Silence. Dreadful silence.
Then Dan reached over and mussed his hair. Not this time. But Im not always going to be a pushover, you got me? I believe in you, Aden. I want good things for you. But you have to obey my rules.
The gesture was unexpected, the words wonderfully shocking. I believe in you. Something burned his eyes. Aden refused to believe it was tears, even when his chin started trembling. There might be a girl inside his head, but he wasnt a wimp.
Are you still taking your meds? Dan asked him.
Yes. Of course. A lie. Truth, half truths or even omissions wouldnt work this time. To Dan, admitting he flushed his pills down the toilet would be worse than sneaking into town. Besides, he didnt need the pills. They made him weak, tired, his mind foggy. Which he was starting to feel anyway, he realized, swaying as a wave of dizziness assaulted him. Stupid corpse poison. Still, with the dizziness came a sense of urgency. I actually came looking for you when I returned. II Do it, just say it. Put it out there. I want to go to public school. Crossroads High. There. Done. There would be no taking the words back.
Dans brow furrowed. Public school? Why?
There was only one explanation that sounded believable. Ive never been around normal, average kids my own age, and I think it could be good for me. I could watch them, interact with them, learn from them. Please. I havent missed a therapy session since I got here. Twice a week. Dr. Quine thinks Im doing good. Dr. Quine was the latest to try and fix him. Aden actually liked her; she truly seemed to care about him.
I know. She keeps me apprised.
Which was why Aden guarded his words around the well-meaning doctor, as well. Another wave of dizziness hit him, and he rubbed his temples. If youll just call Ms. Killerman, she can sign the necessary papers and I can be in class by next week. Ill only have missed the first month, and itll be the beginning of my new, normal life. A life you said you wanted for me.
Dan didnt even take a moment to think about it. Good in theory, butNo matter what you tell Dr. Quine, youre still having conversations with yourself. Dont try to deny it, because I heard you just this morning. You stare out at nothing for hours, disappear, and even though I just found you with the other boys, you were stiff and angry, so I know you havent made friends with them. Im sorry, kid, but my answer is no.
But
Nope. Thats my final verdict. In time, maybe.
I havent made friends because no one here is interested.
Maybe youre not trying hard enough.
Adens hands clenched at his sides, a red haze clouding his vision. He didnt know whether it was from the poison or his anger. Maybe he wasnt trying hard enough, but why should that matter? He didnt want to make friends with Ozzie and his sheep.
I know youre angry, but this is for the best. If you were to hurt one of the students, youd be incarcerated, no more chances. And like I said, I dont want that for you. Youre a good kid with a lot of potential. Lets give you a chance to reach that potential and shine. Okay?
Some of Adens anger drained. How could it not, in the face of Dans kindness? His determination, however, only strengthened. He had to attend that school, had to spend more time with Mary Ann. Yeah, he could accidentally run into her in town, but when? How often? School was in session five days a week, seven hours a day. There, hed have a better chance of learning about her, about how she, well, temporarily fixed him.
And, for those seven blessed hours, hed be at peace. For that, hed do anything. EvenHe gulped, not liking where the thought ended.
Are you sure? he asked, giving Dan one last chance.
Very.
Okay, then. Aden scanned the pasture, then glanced behind him to gauge just how well the dregs could see him from the bunkhouse if they happened to be watching from the windows. A direct view. That was unfortunate but couldnt be helped. Hopefully, if they were watching, they would assume the drug theyd just smoked was causing hallucinations.
Are you really going to do this? he asked himself. A million things could go wrong. People could learn the extent of his abilities, decide to test him, lock him away forever. A tremor slid the length of his spine, and he nervously licked his lips. Yes. Yes, he was. There was no other way, the outcome too important.
I know what youre planning, Ad, and its not a good idea. Had Caleb possessed a body of his own, he would have been gripping Adens shoulders and shaking. Actually, its a terrible idea. I dont have to be a psychic to know that.
Last time hed done something like this, hed spent a week in bed, cold, shaking, afraid of every noise, every touch against his skin too much for him to bear. And with the toxin even now traveling through him, the aftermath could be a thousand times worse.
