Dust to Dust

by Karina Halle

  Now that I knew what had to happen, I was filled with an even greater sense of urgency. All signs were pointing to this.

  I tried to explain to her as quickly as I could and as best I could, starting with what little I knew about Michael, about the Pippa in my dreams warning me about imminent danger, about what Michael had said to me. The more I talked, the crazier it all sounded but Ada, bless her soul, she was able to put that aside and just listen. She was able to believe me.

  “You can’t just fly to New York, Perry,” she said after I felt absolutely breathless from the truth. “Where will you go? Wander the streets shouting for Dex like a nutter butter? You have nothing to go on.”

  “No,” I said. “I have something to go on.” I brought out my phone and in vain tried Dex’s cell again. I hung up at his familiar message, ignoring the pang of hurt that threatened to rip through me at the mere sound of his voice.

  This couldn’t be happening. Not like this. Not now when everything in our lives were finally coming together.

  “Perry?” Ada asked and I realized I was standing there, hand to my chest, my grip nearly breaking my phone.

  I quickly nodded and dialed a number on the phone. My first thought was to call Rebecca but as much as I needed her help, she also wasn’t like me, like us – she didn’t know how to deal with this sort of thing, despite what we had just gone through at the asylum. Also, she was still on the I-5, riding putt-putt toward his final destination and time wasn’t on my side.

  So I called the only other person who not only would understand but could possibly help me and help Dex. The only person who knew a thing about Dex’s life in New York.

  I called Maximus.

  But, naturally, life was a sick bitch and he didn’t answer his phone. I started to wonder if perhaps Michael’s reach was farther than I thought and he too had been compromised. So I left a frantic voice message for the ginger to call me back and then ran upstairs to pack an overnight bag, Ada in my tow.

  “What are you doing?” she yelled at me, hot on my heels.

  “I told you!” I raced into my room and starting throwing shit around. I crammed a few pairs of underwear and a bra into a small carry-on along with a pair of jeans and a few shirts.

  “Perry, seriously!” she screeched, grabbing my arm and making me stop. I’d never seen such worry in her eyes before. “Don’t just go and do this. You don’t know anything for sure.”

  “I know that if he just wanted to talk to Dex, he wouldn’t have sought me out. He wouldn’t have done what he did to us. You saw his eyes, that…that emptiness. You know he’s bad news.”

  “But he wants you to come to New York,” she said. “He’s baiting you.”

  I stood up straight and looked her dead in the eye. “Then I’m taking the bait. But I can’t stay here and hope that he’ll come back, hope that I’ll get a hold of him. We both know that’s not going to happen. It’s this or it’s nothing and I’m supposed to marry the fucking guy! If there is anything I know about me and Dex it’s that nothing is never an option. I’m going to New York. And you’re letting me go.”

  “Fuck that,” she swore, a strange gleam coming over her eyes. “I’m not letting you go. I’m going with you.”

  “Ada,” I said incredulously. “No way.”

  “Yes,” she said. “You’re my sister and I’m not going to let you do this by yourself.”

  “You’ve got school,” I said feebly. Truth was, I wanted her to come. More than that, I needed her to come, I could feel it in my gut, like I was stronger with her by my side. But I wouldn’t be a good sister if I didn’t insist she stay out of it. She was too young to get wrapped up in something that neither of us understood.

  “You can’t stop me,” she said full of fiery conviction. “If you do this without me, I’ll be right behind you. You have money on your credit card? I have money on mine.”

  “You’re too young to travel alone,” I countered.

  She smiled coyly. “I have ways.”

  “Mom and dad will never let it happen.”

  “You let me worry about them.”

  “Ada.”

  “Perry,” she answered and for once I saw how damn serious she was. “If you’re going after him, I am going with you. End of story. Now, would you rather me go with you now or trail your ass through the city trying to catch up? Though perhaps I’ll meet some nice New York men who’ll be willing to help me.”

