by Abigail Boyd
"I thought you said Lainey had something to do with it," Theo said. "I doubt she'd be creeping around Dexter. And it's not that far from her house, but last year she couldn't drive yet."
"I think she did have something to do with it, but I just haven't fit all the pieces together yet," I said.
"It did look like blood. It smelled like blood," Alex shivered. He looked at the fry he was about to consume, and dropped it like a bug onto the waxed paper on his tray.
"How do you know what blood smells like? Are you a vampire?" Henry asked irritatedly.
"No. I took a puck to the forehead a couple years ago playing hockey. And head wounds bleed like nothing else. And I remember that smell, even as it was drying, like metal and flesh. The whole room smelled like it."
That caused another curtain of silence to descend on us. I had the sense, not for the first time, that we were dealing with something much bigger and more complex than any of us realized.
"There used to be a symbol there. On the cement. It got washed away."
"How do you know that?" Henry asked.
"I was there, earlier this summer. Long story that you don't want to hear."
"So what, we're thinking we have a friendly devil worshiper in town, now?" Alex asked. I couldn't tell if he was skeptical or not, although he was definitely rattled. Alex had a tendency to get scared easily, anyway.
"I don't know. But remember last year, in History, when Warwick was talking about sacrifices and power? There's a reason they named this place Hell."
"He was washing something off the basement floor," Henry said, seemingly at random. All of us looked at him. "I mean Warwick. When Ariel and I found him in the basement, trying to get rid of the girls' bodies. He was scrubbing the floor. You remember that, Ariel?"
"That's right," I said, only now just remembering. "He had a bucket and a sponge. Whatever he was getting rid of he didn't want anyone to see."
"But the guy at the gas station where Jenna was last seen said two men," Theo interjected. "If one was Warwick, which is what we're all assuming, who would the other one be? The younger man?"
"I got it. Lainey in drag. Mystery solved," Alex said.
"Nobody comes to mind. But Warwick was popular enough, with so many students. It wouldn't have been that hard to find an accomplice," I said.
We talked a little bit more, but didn't come up with anything new. After a while, we were all tired, looking like we'd stayed up for days straight. Disposing of our cold, mostly uneaten food in the waste bins, Theo and Alex got their things together and went for the door.
"Are you coming?" Theo asked me quietly, shooting a glance filled with nuance at Henry.
"Yeah. Wait for me," I said.
Henry came up behind me. He was biting his lip, and gave me a shy smile. I knew I couldn't lead him on.
"I appreciate your help today," I told him. "But that's all this can be. You need to go back to your world now. I told you I could never be a part of it. Nothing has changed since Lainey's party."
He parted his lips to speak, but I shook my head. "Bye Henry," I said, and left him silent.
School was starting back up the next week. I couldn't believe that the summer, which had seemed at the beginning of the season to be so long, was already over. The weather was still balmy, though, but there were more overcast days that at least provided a break from the sun.
Claire took me school shopping, as usual. After so many emotional changes over the months, having Jenna back, it seemed so mundane and normal. I picked out random binders and pens, chucking them in the cart without much thought.
As for Jenna's necklace, it went into the white box that Eleanor's necklace had been in, before I lost it last year at the seance. There wasn't much that I could do with it, and having it out made me uncomfortable. There was a level of denial that I had to keep up to stay sane.
Theo and I went back and forth over whether we should go to the police. But how could I explain to them? Phillip Rhodes would murder me if he knew I had trespassed. And if he didn't, my parents surely would.
All signs, except for the necklace being at Lainey's, pointed to Warwick. He knew about the sacrifices beneath Hell, he knew about the Orphanage's dark past. And he was already in jail.
The necklace was the only loose end. But for now, I kept it away and chose not to think about it.
My sixteenth birthday arrived. Even though I had always thought Claire would insist on some big, unnecessary brouhaha, we decided instead on a subdued dinner at the Red Devil. It was more my style anyway. After Lainey's party, I would have been happy to have stayed at home.
Alex couldn't make it, so it was Theo, Lucy and Aunt Corinne, as well as my parents. Corinne spent most of the evening complaining about the spicy food, even though Hugh had warned her that the three chili peppers next to the entree she was picking meant it was hot.
"I like spicy foods, but not foods that make your eyes water," Corinne said, consuming another glass of water.
"Don't most genuinely spicy foods do that?" Hugh asked innocently. Claire smacked him with her napkin.
I opened a few presents. Most everyone had opted for gift cards this year. I had hoped in vain that I would be getting a set of keys, but Claire just happily handed me an envelope with a gift card to buy new school clothes.
"I know you're growing out of everything in your closet," she said cheerfully, completely oblivious to the fact that my face had fallen.
Theo gave me a gag gift of huge, dangly earrings. They had blown glass chili peppers on them.
"I thought you could wear those the first day of school," she said, giggling. "They'd go well with any outfit."
"Yeah, if you were colorblind," I said, giggling back. "I do believe you've found the tackiest pair of earrings in Michigan. Well done."
"Only the best for you, best friend," Theo said, grinning and pushing up her glasses.
It was a pleasant dinner, peaceful and simple. Hugh and Claire seemed to be getting along, even if it was just for my benefit.