Aden, Eve begin, a lecture clearly imminent.
Im sorry, Dan, Aden saidjust before stepping into Dans body.
He screamed at the agonizing pain of morphing from solid mass to inconsequential mist, which in turn caused Dan to scream. They fell to their knees, dizzy. Colors were blurring together, the green of the grass with the brown of the cows, the bright red of the tractor with the yellow of the wheat. He was panting, sweating, his stomach threatening to revolt.
Deep breath in, deep breath out. Several minutes passed before he found a center of gravity. The pain ebbed, but only slightly.
Now youve gone and done it, Caleb snapped.
He wont remember this. It was weird, knowing he was talking but hearing a different voice come out. Well be fine. He hoped.
Well, do what you want to do and lets get the hell out of here, Julian said. God, I cant believe you sometimes.
Elijah moaned. If anyone ever learns youre capable of doing this
They wont. Again, he hoped. Aden forced Dans hand to dig into his pocket and remove his cell phone, as if the body were his own. The hand was shaking but he managed to scroll through the address book and find Tamera Killerman. Her number was on speed dial.
Gulping, nervous, Aden connected them.
Hello? his caseworker answered after three rings.
You can still walk away, honey. You dont have to do this, dont have to risk being found out.
Hi, Ms. Killerman. He experienced more of that dizziness, more of that churning in his stomach. Concentrate. This is AdDan Reeves.
A pause. A giggle.
A giggle? From calm and collected Killerman? Hed known her over a year, yet shed rarely even cracked a smile. Aden blinked in surprise.
Ms. Killerman, is it? There was a breathless quality to her voice that made Adens stomach curdle. Yesterday you called me sweetheart.
Iuh
So how are you, baby, and when will I get to see you again?
Baby? Why would sheRealization slammed into him, and he scowled, nearly overcome with disappointment and anger. Dan was married. Dan should only ever be called baby by his wife. A wife Aden liked. Meg Reeves cooked wonderful meals, had a smile for everyone and had never scolded him. She even hummed while she cleaned her house.
Just then, Aden wanted inside Dans memories; he wanted to know why the man would betray such a wonderful woman. But mind reading seemed like the only ability he didnt possess. Doesnt matter. Finish what you started before youre too sick. Listen, Ms. Killerman. I want to enroll Haden Stone in the local high school. Crossroads High.
Haden? Shock dripped from her now, and Aden imagined her pretty but cool face pinching in confusion. The schizophrenic? Why?
His teeth ground together in irritation. Im not schizophrenic! Interacting with the other students will be good for mhim. Besides, in the short amount of time hes been here, hes improved so much Im not even sure why hes here. Too much?
Thats great, but are you sure hes ready? When we talked yesterday you said he was progressing slowly.
He had, had he? Yesterday I wasnt talking about Aden. I was talking about Ozzie Harmon. Take that, dreg. Aden is totally ready.
Totally? She laughed again. Dan, are you all right? You sound a littleI dont know, unlike yourself.
He swayed, barely caught himself. Im fine. Just tired. Anyway, if you could set this into motion for me, Id really appreciate it. Surely that was something Dan would say. Okay?
Okay. I guess. But do you still want Shannon Ross to attend Crossroads, as well?
Shannon? Why Shannon? And why had no one been told? Yes. Talk to you later, he added before she could ask more questions. Baby.
Click.
For a long while, Aden stared down at the phone, struggling to breathe, his shaking intensified. Thankfully, Ms. Killerman never called back.
Later, when Dan was alone, hed remember his chat with Aden yet think hed made the phone call of his own volition. Hed wonder at his motives, but would not recall the way Aden had stepped inside him. They never did. Maybe because their minds couldnt process it. Maybe because Aden took the memory with him.
Either way, he wondered if Dan would call Killerman back and tell her that he changed his mind. And would Killerman follow through on her promise to set things into motion?
Only time would tell.
Now all Aden had to do was wait. That, and heal, he thought, as he and Dan hunched over and vomited. Great. His battle with the poison had finally begun.