  I grimaced at the thought of my little sister alone in the Big Apple and trying to duplicate scenes from Sex and the City. Throw in some blood and gore and it would be pretty accurate.

  Don’t think like that, I told myself. Don’t think at all. Just go there. Keep calling, keep trying. And go.

  And so I did. There was no way I was able to prevent Ada from going with me either and from the conviction in her face, I know she’d be stupid enough to try it alone. She was better off with me, even if I had no clue what I was about to do.

  While she packed in a whirlwind – I think, despite the dire circumstances, she was excited about going to New York for the first time – I called a cab and sent texts to Maximus, Rebecca and Dex. I knew the Dex one wouldn’t go through – normally I could tell when he read them and it wasn’t the case. I still watched with my breath in my mouth, hoping that he’d read my words.

  When I realized he wouldn’t, I put down the phone and closed my eyes.

  Dex! I yelled inside my head. It was a long shot, but I was still going to take it. Dex, can you hear me? I don’t know where you are or what’s going on but I know you need me. Michael, your brother, he’s not a good person and I’m scared for you. I’m coming to New York, hoping you’re there. I paused. I love you.

  Even in my head, it came out more like a whisper.

  I waited again, not knowing if he could hear me wherever he was, and if he could, if he would respond. But there was a void. There was nothing but the prickly grey behind my eyes and the sound of Ada running down the stairs.

  My heart never felt so empty.

  Ada put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. “Hey. We’re gonna get him back. He’s gonna be fine.”

  I looked at her and tried to draw in her strength. I nodded. “Cab will be here. Let’s go wait outside.”

  ***

  I’d never just shown up at an airport before and tried to buy a ticket for a plane. In fact, I don’t think I’d ever really bought a ticket for a plane in general. In the past, whenever I’d travel, it was always my parents who made the arrangements.

  Or Dex.

  I thought back to the first time I’d flown alone, when I was going down to meet him in Red Fox, New Mexico. It felt so long ago, not only with the passing of time but the passing of character. I was no longer that shy, insecure girl who stared adoringly at Dex and prayed that he felt the same thing for me as I did for him. Granted, I was still flawed, deeply and terribly, but when I looked back at how far I’d come, sometimes it was almost unbelievable.

  It wouldn’t have happened without him. I wouldn’t have become the person I was without him.

  I couldn’t lose him. I wouldn’t.

  I tried to keep those feelings at bay while the cab took us to the airport. Every moment I thought about Dex, every time I felt that rush of anxiety and pain, it was a moment taking me out of the game. I had to stay focused.

  Turns out, though, that you can’t just hop on a plane to New York. Well, you can - they took my money, after all. But we were put on standby, which didn’t help with my anxiety. While Ada took her time perusing the airport gift shops and snapping up bags of junk food and high fashion magazines, I started texting the crap out of Rebecca, Maximus and Dex again. I also started waiting for the dreaded phone call from my parents, the one they’d make once they realized everyone had suddenly disappeared. It would probably would have helped to have left a note, but what the hell would it have said anyway? Be right back, we’ve gone to New York because Dex was kidnapped by his long-lost brother whom we think
is in cahoots with Satan? Not that my parents would be terribly surprised at this rate.

  I thought back to my mom, about the medication I’d taken from her. I hadn’t meant to take it, just switch out a few pills and see what happened. But the pills were in the bottom of my purse and they were coming with me. I could no longer monitor her and see if she was experiencing anything, to see if she saw ghosts like I did. I could only hope that what I did would make her realize that I knew and that she needed to fess up to being just like Ada and me.

  Thankfully it didn’t take too long for us to get on standby, even though Ada had to occupy another seat further down the rows from me. She wasn’t too happy about that but at least she was seated next to a thin, anti-social looking woman. I was seated next to some fat business man who kept jabbing his elbows into me, taking up far more space than what was politely possible.

