I keep thinking about what Madame Pommier told us the night before. Psychics? Connections to the past? It’s difficult to stomach. Still, I did see ghosts, so I suppose I have to believe in such far-fetched explanations. I can’t decide if it’s better or worse that we’re seeing living people not actual ghosts.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDekQwrHGq0
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEu3pLno50
In any case, Madame Pommier told us the connection will be closed by sunset tonight. It’s a crucial time, according to her, because tonight is All Hallow’s Eve, when the connection is the strongest. The last thing we want is for patients—whether lunatics or psychics—to cross over here or for students to get trapped in a 1920s psychiatric hospital.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQpn10A1Jk
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhK4miPYoM
As far as I’m concerned, sunset is delaying it for too long. I make the mistake of telling Roanna, who’s been downcast since Madame Pommier explained everything to us last night.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiq48Gdfv5J
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ws8ETLQUI
“I don’t know,” Roanna says as we walk through the hallway toward the canteen. “Is this really the right thing?”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYhfBJvELx
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILDStEWmCz
“Look, Ro, I know this is fun for you, but have you ever thought it could be really dangerous?”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26w6TcBO1O
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rys83ZjQg
“No,” Roanna says, pushing her glasses up her nose. “I really don’t think so. I feel like there’s something more—like these people are misunderstood.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyfQwsxPrD
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFbGrTPN5G
A disbelieving laugh bursts out of my mouth before I can stop it. She clamps her lips shut, her eyes widening slightly.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSup51ec06l
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjBwPwdA2f
“Ro, I’m so sorry.” I reach out to her. “I was being a complete tosser. I didn’t mean to laugh.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiI1RgkeoiH
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBQcskMSXv
“No, because you always just hold back, right?” she says, stepping out of my reach. “I know you don’t believe me. You never have.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHrl4tuok4
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22l4Qli1ws
“I never lied to you,” I say, temper rising. “You knew I never believed in any of this, but you also knew I always supported you.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2CVLEgfjU
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYZD08pt93
“You’ve seen them now,” she says. “How can you not believe there’s something more happening here?”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWxb3vpUL4
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Y1b9xE4Nw
I think back to the room with the row of beds, and the way the people came toward us. I remember the bruise on Jen’s throat. I can’t suppress a shudder.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzkRDupSIe
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5u5sW6hKUk
“It’s a freak connection that shouldn’t exist,” I say.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk3kJdcjbH
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVetr2gfHoW
“Cami, I think I’m one of them.” There’s a note of desperation to Roanna’s voice.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOQq2IKDwC
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkERdTHO2LC
“One of…whom?” I say carefully. “Psychic? You’ve got to be kidding me.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5P33ZEoGq
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9uH5BRC4s
Roanna glares at me and speaks vehemently. “I’ve had dreams about Wolverhampton since before I ever laid eyes on this school. I’ve seen more ‘ghosts’ than all the other students combined—even Jen. I keep seeing this nurse, and she looks so…she looks so sad. I have to stop Madame Pommier from closing the door before we can learn more about what’s going on. And if you aren’t going to help me, I don’t need you.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DigydLgKE
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlNiNdzmpx
“Fine,” I say, her last line causing anger to come to a boil inside me. “Do it on your own, then. I never understood why you insisted on dragging me along everywhere.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiHc9lFVIp
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAp5qqtlWB3
“Good news for you. I won’t be doing that anymore.” She spins on her heel and stomps off.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVzPtT1sZX
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7mrcS3QHo
I take a deep breath and head away from the canteen and toward the grounds. I want to see Will. I want him to hold me and soothe me. My heart pounds, and dread fills my veins. This is the biggest fight I’ve ever had with Roanna.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOf4Vsq68JL
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfvR96Yvlx
I’m walking through the hallway, thinking only of finding Will, when someone stops me by putting his hands on my shoulders.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowHI8BtkeY
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayltKcG6BU
I stare at him, wondering how he can touch me so easily. I don’t really know him, and I’ve only spoken to him a handful of times—most recently when he helped me pick up my fallen books the other day.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGAXbktb9M
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRI6MtK4D3
“Cami,” he says, taking a deep breath and visibly steeling himself. “I wanted to talk to you.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSZLhkd3LY
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGLqzCsoFL
“All right,” I say, my mind still on going outside and finding Will.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGeAH4LM8W
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavk8YioENC
“I know how you feel,” he says in a rush. “People have been telling me over the past couple of years that you…that you fancy me. I don’t really know how to say this. I guess I should just come out and say it. The truth is…I’m gay.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7w2u18Dfxy
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyT1pu3rXcx
“Oh, um, congratulations,” I say, trying not to let the word sound like a question. I’m not sure why he’s telling me this when we’ve only talked a few times. “I’m sure coming out was very difficult.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSKCjHXOa6
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeW8Y63ZO1
“I have to say, you’re taking this much better than I expected. I’m relieved.” But he looks a little disappointed.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIkZcZ7b2r
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ01RdXDnIK
“I’m sorry, but…who are you?” I say, feeling a little bad that I have to ask.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsnPLUrjxQ
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXOc2o4gFp
His eyebrows knit together. “I’m Will. Will Poynter. We’ve emailed each other a bit during the holidays.”803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuxgFJhI4e
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfcVQP4gcM
I’m frozen. He isn’t Will Poynter. Will Poynter is my Will. I think about him sitting beside me under the crabapple tree; Will lacing his fingers through mine; Will telling me he’d planted camellias for me. Everything good in my life has been tied to Will—everything that hasn’t been tied to Roanna, that is. They’re the people I love most in the world.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJoNMUEeNV
803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSFe3Ya7c3
I know I have to find Roanna and apologize, but first I have to find Will—my Will—and figure out what’s going on.803Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdxAG9Blk6
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
