Sally Singletary's Curiosity (The Sally Singletary Book 1) (22 page)

The next thing Jake knew, the tree rose back upward, ripped from their path by an unseen force. Flaming branches and leaves fell around them, but none large enough to slow them down.

“Holy crap! Holy crap!” Jake’s body was shaking uncontrollably. He caught a glimpse of the turn ahead and slammed on the brakes, causing the car to slide. He’d been going too fast to make the turn. The car hit the pavement, overshooting the road, dipping into the ditch on the other side.

The others screamed as Jake held firmly to the wheel. He maintained control and guided the car back up the steep embankment and onto the main highway. He didn’t stop. The fire was still spreading and had already reached the road. He pressed the gas until he felt they were far away before he allowed himself to relax. “Is everyone okay?”

Idric coughed again, but nodded. Yasif winced in pain as he tended to the burn on his leg.

Sally looked as though she was about to puke, but nodded. “Let’s not do that again, okay?”

Jake let out a sigh of relief and turned to Idric. “Thanks for saving our ass!”

Idric managed a weak smile.

Jake grinned. “I owe you one, bud.”

THEY MADE THEIR WAY
to the nearby town of El Dorado where they searched for a place to spend the night. Hotels were filling up quickly with residents who’d been forced to evacuate because of the fire. Sally checked them in to a small place down the road using her credit card. Once settled into the room, she collapsed onto a chair, exhausted from their ordeal. No one spoke, each seemingly in a daze as they showered and cleaned up. It was Idric who couldn’t seem to settle. He kept pacing the room until he found the remote for the TV.

It wasn’t until sometime later, freshly cleaned and clothed, that any of them dared to relive the experience. Idric turned on the TV to find reports of the fire on every channel. No matter how hard she tried, Sally couldn’t take her gaze off the screen. The devastation had already spread so far.

“I don’t get it,” Yasif spoke first, still staring at the devastating images on the screen. “What happened?”

“You!” Idric said almost immediately as though he’d been waiting to respond to that question all evening. “You created a new convergence that interacted with the shield.”

“I did what?” Yasif replied.

Idric sighed. “This is why we’re not supposed to use our power among the powerless. It just causes problems.” He flipped channels.

“I caused the fire?” Yasif asked sadly. “I’m the one responsible for all those people losing their homes?”

“Yaz, we don’t know exactly what happened,” Sally said sympathetically.

He looked up, his eyes swimming in tears. “It was my fault, Sal.”

She sat next to him, putting her arm around him. Each channel that came up on the screen was consumed with reports of how rapidly the fire had spread due to northerly winds.

“It’s currently headed toward Camden,” a reporter said as Idric unmuted the TV. “This is the worst fire in recorded history.”

A video shot from the air panned over the devastation left in the fire’s wake. Their hearts sank further when the view on the screen changed to show a reporter interviewing a man in a top hat.

Sally’s jaw dropped.

“The Disciples of The One Faith Movement are extending a hand to any families who have been affected by this terrible disaster. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” Van der Haak said, taking his top hat off and looking directly into the camera.

Sally felt as if he could see her, even though she knew that was impossible.

“If you have been a victim of this unfortunate act of nature, please call The One Faith Movement at…”

She didn’t hear the phone number, her mind locked on the man’s face. The One Faith Movement? She’d never even heard of such a thing. Her brain felt as though it was swimming through Jell-O, her thoughts slow and murky.

“It’s like they planned this,” Jake said.

“That’s impossible,” Sally replied. “Why would he draw us all the way out here to kill us if all they’d planned on doing was setting the fire? They could have done that without us even being there.”

Sally’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation. She picked it up, not recognizing the number. “Hello?”

“Sally? Sally Singletary?” a woman’s voice asked.

Sally squinted in confusion. “Yes, who’s this?”

“This is Betty Boucher, Stephanie’s mother.”

STEPHANIE’S MOTHER HAD TOLD SALLY
so little about what was going on, saying only that she called because Stephanie needed to see her.

“Apparently, you’ve been a very good friend to her,” was all she said.