  It was just when everyone had boarded and the flight attendants started their safety demonstration that Rebecca called me. Even though the nearest attendant had just made a point about putting all phones in airplane mode, I quickly answered it.

  “Thank god,” I said into the phone.

  “Perry?” Rebecca asked. “I just got your text. What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, my voice shaking all over again. I was aware that bacon in a suit was looking at me with interest. I moved closer to the window, until I was smooshed up against it. “Dex…he’s gone. His brother appeared out of nowhere and I think he took him,” I whispered frantically into the phone.

  “Miss, you’re going to have to turn off your phone please,” I heard the flight attendant say.

  I looked over my shoulder at her and nodded. “Okay,” I said to her before I addressed Rebecca. “Rebecca, I have to go. I’m heading to New York with Ada.”

  “What?” she screeched.

  “I think that’s where Michael is taking Dex,” I said. “I’ll call you when we land, okay?”

  “Bloody hell, Perry,” she said. “What the hell is going on?”

  I bit my lip. “I wish I knew.”

  I quickly hung up just as the attendant came back the aisle again, her narrow eagle eyes on me.

  And my phone rang again.

  “Shit,” I said, fishing it out of the seat pocket and fumbling in the contained space. It was from Maximus.

  “Max!’ I cried out into the phone.

  “Perry, what’s wrong?” Strange to say, but it felt good to hear that familiar drawl of his.

  “It’s Dex, he’s in trouble” I said, now totally aware that not only was the guy next to me staring at me but the person on the aisle too. And the flight attendant was back.

  She pointed to the phone, her lips pinched together. “Miss please, you must –”

  I actually shushed her and went back to listening to Maximus who was saying, “You said Michael has him, are you sure? How is that possible?”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” I said quickly. “We’re on a plane to New York, me and Ada. Please, you’ve got to help us. I know you’re busy and all but I’m really fucking worried and I feel like this is much bigger than it seems.”

  “Miss,” the attendant snapped.

  “This is a matter of life or death!” I snapped right back, glaring at her. Every head on the plane turned to look at me. I heard Ada groan in the background, obviously embarrassed. I sounded like a crazy person but for once I knew I wasn’t.

  “Then it won’t make a difference if you’re removed from the plane or not,” she said. “Please shut down your phone or that’s exactly what will happen.”

  I sighed, knowing it was a losing battle. “I’ll call you when we land,” I told him before I hung up.

  I sat back in my seat in a huff as I put the phone in airplane mode. There had to be nothing worse than being out of contact for five hours when you were in the middle of telling someone something important. Actually, the only thing was worse was having to sit there and wait five hours until you could do anything to try and save the man you loved.

  That and have elbows jabbed into your boobs every five seconds.

  CHAPTER TWO

  We got to New York late, as was expected when you were on standby and flying from West to East. Luckily, NYC was the city that never sleeps and we were still running on time from three hours earlier. The minute Ada and I stepped off the plane and into JFK, we were jumping from nerves. After being accosted by several wannabe rapists that were pretending to be cab drivers, we got into a legit taxi and headed to the Big Apple, Ada practically hanging her head out the window in awe.

  It was odd to finally see the landmarks of the city up close and personal for the first time. Though I found myself marveling at the fact that I was there, I wasn’t enjoying any of it. How could I? I’d always imagined I’d see New York, but with Dex by my side – not going after Dex because I believed he was in danger.

  Oh Dex, where are you? I thought as I rested my head against the window and watched the landscape slid past into a mess of twinkling lights. How could everything have changed so fast?

  “Where are we going, by the way?” Ada asked, turning to face me, half of her hidden in the passing shadows.

  Before we left Portland, I quickly found a hotel for us to stay at for a few nights. It seemed clean and safe (and, like all other hotels in the city, expensive), which is all I needed at a time like this, but even though I gave the cabbie an address, I had no idea where in New York it was.

  “I don’t know,” I said.

  I caught the cabbie eying me in the rearview mirror. “Uptown, Westside,” he said in his thick accent.

