and sensed no movement. He must approve of her facade. That was a huge relief.
Savvy eyed her. She crossed her arms on her chest.
Joy shrugged. “I feel like it connects me with her, not with anything spiritual. It’s something special to me. It’s a little sentimental, that’s all.” Not that it was up to Savvy.
Savvy nodded. “I guess I get the prayer connection. And the Bible talks about taking what the devil meant for evil and using it for good.”
Ooh. Joy had forgotten about that. Perfect.
“But I’m going to be keeping an eye on you, Joy. I don’t have room in my life for the kind of trouble you’ve been messing around with. Not anymore.”
Silas growled.
Savvy might want to sleep with that eye open.
Chapter 33
Something tugged on the sleeve of her denim jacket. Joy looked down, expecting it to be Silas. No, no Silas. Not really a surprise since he seldom accompanied her into the youth room at church. Then who pulled on her shirt? She looked into the row behind her. Everyone behind her swayed to the music and had eyes closed as they sang. Didn’t seem like it could have been any one of them, and it was just too dark to see beyond them.
She felt the tug again. What on earth? She tipped her head down and looked under the seat. No one, nothing there.
“Joy? Are you Joy?” a voice whispered in her ear.
Joy squelched a scream and whipped around again. She had to find the face of the voice. Was it the same voice she’d heard before?
“No. Don’t turn around. Don’t draw attention. Are you Joy?” The voice sounded irritated. If Joy could just see where it was coming from.
Should she answer? Was it even a human? It sounded like a male voice. Joy nodded. Oh, no way the nod would be seen in that room. She’d have to speak audibly. “Yes. Why?”
“You need to go to the bathroom. Go all the way to the back, and enter the second stall from the wall. Behind the toilet you’ll find a cell phone. Someone wants to talk to you.”
“Who is it?” Joy hissed into the dark. Good thing the music blared.
No answer.
Seriously? Some unidentified stranger whispers in her ear and then disappears after telling her to sneak off into a private bathroom stall. Right.
No one but a ghost could’ve disappeared that quickly. Joy searched the darkness around her. Which meant it probably wasn’t a real person. Even more reason not to go to the bathroom.
But … who wanted to talk to her? Would Joy be able to sleep if she didn’t find out? Maybe she should just go find the phone and get it over with. She could handle whatever she found in there. After all, it wasn’t like she was alone. Couple thousand people in that church building at that very moment.
She glanced at the stage. The worship team was just getting into it. The drummer was going crazy, and the singers were lifting their hands and swaying with their eyes closed. It would be another fifteen, maybe twenty minutes until the lights came up.
But what if she went in there and got attacked by somebody? Yeah right. Attackers didn’t usually use first names. Did they?
No. She had no choice. She had to find out.
Joy leaned in front of Paige and tapped Ginny’s arm. “I’ll be right back. I have to go to the bathroom.”
Ginny nodded and opened her mouth.
Nope. Joy was out of there. If she stuck around, Ginny would make her bring someone along. How would she explain to Paige that a headless voice gave her an order and she followed it?
Joy made for the aisle, stepping over feet and purses and weaving around bodies, nudging the closed-eye worshippers aside to let her pass. She passed through the double doors into the bright lobby.
Now for the bathroom. She hurried in and swept past the sinks and five stalls on each side. No feet. She arrived at the second stall from the wall, just like the voice had said.
She looked both ways. All alone. It was time.
Joy pushed the door open and winced, expecting to see someone crouched on the toilet ready to pounce. It was empty. Phew.
Okay. Breathe.
Joy moved to the toilet and reached behind it. Gross!
A phone lay right there on the tile just like the voice had said.
Should she talk? Oh no. What if it was a trick? Maybe Ben had set this up to see if she would sneak around. Now that she thought about it, that was a real possibility … if not a probability. She was on thin ice already….
Okay. Options? Speak and risk it being a trick. Or don’t speak and never find out who’s on the other end of the call.
No contest.
“Hello? Is someone there?”
“Joy, is that you?”
“Raven? How on earth … how did you find me? How are you calling me?”
“I’ve been there before, remember? I have friends.”
“But how …?”
“I just got in touch with someone and had him track you down. How are you?”
Why had she gone through all that trouble? “I’m good. So that voice … it was a real person?”
“I see your perception of reality hasn’t fully expanded yet. It will if you allow it.”
Was that an answer to the question Joy had asked? Looked like Raven wanted to stick with the mysterious.
“Have they brainwashed you yet?”
“Brainwashed? Naw. I’m holding strong here.” No way Joy could be honest with Raven about her fears and the dangers she’d been facing. If Raven hadn’t figured it out for herself already, then she was in far too deep and wouldn’t be of any help to Joy. Joy couldn’t break herself free, let alone Raven.
“You sure about that?”
“Oh yeah. I’m doing good.” Silas bounced against her leg. Joy giggled. “It’s like Silas can hear you. He must recognize your voice…. He’s going bananas.”
“Oh cool. Silas is there?”
“He has barely left my side.” Which had its pros and cons, for sure.
“Good boy.”
Joy was out of responses. What could she say to Raven anyway?
“Well, you lasted there a lot longer than I did. How are you doing it? I mean, if you haven’t given in to the program?”
“Well, they don’t know that part. A lot has gone on since I got here, a fire … all kinds of stuff,
and I’ve just been able to fly under the radar.”
“Good for you. That’s really great!”
“Yeah.” Joy guessed it was good. Didn’t feel all that great.
“Well, I’m going to let you go so you don’t get into trouble, but I just wanted to let you know we’re home pulling for you and anxious for you to get back.”
“Wait. How’s Austin?” Joy chewed her lower lip. Did she really want to know? Raven’s answer might include the words new and girlfriend. Could Joy handle that?
“Hoo boy. That dude hasn’t looked at another girl since you left.”
Why did that make Joy happy? She shouldn’t care.
Shouldn’t have even asked. He’d kissed Melanie—she needed to remember that. But what if her vision had been accurate and he’d been trying to push Melanie away? Joy would have to find out one way or another.
“Well, thanks for getting in touch with me. I’d better go.”
“‘Kay. Bye, girl.”
Joy touched the STOP button and stood staring at the phone. What should she do with it now? Set it back under the toilet or take it with her? It made more sense to put it back. Its owner would claim it.
Then again. She had a phone in her hand. She was calling Mom.
She pressed the familiar numbers and waited for that voice.
“Hello?”
Sound bright. Happy. Don’t make her worry. “Hey Mom.”
“Joy? Is that you? Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah. I’m great.”
“Phew. I don’t usually hear from you on Sunday.”
“I’m fine. I’m actually in the bathroom at church using a friend’s phone. Just wanted to hear your voice. Nothing major.”
“No problem. I’m so glad to hear everything’s going okay for you. I miss you.”
“Miss you guys, too. I would love to be sitting there playing Yahtzee with Grandpa.”
“Oh, your grandfather hasn’t been playing too many games lately. He hasn’t really been feeling well. Had pneumonia and now he’s having a hard time bouncing back. But by the time you get home this summer, he’ll be raring to go.”
“I’m counting on that. Would you tell him I love him?” Joy waited. “Mom? You there?” Joy looked at the phone. Oh no. The battery died.
THE SHADOWED ONYX: A DIAMOND ESTATES NOVEL Page 23