Page 54 of The Hunting Moon
TEST RESULTS for PREVIOUS DAY:
Tests Administered: 1381
Positive Results: 0
AVAILABLE TESTING LOCATIONS:
Monday hospital,by appointment only
Sunday estate auditorium,under age 18 only
Floating Carnival,all ages welcome
DO YOUR CIVIC DUTY AND GET TESTED AS SOON AS A SITE IS AVAILABLE NEAR YOU!
CHAPTER29
Winnie awakens in Jay’s bedroom.
In Jay’s bed, to be precise. It smells strongly of bergamot and lime, which Winnie is beginning to suspect must be the scent of his shampoo. Or maybe it’s the scent of pheromones that ooze out of his pores and drive everyone in Hemlock Falls wild—or at least everyone under the age of eighteen.
Winnie giggles at this thought as she takes in his bedroom with blurry, un-lens-corrected eyes. It’s so much like she remembers from four years ago: the high ceilings, the tall window draped in a navy curtain, the closet to her right with the knob that won’t latch so it always hangs open two inches.
Now there’s also a bass guitar by the foot of the bed and an upright bass beside it. A dresser stands by the closet, simple and modern and bright—and totally at odds with the Gothic-mansion heaviness of the room. Then there is the bed upon which Winnie now sprawls: same four-poster twin, but no more X-Men bedspread. There’s just a simple navy duvet with white pinstripes.
There’s also a new nightstand by the bed with a lamp and two photos. One is a framed image of Jay’s mom, pregnant and beaming and completely unaware of the death that is coming for her when she finally delivers him. Then, leaning against that photo is an unframed picture of Jay, Erica, and Winnie.
Winnie snatches the second photo to her, its edges dusty. She remembers the day Jay’s aunt took this photo—it was on Winnie’s twelfth birthday and only a few weeks before Dad ruined everything. She, Jay, and Erica met for birthday pie at the Revenant’s Daughter and then had a movie marathon in the faded but still grand living room of the Friday estate.
It was the best birthday ever—they watchedevery live-action X-Men movie in existenceand gorged on frozen pizza. In the photo, you can see the crusts left behind that Erica would never eat on a plate on the coffee table. Then Jay, Erica, and Winnie are all seated on the couch behind, the girls sharing a blanket while Jay has draped himself over the armrest like some rich lady’s ermine stole.
They’re all grinning, although Erica is also blinking and the flash from Lizzy’s camera is making Jay’s eyes glow.
Winnie can’t believe Jay has kept this photograph—or that he has it right here, where he can see it every morning when he wakes up.
She also has no idea what itmeans.
She returns the photo so she can study the very live, much older boy now lying on the floor. He has a pillow under his head and one arm draped over his stomach. It looks extremely uncomfortable, although Jay must not mind since he is completely comatose.
Winnie can’t resist. She slides out from under the covers and creeps toward him. Hazily, she notices that the bottom half of her right jogger leg has been cut off, and a bandage is wrapped around her calf—which is now free of pain. If anything, her calf feels stronger than it has in weeks. Her whole body does, and her crouch beside Jay’s head is graceful, smooth, silent. Her hair falls forward, but it doesn’t reach him as she bends closer, closer. Her right pointer finger unfurls. “Boop—argh!”
Jay catches her wrist before she can make contact. His eyes snap wide, the gray irises almost swallowed entirely by throbbing black pupils. “Did you not learn your lesson last time?” His voice is low as if to keep from waking his aunt down the hall. There is also a ragged quality to it, since he was asleep only moments ago.
Or maybe… maybe it’s something else that makes it ragged. Something Winnie doesn’t recognize or want to examine too closely. At least not right now, when she feelsso, sogood.
“Never startle a nightmare, Winnie.”
“But you’re not a nightmare.” She grins at him.
“Andyou’rehigh.” He releases her wrist to boopheron the nose. Then his lips twitch into an almost grin of his own.
“Melusine blood,” Winnie squeals. “I knew it. How on earth did you get melusine blood?”
He pushes onto his elbows. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Yes,” she replies. “That is literally why I asked.”
“And I will explain after the effects of this”—he nods his head toward her face—“have worn off.”
