Iris pushed Vi away, her eyes huge with fear.
Vi staggered backward, started to speak: “I—”
She was breathless, heart hammering, unsure just what she was going to say, what words were going to come tumbling out like a random roll of the dice:
I’m sorry.
I love you.
Let’s forget this ever happened.
Iris raised her arm, pointed to the window. “There’s someone—” she said, and Vi looked in time to see a pale face turn away from just outside the window, a hood over the figure’s head.
“The Ghoul,” Iris whispered, voice breaking, terrified.
Lizzy
August 21, 2019
THE BANGING WAS loud, insistent.
“Miss Shelley?” a voice called.
The voice of God, perhaps.
One of the old gods maybe.
The God of Time that’s run out.
I opened my eyes.
I was in my van.
“Miss Shelley?” called a voice from outside. “I’m sorry to bother you, but it’s Steve. From the office. You’ve got a phone call.”
I jumped out of bed, opened the door. “A call?” I blinked at the bright morning light, then down at my watch. It was nearly ten. I’d slept in.
“Yes, a woman. She said it’s very important she reach you. Do you want to ride over to the office with me?” he asked. My solar panels were hooked up, the wheels were chocked. It would be faster to go with him than to disconnect.
I slid on my shoes, didn’t bother to brush my hair, just jumped in the four-wheeler next to Steve in my rumpled T-shirt and sweatpants.
Could it be?
Could it be my once-upon-a-time sister?
When we pulled up, I jumped out and nearly ran to the phone, beating Steve into his own office.
“Hello?”
I listened. Turned to Steve, holding the phone out. “No one’s there.”
He frowned at the phone. “Well, there was. It took me a bit to get you, maybe she gave up. Why don’t you sit a minute, have a cuppa coffee? I just made a fresh pot. If it’s important, she’ll call back.”
“Did she give a name? What exactly did she say?”
He shook his head. “No name. But she did say she was family.”
“Family?” A knot formed in my throat.
“She said she was looking for you, needed to talk to you. She knew you were here on the island camping, but she wasn’t sure of the campground.”
“And you told her I was here?”
He nodded. “She told me she was family. And she sounded… well, distressed. Like it was urgent that she reach you. Cell service out here is spotty, so a lot of times we get concerned family members wanting to check in.”
I poured myself a cup of coffee, hands trembling a little. I waited, staring at the black phone on the desk. It did not ring.
Steve made small talk. He asked me how I was liking the island so far, if I’d had a chance to get out on the water yet, reminded me that the campground had kayaks and canoes for rent. I just stared at the phone. At last, my coffee was gone, and I accepted that there would be no call back. I’d missed my chance. Steve offered to give me a ride back across the campground, but I told him the walk would do me good.
As I walked, my brain turned in desperate circles.