by Lee Strauss
“He’s changed, Ben. People do change, you know.”
“Okay. Just checking in. If you ever have any trouble with him …” Ben punched an open palm with his fist. “You just let me know.”
I smiled. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
Ben got up to leave, and I stood to give him a quick hug. Ben had charisma that took up space and my room felt a little too empty and quiet when he left. I pulled out my calc notes and got to work on my assignment. I had a couple hours left before support group. There was no way I was going to miss out on going to it now.
28

Eliza
Eliza hadn’t fully recovered from her latest date with Zed. The confrontation with the strange guy who called her Lizzy took the wind out of her sails, and Zed never quite returned to his happy-go-lucky self afterward. Throughout their meal at Pizza Haven, Zed had glanced at her with thinly veiled suspicion. The accusation, unspoken or not, was outrageous. Zed was the first boyfriend she’d had in eons.
She was so bothered by Zed’s change of mood, she lost her appetite and could barely finish two slices. She pretended not to notice his despondency and tried to act like nothing was wrong, hoping Zed would snap out of it. He did lighten up as the evening progressed and even kissed her goodnight outside her dorm.
Everything would be okay.
Minji was in her dorm when she arrived, as per usual. Eliza didn’t think the girl ever left the room, an impossibility since she had to go to class sometime.
Minji sunk lower under her covers as Eliza closed the door and got ready for bed. Eliza was angry with her roommate and didn’t offer her a general cheery hello like she usually did. Minji’s dark eyes closed to near slivers, shadow by hatred for Eliza.
Or was that fear?
Eliza didn’t care. It’d be good for Minji to be afraid of her after pulling a stunt like that. She was lucky that Eliza wasn’t the violent type who held a grudge.
Eliza grabbed her own book and started reading. Minji turned out her light. Eliza didn’t relax until she heard the soft snoring coming from Minji’s side of the room.
Oh no! Eliza was late for support group. She’d forgotten! Where were her clothes? Why didn’t she have any clothes? She searched her closets and every drawer. Empty! Was it laundry day? She’d just have to go in with what she was wearing now. She ran through a thickness that felt like mercury, out of breath by the time she got to the basement door of the administration building. She turned the knob, but it was locked. She knocked and listened for footsteps. Please someone, open the door. It’s cold outside.
Jamil responded to her knocking. He looked angry.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
He turned his back to her. “You’ll pay for that.”
“What do you mean, I’ll pay?”
“No one is late and gets away with it, Lizzy.” He turned to face her, his eyes an otherworldly yellow. Eliza screamed.
She blinked and spun around feeling discombobulated.
Where was she?
She rubbed her arms in the late-night chill, her attention drawn to her pajama-clothed body and bare feet. Why was she outside in the middle of the night?
Last Eliza remembered, she’d been reading a book in bed. Now she stood in front of the darkened admin building, illuminated by a ghostly dim streetlight.
Then she knew.
She’d been sleepwalking again.
29

Sage
Support group was bare bones. Just Jamil, Mike, Dr. Parker and me. I wondered about Eliza. She was probably out with Zed. A person could ride the high that came with entering a new relationship for a long time. Or maybe she questioned the value in attending this support group. It had a bad death rate.
Dr. Parker conducted the meeting like it was a full house. We sat in the usual but increasingly small circle. I’d grown accustomed to the musky basement smell mixed with weak coffee coming from the urn on the side table. I’d become too suspicious to fill a Styrofoam cup and drink it like I usually did, but the others in attendance didn’t seem to mind. We all took turns talking about our week and how we felt about the rowing deaths. Jamil and Mike had surprisingly little to say about them.
As per usual, Dr. Parker offered help in the form of his gel pills and we all accepted a small portion. I took mine back to my room, but tossed them into the drawer. I needed to keep a clear head and saturating myself with drugs was probably not a good idea. I just hoped I’d get to sleep all right.
I slept surprisingly well, all things considered, only waking once or twice during the night. I felt groggy, even after a coffee and muffin, but I wrote it off as pill withdrawal. My brain didn’t like being sober. Eliza had arrived to our chem class before me, and I took the seat beside her.
“Hi,” I said as I unloaded my books onto my side of the table.
“Hello.”
“Missed you at support group last night.”
“Yeah, well I meant to go, but then I fell asleep.”
“I hear you. I’m exhausted all the time.”
Eliza leaned over and whispered, “Can I tell you something? In confidence?”
I whispered back, “Sure.”
“Sometimes I sleepwalk. Like last night, my subconscious must have known I was sleeping through support group. I dreamed I was late for it and I hurried outside to get there, even though I was wearing my pjs. I knocked on the door …”
“And?”
“Well…” Eliza paused, and I got the impression she was going to edit the next part. “The group had ended. Then I woke up to find myself outside of the admin building in the middle of the night.”
I tried to hide my surprise. “It’s scary, I know. I’ve been sleepwalking on occasion as well.”
“Do you know if the police are involved in the drownings?”
I blinked at her sudden change of subject. “They know about them, but I don’t know what they are doing as far as an investigation is concerned.”