Friends? Sally had never considered Stephanie a friend. They were from different worlds, but apparently her roommate thought more highly of Sally than she did of her. For that, Sally suddenly felt immensely guilty, considering what the poor girl had gone through. Her mother had been insistent that Sally come to the hospital. Sally didn’t feel right ignoring that request. It wasn’t as if there was much they could do in El Dorado.

***

The trip back to Atlanta seemed to take forever. They’d left for the hospital first thing in the morning and it already felt as if they’d been traveling for hours. Despite all the Honda had been through, it seemed to be holding up. One of the tires had to be replaced, but overall Sally was surprised.

Behind them, billowing clouds of smoke rose from the trees. All those people who lost their homes. She couldn’t imagine how much damage the fire had caused.

She wondered if Jake could be right about Van der Haak planning the whole thing. She couldn’t see how. Van der Haak would have had to set up everything from the beginning. How would he know what they would’ve found or where they would’ve searched? It seemed a long shot at best for him to have had that much foreknowledge. And if that were the case, Van der Haak would’ve known that they’d survive.

If his goal was to start the fire, there was no way he could’ve known how Yasif would have reacted. He’d wanted them dead. He’d said as much in the field. It made more sense that his plan fell apart and the fire was just an unfortunate outcome.

The worst part was, despite everything they’d been through, they’d still accomplished nothing. They’d learned nothing about Van der Haak or the shape-shifters, nothing about the deaths and disappearances, and nothing more on Division 51. In fact, it seemed to Sally they had more questions on their hands than before.

On top it all, she was still in the dark about where her mother had gone.

They arrived at the hospital to find a slightly annoyed but welcoming woman with blonde hair that matched her daughter’s. “I’m sorry to call you out here like this, but Stephanie insisted that you know what’s happened.” Stephanie’s mother pulled Sally into a hug, even though they’d never met. “She speaks very highly of you.”

Sally doubted that, but appreciated the sentiment. “I’m so sorry about your daughter, Mrs. Boucher.”

“Please, call me Betty,” she said with a forced smile.

“What was it she wanted to see us about?” Sally asked.

“I don’t know. She just seemed to think you’d want to know how she was doing.” Mrs. Boucher smoothed out her hair.

Sally couldn’t imagine why Stephanie would want her there after what had happened. She expected the cheerleader would want nothing to do with her anymore. “What was it they had to do, Mrs. Bouch…Betty?”

Stephanie’s mother shook her head as tears began trailing her cheeks. It took her a moment to compose herself. “I’m so sorry, it’s just so sudden…”

“It’s okay,” Sally said. “We can come another time if this is too difficult.”

“No.” She wiped her eyes with a tissue. “I’m okay. It’s just that my poor baby will never be able to cheer again.”

Sally shifted uncomfortably as the woman began crying once more. The others stayed a few feet behind, giving the woman some space.

“Oh dear,” Betty said, sniffling.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Sally urged.

“There was just too much damage, the doctor said. They couldn’t repair it, and she’d already lost a lot of blood. They said that even if they hadn’t removed it, she’d have very little use for what was left.”

“Mrs. Boucher,” Sally said. “Please, I don’t understand. What did they remove?”

Betty started crying again. “Her arm.”

Sally’s head swam. Suddenly, the hospital lobby seemed dark and small. Had she heard right? They had to remove Stephanie’s arm? That couldn’t be right.

“They took off just the forearm, just past the elbow. They’ll fit her with a prosthetic in a few days, but it won’t be the same,” Betty said. “She’s been in recovery, but not coherent enough to receive visitors until today.”

Sally couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Why would Stephanie want her there to tell her this? Was she just trying to rub it in? Sally wouldn’t put it past the cheerleader to do a thing like that. It was a horrible thought, but what other explanation was there? Stephanie had never acted like she considered Sally a friend, why would she start now?

Sally staggered backward, her legs taking on the consistency of undercooked brownies. She stepped back and fell into a chair. Her vision fogged, her thoughts unclear. Stephanie’s mother hovered over her like a dark cloud. She was saying something, but she might as well have been speaking another language. Sally’s mind had lost the ability to decipher her words.

How could any of this have happened? She was supposed to be going to college in a few months, not sitting in the waiting room of a hospital, finding out that her roommate had just lost her arm fighting a giant fire-breathing creature!