CHAPTER 4
Aden spent the next six days in and out of consciousness. Several times he wanted to give up, just end it all and float away from the scalding mass of pain that was his body. But he didnt. He fought. Fought harder than hed ever fought for anything, one thought driving him: the peace that came with Mary Ann.
A few times, hed even hallucinated and thought he saw her hovering over him, that long dark hair tickling his chest. Or maybe Elijahs ability was expanding and hed had another non-death vision, catching glimpses of the future. Only, unlike in real life, her skin had been pale rather than sun kissed and as hot as a living flame. Whats more, her eyes had been bright blue rather than hazel.
There were a few explanations for the differences. Either his visions had never been of Mary Ann and he still had yet to truly meet his brunette or, sick as hed been, hed simply gotten the details wrong this time.
Both were entirely possible. Hed realized that while he had seen his brunette in the dark recesses of his mind too many times to count, hed never really retained knowledge about her actual facial features.
The face hed seen this week, well, he would not be forgetting.
Sleep, shed said, fingertips gently coasting over his brow and leaving a trail of fire in their wake. When you heal, there is much for us to discuss.
Like? hed managed to work past the rawness of his throat.
Like how you summoned my people. Like how I still feel the hum of you. Like how that hum stopped for a little bit of time. Like why you want us here. Like whether or not well allow you to live. We will talk, though, when your blood smells less like the living dead.
It was a conversation he couldnt even begin to explain.
Unlike his encounters with Mary Ann, he hadnt wanted to run from this apparition, nor had he wanted to hug her as he would a sister. He hadnt experienced that painful gust of wind, either. Hed wanted to tangle his hands in her hair, draw her close, so close, and drink in the scent of her. Honeysuckle and rose. Hed wanted to kiss her the way theyd kissed in the visions.
Eventually, though, the fever faded, and the hallucinations ended. His sweating ebbed and his muscles stopped seizing, leaving him weak and hungry.
Finally, Aden lumbered from his bed, his only clothing a pair of boxers that were sweat-dried to his skin. Hed hidden the worst of his pain, keeping his moans contained inside his head. Anything to avoid hospitals and doctors, pinching and poking and questions. God, the questions.
Hed been excused from tutoring sessions and barn duty all week. Dan had kept tabs on him, though, flittering in and out of his room, expression concerned yet somewhat suspicious. If theyd had a heart-to-heart about what was going on, Aden didnt remember it. Only thing he remembered was Dan asking if he knew anything about the desecration of the cemetery. Apparently several stations had blasted the story as hed feared. Hed had the presence of mind to say no.
He swiped up the peanut butter sandwich Dan had left him during his final visit this morning and downed it in three bites. Stomach calming, he quickly showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a plain gray T-shirt. Dan was taking him and Shannon shopping. That, too, he remembered. It was something the big guy had never done before and there was only one reason Aden could think of for such a trip: Dan was going to allow them to attend Crossroads High.
His relief was palpable. So many things could have gone wrong. Ms. Killerman could have changed her mind and opted not to follow Dans recommendation. Dan could have chalked the decision to let Aden loose on the public school system up to a moment of insanity and canceled the paperwork.
A hand slapped his open door frame, the loud boom jolting him, and then Shannon was peeking inside. His green eyes were devoid of emotion. T-time to g-go. Without waiting for Adens response, he pivoted and stalked away. Down the hall, the main door slammed shut.
One by one, the souls woke up, stretching and sighing. Great.
Whats going on? Eve asked sleepily.
School shopping, he muttered as he strode from his room. So well talk later. Okay?
Ozzie and Seth were standing in front of their bedroom door, arms crossed over their chests. Everyone had a roommate but Aden. No one wanted to share quarters with the schizo, and that was fine with him.
Talking to yourself again? Seth said with a laugh. Why? Its not like youre all that stimulating.
Aden raised his chin and tried to move past them.
Ozzie grabbed his arm, jerking him to a stop. Where do you think youre going, Crazy? Youve been hiding from me lately, and weve got a few things to discuss.