by Holly Hook
School just might be the safest place for me to go right now.
And Eric might be there. I might get a chance to talk to him without that cursed maid there to call the cops. And if Alric was really on my side, his Watchers would help—right?
I pedaled farther and farther down the dirt road. My legs burned with fatigue. I was ready to drop. But Moanna lived out here somewhere. Only trees grew up on either side of me and the apple rolled around in my backpack. It was death. I was carrying death in my pack in the wee hours of the morning.
The thought was both thrilling and horrifying.
I couldn’t kill Sara.
No matter what she had done, I couldn’t kill someone.
But I might have to if I wanted to stay alive and save Eric.
The trees got thicker and thicker and I was sure I had passed Moanna’s house in the dark. I must be miles from town by now. Moanna lived on the edge of the district. I’d never even been out here before.
The trees cleared on my right, and a giant, split-open trunk stood there in the middle of a large yard as if Zeus himself had driven a lightning bolt through it.
I stopped the bike.
This had to be the house.
I wouldn’t have noticed it or the tree trunk if it wasn’t for the pale gray light that now covered everything. The house was small and far back from the road, nestled in the trees. The lawn was overgrown and the split trunk the only decoration. It was kind of a nice touch. The tree looked like a huge, gaping mouth that led to some underworld.
And the idea of an underworld felt familiar.
Just like the apple. There might be one in Fable.
I watched the house. No lights were on inside. It must only be five thirty in the morning. Not even that. Moanna would have to board the bus at sevenish to get to school for first class. She still had an hour to sleep.
I checked up and down the barren road. Nothing. No Alric standing there, watching my actions. I thought of Sara and Eric holed up inside his fortress and my ears heated. Sara had gotten my hopes up just to dash them.
I rolled my bike into Moanna’s yard and chained it to one of the trees a bit back in the woods. My limbs felt like lead. I needed to stop and rest even if it was right here. No one would see me.
I laughed.
Sara had driven me into the forest.
Just like in the story.
I still had the volume of fairy tales stuffed into my backpack. It was too dark to read any more of it now. After securing my bike to the tree, I sat on the ground, relieved there wasn’t any dew in this spot. It was all dried leaves and dirt. I didn’t care what kinds of bugs were here. Compared to what I had seen tonight, bugs were nothing.
I leaned against the tree and drifted.
And as I did, I imagined dozens of little eyes staring at me.
* * * * *
A low, loud rumble met my ears.
I opened my eyes and realized it was lighter—a lot lighter. I had only closed them seconds ago. No. I must have fallen asleep.
A big, yellow school bus had rolled up to Moanna’s driveway. Moanna was running up the dirt drive, purse swinging from one shoulder and books tucked into another. The bus’s blinking yellow lights turned to red as the brakes squeaked and the engine idled.
Then I remembered.
This was my only way to school.
The only safe way.
And I had to get back to Eric. Sara wouldn’t expect me to show up. She must be wondering if I was dead right about now. I had to take the chance.
I left my bike chained to the tree and grabbed my backpack. My stomach sank when I remembered what was in there, ready to work its dark magic. I swung the backpack over my back and burst through underbrush and out through the trees. “Wait!”
Moanna stopped feet from the bus. The door was coming open.
Her mouth fell open. “Mara?” She searched the road behind the bus for a car or something. “How did you get out here?”
I ran up to her. “Tell the bus driver I spent the night over here,” I said. “I’ll explain once I’m on.”
The driver, a woman with gray roots growing through her dyed black hair, stared at me as I got on the bus behind Moanna. I’d never ridden the bus before, so I wondered if all the drivers were like this.
“Who are you?” she barked.
“I go to the same school as Moanna,” I said. “And I need to get there. I spent the night here. We’re friends.”
“Do you have a note? You need one if this isn't your normal bus.”
Moanna faced me. I clung onto the railing, trying not to fall off the bottom step of the bus. The apple rolled around again. I couldn’t tell Moanna about that. She’d freak out. I would if I were her.
“She doesn’t,” Moanna said. “We didn’t know we’d need a note.”
“Why are people so paranoid?” I asked. I couldn’t help it. “You think I’m carrying a deadly weapon or something? I just want to get to school. You’re telling me I need to skip?”
There was no one here to laugh at my irony. And the driver sure wasn’t amused. “Fine,” she barked. “Sit down and don’t do this again. But if word of this gets out, it’s my paycheck. Do you understand?”
I nodded as Moanna climbed all the way into the bus and I followed. The aisle was tiny and people were sitting in the back, leaning against windows and half asleep. No one spoke. It seemed like the bus was here for extra sleep.
“Thanks,” I told Moanna, even though she hadn’t really done anything. I had a ride, at least. One that Sara would never find me on. She’d ride in with Eric—if she hadn’t killed him or turned him into a toad. “I guess this is the part where you demand what’s going on.”
“Lucky guess,” Moanna said. She sat down and pointed at the seat next to her. There was some guy snoring in the back and another one on his phone texting, but no one else. The bus was early in its route. "I do want to know what's going on."
