by A. L. Tyler
“I don’t think getting attached will be a problem for me anymore, but thanks for clearing that up.” As Ember stood up to look out the window at the bonfire still burning in the backyard, Thalia smiled brightly. “I’m sleeping with Nan?”
“No, just in her bed.”
“Where’d she go?” Ember asked, turning back.
Thalia’s face grew long and dark as she stared hard at the floor. “They had an argument about you, and Nan left. I don’t know when she’s coming back, but mom said you could sleep in her bed. But just shower before you get in it, or she might have to burn that one, too.”
Ember pressed her hands together, bringing them to her lips. As Thalia sat on the edge of the bed, with her hair pulled back in a ribbon and wearing a simple yellow plaid dress, Ember couldn’t help but think that she was naïve to a dangerous extent. She was supposed to be the older sister, but she acted like she was ten, and even living with a maniac like Gina, she was still innocent.
“Thalia,” Ember said, sitting down next to her. “Earlier, you said that mom is trying to protect us from the bad people, and that the bad people are everyone on the island. What makes them bad?”
Thalia frowned, shifting and making the mattress bounce nervously beneath them both. She paced to the window and looked out, and then came back to sit by Ember.
“Mom told me not to tell you, but I hate it when you go out,” she said in a whisper. “They’re demons, Ember.”
Ember thought she had steeled herself against anything her sister could have said, and any idea that Gina could have planted in her head. Even so, she felt her eyes go wide. “Demons? As in, fire and brimstone and Satan, demons?”
Thalia nodded solemnly. “But these demons don’t like fire and brimstone. They’re cold, and they hurt people—”
The door opened, and both girls jumped. Gina stood in the doorway, covered in a fine layer of ash and dust, smelling of smoke, and wearing an impassive expression. “’Lia, go downstairs. I need to speak with Ember.”
Thalia rushed from the room with her head down. Ember met her mother’s stare head on, and refused to blink.
“I am sorry that I had to burn all of your things, Ember.” Gina shut the door, and started to unbutton her ash-covered shirt, sweeping sweat off her brow and back through her frizzy hair. “I don’t know what came over me. I seem to get this way when you’re around. I think it would be best if you left now, so I’ve arranged for you to take a boat back to mainland tomorrow. You’re out of clothes anyways, so it will be better for you to get back—“
“I know what they are.” Ember said quietly.
Pausing, Gina took a deep breath. She stared at the wall above the hamper as she gently dropped her shirt in. “Excuse me?”
“Acton.” Ember said quietly. “I know that he’s not……normal.”
Gina spun around, crossing her arms over her white cotton undershirt. “Ember…”
“They’re not evil.” Ember said quietly. “And they’re certainly not demons.”
Gina pressed her lips together, exhaling slowly and diverting her gaze. Ember waited patiently.
“I don’t know what Acton has been telling you.” Gina said quickly. “And you couldn’t possibly remember, because he’s been—“
“Not anymore.” Ember said quietly. “I remember last night just fine. I didn’t get drunk last night.”
“You remember what he wants you to remember!” Gina said with a sudden flare of anger. “Ember, he is using you to get to me, and he is succeeding. I need you to leave now.”
“He’s the best friend I’ve ever had!” Ember shouted back.
Shaking, Gina walked over to her, clenching her fists to reduce the urge to grab Ember by the shoulders. “You have come home freezing. You have come home sick. You have had alcohol poisoning, and bruises, and burns—“
“And I remember none of that!” Ember said, standing and walking to the door. Gina grabbed her hand, turning it over to reveal the bandaged cut. Ember rolled her eyes. “I fell last night. It was an accident.”
Gina pressed her lips together and shook her head, very slightly. “This cut is more than a week old, Ember. If you don’t believe me, look at where it’s started to scar around the edges. He makes you do awful things. Things I won’t even tell you—“
“You are paranoid.” Ember said with finality, pulling her hand away. “And if you really thought he was doing those things, then why would you let me go out? Why wouldn’t you stop me? Why wouldn’t you stop him?”
