The Secret

by A. Taylor, Taryn

  Reed pointed at me. “I wanted to text you all, but he wouldn’t let me.”

  I spotted Lanie and Sam sitting next to each other. The bottom of my stomach clenched. I flung the fridge open, pulled out a water, and guzzled it back. I ignored Lanie and turned to Marsha, plugging into her anger. “Think I’m in charge of Hulk here?” I glared at Reed. “Did you ever think that maybe he’s just tired of you? Maybe he wants to just live his life and forget about the past?”

  Marsha’s eyes immediately glistened with tears and I knew I’d crossed a line. But I didn’t care. I started out of the kitchen and turned toward the stairs.

  Reed’s whole body tensed and I knew I would pay later. He went to Marsha. “That’s not true. Come here, baby.”

  Marsha collapsed into him. “Don’t tell me it’s no big deal. I’ve lost too many people. Too many people that I loved. Do you understand that? I’ve been going crazy all afternoon and…” She broke off and a sob came out of her.

  I stopped walking and turned around. Marsha didn’t deserve my crazy anger.

  Reed wrapped his arms around her and brushed his hand down her hair. “Shh. I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry.” He snarled at me. “You’re so dead.”

  Nothing undid Reed like a girl’s tears—especially Marsha’s.

  Marsha’s grief seeped through my anger and had a somewhat calming effect on me. I closed my eyes. “That wasn’t true, Marsha. I’m sorry.”

  “Is that what you want, Jake? To be done?” Lanie’s voice was soft and I tried to construct walls against the mixed emotions of anger and despair that pushed at me.

  I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t.

  Lanie walked around the couch. “Jake, talk to us. What’s wrong?”

  An overwhelming concern and warmth washed into me like the heat from a fire.

  I threw up another wall between us and gave her an apathetic nod. “I’m fine.”

  Sam moved around the couch and stood next to Lanie.

  I didn’t hide the way I looked him up and down. I knew I’d given him a perfect in with Lanie. I knew that. And my lack of attention toward her had encouraged him…but that didn’t mean I didn’t want to rip him apart.

  Lanie took a few steps forward and reached out to me. “Jake—”

  I stepped back and noticed my hand was trembling. “Don’t.”

  Sam put his hands in the air. “What’s going on, Jake?”

  “Don’t talk to me, Sam.” The way he treated me…like I was about to explode, like I was a child about to have a tantrum…made me want to explode.

  Sam shook his head. “I’m just trying to help you.”

  I stood up straighter and clenched my fists. “You want to help me, Turner? I never thanked you for the last time you helped me. How about we take it outside?” I started moving toward the deck.

  “Wait.”

  I turned around and Rob stood up. Karen looked at me like I was a crazed maniac.

  And that’s how I felt.

  “What?” I threw my hands up in the air. “You waited all night for us to get back. Why? What’s the point? Is this some sort of intervention?”

  Rob frowned and I could tell he wasn’t impressed with my behavior. “Actually, this has nothing to do with you, Jake. Did you ever stop to think that not everything is about you?”

  I tucked my tongue inside my cheek. No. I hadn’t stopped to think about that.

  “Mr. Drake told us something today.”

  My adrenaline was on overdrive. “Okay…”

  “Tim saw Molly last night.”

  I stumbled back; the room tilted beneath me. That had not been what I was expecting. I couldn’t get my balance and fell straight to the floor.

  Sam was beside me and reached out a hand. “You okay, Jake?”

  I was halfway between my back and a sitting position. I ignored his hand and shook my head, pushing myself back up. “I’m fine.”

  Sam stepped back. “Tim won’t talk about it. He says Molly told him not to tell anyone.” Sam let out a breath and motioned to the others. “They think we might be able to talk to him…you and me. Or, at least sense his emotions. We need to team up.”

