I willed myself to keep moving. I was scared. I was worried my appearance would alert my mother and she’d come after me again. I was worried for the guys, who would be at risk if they were exposed. I was stuck between these two worlds and unsure how to break them apart again.
Did I want to?
I sucked in a deep breath and held it. I tilted away from the wall, so I could peek inside my mother’s room.
My mother was in her bed, in a deep sleep. She was snoring loudly this time, too. I moved quickly, pushing the door back to bump against the wall to see if she woke up. No response.
I stepped into view, shuffling forward along the beige carpet toward her bed.
She wasn’t sweating any more. There was a pill bottle spilled over on the comforter. I recognized the morphine pills. The heavy curtains were drawn tight.
She’d blocked herself from the world she imagined was cruel and out to get her. How strange I felt about it now. Despite her efforts that she thought would keep me safe from rape and being murdered, I was now standing over her with a team determined to keep me safe from her crazy punishments. She feared people entering her sanctuary, and instead of warding people away, she drew Kota and the others in as they tried to protect me.
It felt wrong, even as I wished for my friends to remain with me more than anything. I had made excuses for her behavior in the past for punishments and lectures. Her illness made her confused and unable to control herself. My mother didn’t want anyone in her world. It felt wrong because she was sick, and her only request was to keep everyone out. Your family should come before friends or anyone else. You should always protect them. Why were principles such as loyalty and blood bonds such cruel, twisted things?
Luke stepped into the room. He crossed as quietly as I had, using spots I had picked out as my path. His lean, strong body moved with care and he hovered over my mother, his head tilted as he frowned. His blond hair fell in the way of his dark eyes. If my mother only knew, she would die right then. Despite how kind and affectionate Luke could be, she would only see a stranger, one of the scary monsters she feared.
Luke reached into his back pocket, pulling a tiny brown bottle out. He uncorked the top, and held it out toward my mother’s mouth and nose. My mother breathed in deeply as she slept. A moment later, the snoring softened, and her head tilted to the side.
“This should keep her out for a couple of hours,” Luke said quietly. He corked the bottle again and slipped it into his pocket.
“Where did you get that?” I whispered. I swallowed, knowing my voice was probably too soft for him to hear anyway. “Do you carry things like that all the time?”
He looked up at me, flashing a smile, his brown eyes catching a spark from the light from the windows. “Don’t ask those questions.”
I sighed, twisting my mouth. By saying he couldn’t tell me, he just answered both of my questions. Academy secrets.
Nathan popped his head in. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something but he caught on my mother sleeping in the bed. His blue eyes darkened. “It’s hard to believe that’s the same person who...”
“I know,” Luke said. “It doesn’t seem possible.”
My eyes hunted out Luke’s. I wanted to get this over with.
He nodded to me. “Let’s get the others.”
Moments later, Dr. Green sat on the edge of my mother’s bed, checking her pulse, listening to her breathing with a stethoscope and taking other vitals. Mr. Blackbourne sorted through the collection of pill bottles on her nightstand.
“There’s more in her drawer,” I whispered to them, sitting on the other side of the bed. I scooped up the spilled pills across the blanket and dropped them back into the open container. The boys were in the hallway, looking in on us and waiting for orders.
Mr. Blackbourne held out his phone, flashing a picture of the labels. “There’s at least five different doctors. Some of these prescriptions are repeats. She’s taking them irregularly and getting double the dose of the narcotics if these refill dates are right. Duplicates.”
“I’ll call their offices,” Dr. Green said. “I’ll get copies of her medical history faxed over.” He sighed, pulling himself away from my mother to sit up and rubbing a finger at his temple. “I’ll need to know more before making a decision. I need to get an IV in her, though. Sang’s right, she’s desperately dehydrated. I might have to order an ambulance. That’ll be complicated to do without the Academy.”
Mr. Blackbourne nodded. He handed the pill bottles over to Dr. Green. “Do your best to avoid it. Collect what you need.” He crossed the room, curling his fingers at me so I’d follow. I crawled off the bed, feeling unsure about leaving my mother alone with Dr. Green. What if she woke up and had a strange person so close to her?