  Normally I would have pretended to know where that was, just to save face, but I didn’t have it in me. Instead, Ada leaned forward in her seat and started talking the cabbie’s face off, seemingly delighted by our first “real” New Yorker. It should have annoyed me that she was acting like Dex’s life wasn’t at stake, but it didn’t. She was keeping me calm and sane, which in turn was keeping me focused.

  The thing was, there was no game plan. Once off the plane, I had called Maximus but once again it went to voicemail. I had a few voicemails of my own but they were from my parents. I’d checked, just in case they were from Dex or Max, but the minute I heard my mother’s shrill voice, I erased it. I knew I had to deal with it, but I just couldn’t, not until I had a plan.

  Now that I was in Manhattan, I was feeling rather stupid and unprepared. I had acted on impulse and impulse had brought me here with no plan at all and because of that, I had no idea whatsoever how we were going to find Dex.

  On the plus side, I knew we were in the right place. Whether Dex was here or not, I knew we were where we were supposed to be. I could feel it, deep inside my bones, like there was some truth at the center of my marrow. Underneath the flashy lights and the slick streets and the throngs of people passing in the warm night, there was an undertone to the city that reeked of madness.

  I’m sure it had nothing to do with New York itself. It was because I was here and so was something else. Something malicious and sinister, something black and oozing and hateful that clung to the legs of passerbys and on the side of the buildings and permeated the air. I couldn’t quite see it but I could sense it and whether it was a trick of the eye or the glare of the window, I could catch glimpses of this evil sticking in patches around me.

  Ada didn’t seem to notice at all. She was all wrapped up in the glitz and glamor, as any girl her age should be. But it didn’t stay that way for long.

  It turned out our hotel was located just off Broadway and a bit north of all the shows. If memory served me correctly, this was the neighbourhood that Jerry Seinfeld had lived in. The hotel was smaller and more posh than I had imagined, then again I was used to staying in motels with Dex, so what did I know?

  After checking-in, Ada and I got into the empty elevator. The hotel was quiet at this time of night. Our room was on the ninth floor and though it wasn’t the speediest elevator, it started to slow down around floor five.
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  Then it slowly came to a stop on floor six.

  Ada and I exchanged a glance. All the fine hairs at the back of my neck stood up and it wasn’t because I was afraid of an elevator malfunction.

  Something was on the other side of the elevator doors. Something I didn’t want to see.

  I swallowed hard and tried to calm my heart which started jumping about in my chest. My mouth was suddenly dry and I opened it, wanting to say something to Ada but not sure what to say. I wanted to warn her.

  But about what?

  The elevator doors groaned and slowly began to open, one two-inch crack at a time. At first I saw someone passing on the other side, a tall shadow, the white gleam of an all-seeing eye as it looked right at me, but as the doors opened wider, there was nothing there but the empty hallway.

  A shiver rocked through me. This was only the beginning.

  “That’s weird,” Ada said but her voice was nothing more than a ragged whisper.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, knowing that nothing was just weird when it came to me. Weird was what you called abnormal things when you were normal. Weird you could write-off. We couldn’t write-off any of this. There was no such thing as strange occurrences – everything had a purpose. Everything was very real and very dangerous. There was no way any of this was going to be easy.

  Thankfully, the elevator doors began to close and we were whisked up to our floor. Ada seemed to forget the “weird” incident the moment she saw our room. While it wasn’t very big – just a desk, a chair and two twin beds off of a tiny bathroom – it was very sleek and modern, the kind of pink and white scheme you’d see on any trendy show or in a magazine.

  My phone was dead so I started charging it while I tried to figure out what to do. I was just wondering what Maximus would suggest, when Ada started to strip down, her thin back to me in a rare show of modesty, and put on her pajamas.

  “What are you doing?” I asked her.

  “Going to bed?” she said questioningly.

  I threw out my arms in an exaggerated motion. “Now?”

  She frowned. “It’s 1AM.”