by Lee Strauss
I hadn’t thought about that. I’d hate for something awful to happen to her after she’d confided in me like that.
“I’ll call her now and let you know what she says. If I don’t get a hold of her, then maybe you can contact her through Zed.”
“It’s a plan.”
“I better get inside before Tristan blows a fuse.”
Marlow’s lips tugged down. “What’s his problem anyway?”
I half-smiled. “He’s jealous of you.”
Marlow’s frown flipped into a full grin. “Cool.”
I grinned back and waved as I walked back inside. “Talk to you later, Mars.”
Tristan’s eyes were narrow and dark with suspicion. “Did you resolved the notes problem?”
“Yup,” I said lightly. I smiled sweetly and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. Tristan was my boyfriend and I liked him a lot, but I didn’t feel like I could tell him about my dreams or my connection to the drownings. I’d sound crazy. He didn’t manage my craziness after Teagan died, so I couldn’t imagine him being cool with this.
His face lit up until I started punching numbers in my phone. “Are you calling Marlow?”
“No. I’m calling someone else who needs the notes.”
He cocked his head. “Another guy?”
His jealousy was kind of cute. I patted his arm. “A girl. Her name is Eliza.”
When Eliza didn’t answer, I texted her about arranging a meeting. Then I texted Marlow to talk to Zed.
Tristan relaxed when I finally put my phone away and started in on my pizza and beer. The beer wasn’t exactly cold and refreshing anymore, but it was wet. Tristan insisted on driving me home after dinner, and we made out in his car until the windows were completely fogged up. He started to unbutton my jeans, and I placed a hand over his, stopping him.
He looked at me with hooded eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just, I have an early morning.” And I felt too old to be having sex in a car. That was what high school kids did. “I should go.”
Tristan breathed in long and hard. “Okay. But just so you know, you’re on my list of things to do.” He laughed at his own innuendo.
I gave him one last long kiss and pulled myself away, straightening my shirt as I headed for the front door. It was late and I was tired. It didn’t even cross my mind to take a gel pill.
I dreamed about Eliza, walking like a zombie into the canal, and I woke with a gasp. My hand shook as I grabbed my phone. I almost called Marlow, then decided to text. I didn’t want to wake him up.
Sage: I dreamed that Eliza walked into the canal.
His return text came a moment later. A cool shiver snaked along my spine.
Marlow: Me too.
32

Marlow
I flung myself out of bed, dressed and headed out the door with Zed’s bike lock key in my hand. It occurred to me belatedly that maybe I should’ve woken him—Eliza was his girlfriend—but it would’ve taken too much time to explain.
I pedaled hard, hoping I would beat Sage to the dock even though her dorm was closer. We ended up arriving at the same time, dropping our bikes as we scanned the dock and pathway along the canal.
Sage called out, “Eliza?”
I ran onto the dock and examined the surface of the water for telltale air bubbles. That was how I’d found Sage, but there were none.
“She’s not here,” I said.
We both took a moment to catch our breath and embrace our relief.
“When I dreamed about Lindsey, she didn’t drown until the next night.”
I nodded. “The dreams are premonitory, but the timeframes aren’t always the same. Just because she’s not here tonight doesn’t mean she’s out of trouble.”
“I know, but what can we do? We can’t watch her 24/7.”
“Maybe we should tell Zed,” I said. “He could help us watch her.”
“If we do, we’d have to tell him the whole story.”
“I think it’s time for that.”
We rode back to our dorms at a much slower pace. I waited outside Sage’s dorm until she’d finished locking her bike and was safely inside.
I slept in the next day and missed another class, and with everything that was going on, I found it difficult to concentrate on the lectures I did go to. I was going to have to pull up my socks to get decent grades this semester.
I couldn’t wait for support group to start so I arrived early. For a group that focused on raising the spirits of its members, a more depressing spot could not be chosen. The room had high, narrow, grungy windows that shed very little natural light. The room, which didn’t look like it had been painted, or, for that matter, cleaned, in a decade, smelled off. The carpets had more than a few coffee stains.