The look in Gina’s eyes burned—burned, like the fire was inside of her, just beneath the surface—and her lip curled in disgust at the same time it started to tremble. “Because I wanted this to end cleanly, and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, but you seem to be in league with them now. So you go, Ember—go be with your friends. It will all be over soon enough.”
Despite the hot tension boiling beneath Gina’s skin, an unusual calm had come over Ember. She dropped her hands to her sides. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing.” Gina repeated, taking a deep breath and shaking her head. She turned toward the window, dressed with limp, hand-sewn drapes that reminded Ember too much of the shirt and pants she was wearing. “Go—I want you to go. I can’t think straight when you’re here. You’re throwing your life away. The life I gave you.”
Ember had her hand on the doorknob at her back, clutching it like was a weapon that could save her. Gina only seemed interested in getting out of her sooty clothes and into the shower as quickly as possible, so Ember went downstairs, borrowed a pair of Thalia’s shoes, and walked out the door.
She went into the backyard and jumped up on the wall to sit and watch her bedroom finish smoldering. As she sat up on the wall, Acton was suddenly standing next to her on the ground outside the yard. He crossed his arms to lean in, watching the fire.
“That’s a new look for you,” he said finally.
Ember nodded. “She burned all of my stuff.”
“I know.” Acton replied. “I watched. So why are you so upset?”
“There was a spider in my room. Above my bed, and I think he might have fallen in when she took the sheets and stuff out and burned it.” Ember said, staring at the charred mess in front of them, still spewing flames from the red hot spots. “I feel like I should have put him out the window sooner.”
Acton stared at her for a moment, considering, and then raised his eyebrows as he went back to watching the fire burn itself out.
“Are you going to hurt me?” Ember asked. When he didn’t respond, she looked over to see him giving her the same sidelong look. “It’s just…Thalia thinks…well, she said—“
“Demon?” Acton offered for her. “Ember, if I were going to kill you, I would have done it already.”
Ember bit her lip, shaking her head. “Why didn’t you?”
Acton sighed, turning his back on the fire to lean against the wall. “I had a realization. You’re not one of them. You’re one of us. Come on——“ He offered his hand to help her off the wall, “I’ll take you to town, and we’ll replace the things you’ve lost.”
She swung her legs over the wall, and took his hand as she slid off. “I don’t have any money…”
“You have half the damn island in cash, as I understand it.” Acton said, laying his hand on her back to guide her into the woods.
“No, I mean, I don’t have any on me,” she said, looking up at him.
Acton nodded, slightly irritated that she would make him clarify the point. “I’ll pay for everything, Em. Stop worrying about it.”
She stopped, her hands fidgeting with the front of her shirt. Sighing, Acton turned to face her.
“A demon?” She said finally.
Acton turned his head slightly to the side as he thought. She didn’t seem afraid of him. “I’ve been this way my whole life. It’s just who I am, but your mother calls me a demon. Is that what you think of me as well?”
She thought for a moment. Acton wait
ed patiently.
“No.”
“No.” His lips twitched at a smile. “Then let’s get to town. You look like Thalia wearing those things.”
Ember pursed her lips and nodded. When he settled his hand on her back as they went, she walked a little closer to him. The forest was quiet the entire way to town.
When Acton stopped on the street, she wasn’t sure exactly where they were going until he opened the door for her. She took a step back to look at the sign, and realized that there wasn’t one.
“This is Bateman’s.” Acton said. “He’s the only grocer on the island. He supplies gas for the tractors, collects and delivers mail, and sells general goods.”
Ember stepped through the door and into a dimly lit store. It looked like a cross between an army surplus and a road trip gas station; there were three small aisles of food, toiletries and hygiene products along one wall, basics clothes, pillows and blankets in a corner, paper goods, a wide selection of tools and repair supplies.
