My Soul to Take
Page 22
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The tables were all occupied, and several small groups of students sat on the floor against the long wall, holding backpacks, purses, and short stacks of textbooks. Emma looked shaken and pale as we made our way toward an empty corner, and I could feel my legs wobbling, left almost totally numb by the accuracy of my second prediction in three days. Only Nash seemed relatively steady, his bruising grip on my hand the sole indication that he might not be as calm as he looked.
We sat in a row on the floor, Em on my left, Nash still clutching my right hand, each too stunned to speak. My thoughts were chaotic, a never-ending furor of guilt, shock, and utter incredulity. A private cacophony in absolute contrast to the hushed, somber room around me. And I couldnt make it stop. Could not slow the torrent long enough to wallow in any single emotion, or puzzle out any one question.
I could only sit, and stare, and wait.
Minutes later, sirens blared to life down the street, warbling softly at first, but growing in volume with each passing second. The ambulance came to an earsplitting halt at the front of the school, but by the time it rolled carefully around the building and past the cafeteria windows, the electronic screeching had gone silent, though it still echoed in my head, a fitting sound track to the mayhem within.
The ambulance stopped out of sight of the windows, but its lights flashed an angry red against the dull brown brick, declaring an optimistic urgency I knew to be unnecessary.
Meredith Cole was dead, and no matter how long they worked on her, she wasnt coming back. That bitter certainty ate at me, consuming me from the inside out until I felt hollow enough to echo with each aching thump of my heart.
While the medics worked outside, teachers came and went from the cafeteria, occasionally answering questions from anyone brave enough to speak up, and at some point, the senior guidance counselor pulled up a chair at the jocks table and began speaking softly to those whod been close enough to actually see Meredith fall.
Eventually, the vice principal came over the intercom and declared that the school day had been officially suspended, and that we would all be dismissed individually, once our legal guardians had been contacted. By that time, the red lights had stopped flashing, and though no one had yet made the announcement, it echoed around us like all-important truths, unvoiced, and unwanted, and unavoidable.
After that, the first group of students was called to the office and Emma leaned against me while I leaned against Nash, letting his scent and his warmth soothe me as I settled in for the wait. But minutes later, Coach Tucker stopped in the cafeteria doorway and scanned the faces until her gaze landed on me. I sat up as she navigated the maze of tables, heading right for us, and stood when she reached out a hand to pull me up, barely sparing a glance for Nash and Emma when they rose. The dancers are understandably upset, and were calling their parents first. Sophies not taking it well. Hersponsor spoke to your mother, and theyd like you to go ahead and take your sister home.
I sighed, grateful when Nashs hand slid into mine again. Shes my cousin.
Coach Tucker frowned, as if details like that shouldnt matter under the circumstances. She was right, but I couldnt bring myself to apologize.
Dont worry about your books. She eyed me sternly now. Just get her home.
I nodded, and the coach headed back through the cafeteria, motioning for me to follow. Ill talk to you guys later, I said, glancing from Emma to Nash as I squeezed his hand. She smiled weakly, and he nodded, digging his phone from his pocket.
Id just stepped into the hall, heading toward the office, when my own phone buzzed. A glance at the screen showed a blinking text message icon. It was from Nash.
Dont tell anyone. Will explain soon.
A moment later, a follow-up message arrived. It was one word: Please.
I didnt reply, because I didnt know what to say. No one would believe me if I tried to explain what had happened. But the premonitions were real, and they were accurate. Silence no longer seemed like an option, especially if there was any chance I could stop the next one from coming true.
If I could at least give the next victim a warningand maybe a fighting chancewasnt I morally obligated to do just that?
Besides, hadnt Nash suggested I tell my aunt and uncle the day before?
Kaitlin! Over here. I glanced up to find Mrs. Foley waving me forward from the atrium outside the front office. Sophie sat on the floor behind her, beneath the foliage of a huge potted plant, surrounded by half a dozen other red, mascara-smeared faces.
Its Kaylee, I muttered, coming to a stop in front of the stunned dancers.
Of course. But the sponsor didnt look like she cared what my name was. Ive spoken to your mother but I didnt bother to tell her that would be impossible without a Ouija board and she wants you to take Sophie straight home. Shes going to meet you there.
I nodded, and ignored the sympathetic hand the dance-team sponsor placed momentarily on my shoulder, as if to thank me for sharing some venerable burden. You ready? I asked in my cousins general direction, and to my surprise, she bobbed her head in assent, stood with her purse in hand, and followed me across the quad without betraying a single syllable of malicious intent.
She must have been in shock.