Dr. Parker was there, filling up a Styrofoam cup with coffee. Today his cardigan was blue.
“Hello, Marlow,” he said when he saw me standing awkwardly by the door. “Come in! Help yourself to a coffee.”
I put on a melancholy expression and walked with slumped shoulders. “Thanks, Dr. Parker. I will.”
The coffee was weak and tasted like dishwater, and I hated fake creamer. It was a good prop, though, and I carried it to one of the chairs that formed a small circle in the middle of the room.
The silence was uncomfortable and I wondered if I were going to be the only attendee. Why had I come so early?
Dr. Parker cast a curious glance at me over the top of his wireframes. I averted my eyes, playing the nervous role that honestly wasn’t an act. Dr. Parker could very well be the brains behind this string of homicides and I didn’t exactly like the fact that I was in a basement room alone with him. Cement walls would buffer my screams, and the windows were too high and too narrow to escape through. Had Dr. Parker slipped behind me and locked the door? Was that why no one else had arrived?
I jiggled my knees and accidentally sloshed my coffee, adding my contribution to the carpet spots. I made furtive glances at the doctor, trying to estimate if I could take him in a fight. I had youthfulness on my side, but he had at least a couple decades of devious plotting on me. He could have a needle stashed nearby to stab me in the neck with, or maybe the coffee was poisoned? He could’ve slipped something into the urn after taking his own coffee, luring me to believe the drink was safe.
I almost jumped when the door creaked and Jamil and Mike walked in. They both shot me a look that moved from startled to suspicious.
“Hello, Jamil. Hello Mike,” Dr. Parker said. “Please welcome the newest member of our group—Marlow. Marlow, this is Jamil and Mike.”
“Yes, we know each other,” I said. “Hi, guys.”
Dr. Parker’s blond eyebrow arched. “Oh? How do you know each other?”
I shrugged. “Just from around campus.”
Jamil’s brow ring jumped. “Yeah, just from around,” he said.
He and Mike took seats across the circle from me. Eliza arrived moments later. I was really happy to see her alive and well, but I held onto my sad countenance.
The pitch of Eliza’s voice raised a tone. “Marlow?” Her jaw dropped in bewilderment.
“Sage told me about the group. I’ve been feeling …” I shot a look across to the circle and met Mike’s skeptical gaze. “I’ve been feeling out of it. I thought this group might help me.”
Eliza sat between the doctor and me. “Oh, I’m sure it will.” Then she shocked me by flinging her arms around my neck. Good thing my coffee cup was half empty or I would’ve spilled again.
She proclaimed, “I’m so happy you came!” I didn’t miss Dr. Parker’s glare of disapproval. I gently pushed her away.
“Thanks, Eliza.”
Sage was standing next to me when I looked up and I jerked with surprise. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
I suspected Sage might arrive, though I’d hoped with everything else going on that she had concluded that this group was a bad idea. I should’ve worked harder to nail this
point home, but with Tristan demanding so much of her time, the opportunity just hadn’t presented itself.
Her beautiful brown eyes narrowed to angry slits. “What are you doing here?”
“Now, now, Sage,” Dr. Parker said. “Take a seat. We’ll do proper introductions and Marlow can tell us his story.”
On a scale of one to ten, with one being depressed, I gave this gathering a negative five. Man, this group must rock!
Actually, Eliza seemed to be on the chipper side and grinned at me often. I really hoped she wasn’t flirting. I’d hate to have to break it to Zed.
The doctor spoke with a smooth, controlled voice. “Marlow, would you like to share with the group?”
“Ah, sure.” I spun the same story about my dad dying that I’d given Dr. Parker the day before. The only ones to show any expression were Eliza—pity, and Sage—disbelief. I made sure to include the part where I sometimes wished I would die so I could be reunited with my father.