  Lanie

  Every piece of Mr. Drake’s living room stood at attention like chess pieces waiting to be told where to move next—perfectly aligned and pristine. Mr. Drake had really always been one of Nicholi’s pawns. I looked around at the large family photos dotting the walls—Tim’s school pictures, family vacations; it all looked so normal. But I knew Mr. Drake would pack it up in a second and run if he thought it would keep Tim safe.

  None of us sat in the furniture. Mr. Drake ushered us in and gave us strict orders that we shouldn’t do or say anything about that night in the cave to upset Tim. The only thing he had said was that he’d seen Molly. But nothing else. And it wasn’t like they could really take him to a professional counselor.

  Sam stepped forward and shrugged. “I have to touch his face if I’m going to get a good gauge of what’s going on in his head. How do you want to do that?”

  Sam wore a white T-shirt and khaki shorts. He had on what reminded me of a Hawaiian type of necklace. I tried not to think about the way Jake had looked between Sam and me last night like I’d betrayed him by being friends with Sam. There was too much between all of us for it to be that simple.

  Mr. Drake turned toward Jake. “I thought maybe you could get a sense of him, Jake. Of his emotions. You can do that, right?”

  Jake looked out the front window, a vacant expression on his face, and then lifted his eyebrows like someone had just woken him. He licked his lips and focused on Mr. Drake. “Yeah. I can do that.”

  He seemed so…so casual. Like he didn’t care about Tim. Like he didn’t care about being here and finding out what Molly wanted. His whole…thing…was all starting to grate on me.

  Sheila moved into the room. She wore a flowered sun dress, and the way she clutched Tim’s hand tuned me into the fact that she must be very, very desperate if she was willing to hand her child over to…us. The kids with the powers.

  She looked up at all of us with a kind of fear in her eyes. She didn’t know us—not really. And I was sure the whole tale sounded so incredible and frightening that she probably had some major anxiety about us being here.

  I stepped forward and smiled down at Tim. “Hi, Tim. I like your Boston shirt. My brother’s a big fan.” I nodded to Rob and he stepped forward, sensing what I was trying to do.

  Rob smiled at him. “Boston rocks! Knuckle bump.” He put his knuckled fist down to Tim.

  A grin spread across his face and his blond, bowl-cut hair fluffed on his head as he energetically bumped fists with Rob. “They’re the best.”

  Tim and Shelia both sighed a laugh together.

  Sheila excused herself. “I’ll go make some snacks for our guests.”

  Mr. Drake nodded. “Great.” Then he turned expectantly to Jake. “Jake?”

  Jake didn’t move.

  It was awkward.

  Sam cleared his throat and moved to hunch down in front of Tim in a squatting stance. “So…what grade are you in, Tim?”

  Tim shuffled his feet and looked at the floor. “Second.”

  Sam smiled. “I liked second grade.” He cleared his throat. “What do you like to do?”

  Tim didn’t answer for a moment. Finally, he squeaked out an answer. “I like Legos.”

  Sam visibly relaxed. “Really? Do you have the Death Star?”

  Another smile spread across Tim’s face. “I have a whole Star Wars village up in my room. You wanna see it?”

  Sam gave Mr. Drake a questioning glance.

  Mr. Drake nodded. “That’s a great idea, Tim. Why don’t we all go up to your room and see the village.”

  Tim g
rinned and bounded to the stairs. “So I just got the Death Star for my birthday, but I have Luke Skywalker and Han Solo facing off with lightsabers in an Ewok Hut.”

  As we all followed Tim up the stairs, Jake stepped next to me.

  I didn’t know what to say to him. He’d made it pretty clear that he didn’t want to talk to me. And he’d been so…unreachable.

  My arm touched his as we turned the corner and he turned to look at me. His face held sadness. “Hey.”

  I stared into his eyes and wondered if he knew how manic he was acting. The tension pulsed between us…like it always did…like it always used to. I tried not to blink. “H-hey.”

  The edge of his lip turned up and he stepped ahead of me and into Tim’s room.

  Tim and Sam were already kneeling in front of the Ewok village. Rob and Karen sat on the floor next to him.