Eliza moved even closer to me. Her lavender body spray was strong and I had to hold my breath to keep from coughing.
“I’ve dreamed about the drownings,” she said. “I dreamed about Lindsey walking into the canal before she actually did.”
I pulled back and stared into her hazel eyes. She was dreaming about the drownings too? With Marlow and me, that made three of us. I wondered if there were more.
“You know, Eliza, you’re not the only one who’s had those dreams. I have them too.” I didn’t think it was necessary to tell her about Marlow’s dreams.
Eliza’s mascara-free lashes fluttered. “Really?”
“Yeah. Marlow and I are asking around.”
She twisted a blond curl that had escaped the tie at the back of her neck around her index finger. “What have you found out?”
“Nothing really, yet, but I think we’re getting closer.”
“You’ll tell me if you find out anything?”
For some reason I didn’t feel right about bringing her into our investigation. I hesitated before saying, “Sure.” It was a white lie.
30

Marlow
Something bothered me about Sage’s support group. The odds that two members would each drown themselves on separate occasions and that two other members of the group were associated with the two rowers who’d died were crazy. The coincidence was too great to ignore. It was an impulsive move on my part to seek out Dr. Parker.
I found him in his office, a small bland room with shelves full of books and not one personal photo. He sat behind a plain desk with nothing but a computer monitor and keyboard on top. He had thinning hair combed off his face and behind his ears. He wore wire-rimmed glasses, a beige buttoned-up cardigan and dark brown corduroy pants. He looked up at me from his seat behind his desk and examined me with bright blue eyes.
“Hello, Dr. Parker,” I said. “I hope it’s okay that I dropped by without an appointment.”
He te
nted fingers over his small belly. “I suppose that depends on what you want.”
“I’ve heard you lead a support group, and I’d like to join.”
“I see.” He motioned to the empty chair facing his desk. “Have a seat.”
“I’ve been feeling really heavy lately,” I continued. I postured myself with turned-in shoulders, clasped my hands on my lap and pulled my lips into a frown. “Not sure if it’s depression or if I’m still grieving the death of my father.”
My father wasn’t dead, but he might as well be. He left my mother and me when I was three and neither of us had a clue where he was. Actually he could be dead. I had no way of knowing. The thought didn’t make me feel bad at all.
Dr. Parker tugged on his cardigan and leaned back in his cheap black office chair. “How did you hear of our group?”
“My friend Sage Farrell told me.”
“Ah, Sage. Nice girl. Quite troubled, though.”
Was it weird that he’d talk about another student, a patient really, that way? I decided to probe him with the only other female group member still alive. “And also Eliza. She’s my roommate’s girlfriend.”
Dr. Parker jerked upright at that.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, just I didn’t realize Eliza had a boyfriend. She’s never mentioned anyone special.”
“Well, it’s a fairly new relationship.”
Dr. Parker settled back in his chair and smoothed the emotion from his face. “Of course. It’s normal for young people to couple up.”
Right. I took note that he didn’t comment on Eliza’s troubled state.
“Are you the only one who leads the group?” I asked.
“At the moment, though I’m rather busy now that rowing season has started.”
I perked up. “Rowing season?”
“Yes. I substitute for the coach. He’s having family problems, so I’m there more than usual this year.”
My heart beat in double time. Dr. Parker was the common denominator with all the victims. He must be responsible. The question was how was he doing it? I absolutely had to join the group now.
“Yeah, so my dad. We were really close, y’know, and I just can’t keep him out of my head.” I lowered my gaze to my hands trying to make myself look as pathetic as possible. “Sometimes I feel like killing myself just so we could be together again.”
Dr. Parker cocked his head with interest. He obviously enjoyed the macabre.
“What did you say your name was again?”
“Marlow Henry.”
Dr. Parker flashed a creepy smile. “Welcome to the group, Marlow.”
31

Sage
I debated internally whether or not I should contact Marlow about Eliza’s disclosure. I wanted to, but Marlow was so antsy, his attitude toward me so unpredictable, that I didn’t want to get into it with him. But by the time I got back to my dorm, the urgency to share the news about Eliza’s dreams grew. The information was too intriguing. A little awkwardness between friends couldn’t stop me from my giving Marlow a call.
I was exhausted after a full day of classes yet I sped walked to my room. The door was locked, and I jiggled my key to open it. It was quiet and empty, and I was happy to see that Nora was out. It was a strange response since Nora was my friend and I didn’t exactly have that many at the moment. Even though I’d hoped they wouldn’t, things had changed when she started dating Teagan’s former beau.
I fished my cell out of my purse and dialed Marlow’s number. It went to voice mail and I left a tantalizing message: “I’ve got interesting news, Mars. Call me.”
Maybe he was studying and had his ringer off. I pulled up our chat room.
@mathmatters to @averagegeek99: Are you there?
@mathmatters: Mars?
He could be in a late class.
@mathmatters: I had an interesting convo with your roommate’s girlfriend. Regarding the drownings. Call me when you get this.
