Page 46 of The Spirit Key
“I know. But you’ll understand when you’re older, I promise.” She started fading away, just like Jeff had done.
“Where are you going?”
“I haven’t the energy to do this for long. Don’t worry—we’ll meet again one day, when you’re old enough to understand.”
As I watched, she faded into nothingness, just like Jeff had done. Once again, goose bumps rose on my arm.
I LURCHEDup, my heart pounding. I turned to Tim, and in the light from the streets streaming through the curtains, I found him staring back at me, his mouth open wider than his eyes.
“Did you—”
“What was that?”
“I don’t know!”
“I remember that.”
“Me too.”
We sat there, still clutching hands, as our heartbeats returned to normal. It took a long time, but Tim never let go of me. Once we were able to breathe without hyperventilating, we got up. Tim made us some coffee and led me to the kitchen table, where we sat sipping and not talking.
Finally, Tim cleared his throat. “Well, that was… intense.”
Talk about an understatement. “Your gift for words is unparalleled.”
He sighed. “What do you want me to say? I remember that happening. I was told the importance of being your lock, because without me, you’d be hurt.”
“And in mine, she said I had to stay with my lock, because I kept you from being hurt.”
The enormity of the words slammed down on me as I turned to Tim.
“Maybe what’s inside of you is my fault. Could it be that leaving allowed it to happen?”
I hoped to hell Tim would reassure me, but he simply shrugged. “I don’t know. I wish I did.” Then he reached for my hand, squeezed it, and smiled at me. “But I do know that it doesn’t matter, because you’re back now.”
I pushed up and away from the table. “How can you say it doesn’t matter?”
He gave a sad smile. “What’s inside me isn’t important.”
“That’s bullshit and you fucking well know it!” I stalked to where he was sitting and grabbed his arm. “Get your ass up.”
He quirked an eyebrow but stood. “Now what?”
“We’re going out.”
He followed me to the car, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat. “Where are we going?”
“Back to the diner. I’m going to talk to the girl. She has the same marks on her neck that the boy in my vision—dream, whatever—had. If that’s what’s inside of you, then I want to know.”
“No.” He said it so calmly that it took me a minute to realize he was telling me I couldn’t go.
“Why the hell not?”
“What happened the last time? It was just a day ago, so I’m sure you remember. You could havedied.”
“But I didn’t. And, if I’m being honest, I would die if I could save you.”
He snarled and grabbed my hair. “I don’t ever want to hear you say something so fucking stupid again.”
