Page 70 of Deadly Sights

This was the image she would use to endure, to survive until she met Julian again.

“Hey, Yolanda.” Chloe tapped her on the shoulder. “The administrator wants to see you in the main building. Are you crying?”

Yolanda turned away from Chloe to dry her eyes. “Why does she want to see me?”

Chloe shrugged. “Beats me, but she didn’t look too happy with you. What did you do?”

Yolanda studied her friend and considered sharing the secret she discovered with her, before discarding the idea. Chloe was too passionate to keep from accidentally blurting her secret.

“It’s probably nothing, but I better find out before they send a hit squad out for me,” she said deadpan.

Yolanda left Chloe’s side. Instead of going to the main building, she detoured into the wooded area, looking for the telltale signs she, Chloe, and Julian left behind. She made a stop at the maintenance building to get a shovel because she had to rush. She didn’t trust any of the adults, and not one that seemed unhappy with her. If the administrator suspected her of finding out the truth, Yolanda had to protect herself, and this was how she intended to do it.

When she found what she was searching for, she began to dig. The activity was easier now that she was tall enough to handle a shovel versus the trowel she used to borrow. She dug until the spikes atop the stakes stuck out. She removed enough to give her access to the treasure beneath, a tin can containing the last remaining memory of Julian’s father.

Yolanda unlocked the lid and sprang the box open. More than the watch sat before her, causing her to gasp. Inside the cold metal were the rings Julian outgrew. As much as she would love to pore over Julian’s treasure, she knew the administrator would be impatient.

She dug into her pants pocket, took out a sealed storage bag full of memory cards, and placed it in the treasure box before resetting the trap and covering her tracks. As she returned to the main campus, she looked down at her hands and the dirt under her nails. Despite knowing more delays would cause more of a hassle, she went to her dorm to wash away the evidence of her recent activities.

When she finally made it to the administrator’s office, Yolanda was as cool as ever.

The administrator didn’t greet her as she entered. Instead, she barked, “You have an assignment! A car is on the way to get you.”

Yolanda responded, “Is there a file?”

“Your driver will provide all the details to you.”

“What about supplies?”

“I assume if those are necessary, the driver will also have what you require. You should leave now. Your ride will arrive in thirty minutes. If you had come when summoned, you would have more time to prepare yourself.” She sat down, dismissing Yolanda, although the girl remained in the room long after the administrator stopped talking.

When Yolanda didn’t get the expected rise from her, she retreated. She now had less than twenty minutes to prepare for a task she couldn’t plan for. In the absence of information, she gathered her lock-picking tools.

Her driver arrived early. She got in the car feeling uneasy but not knowing how to avoid this trip.

“Do you have a file for me?” she asked.

“File? Oh, yeah. I’m supposed to hand it over in an hour.”

Her apprehension grew after his response and she set about making herself smaller while hiding behind the passenger seat. An hour into the drive, he handed her an envelope. She unwound the string closing the document inside.

One piece of paper fell out. On it, was a message.

Curiosity killed the cat, but I’m the one killing you.

At the bottom of the page, the administrator signed her name.

Yolanda crumpled the sheet and said, “Turn around?—”

A blast jolted her, causing her to bang her head hard against the seat. Confused by the sudden blast and unable to hear, Yolanda peered out of her window in time to watch the car tumbling into a ravine. Pain lanced through her head as glass shattered and metal crunched. Then complete blackness.

CHAPTER 29

SOMEONE'S END IS NEAR

Nadira

Igasp and rub the scar at my temple, wondering why the pain has disappeared before realizing these are residual effects from my dream.

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