Mason (16 page)

Rene began her sophomore year at Marchand High School much as she'd begun her freshman year—sitting on the school's engraved concrete sign with a cup of coffee. She watched her classmates file through the front door and was reminded that several other students would not be returning this year. The feeling was bittersweet. All of the hope for the new year was flavored with memories of the last.

After two months in the state hospital, Lara had come out of her breakdown. Rene saw her at the trial—hair long and brushed straight down, the way it had been when they'd first met in the sixth grade. During her testimony, Lara apologized to Rene repeatedly, even when her lawyer objected. Rene cried the way people do when they realize something is lost forever. But Lara told the truth. Her story was exactly like
Rene's. Lara was given two years' probation. The court ordered her to continue therapy until she was eighteen. Ricky Langham went to prison in a wheelchair. Lump Hawthorne might have gone to prison himself, but a catastrophic stroke suffered two weeks after his accident had left him in a coma. Almost a year had passed, and he still wasn't awake.

Hunter Wallace drowned. His body was found wedged against a rock, just where the river took a bend out by the Hollow. The authorities blamed Gene Avrett for his death. Gene was also implicated in the death of Dusty Smith, a known drug dealer and addict, though they never found sufficient evidence to prove his involvement. There was, of course, no doubt that Gene had murdered his brother.

Rene sipped her coffee and slid a finger over her forehead to push back a lock of hair. It had grown in nicely, but she kept it short.

She looked toward the parking lot and saw Cassie walking in her direction. Eric Crawford was next to her, of course. The two had been inseparable since they met. Rene waved and slid off the concrete. They waved back.

Her physical therapy had gone well. She didn't even have a hint of a limp, and for that she was grateful.

Everyone in Marchand speculated on the events of the previous autumn, wondering how so many terrible
things could have happened in their town. They couldn't understand what had really happened—not unless they knew about a boy named Mason.

As for Rene, she thought about him every day. But she didn't want to remember Mason in his last days, so sad and confused. She wanted to remember a boy who loved to wrestle with his dog and play tag in the park—a boy who always smiled because he didn't know what lurked in the shadows of the world.

The one thing she would always remember about the last day of Mason's life was the light. Lying in her hospital bed, she'd been terrified for Mason, hoping the police would find him and Hunter before anything bad happened. Her fear had been so great she'd imagined monsters in the room with her—dark, nasty creatures like the dog Mason had shown her. But they were soft and unfocused images, little more than flickering shadows in the gloom. Then a great warm light fell over her. It startled her with its brilliance. After all the fear and pain and confusion, this light seemed to burn the ugly feelings away. It was beautiful and simple, and she knew in her heart Mason had sent it to her.

The light brought a feeling of peace, and she kept the emotion with her. It made the years ahead seem less frightening. Bad things would happen along with the good. Fear and love and anger and joy would be hers. Every moment would be another piece of her.
Some she would toss away and others she would hold close and cherish, like pictures.

Cassie walked up and put her arm around Rene's shoulder. “Think you can handle another year of this place?” Cassie asked.

“I guess we'll find out,” Rene replied. But the truth was, she didn't have a doubt in her mind.

This is, at best, an abbreviated list of those whose knowledge, support, and kindness made this book possible. Through encouragement and inspiration, these folks kept the wheels turning: Linda Addison, Pete S. Allen, Laura Arnold, Megan Bulloch, P. D. Cacek, Ellen Datlow, Gerard Houarner, Barbara Lalicki, Dallas Mayr, Mark McLaughlin, Margaret Miller, James A. Moore, Jane Osnovich, and Matt Schwartz.

For their friendship and critical acumen:

Daniel Braum, Nicholas Kaufmann, Sarah Langan, K. Z. Perry, and Stefan Petrucha. They all get cake.

Cover art © 2008 by Jonathan Barkat

Cover design by Sasha Illingworth