"I've never seen so many birds," Corinne said later, when the waitress was bringing desert. I had forgotten about that particular problem, until I paid attention on the ride over. There were more than ever, on every lawn, mingling with the Halloween decor perfectly.
"People are talking about them now. They say you started a trend, Hugh," Lucy said. "I wish I'd made it to that stupid Hell Day now."
"No, you really don't," Claire said emphatically. "No one would listen to him."
She was one of the people who hadn't wanted to listen, but it wasn't my place to call her on that.
"There have been other towns with chemicals in the water, or air pollution," Lucy said. "I've been doing some research online."
"It's definitely not nothing," Hugh agreed. "And what really gets me is that they give the strong feeling that they know what it is. I understand that they're not ecologists, that they can only wield money. But why not put it where it matters?"
"It's bad energy," Corinne said, taking a sip of her third glass of wine. "Pure and simple."
Claire scoffed. "Of course."
"What else could it be, Claire?" Corinne spat, then seemed to reign herself in. She set the wine glass down. "Water contamination would make people sick. Bird flu would just kill the things. They're sensing that Hell is full of bad energy, and they're congregating over it."
"Well, it's living up to it's name then," Lucy said jovially. I could tell Corinne was making her nervous, and she'd scooted her chair over a little to get away from her. "I just don't appreciate all the poop on my car."
That made all of the adults at the table laugh. I didn't want to speak up and say I agreed with Corinne, even though I did. I didn't need those eyes all turned to me. At least Theo understood.
Corinne left first, as usual. Claire dove into her own glass of wine, kicking off her heels beneath the table, more relaxed now that her twin was gone. Hugh put his arm around the back of her seat, and she leaned back into it.
>
Lucy and Theo excused themselves a little while later, after another round of pleasant dinner conversation. Lucy had mostly focused on school, giving my parents a little insight into the administration's way of thinking. They pulled their chairs out, slipping their coats on.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow," Theo said.
"Ick. Don't say school," I said.
"Make sure you wear your gift, or I'll be totally heartbroken!" Theo said, not able to contain her giggling.
"Now I wouldn't want that," I said.
We waved goodbye to each other as she and Lucy left. The check came, and Hugh pulled out his credit card, handing it back to the waitress. Both of them were more at ease than I'd seen them in months.
"It's so weird being here now," Claire said, still leaning back against Hugh's arms. It was weird hearing my mother use that word. I chalked it up to her relaxed state.
"Why is that?" I asked. "We've been here a bunch of times."
"Oh, it's nothing," Claire said, looking guilty like she had said too much.
"Robert used to live here," Hugh said, taking his arm off the chair and straightening. "There are apartments in the back and above the restaurant. That's where he lived when they arrested him. We even visited him here a few times, but it was definitely a bachelor pad."
That made me shiver.
"He lived here?" I repeated.
"But don't worry, Ariel, it's not like he's ever coming back," Hugh said gently upon seeing the scared look on my face. The relaxed mood had been rippled by tension, as we gathered our coats and shuffled out.
Looking back, I thought back to last year, to the last time we'd been to Red Devil. I'd followed Principal McPherson down a hall in the back, and overheard him having a secret meeting. It reminded me of how suspicious we'd been of him last year, thinking he had something to do with the girls' disappearances.
Maybe he had.
My hopes were completely dashed when we arrived home. The only other car in the driveway was Claire's Ultima. I felt disappointed, realizing I'd been putting more stock into it than I'd thought.
"No car this time, huh?" I said as we took our styrofoam leftover boxes inside.
Hugh and Claire exchanged a glance, debating who should break the news to me.
"We just didn't think it was the right time," Claire said softly. Hugh opened the door and stood back so we could walk inside first.
"When will be the right time for me to have out of this noose? When I'm thirty?" I hadn't realized how angry I really was at being treated like a prisoner. But the more I thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. I hated having to be sneaky. And everyone else I knew my age was actually able to leave the house without it being a federal case.
"Ariel, really." Claire said, shaking her head. "You need to get ready for school tomorrow."
I stormed into the bathroom, and took a shower to calm down. The hot water was like tiny liquid bullets striking my skin.
When I got out, they had already gone to sleep. I rummaged around in the cupboards, and found an orange cupcake still in its cellophane package. I stuck a birthday candle from the junk drawer in between the white swirls. I lit it with a Bic I'd found among the junk.
Shutting off the lights, I took the cupcake downstairs with me, leaving the lights off until I got to my room. Balancing it carefully, I held it out in front of me. I pushed the door open with my foot. Jenna was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her flip-flops.
"Hey, Jenna." She didn't answer me. "Are you okay?"
She acted like she didn't hear me.
"Are you okay?" I repeated, goosebumps springing up on my arms.
Jenna slowly lifted her head, her pale eyes unfocused like she didn't recognize me. But a second later the fog cleared.
"Hey, dork. What's with the sweets?"
"It's my birthday," I told her, shutting the door behind me. I came in and sat beside her, careful to keep a foot of distance. "This is my super fancy cake."
"Now you're a big fifteen," Jenna said. "You're catching up to me."