At the far end of the store, there was an old man sitting at the counter, a newspaper open in front of him. He folded one corner down as he glared at the two of them.
Acton whispered under his breath. “Also, he doesn’t like me.”
“Get out of my store!” The old man growled. Then, his eyes flicked to Ember, and he set the paper down on the counter as he stood up. “Thalia, is something wrong?”
“Wrong daughter, Charles.” Acton said, taking a few steps forward to put himself between Ember and the shopkeeper. “This is Ember. Gina just burned everything she has, so I brought her here to pick up anything she might need.”
Charles the shopkeeper stared him down. “Your money’s no good—she doesn’t need anything you want to give her. I’ll give her what she needs, but it’s a gift for her, not a favor for you. You can wait outside.”
“I’ll wait by the door.” Acton said with a polite smile and malice in his eyes. He turned and strode confidently back to the shop entrance, where he shooed Ember forward like she was a shy child, and then stood with his arms crossed, staring down Charles. Charles was staring at Ember.
What ensued were the most awkward five minutes of her life. As Ember perused the aisles, picking up a hairbrush, deodorant, an all-weather jacket, a bag of socks, and a few other items, she tried to ignore the tense cable of anonymity that stretched across the room from Acton to Charles. When she was finished, she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to just walk out the door with Acton, or say something to Charles first.
The former seemed rude, so she took her items to the counter. She smiled nervously as Charles folded the corner of his paper again, and was shocked to see nothing but kindness in his face.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
“You’re very welcome,” he said with a smile and a nod, removing his reading glasses. “I’ll get you a bag for these things.”
Ember’s grateful smile suddenly faltered; she had forgotten to get a bag. “Oh—a bag, my travel bag, it was—”
Charles held up his hand. “Nope. No worrying now, let’s go get a bag.”
He walked her over to a wall with mostly camping supplies, and helped her pick out a large bag, which he then proceeded to fill with extra food, some magazines, hair ties, and a few other girly artifacts before going back for her collection at the counter.
“Now, you don’t worry about any of this. I’m good friends with your mother, and I know she has hard days,” he said, filling up the bag. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to come back, young lady.”
Ember nodded. “Thank you.”
Charles picked up the bag to hand it Ember, catching her hand in his to stop her from escaping when she went to take it. He leaned in closer to her, ignoring Acton, who was still standing guard at the door.
“Ember, you need to take this bag and leave the island,” he said sternly. “I’m very glad to have made your acquaintance, but you stay away from Acton Knox, and everyone else, and you leave with your dignity.”
Ember tried to pull away, but Charles squeezed her hand gently. When she met his eyes, he nodded, just slightly, and let her go. He settled back into his chair behind the counter, and immediately put his newspaper wall back up.
Shouldering her bag, she turned and walked back to Acton. He took a step back to open the door for her exit, and followed her out with one last, long look at Charles.
Frowning, Ember wanted to ask Acton why no one trusted him, but within the first three steps out the door, Asher had already stolen the spotlight.
“Business with the Bait Man?” He asked, stepping up to Ember’s other side. “Jesus, Em…you look like Thalia.”
Ember heaved a sigh, glaring at him. “I’m dying my hair. Decision made.”
“Oh, but why stop there?” He offered. “We could get you some tattoos, some piercings, some scars on the inside and out——“
“Ash,” Acton said coolly. “Do you have a message for me, or any point that you’re coming to?”
“Nope.” Asher replied with a bright smile. “Just waiting for scraps.”
Acton looked at him, annoyed, and kept walking. “I have nothing for you, Ash. Not after last night.”
“—Oh.” Asher frowned. “Right.”
Ember felt her cheeks color, wondering if Acton had shared their private moments with his brothers. She supposed nothing very exciting had happened, but a kiss—even one on the palm of her hand—was the biggest thing that had ever happened to her.
“Do we have a plan for the evening, then?”