“I actually envy the guys who walked into the canal without a struggle. It must’ve been such a peaceful way to go.”
I couldn’t miss Sage’s wide-eyed look of horror from my peripheral vision. She kicked me with her foot and whispered, “Marlow!”
“I’m sorry I never shared this with you before, Sage. But this is a confidential group and I just need to get it off my chest. I’m exhausted.”
I caught Mike and Jamil sharing a look. I wondered if I’d oversold myself or if they took the bait.
Dr. Parker did his part. At the end of the meeting he opened the locked box on his desk and handed me my first dose of the little gel pills along with his spiel on how this a new drug, Valitasipam, was just approved by the FDA.
Sage and I left together and walked away in silence. She had her arms crossed and her cute chin jutted out. I didn’t need a 4.0 to figure out that she was pissed.
“I was going to tell you about my plan,” I started.
“But?” she probed.
“Well you’re not exactly accessible lately.”
“I saw you last night!”
“It wasn’t the right time, and honestly it slipped my mind. Eliza was the only thing I could think of.”
“An just what did you hope to accomplish by your performance in there, besides getting yourself killed?”
“I’m hoping to keep you from getting killed.”
Sage blinked and I quickly added. “And Eliza. Sage, someone in that room is a villain and I had to get his eyes off you guys and onto someone else.”
“So you’re a hero now?” Sage’s eyes were bright with fury. I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning. She was so damn cute when she was angry.
“I’m not a hero. I just wanted to throw a wrench into things. Throw them off their game.”
“By walking into the canal and drowning? Because, damn it, Marlow, that’s what’s going to happen.”
I grabbed her shoulders and spoke soothingly. “No, it won’t happen, because you will save me.”
She jerked out of my grip and slapped me across the face. I supposed I had that coming.
33

Dr. Parker
Dr. Edward Parker closed the door to his office after the support group disbanded and stepped to the locked cabinet behind his desk. Crouching low, he used the key he kept in his pocket and unlock the door. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey and groaned as he stood, holding the ache in his back with his free hand. Getting old was for the birds. He poured a shot into a spotted glass and took a drink, neat, and exhaled as the golden spirits bit the back of his throat.
He returned to his chair and put his feet up on the desk, crossing them at his ankles. He lifted the glass to his lips once again and pondered the newest member of the group and the conversation he’d had with him the day before. It interested him that this Marlow Henry had brought up his friendship with Eliza. Dr. Parker had noticed that the boy’s eyes had darted to the girl several times at the meeting. It didn’t surprise him that Marlow was interested in her. Lizzy was intriguing. Beautiful and alluring in a bohemian way. Her skin was silky soft and she smelled wonderfully fresh like a field of lavender. His loins heated up at the thought of her.
Dr. Parker knew he was treading through dangerous waters. He could lose his job. But this brilliant girl, broken in so many ways, was simply irresistible.
Plus, she was wonderfully discreet. Never once did she ever slip up in the support group. She never once cast a telling glance his way or accidentally called him by his first name. It was like Eliza and Lizzy were two different people. Eliza was so sensible and caring. Lizzy was wild and sensual. He’d really hate to see her go.
34

Sage
Public displays of affection were commonplace on campus. Kissing was a personal and intimate affair, and I always glanced away when I spotted a couple locking lips; I couldn’t help but feel like I was a peeping tom spying on a private moment. You couldn’t always dodge young lovers walking ahead of you on a warm spring afternoon, hand in hand, especially when they happened to stop suddenly to kiss and giggle.
Like Zed and Eliza were doing right now in front of me. If I hadn’t had my head up, I would’ve run into them. Instead of averting my eyes and stepping on the road to get around them like I usually would, I ducked behind a tree and watched.
