Wake Up
Page 14
She shook her head. Her expression grew stern. “I warned you about going too deep. It was dangerous, but not for the reasons we once thought. You’ve brought your powers and your subconscious into the real world, and it nearly got people killed.”
I glanced at the Intruders, reality finally dawning on me. “Every time I got close to finding the truth, they would attack. This whole time, they were trying to protect me. From the truth. That Aiden wasn’t murdered. He jumped. And I could have stopped it if I’d known. If I hadn’t been so distracted by my own life to see his pain for what it was.”
Her smile wavered as she nodded.
“Now that you know the truth, you must carefully control your subconscious and your mind powers, to protect the people around you.”
I drew in a deep breath, straightening my posture. “How?”
She sighed sweetly. “I have a feeling you’ll figure it out.”
With that, my Consciousness, the white cat, and all of my subconscious gradually transformed into a white mist that rose into the sky, dissipating. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the storm clouds begin to part, revealing just a few rays of the sunset.
Closing my eyes, I said a short prayer thanking God for bringing me back, for helping me to understand.
Luke cleared his throat, guiding my eyes back to Ruth. The woman fidgeted nervously, still unsure if it was safe to run.
“What about her?” he murmured low enough so Ruth wouldn’t hear. A pang of regret pierced my heart. She may have done wrong by Aiden, but she didn’t deserve to die. And even if she did, it wasn’t my place to punish her. I should have never tried to play God.
Before I could open my mouth to reply, the honk of a police car made me jump. I looked back to see Sheriff Hartcliff rolling up the gravel road in his cruiser. He pulled over and stepped out, adjusting his hat.
“Everything okay up here? I couldn’t see squat in that nasty cloud burst, but when I heard rocks sliding and a couple screams, I thought I’d come see if you folks were safe.”
I smiled, shrugging. “The storm broke off that chunk of the cliff, and I guess we were a little too close for comfort.”
“She lies!” Ruth shouted, drenched locks framing her face still twisted with anger. She picked up the kitchen knife she’d dropped earlier, pointing it at me. “Her hellhound nearly tore me to pieces, and she flew up into the sky to torment me. She has the devil in her, sheriff! Arrest her!”
Luke and I both tensed at her words, but the sheriff simply shook his head, shooting me a smile of apology before walking calmly toward the raging woman.
“Now now, Ms. Olson. You sound to me like you need to check in with Dr. Karliss. She told me to keep an eye on you, and I’m not going back on my word.”
“You’re with them!” She lifted the knife higher, preparing to strike as the sheriff approached. He lifted his hands in a show of trust, stepping forward cautiously. “Now Ruth, let’s just drive over to Dr. Karliss together.” He continued in a lower tone, “Don’t make me take you in. Jimmy needs you.”
At those words, she huffed in defeat, dropping the knife and letting the sheriff lead her to the cruiser. She stole one last look at me, and in that moment, I wondered if I could ever forgive this sick woman for the pain she caused Aiden. Maybe God would help me with that, too.
Luke whispered into my ear as the sheriff guided Ruth into the back seat of his vehicle. “Sounds like neither of them have heard about Jimmy’s situation yet. Maybe it’s for the best. The lady clearly needs to calm down a bit, first.”
I nodded.
The sheriff strode over to us again, eyes falling on Luke. I furrowed my brow in confusion, but goosebumps rose across my skin when I realized what was happening.
“I’ll have to ask you to come with me too, Luke.”
Luke held his jaw tight and nodded, stepping forward willingly. No, he couldn’t. I lunged to pull him back, trying to find some answer in his face.
“You don’t have to go!” I cried. My fingers gripped the arms of his hoodie, and he turned back to grab me in another embrace.
“It’s okay, Mads. You faced your demons, and now it’s my turn to do the same.” He smiled. “It’s time I faced my past. I can’t keep hiding forever.”
I wanted nothing more than to keep him by my side. But it wasn’t my decision to make. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, then, without warning, he pulled me into a kiss. A kiss that warmed me from my heart to my fingertips.
After not nearly enough time, he pulled away again, releasing me to follow Sheriff Hartcliff to the passenger side of the vehicle. But before stepping in, he charmed me with one more smile.
“I’ll be back, you know.”
I grinned, nodding furiously as I choked back tears.
The sheriff waved to get my attention. “Oh, and Maddie, I saw your folks down by the docks. Sounds like your little running away act sort of brought them together again, and when old Mrs. Fensworth called them this afternoon and mentioned you were here, they drove up in a heartbeat. I believe they’re still waiting down by the marina.” He winked.