In the parking lot, I unlocked the passengers side door, then went around to let myself in. Sophie slid into her seat and pulled the door closed, then turned to face me slowly, her normally arrogant expression giving way to what could only be described as abject grief.
We sat in a row on the floor, Em on my left, Nash still clutching my right hand, each too stunned to speak. My thoughts were chaotic, a never-ending furor of guilt, shock, and utter incredulity. A private cacophony in absolute contrast to the hushed, somber room around me. And I couldnt make it stop. Could not slow the torrent long enough to wallow in any single emotion, or puzzle out any one question.
I could only sit, and stare, and wait.
Minutes later, sirens blared to life down the street, warbling softly at first, but growing in volume with each passing second. The ambulance came to an earsplitting halt at the front of the school, but by the time it rolled carefully around the building and past the cafeteria windows, the electronic screeching had gone silent, though it still echoed in my head, a fitting sound track to the mayhem within.
The ambulance stopped out of sight of the windows, but its lights flashed an angry red against the dull brown brick, declaring an optimistic urgency I knew to be unnecessary.
Meredith Cole was dead, and no matter how long they worked on her, she wasnt coming back. That bitter certainty ate at me, consuming me from the inside out until I felt hollow enough to echo with each aching thump of my heart.
While the medics worked outside, teachers came and went from the cafeteria, occasionally answering questions from anyone brave enough to speak up, and at some point, the senior guidance counselor pulled up a chair at the jocks table and began speaking softly to those whod been close enough to actually see Meredith fall.
Eventually, the vice principal came over the intercom and declared that the school day had been officially suspended, and that we would all be dismissed individually, once our legal guardians had been contacted. By that time, the red lights had stopped flashing, and though no one had yet made the announcement, it echoed around us like all-important truths, unvoiced, and unwanted, and unavoidable.
After that, the first group of students was called to the office and Emma leaned against me while I leaned against Nash, letting his scent and his warmth soothe me as I settled in for the wait. But minutes later, Coach Tucker stopped in the cafeteria doorway and scanned the faces until her gaze landed on me. I sat up as she navigated the maze of tables, heading right for us, and stood when she reached out a hand to pull me up, barely sparing a glance for Nash and Emma when they rose. The dancers are understandably upset, and were calling their parents first. Sophies not taking it well. Hersponsor spoke to your mother, and theyd like you to go ahead and take your sister home.
I sighed, grateful when Nashs hand slid into mine again. Shes my cousin.
Coach Tucker frowned, as if details like that shouldnt matter under the circumstances. She was right, but I couldnt bring myself to apologize.
Dont worry about your books. She eyed me sternly now. Just get her home.
I nodded, and the coach headed back through the cafeteria, motioning for me to follow. Ill talk to you guys later, I said, glancing from Emma to Nash as I squeezed his hand. She smiled weakly, and he nodded, digging his phone from his pocket.
Id just stepped into the hall, heading toward the office, when my own phone buzzed. A glance at the screen showed a blinking text message icon. It was from Nash.
Dont tell anyone. Will explain soon.
A moment later, a follow-up message arrived. It was one word: Please.
I didnt reply, because I didnt know what to say. No one would believe me if I tried to explain what had happened. But the premonitions were real, and they were accurate. Silence no longer seemed like an option, especially if there was any chance I could stop the next one from coming true.
If I could at least give the next victim a warningand maybe a fighting chancewasnt I morally obligated to do just that?
Besides, hadnt Nash suggested I tell my aunt and uncle the day before?
Kaitlin! Over here. I glanced up to find Mrs. Foley waving me forward from the atrium outside the front office. Sophie sat on the floor behind her, beneath the foliage of a huge potted plant, surrounded by half a dozen other red, mascara-smeared faces.
Its Kaylee, I muttered, coming to a stop in front of the stunned dancers.
Of course. But the sponsor didnt look like she cared what my name was. Ive spoken to your mother but I didnt bother to tell her that would be impossible without a Ouija board and she wants you to take Sophie straight home. Shes going to meet you there.
I nodded, and ignored the sympathetic hand the dance-team sponsor placed momentarily on my shoulder, as if to thank me for sharing some venerable burden. You ready? I asked in my cousins general direction, and to my surprise, she bobbed her head in assent, stood with her purse in hand, and followed me across the quad without betraying a single syllable of malicious intent.
She must have been in shock.
In the parking lot, I unlocked the passengers side door, then went around to let myself in. Sophie slid into her seat and pulled the door closed, then turned to face me slowly, her normally arrogant expression giving way to what could only be described as abject grief.