Out in the hallway again, Mr. Blackbourne closed the door, leaving Dr. Green alone with my mother. He turned to us. “Okay, Luke, I want a map of this house, every exit point, every nook covered. Silas and North, go fix that bathroom upstairs. When Dr. Green is done, Nathan and Victor, I want you to get in there and look for any more ropes. Anything that can be used as a restraint, I want it gone.” He focused on me. “Show me your room.”
I blushed but turned at his command, guiding the way to the stairs. The others followed behind me, with Victor and Nathan staying behind for Dr. Green.
Silas pointed out to North the upstairs bathroom door. The frame of the door was split. They collected near it, scanning the damage.
North’s face contorted, eyes going to the floor where the stool still remained, fractured into pieces. His fists clenched.
Silas touched his forearm quickly, bringing him back to the job they were told to do.
Marie’s door was open and I could see the usual mess in her room. I knew she was probably still over at Danielle’s. I hoped she wouldn’t pop over right now. I didn’t want her to know the guys were here. I didn’t want her to know what happened.
At my own bedroom door, I twisted the handle to open it and stepped in.
I stopped short, mortified by the mess. The window was open, probably where Nathan got in when he came to look for me. The bookshelf was smashed down across the carpet. The books were scattered across the floor and torn. My trunk was open, the contents completely dumped out. My school books were ripped through, the notebooks and papers spilled out. The contents from the closet were emptied across the carpet. The sheets were pulled from the bed. The mattress was slumped over, half hanging on the floor.
Mr. Blackbourne materialized next to me, frowning. Gabriel slipped up beside me on the other side. He pressed his palm to mine, his fingers covering mine.
Kota tiptoed around the mess, his eyes seeking out answers to silent questions.
Mr. Blackbourne studied the room. “Was it like this before?”
I shook my head. “I had my school books on the bed but...” My whispering stopped. My voice wasn’t going to let me explain.
Victor emerged from the hallway looking curious. He remained quiet, his fire eyes moving over the contents of the room.
“She was looking for something,” Kota said. He knelt, picking up the edge of the bookshelf. Mr. Blackbourne crouched with him and helped pick up the bookshelf, putting it back against the wall. Kota looked over at me. “What would she want?”
I shook my head, blushing. I had no idea. I looked at Gabriel. He leaned his head in and I whispered. He spoke for me. “She said her mom found the notes from the boys at school and the detention slip when she flipped out. But the room was intact mostly then. She must have come back looking for more.”
“If she found more,” Mr. Blackbourne said, “this might have been much worse.”
North appeared in the doorway. His eyes, like the others, searching the destroyed room. He held up the pink cell phone. The face was cracked and blank. “It was in the tub,” he said. “I don’t think it’s working.”
I leaned in to whisper to Gabriel. “She says she’s sorry, Victor.” Gabriel smirked, chopping me
on the head. “Shut up.”
Victor took the phone from North and pocketed it. “I’ll get her another one.” He flashed me a look and I tried shaking my head but he pointed a lean finger in my direction. “Don’t even start with me.”
North disappeared again. I moved away to start sorting out the mess near the trunk. Gabriel went through my closet. Mr. Blackbourne and Kota stuffed books onto the shelves. Victor hung back near the door, watching.
Mr. Blackbourne picked up the stereo, putting it back on the top of the bookshelf. He turned it on, hitting play on the CD player. My guess was he wanted to test it to see if it still worked. A piano piece started. He blinked at it, tilting his head as he listened.
“What song is that?” Victor asked. He had his arms crossed over his chest and was leaning against the wall.
I looked at him, not sure if he could hear me across the room. He frowned when he realized it and came forward, kneeling next to me. I leaned to him, hanging on to his arm as I did to whisper in his ear. “Mysterious by Yuko Ohigashi.”
“Who?” Mr. Blackbourne asked him.
Victor repeated the name. “I don’t recognize it.” I tugged on his arm so he’d lean in again and I could whisper. He repeated out loud this time. “It’s one of her favorites.”
He reached out to me, brushing a finger across my cheek. He stood up, moving to the door and disappearing.
I went back to folding the old clothes and putting them back into the trunk. Mr. Blackbourne collected my school books. Kota started organizing the books on the shelves by author and title name. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he didn’t have to. Some of the books were torn. He collected the pages across the floor, finding where the missing pages went and tucked them neatly inside. He stacked the torn ones on the floor beside him.