Page 36 of (Sur)real
“You sound like a fortune cookie.”
I smiled slightly at the bitterness in her tone. We all carried a measure of anger. Bethi just hadn’t learned how to hide it yet.
“They have waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and muffins,” Winifred said in the quiet. “Which would you like?”
“All of them, please.” This would be the first meal I might actually eat in its entirety, and I planned to indulge myself.
I followed Winifred as she filled my plate and went to sit at Bethi and Luke’s table. Bethi seemed to be sullenly playing with the food on her plate. Luke watched her.
She needs you,the Lady said, her voice a whisper through the veil.Tell her the truth.
“It won’t be okay,” I said, facing Bethi.
She stopped her small movements and lifted her head.
“What?”
“This thing we need to do. It won’t be easy. It won’t be okay.”
“Is this supposed to be some kind of pep talk because if it is, you suck at it.”
“Not a pep talk. The truth. Yes, your life sucks, but it could be worse. Ge—”
A sudden jolt of anger pierced my mind.
“Blaaaake...” the Others stopped moving and moaned as one.
“Not yet,” I panted, focusing on keeping myself carefully emotionless. “Not yet.”
The Others’ movement picked up again in a frenzy that made me dizzy and wish that I could block them out by closing my eyes.
My time was almost up.
“Are you all right?” Bethi asked, her tone a toss between screw-you and concern.
“Yes. I’m saying we need to get over it and do what needs to be done,” I said, weakly. “Thank you for the food, Winifred, but I don’t think I can eat it. We’re running out of time and need to leave. Now.”
“Winifred!” a voice called urgently.
The echo from the hall made it hard to tell who it belonged to.
“There’s movement. Everything’s coming our way. We need to leave. Now,” the voice said.
Winifred turned toward me.
“What just happened?”
“The beginning of the end.” I turned to Bethi and set my hand on hers. “She wants me to remind you that you will get to relive five lifetimes full of love, family, and friends. You have Courage. Use it.”
Five. Not six. I understood too well I would have no happy ending.
I stood and went to the door. Within five minutes, I sat in the car with Isabelle, Carlos, and Grey.
“Winifred thought you might want this,” Isabelle said, passing back a banana and a water bottle.
“Thank you.”
The car moved, and I quickly ate. No one said much during the tense drive south until Isabelle turned in her seat.