I sat across the aisle from her. We leaned close to each other and I told her about the crazy in Wal-Mart and my night, starting with trying to talk to Eric and ending with getting away from those dwarves. I also told her about Alric and his warning that Sara was still looking to have me killed, and finished with the apple. I felt my backpack and the scary lump there. I didn't want to have to use that. That was something Sara would want to plant in my food.
But I might have to.
Sara was some evil witch queen, after all. She'd do the same to me without a thought. She'd already tried with the comb and the lettuce and had barely missed me with the tie tightening spell. Maybe she'd even corrupted the dwarves.
Moanna shrunk back into her seat and remained silent for a long time. At last, she asked, "Are you sure this Alric guy can be trusted? He might totally be pulling something on you."
"I don't know," I said. My gut told me no, even if he had saved my life from the savage dwarves. "I don't think I like him and I don't know why." Then I realized that Moanna actually believed me. How could she not after everything that had happened? She was caught in the crap, too.
"Well, he does seem like he might be plotting something," Moanna said. "If you don't want to carry around the apple, let me do it for you. At least that might help you feel better."
I clutched my backpack and held it between me and the bus seat. The bus turned and the inertia pushed me closer to Moanna. She reached out, unrelenting with her offer.
"I can't," I said.
"I'm not going to hand the apple to Sara. Believe me."
Her tone was dark. Jealous, almost. Then I remembered that Moanna worshipped Eric. And Sara was fawning all over Eric. This could be ugly. "Sorry. You can't have it."
"So you're going to use it?" Moanna's voice was full of morbid curiosity.
"I don't know," I said. "Only if I have to. I might have a dark sense of humor but murder just isn't in me." I needed a shower. My whole personality needed one. I'd never had the chance last night with all the events going on.
&n
bsp; Moanna and I didn't speak the rest of the way to school. She kept staring out the window at the passing trees and buildings. If I wouldn't give Sara the apple, Moanna might if I didn't keep it close to me. I'd have to guard my backpack with my life today.
That meant taking it into the shower when I got to school.
I managed to duck into the girls' locker room and take the fastest shower I ever had before the bell rang. I threw on clothes and had to comb my hair with my fingers since my glass comb had shattered on the bathroom floor yesterday. My head pounded with stress and the bruise still hidden under my hair. Sara might be here today.
But I didn't see her in the hallway on the way to my first class.
And I didn't find her at lunch. Instead of sitting next to her, I sat by myself and choked down my food in the corner of the cafeteria. Nobody bothered to stare at me except for Mrs. Hendry, who walked past me and smiled. I waved at her. Alric must have told his Watchers to keep an eye out for me. I guessed her smile meant that I was safe for now.
I couldn't trust her, though.
I trusted nobody.
And worst of all, Eric was nowhere to be seen today, either.
He wasn't in Mr. Rain's class. Mr. Rain just acted like his normal self, picking on everyone in sight. He didn't even give me a second glance. I wondered if he was just grudgingly doing whatever Alric had told him.
I hated that I'd bothered to come to school. It wouldn't matter much longer. I had nowhere to go after today and Moanna sure wouldn't let me stay at her house. I had even left my bike out there, chained to a tree. If I wanted it, I'd have to ride the bus out there.
And then what?
I had to find Sara and make her reverse whatever she had done to Stephanie and the dwarves who were supposed to be helping me.
The final bell of the day rang over an hour later and I stalked to my locker to drop off my books. There wasn't a point behind doing my homework. Not anymore. Moanna hurried past me and towards the buses as if she couldn't wait to get away from me. Not that I blamed her. I carried weirdness with me wherever I went.
I set my backpack down and unzipped it. The apple rested there by my dream journal, red as ever and without any bruises. It was the weirdest apple I had ever seen. In fact, it didn't even look real. I pulled it out and held it while the river of people thinned around me. Everyone was heading home to safety and to families who actually wanted them. I'd never had that.
I held the apple. It still weighed too much. Inside of it was death. Perhaps even my life.
"I'm going. Eric's parties are awesome."
"What's the time?"
"It starts at nine. It might go until two or three in the morning. His parties always do. Have you ever seen Eric's parents?"
"No. I think they're out of town all the time."
I tucked the apple back into my pack and listened. A couple of girls from the cheerleading squad were walking past, deep in conversation.
I stood up and swung my backpack on. Hope rose inside of me.
Eric was still alive.
He had to be, if he was holding a party tonight.
I followed the two girls, a blonde and a dark girl, both with ponytails. I didn't know their names. Alric hadn't given those to me. But with my false memory, I knew they were girls who wouldn't normally associate with me. We were in different tribes or whatever.
They kept talking as I followed like a creepy stalker. "I heard Eric took a girl home with him last night," the dark one said.
"He did? Who?" the blonde asked.
The dark girl whispered something to her and they both stared at each other, then laughed. They were laughing about Sara. Sara was so out of Eric's league. I knew that if I'd had my way, they'd be laughing about me instead.
The two girls left the school and boarded a bus, but I'd heard enough.
The party started at nine tonight.
His gate would probably be open to let the guests in. If not, I could sneak in with someone.