  Marsha and Reed stayed standing next to the bed.

  Sam pointed to the village. “Tim…you know how Jedi can sense things, like when the bad guys are coming? Can you do that?”

  A warm rush passed over me. I approved of Sam’s methods to try and get Tim to talk. At least he was trying.

  Tim picked up his Luke Skywalker. “You use a lightsaber like this.” He banged Luke’s lightsaber against Han Solo’s.

  Sam gave Mr. Drake a ‘What should I do now?’ look.

  Mr. Drake knelt next to them. “Tim. I want you to tell my friends about what happened the other night when you saw…Molly.”

  Tim kept playing and didn’t acknowledge his dad’s request.

  I could tell Mr. Drake was getting frustrated. “Tim…”

  Jake suddenly sat on the other side of Mr. Drake. “You’re angry, Tim. Why?”

  Tim quit playing.

  Jake put his hands over Luke and Han Solo. “Tim. What did she say to you?” He paused. “I know you’re afraid of her, but you’re safe with us. What did she say to you?”

  Tim gulped in air. “Let go of my toys.”

  Jake didn’t move his hands. “Tell me what happened.”

  Sam cleared his throat. “I think you better let go, Jake.”

  Jake glared at Sam. “Stay out of this.”

  Tim’s breathing got louder. “Let. Go.” His eyes shot daggers at Jake.

  Jake didn’t move his hands, but he was calm when he spoke to Tim. “Not until you tell me.”

  Tim’s hands started to shake and he ripped his toys away from Jake. “Ahh—ahh—” He dropped his toys and put his hands around his neck.

  Mr. Drake took him by the shoulders. “Tim! Tim?!”

  Tim’s body kept flailing. “It hurts, Daddy. She’s hurting me!”

  Mr. Drake turned scared eyes at us. “You better leave. You all better leave.”

  We started filing out of the room.

  “Wait!” Tim stared at Jake. “She says…she says...you should have stayed dead.”

  Episode 34: Loved

  Sam

  “Is Jake here?” I knew by the way Lanie’s mouth formed into a straight line and her eyes were creased with worry that she wouldn’t be deterred.

  “Sure.” I swung the door wide and she pushed past me. “I don’t think he’s awake. It’s pretty early. Not to mention the fact he’s never in a talking mood these days. Hey—” I flew in front of her and flashed my best smile. “I have a better idea—let’s go get breakfast. I’ll buy you pancakes!”

  Lanie scowled at me and steamrolled around me. She went for the stairs to the loft, taking them two at a time. “Just—don’t right now, Sam.”

  I watched her for a minute and then twirled back around and shut the front door. “Someone’s a little cranky.”

  The thud of her pounding on Jake’s door, echoed throughout the warehouse. “Open up, Jake.”

  “Go away,” I heard his muffled reply.

  I rolled my eyes and moved into the living room, feeling the stiffness in my legs from my early morning run. Reed had suggested running to me after I’d gotten back from Boston. He said it was a good way to ‘de-stress.’ I moved to the front window and worked harder at hearing what Lanie was saying through his door. I didn’t think any amount of running could help me at this point.

  I stretched my hands in the air over my head. Truth be told, the Molly thing didn’t really bother me that much. So she was torturing small children. That’s kind of what ghosts typically do—especially a ghost with some serious baggage. Plus, Rob and Karen were working on trying to figure out how to send Molly back to wherever she needed to go. And I had complete confidence in them. No…I knew exactly what my stress was caused by…and it was shouting his name at the top of her lungs.

  “Jake! Please!”

  I blew my breath out and wondered if I should go put my running clothes back on. It was going to be a long morning.

  I thought of the way Lanie had looked at Jake yesterday in Tim’s room. The way her eyes had bubbled over with tears and she’d run after him. I put my hand over my heart and felt a dull ache start to form. I didn’t know why I couldn’t get Lanie out of my head. Why couldn’t I just accept the fact that she loved him, and move on? Why did I spend every spare minute of my time thinking about the way her lips curved into a half-way smile when she was happy, or the way I could tell she was trying not to blink when something upset her?