It was only when Sally smelled Yasif’s cologne that she realized who’d helped her back to her feet. He supported her, much in the same way he’d supported her through the fire. Sally felt numb and only vaguely aware of the others as they moved toward Stephanie’s room. The closer they came, the more unsettled Sally became. By the time they reached the doorway, she was shaking.

They entered. A simple curtain separated them from the injured blonde. Sally’s heart beat harder as Stephanie’s mother pulled back the tan fabric. As soon as Sally’s gaze fell on her roommate, she nearly collapsed. It was Yasif who steadied her and kept her from losing her footing.

Sally couldn’t take her gaze off the pale form lying in the bed. Was this really Stephanie? Her skin had gone the color of fresh milk. Without makeup, she looked plain and vulnerable. But it was when Sally caught sight of the girl’s arm that she gasped unintentionally.

“Do I look that bad?” Stephanie’s voice croaked, her eyes fluttering open.

“No!” Sally said quickly. “You look…”

“I look like a train wreck.” Stephanie managed a slight smile.

Sally ached with empathy. “I’m so sorry, Steph.”

“You should be,” she croaked. “It’s all your fault, you know.”

Sally’s stomach felt as though it had fallen to the floor.

Stephanie did blame her for what had happened. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Sally knew everything that had taken place was her fault. It was her damned curiosity that started all this in the first place. If she’d only not glanced out that window, not seen Billy and the others disappear, maybe things would be back to normal and Stephanie wouldn’t be lying in this bed without an arm.

Stephanie wasn’t the only one hurt. Look at all those people who lost their homes, all the people who’ve died. And all because they’d gotten wrapped up in the shape-shifter’s plans.

Sally wanted to apologize—do something to make things better—but there was nothing that could replace the poor girl’s arm.

“She’s still a bit delirious from the pain medication.” Stephanie’s mother placed a hand on Sally’s arm. “She’s not herself.”

“No,” Sally interjected. “She’s right. It is my fault.”

“How could you be to blame for someone else’s dog?” Betty asked.

What could Sally say? “I’m sorry, Mrs. Boucher, it wasn’t a dog. It was a giant creature that attacked us in my mother’s apartment in downtown Atlanta.” Yeah, that would make things so much better! Sally opted for silence rather than contradict what she’d told them. She’d expected more, for Stephanie to tell her how awful it was to have lost her arm, to rub in the fact it was all Sally’s fault, but Stephanie’s mother was right. Her roommate was too out of it to carry on more of a conversation. Sally watched as she drifted into a soundless sleep.

Sally said nothing during the trip back to the switching station, her thoughts consumed with grief over what had happened to Stephanie. It hurt to know she’d caused so much pain. Sally tried not to think of all the things Stephanie would have trouble doing, but instead her mind freely offered the most ridiculous ideas—waving, brushing her hair, tennis?

Stephanie wasn’t the only one affected. Mrs. Padilla was dead. The poor old woman may have been a bit ditzy, but she certainly didn’t deserve to be killed in such a brutal way. What if it was Sally’s fault that Mrs. Padilla was dead? What if her investigation was what sparked the shape-shifters to come to the school? Van der Haak had certainly made it clear they’d interfered with his plans. Everything that happened could have been set in motion by her investigation.

She remembered the look in the creature’s eyes before Idric had blasted it out of the window. What if it had come for just her? What if she had put the others in danger because she brought them there? Even Yasif’s run-in with Division 51 was a result of her investigation.

What made her think she could be a real reporter? All she’d managed to do was get everybody hurt. Sally had been so sure she could solve this mystery, get to the bottom of the story, but a cold splash of reality now tempered her ambitions.

Let Division 51 have their investigation. Let the experts take over from here on out. Sally Singletary was done with sticking her nose where it didn’t belong.

SALLY SPENT THE NEXT
couple weeks mostly to herself, conversing with the others only when necessary. The time had been filled with unanswered questions and dead-end searches—and Sally wanted no part of it. Yasif and Jake continued digging for information despite her protests, without success. TESSA couldn’t seem to find the link between James Van der Haak, The One Faith Movement, and the shape-shifters—and Sally secretly hoped it never would.