I felt woozy and grimy and decided to jump into the shower. I scrubbed my hair with fruity shampoo, shaved my underarms and legs, scrubbed my feet. Afterward I dressed in clean jeans and a loose-fitting cotton top. I felt refreshed and ready to take on whatever the evening might pose.
My phone rang as I combed out my hair. I rushed to answer it, and assuming it was Marlow, I didn’t check the ID.
“Marlow?”
There was quiet at the other end and then, “No, it’s Tristan. Your boyfriend.”
“Oh, hi there.”
“Why did you think I was Marlow?”
I pinched my eyes together, regretting I had to lie to him. Why didn’t I check the ID? “I need some notes I missed, and I left a message for him to send them to me.”
“So why would he have to call you back? He’d just email you the notes, right?”
Right. More lies needed. “They’re handwritten.”
Tristan scoffed loudly. “He actually handwrites his notes? He’s a nerd.”
Irritation ran prickly tendrils under my skin. “He’s not a nerd. He’s smart.”
“Not smart enough to know how to scan handwritten notes, apparently.”
“Tristan, what’s the matter with you?”
He sighed. “I’m sorry. I miss you and it irks me when you’re spending time with other guys.”
“I told you, he’s just a friend.”
“I doubt he looks at you that way.”
“Seriously? Are you saying you don’t have any friends that are girls?”
He chuckled. “Maybe, except girls never want to be just friends with me.”
My annoyance popped. “I’m happy to.”
“No you’re not. I know you’re into me, Farrell. Meet me at Pizza Haven, okay? My treat.”
My stomach gurgled at the mention of food. Still, I was put off at his territorial stance. “I don’t know. I have a lot of studying to do.”
“Come on, Sage. Just for an hour? Please? Don’t you miss me at all?”
I softened and acknowledged that I did miss him. “Yes, of course I do. Okay, I’ll come.”
“Great. Seven?”
“I’ll see you there.”
I did a bunch of homework and then got ready to head out to Pizza Haven, pulling my hair back and putting on makeup. I even added a pair of silver earrings. Tristan liked pretty girls, so I wanted to put my best foot forward.
Nora came home just as I was leaving. “Hey,” I said. “I’m meeting Tristan for pizza. Do you want to come with?”
“Jake’s coming over in half an hour, so, thanks, but I have to pass.” She tossed her purse on her bed and headed for the bathroom. “Have fun and say hi to Tristan for me!”
“Will do.”
Tristan had a car and could’ve picked me up, but the bus stopped right in front of the restaurant, so my taking it was no big deal. He was there when I arrived and greeted me with a boisterous kiss that caused his friends to hoot and holler. I felt my face heat up with a blush.
“Nice to see you too,” I said taking the empty chair beside him. Tristan made quick introductions.
“Brad, Carlos, Charlie.” Though never formally introduced, I had seen them around campus. Interestingly, they hadn’t been in Tristan’s circle the first time we’d dated.
“Hi.”
They ordered a round of beers, but I told Tristan I wanted a pop.
“Are you sure?” He nudged me with his shoulder. “A nice cold beer goes perfect with pizza.”
“So does a nice cold Pepsi.”
He smirked. “But a beer will loosen you up.”
“I’m loose.”
“Sage, if you were an old-fashioned clock, you couldn’t wind the key a notch more.”
“Fine, I’ll take a beer.”
I ordered a four-cheese pizza, half-expecting a lecture on how I needed to eat more meat and should order pepperoni, but Tristan moved on to other subjects besides me and my uptightness. I’d finished one piece, half-following the conve
rsation that rotated between politics and the current hot female celebrity when I heard Marlow calling my name.
“Man, Sage, you are hard to get a hold of.” My eyes cut from Marlow to Tristan and back.
“I’m hard to get a hold of? I’ve left you messages everywhere.”
“I got your messages, but you aren’t answering your phone.”
I wiped the grease off my hands and pulled my cell out of my purse, fully feeling the heat of Tristan’s disapproving stare.
“Damn. I must’ve accidentally turned the ringer off.” And I’d gotten so lost in my math assignment, I’d forgotten to check the chat forum.
“Just scan your notes, dude,” Tristan said with a steely glare, “and email them to her.”
Marlow blinked like he’d only just registered Tristan’s presence. Of course he had no idea what Tristan was talking about.
I patted Tristan’s leg. “It’s fine. I’ll just be a minute.” I jumped up from my chair before Tristan could protest and walked with Marlow outside.
“What’s going on?” Marlow asked.
“Eliza talked to me in our chem class this morning. She told me she’s having dreams about people drowning in the canal. Before they do, just like us.”
Marlow touched my arm. “Really?”
“I told her I was having them too, but I didn’t tell her about you.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I was just so blown away. I did tell her you were helping me look into things.”
“This is very intriguing.” He rubbed the five o’clock shadow on his jaw. “Another connection. Another clue.”
“But what does it mean?” I asked “What connection do you and I have with her?”
“Well, she’s dating my roommate, and she’s in your support group.”
True.
“Could you arrange for both of us to talk to her?” Marlow added. “I mean, she could be in danger. You were lured to the canal. She might be next.”