They were awkwardly attractive. He, with his messy hair under a droopy gray knit cap, and she with wildly curly blond hair pulled back into a short, poofy ponytail. She wore a billowy skirt that ended at her knees and her trademark army boots. Zed was cupping her face as Eliza gripped the back of his neck. He had to bend his knees a little and tilt his head to reach her lips as she pushed up on her toes. The way Zed stared at her when he pulled back sent shivers up my spine. The guy was clearly smitten.
They made a cute couple.
It made me think of Tristan, and I tried to remember the last time we’d engaged in a little PDA. It’d been a while. I imagined we looked awkward because of our height differences as well. I was taller than Eliza, but Tristan was taller than Zed. Did people stop to stare at us too? Did Tristan ever look at me the way Zed looked at Eliza?
I couldn’t recall. Tristan would grin like he couldn’t conceal the fact that he liked to kiss me, but he’d probably look like that with any girl. The little pit in my gut knew it was more about the kiss for Tristan than the person he was kissing.
I scooted across the road before Zed and Eliza caught me staring. I was happy for them. I wished them well.
And they made me curious. I suddenly wanted to know more about the both of them. I could ask Marlow about Zed, but Eliza was trickier. We’d gotten together a couple of times outside of class and support group, but even though she was friendly, she was always guarded. Outgoing yet private. There was nothing wrong with being a private person. I was a private person.
That didn’t stop me from heading to Eliza’s dorm. I wanted to meet her roommate. Eliza had mentioned her on several occasions, and though she never came right out and said anything mean about Minji, her words were always sprinkled with disdain.
One thing Eliza had said about her was how, except to go to class, she never left their dorm room. I counted on that now and was rewarded.
Minji was slight in build with long, shiny black hair and dark-chocolate eyes. She eyed me suspiciously through a narrow crack in her door. “Eliza’s not here.”
I put on a friendly smile. “Actually, I was hoping to talk to you.”
Her dark lashes fluttered. “Me? Why?”
“I just want to ask you a few questions. About Eliza.”
Minji opened the door and stepped backward cautiously. “Is she in trouble?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “But she might be. I was hoping you could help.”
Minji crossed slender arms over her chest and cast her gaze to the floor. She was really quite a pretty girl, and I wondered if she was as unsociable as Eliza made her out to be. She seemed nervous wit
h me in the room.
“What do you want to know?” she asked with a slight accent.
“How long have you known Eliza?”
“Just since the start of spring semester. Her roommate had moved out and I’d just arrived after spending a year in South Korea with my grandparents, so I was given the vacant bed.”
“Do you guys get along?”
Minji narrowed her eyes. “I suppose. We don’t hang out or chat or anything like that.”
“How come? I’d imagine you’d be lonely for friends, especially starting mid year.”
“I am lonely, but not enough to hang out with her.”
“Why? What’s wrong with her?”
“She’s…” Minji paused. “Strange.”
“Strange how?”
“It’s hard to explain. She’s very moody and unpredictable. I used to try to talk to her, but she’d get so angry I was afraid she might hit me. Sometimes her eyes get this glazed look, and she mutters to herself like a crazy person. If I try to talk to her, she ignores me. It’s like I’m invisible. Now I just stay out of her way.”
Minji’s account of Eliza confused me. I’d never seen Eliza lose her temper or act like she was incoherent.
Either Minji was fabricating a story or she was telling the truth. Why would Minji lie? What could she possibly have against Eliza that she would spin tales? It didn’t make sense that she would turn against the one person who could be the friend she obviously needed and wanted, especially since she’d only known Eliza for a short while.
I didn’t want to believe her but there was something in Minji’s eyes that made me doubt myself.
She was afraid.
35

Marlow
I just had to accept that Sage and I weren’t meant to be, at least not as anything more than friends. If that was all I would ever have with her, then it was better than nothing at all. The fact was that we had a connection. Not a romantic one, obviously, but something. There was a reason I’d gotten to know versions of her in alternate realms and a reason we were now linking through our dreams. We were friends and colleagues working together to solve the mystery before us.