Acton cut in front of Ember so quickly that she nearly ran into him; as he paced back and forth on the walkway, she stopped and waited, shifting her bag from one shoulder to the other. Acton looked at her, hardly changing his expression as he took the bag from her, pushed it at Asher, seemed to think better of it, and finally shouldered it himself.
He looked at Asher. “Tell Kaylee to meet me at the bar. I need a favor from her.”
Asher snorted. “Well, good luck with that.”
Acton crossed his eyes as a forced laugh escaped his lips; running a hand over his face, he fixed his stare on Asher. “Just go and find her.”
Asher looked from Acton to Ember, letting his gaze linger slightly too long. Without a word, he turned and left.
Acton turned around and started walking again, taking Ember by surprise. She took a few quick steps to catch up with him.
“A favor?” She asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. “From Kaylee?”
“It’s for you.” Acton refused to look over at her. “You’re going to need clothing.”
“You think she’ll let me borrow some?” Ember said, crossing her arms. A cold breeze came up, making her shiver; before she could even ask, Acton was unzipping the bag and pulling out the jacket that Charles had given her.
“She’ll let you have some.” Acton corrected. “She lives in a damn sorority house with a flock of girls who have ten times the clothes they need.”
He quickened his step as they got closer to the bar, forcing her to stay a few strides behind him, and preventing her from asking any more questions. He took her through the back door, dropping her bag on the floor. She tried to follow him as he went to the door that led to the bar, but he raised his hand to stop her.
“Wait here.”
Ember shrugged. “Why?”
He sighed; the crazed humor in his eyes made her take a step back and sit on a crate.
“Just wait.”
As he opened the door to the bar, Ember looked out and saw Zinnia Knox, wearing a sunset orange sheath dress and a paisley pattern headscarf, standing with the phone pressed to her ear. As she looked over and their eyes met, she saw her draw in a sharp breath and look away, shaking her head. She covered the phone with one hand to say something to Acton as the door closed.
Ember looked at the back of the door; they were talking about her, and she was almost sure Zinny had her mother on the phone. As guilty as she felt about putting A
cton out, she felt more annoyed that her mother knew where she was. Gina had gone years not knowing where she was or what she was doing, only to start caring at the most irritating moment. Ember wondered if Gina had called the bar or if Zinny had called her; both prospects made her want to grind her teeth.
She ran her fingers through her hair; she wanted to cut it and dye it that night if possible…anything to reduce the resemblance to Thalia. They weren’t real sisters, and Ember was beginning to regret the reminder.
But of her immediate concerns, her mother’s last words to her were falling highest on her list.
Go be with your friends. It will all be over soon enough.
It sounded like a threat; Ember wasn’t quite sure who Gina was threatening, but she knew that she had finally lost it. She had burned everything, and she hated the Knoxes; even if they weren’t normal, they were doing more to take care of her than Gina ever had. That alone meant they couldn’t be that bad.
Chapter 14
As Ember’s eyes explored the boxes, crates, and cleaning supplies in the back room, she noticed a small box up on a shelf that was overfilled with paperbacks. She turned over a mop bucket to stand on so that she could reach them, carefully taking down the box. She sat back down on her crate and started going through them, regretting that the little collection she had brought with her was lost and gone forever in the fire.
“You can keep them, if you want.”
Ember looked up; Acton had returned. “These are yours?”
Acton nodded. “I’ve already read them. Take them.”
Ember looked back at the books in her lap. They were older ones, by classic authors that she had heard of, but she hadn’t read most of them. She sighed, running her hands down the side of the box. When she looked back up, Acton had tilted his head slightly, looking at her hand flat on the side of the cardboard.
“I don’t think they’ll be safe with me.” Ember said with a frown.
“You can keep them where I live.” Acton said, straightening up. He kept his voice low. “How is your hand?”
Ember had almost forgotten; she lifted her hand and inspected the bandage before turning her palm out to Acton. “It’s fine. It’s healing.”