I smiled sadly. I had always been a little younger than her and others in my grade, because of my late birthday. But now I was the age she had been went she went missing.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about hanging out with Lainey," she said softly. It was something we hadn't talked about in a while, and it caught me off guard. The little flame of the candle spluttered, sending a bead of pink wax running down to the frosting.
"Don't worry about it. It's all over now," I assured her. "The idea of being popular and going to expensive places; I understand the allure."
"You know I don't care about that stuff. It's not like I'm poor; if I wanted to go somewhere, I'd go. I just wanted to get my mom off my back."
"I was just telling Hugh and Claire the same thing," I agreed. I wanted to spill the drama at not getting a car, and possibly stuck in this house until old age. But of course, she still thought I had yet to take driver's training.
"I can't wait until we go to college, we'll have our whole future ahead of us," Jenna said.
I couldn't let her see me cry. But a lump rose in my throat, and I had to smile tightly to hold in my emotions. She had no future, there was nothing for her but being frozen here with me. And who knew how long that would even last?
"Blow out your candle and make a wish," Jenna said, smiling.
I blew the flame out, leaving us in darkness together.
CHAPTER 21
I WAS FULLY prepared for the first few weeks of school to be miserable. Especially with the mess that was the Henry situation, and the fact that I'd pissed off Lainey and ruined her party. She'd never been known to back out of retaliation.
But I just wanted to focus on my school work now. I was a junior. College and getting out of Hell were only two years off. I focused on having a future, because it could have been me that didn't.
I felt a tiny bit of closure for knowing what happened to Jenna. Even if it had been horrible, at least she couldn't remember. I still didn't understand why Warwick killed her. Maybe I never would.
The only loose end was her necklace, haunting me from its box. I'd take it out sometimes, fingering the tarnished, broke letters, then shove it away quickly so no one would see. During Government class, I found myself making a pros and cons list in my notebook, on whether the evidence pointed towards Warwick acting alone. I realized what I was doing and flipped away from the page shamefully.
It was funny how hardly anyone ever left Hell between school years. I watched the same people grow older every year, even though they didn't change all that much. The jocks were still the jocks, the losers found places in here and there in marching band or math club, but stayed quiet and off to the side.
I had more classes on the second floor this year, which was a hassle since I hated going back to my locker on the first floor every time I had to get a book. But it was a small price to pay, and at least the time between classes was a good ten minutes.
All of my teachers were decent, and I enjoyed every part of my AP classes. My English teacher was a bright, animated lady who loved to passionately read paragraphs aloud. She asked questions that actually made our cobwebbed brains think, and more than made up for the personality-free Mrs. Fellows last year.
Between classes in the second week, I was walking in the hall after lunch. I was running late, from getting caught up doing last-minute homework. Math had once again become a hassle for me, but I reasoned that if I really did badly, I would find a real tutor. One I didn't have a crush on.
I heard voices, arguing, as I came around the corner. The closer I got, the more familiar they sounded. Henry and Lainey were standing up against the lockers; engaged in a heated conversation. Their postures were aggressive, Henry standing several feet away from her. I ducked back around, not being able to help spying.
"Please don't tell. They can't know." Lainey pleaded. She was actually begging. Any minute I expected her to drop to her knees and clasp her hands.
I'd never heard her sound so desperate.
"I have to," Henry said. It was firm, but not unkind. "I can't go on pretending anymore. It's eating me up too much."
"Please, Henry! You can't embarrass me like that!" Lainey sounded so utterly human that I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. A tiny, miniscule amount, but still.
"I'm not trying to embarrass you, Lain. But I told you before the party that night. It's never going to be what you want it to be, and don't you want better for yourself, if nothing else?"
"You're all I want," she said pitifully. I thought, by the way she was sniffling, she might be crying. Her words were creating a knot in my chest.
I hated hearing her talk about him that way, when I had, and still sometimes did, feel the same. I didn't want to hear how he felt about her, either. I thought it might crush me if I had to witness some sappy declaration of love.
"It's over, okay?" Henry said flatly. "That's the end. Nothing you say is going to convince me otherwise."
Lainey let out a huffy, exasperated noise, and I heard her high heels clicking away down the hall. I peered around the corner, and Henry was leaning with both hands up against the lockers, looking down at the ground.
I walked over to him, way too curious, even as the final bell rang. Coming up with a tardy excuse was the least of my concerns.
"What was that all about?"
Henry actually jumped at the sound of my voice.
"Are you okay?" I asked. He shuffled over and without a word, grabbed my arm. Glancing around for onlookers, he dragged me into the door of an open, empty classroom, shutting it behind us.
"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked. "Controlling much?"
He put his finger to his lips. "Just hear me out for a minute, okay? Then you'll understand what you stepped into."
I set my books down on the nearest desk and crossed my arms over my chest. "Okay. Go on."
"You always wondered why I started dating Lainey so suddenly, right?"
"Yeah, you could say that. It completely threw me off." It had broken my heart, but he didn't need that kind of validation.
"It was bullshit, is what it was." Henry said, shaking his head in a self-effacing way. He sat back on one of the desktops, reminding me eerily of Warwick.