I watched the buses pull away. That gave me six hours to get back out to Eric's place. It would be getting dark by then. I'd have some cover.
But I didn't have any money to buy different clohtes. What little I had was back at Haven House and I didn't want to risk facing those dwarves again. Not after Alric had held them off so I could get away. I wondered if there were any bodies lying in there and what the cops thought of that.
I had to walk past Haven House on the way to Eric's, so I didn't have a choice but to check it out a little as I passed. The front door had a piece of plywood over it from my breaking it last night. All the curtains were drawn and no fans blew in the windows, funneling in cooler air. I peered into the kitchen window but the place looked dark. Stephanie's car was even gone from the back lot. The place seemed abandoned, but I wasn't going to take the risk. The surviving dwarves could be hunched in there, ready to strike as soon as I broke back in.
As soon as the thought hit me, something moved in the kitchen.
An ugly head reared up, spied me, and ducked down again.
I broke into a run. They were still there. The dwarves had survived Alric's attacks and they were a lot tougher than I thought. They must make up for their lack of brains with strength.
I didn't dare slow down or look back until I was another two streets away. Then I checked. Nothing had followed me. The dwarves must not want to come out unless they were wearing their child disguises or they were shielded by darkness. It was lucky for me.
I hoped they didn't realize I was headed to Eric's house.
It was too late now. I had to get to him. I had to make the story end the way it should. If the story fell, darkness might creep into this world. I didn't know exactly what that meant, but it seemed like it had already started to happen.
My feet felt ready to split open by time I turned the corner to Eric's street. It had taken me forever to walk across town and Eric's street was just as rich as it had been before. His house towered over the others like a castle.
A castle fit for a prince.
Eric just might be one, escaped from Fable's encroaching darkness.
Escaped, just like me.
Dusk had fallen over the street and the air was cooling. Laughter floated down the curvy street and I spotted a couple of girls walking in through the open gate of Eric's house, wearing stupid green party hats. I guessed alcohol was going to be a factor here. Maybe it would distract Sara and I could get Eric out from under her spell. Maybe Sara would even pass out.
The gate slid closed after the two girls had walked in. I had to be sneaky about this. I managed to get behind one of the trees that grew next to the sidewalk and waited. The camera above the gate could only point forward, being embedded in the stone like that. I'd seen it last night. If someone else showed up, I might be able to sneak in if I pretty much hugged the fence.
My wish came soon enough. A red sports car crawled up to the sidewalk and stopped. Loud music thumped, then stopped as the car turned off. Three guys got out, all cool and obnoxious. One of them waved at the camera and the gate slid open. Eric was watching everyone who went in and out tonight. Sara had to make sure I wasn't showing up.
I moved fast. The gate started sliding shut again and I broke into a run, staying as close to the fence as I could. I managed to squeeze in through the narrow opening without the three guys looking back. I stumbled onto the sidewalk that led up to Eric's porch as the gate shut behind me. An alarm would go off any second. I knew it. But nothing happened. Whoever was manning the camera hadn't spotted me. The three guys made some crude jokes about taking girls up to one of the bedrooms later that night as I followed close behind. I studied the windows as I drew closer to the house. No one was peeking out. Even the window in the tower was empty.
I thought of how Eric and Sara might have spent their night and I wanted to kill something.
Preferably them.
The apple got heavier in my backpack as if begging me to use it. For a second, I wanted to. I wanted to shove i
t down her throat.
I shook my head, casting the thoughts aside. I wouldn't be like Sara, wanting to steal everything I had. Or even Moanna, who would be furious that she didn't get invited to this party. Someone had to be the rational one here. I had to handle this. I could handle this.
The front door opened a bit and one of the guys waved a greeting to a dark figure in the door. I ducked behind a shrub in time.
"Hey!" Eric said. He didn't sound too enthused. "Come on in. I didn't know you'd be coming tonight."
Maybe this wasn't an invitation-only party after all. People might just be showing up and Eric was expected to host all of this because he was the rich guy. I felt sorry for him. At least at Haven House, I was never expected to do such a thing.
I waited until the door had closed and near silence had fallen before I moved out form behind the shrub. Eric might be enchanted. Sara would want him to stay away from me. He might not even let me in the door.
After making sure no more Obnoxious Mobiles were pulling up to the house, I ran up onto the porch and tried the door.
Locked.
Why would someone keep a door locked for a party?
I tugged on the knob, but it seemed like the only way in was to get let in. Eric had secured this pretty well. I wondered if he had a bouncer standing just inside the door. And cameras watching the grounds, too. The yard wasn't very big, mostly full of shrubs, so there might be another way inside.
Like a back door. People stood outside on balconies and back decks during parties all the time. If I swung back there I'd look pretty natural.
I ran around the side of the house just as another car full of loud, booming music pulled up. The shrubs were thicker here. Trimmed into squares and circles. Eric must have hired a groundskeeper.
Chatter floated out from the back yard. I was right. A splash followed. Eric had his own pool. Alric must be right that he really was a prince from Fable. He must have brought his royal fortune with him if he bought all of this.