  Lanie pounded his door, again. “Would you just open it?”

  I needed some breakfast. I turned away from the window and went to get Marsha’s keys off the kitchen counter. “Ignoramus.” I muttered it in a low tone and went back to the front door. So he had died and come back to life. So what?

  We were all freaks. That’s how it was. Tim had told him he should be dead, but what did he know? He was just a kid. Grow up, Turner.

  I couldn’t stand another minute of her pleading. I flung open the front door and didn’t try to quietly shut the door back into place. What would be the point? Lanie was waking everyone up anyway.

  I inhaled a deep breath of mountain air and tromped down the deck steps. If we were going to stay in Colorado, I would need to purchase my own set of wheels soon. Marsha was getting tired of loaning hers out. I got to the barn and punched in the garage code.

  “Sam!”

  I stopped. I knew Lanie couldn’t see me from the deck.

  “Sam?” Her voice dropped in volume and her footsteps clomped down the deck.

  I hovered between wanting to ignore her and being glad she was calling after me.

  Glad—except for the fact that I knew I was her second choice. I didn’t play second very well.

  “Where are you?”

  I turned around and started back for the house. “I’m right here.”

  When I got to the deck, I found Lanie sitting on the steps, crying. An immediate worry filled me.

  “Sam.” Lanie looked up and clutched something in her hands.

  I opened my arms and she stood, moving into them. Her whole body shook against me and she ducked her head into my chest.

  Was it selfish to be glad she needed me? Glad she trembled against me, and not him? Glad that I was the one who got to give her a safe haven. Her tears soaked my shirt and I cradled her head in my hand, pushing down the wild strands of hair that puffed up everywhere.

  I let her cry. “Shh...” I brushed gently down her head. The red and blonde in her long, curly hair shone brighter in the sun like a mixture of honey and the perfect sunset.

  “I can’t do it, Sam.”

  “Shh…it’s okay, Lanie.”

  She pushed away from me. “You don’t understand.”

  I knew everyone was on edge with Molly, and for good reason, but there was nothing we could do until we knew more. And getting Tim to talk would be nearly impossible now. I slipped my arm around her shoulders and starte
d moving her to Rob’s Jeep. “Let’s go get something to eat. Have you eaten anything since last night? I’m starving.”

  Lanie squeezed my hand. “Sam, you’re not listening to me.”

  I stopped walking and put both hands on her shoulders. “Okay…you have my undivided attention. And believe me, I don’t mind giving it to you.”

  Lanie bit on the edge of her lip and dropped her eyes in an annoyed look. “Sam—this is serious.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from looking at the lip she was biting on. “You’re beautiful when you’re upset, Lanie.”

  This comment elicited an angry push to my chest. “Just—stop!” Lanie moved to Rob’s Jeep.

  I stopped her outside of the driver’s side door by stepping in front of her. “Tell me.”

  Lanie tried to push me out of the way. “Everything’s a joke to you.”

  I gripped her wrist in my hand. “You are not a joke to me. I know that Molly is a threat to Jake and a threat to all of us. I know that, Lanie.”

  She pulled her wrist away, but didn’t break eye contact. “The coin Ruth gave me, Sam. Don’t you remember what Ruth told me when she gave it to me? Before she sacrificed herself to bring Jake back?”

  I was bored. “Ahh…of course…something about if you use it, Jake will die—again.” I tried not to look speculative. “You’re not using it, so why does it matter?”

  Lanie pressed her lips together. “Rob’s been trying to figure out how to get rid of Molly. He wants to try to stop whatever she’s planning.”

  This whole line of thought was asinine to me. “How do you know she’s planning anything? Ghosts torture people—that’s what they do!”

  Her emotions made her face look alive and her lips were puffy from all the biting she’d been doing on them. I really wanted to kiss her…just for a second.