After one last wave, the sheriff’s car rolled down the road, carrying Ruth and Luke with it. Fear and excitement both fought for a place in my mind, but instead of sorting through my emotions, I ran. I bolted as fast as I could down the hillside, past the pebbled beach where calm ripples now lapped under the setting sun, and toward the docks where my family stood waiting.
“Mom, Dad, Alice!”
When my shout reached their ears, their eyes snapped to see me. Their faces lit up. I closed the distance between us, and we were together again. After we shared a tearful embrace, I stood back, my heart filling with resolve.
“We need to talk about Aiden.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Alice scrunched her brow, holding a colorful photo in her hand. Finally, she decided on its place, taping it to the left corner of the collage. I kissed her head, smiling as I glanced down at her arms, bare and unmarked, just like they should be.
My family was healing, bit by bit. We’d all agreed that a summer in Shy Harbor was the best way to mend our still-shattered hearts. Together.
“Is Jimmy coming over tomorrow?” Alice’s tone betrayed on obvious crush. I chuckled at the thought while picking up a photo.
“Not tomorrow, kiddo. It’ll just be Kath. Jimmy’s mom gets back from the treatment center, and he needs to be there for her.”
She pouted, taping another photo to the wall. “That sucks. He’s the only thing in Shy Harbor that’s not completely lame.”
“Watch it.” I laughed.
“You have it easy. You’ve got that boy to talk to on the phone every day.”
I couldn’t help but sigh at the thought of Luke. Next month couldn’t come fast enough. Counting the hours was starting to get old.
“Maybe Corey can hook us up with a canoe tomorrow,” I suggested.
He’d been desperate to make amends ever since I told him the truth about Aiden. I’d forgiven him already, but I knew it could be a long time before he’d ever forgive himself.
Alice nodded, humming a pop song as she picked out another photo.
“Hey.” I shot her a grin.
She cocked an eyebrow.
I held her hand and drew her a few steps back. Letting out a small gasp, Alice marveled at the heart-shaped collage that covered the wall.
“Did we really just finish it?”
I nodded, admiring the collection of photos from our early days, alongside new photos from Jimmy. Sunset pictures, images of Aiden, and even a few shots of the two of them together, photos which he’d taken extra care to hide over the years.
“It’s about time,” I whispered, my mind wandering back to the revelations of last summer. “Okay,” I breathed, “Lights out.”
Alice groaned as I flipped off the light, and we both crawled into our bunks.
“Goodnight, Maddie.” She yawned.
I took one last look at the finished collage,
smiling to myself.
“Goodnight Alice.”
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed Wake Up, it would be awesome if you could take a minute to write an honest review on the Amazon product page. (Even just a sentence or two.) This can help other readers decide whether or not this story is for them.
Madelyn’s tale wasn’t an easy one to write. If you’ve experienced grief, depression, or any of the other painful issues raised in this novel, know that you’re not alone.
If this novel brought up some difficult emotions, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you love to help you work through them. Need somebody to talk to? Feel free to message me over on Twitter, Facebook, or the contact form on my website BrookeDeLira.com.
We’re stronger than we think.
But together, we’re invincible.
The world of Shy Harbor and its mysteries weren’t created in a vacuum. I’d love to thank my beta readers for their invaluable feedback. I’d like to say a special thanks to Kristin Yodock, a talented writer who helped me craft a novel I’m proud to share with the world.
I also want to thank my parents Russ and Laurie, and my husband Stefanno. He may not be much of a reader himself, but no one could ever be more supportive and encouraging.
Brooke De Lira is an indie YA author who loves action-packed stories that jump off the page. A parkour athlete since 2011, she began her career as an author in 2018 with Feral Phantom, a superhero novel.
Born and raised in the frigid world of Minnesota, Brooke now lives in the coastal region of Brazil with her Brazilian husband and a small civilization of rescued street cats.
Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
More from Brook De Lira…
Feral Phantom
Book 1 in the Feral Phantom Saga
When Nanda wakes up with the past three days wiped from her memory, something inside her changes. Her average parkour skills—gone. This is the new Nanda, and she can leap over rooftops like an urban ninja. Her search for answers brings her face-to-face with a criminal empire that wants her dead, a cult with mysterious motives, and a destiny she never imagined.
Get your copy here!
Wake Up
Copyright © 2019 by Brooke De Lira
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
First Printing, 2019
Kindle Edition
www.BrookeDeLira.com
Cover design copyright © 2018 by Stefanno de Lira
Modified background images copyright © Vectorpocket / Freepik and Nordeher / Pixabay
Model image copyright © Pablocroatto / Pond5.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.