Velocity (The Gravity Series) Read online

  “That’s so creepy,” Theo said, shaking her head. “I know you were only gone for a half hour but it was like watching a vegetable.”

  “What did you see?” Hugh asked.

  “You and Claire talking about the prayer group. Right before the rabbit got killed. No real new information, but I was able to switch to a later point in time without much of a frame of reference.”

  “That’s promising,” Hugh said, still very serious. “Do you want to try again today?”

  “No.” I just didn’t feel like I had it in me. My shoulders were slumping and I could have easily taken a nap right there. “But soon.”

  ###

  At school, everyone seemed to be in on Thornhill’s secret. At least, that’s how it appeared. I was being ignored, which is not what I expected. Maybe they gave up on me, but more likely, they were trying to lull me into a false sense of security.

  At lunch, while Madison and Alex gossiped about a party they had been to that weekend, I watched the Thornhill girls wander around, gossiping behind their hands and laughing. Lainey turned and studied me like a bug. I took my hand off of my chin and stared back.

  What? I mouthed after a minute.

  She turned away, smug chin tilted to the sky, and headed off.

  ###

  That night, I was reading Eleanor’s diary again. She didn’t feel comfortable sharing much with her psychiatrist, Dr. Wallace, so she spilled her feelings in the pages. I identified with so much―the loneliness, the isolation, the feeling that I was losing my mind. I could have penned much of her confessions.

  But there wasn’t concrete information. There were so many points in time that wouldn’t help me. She talked about her days, which involved little other than meals and bland activities, with the occasional chore around the asylum. Sometimes she’d describe the other patients, but she seemed to keep to herself. I saw a few entries about Diane as I got further into the book. She had finally found a friend.

  Then she began using her necklace again. These were the entries that caused me to perk up. With the pendant on, she wrote, I can travel to the world of my nightmares. The birds show me the way, and I follow. I think they are trying to send me a message. I don’t know if they’re good or bad, but I feel compelled to trust them.

  I continued to read eagerly. But then I stopped, my finger tracing the torn stubs of pages in the center. She must have ripped out several entries. I sighed. Flipping through the small amount of the diary that remained, I figured she must have gotten rid of the entry about the woman in red.

  After I’d taken a shower and gotten ready for school the next day, I laid on my stomach and continued to read. There wasn’t much left and I knew I could finish it in an hour.

  I finally reached the last page.

  Today was the worst day of my life.

  Huh? I frowned, but kept reading.

  I shouldn’t have gone digging into the past. I’ve finally found out the horrible secret of my birth. A courier delivered my papers today, and as I read them in my room I was filled with disgust. I will tell no one, and bury my secrets. I’ve stopped courting Dark, and Dr. Wallace’s medication allows the ghosts to stay at bay. I shall bury this diary and the necklace underground, where they will only be found should I most need them. That way I can shed this terrible affliction.

  I shook Hugh awake from his place on the recliner. “What’s up?” he asked sleepily, just cracking his eyes.

  “I think Eleanor found out that she had Luminos blood,” I told him excitedly, waving the diary in his face. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and took it from me. “She was planning on putting the necklace in the box when she buried it, too. I wonder why she didn’t?”

  “Well, why did you go back and get it after you lost it?” Hugh asked, flipping pages. “Maybe it was the same reason.”

  “Because I had dreams about a dog who was searching for it,” I said.

  “A dog?”

  “This big black dog. I’ve seen it around the orphanage a few times.”

  “Huh. Well, my guess is the necklace calls to you somehow. So did she write anything about a woman in red?”

  I shook my head. “If she did, it’s gone. She tore some of the pages out.”

  He put on his reading glasses and read the final pages. “A horrible secret might not refer to what you think. She doesn’t say anything about blood.”

  “What else could it be?” I flopped down on the couch, pulling my robe around me.

  Hugh shrugged, handing the diary back to me. “I don’t know. But it seems like there’s enough detail for you to find out.”

  “I’ve been wondering…” I bit my lip hesitantly, wondering if I should bring up what I was about to say. “I’ve seen the ghosts of Ambrose and Warwick and Jenna. Why have I never seen mom? Wouldn’t she want to come and see me? Especially if she’s got some short of angel powers?” I felt like a child who hadn’t had the finality death explained to her.

  Hugh’s eyebrows went up sympathetically and he sat up farther. He thought about his answer before he spoke. “I’m sure she would like to see you, if she could. But maybe she crossed over and she can’t come back.” His voice was growing thick and emotional. “Maybe she’s at peace.”

  The thought provided me with some shallow comfort. But there were so many things I wanted to ask her. Why did she go back to Thornhill after she left them? Why did she pull away from us?

  ###

  Callie was going to be busy for a while, so I tried to focus on school. Henry and I hadn’t spoken since he walked out of my apartment, and although we’d sent chilly texts back and forth to each other, I didn’t know how to feel about him right now. Part of me loved him dearly, but another part kept picturing him as Phillip, commanding the prayer group.

  I sat in my room on Thursday, reading a book. From out in the living room, I heard tapping. I peeked in on Hugh, but he was fast asleep, sprawled across his bed. The tapping continued and I followed it.

  It was coming from the front door. I walked carefully to it, not taking my eyes off of it. Shaking, I peered out of the peep hole. There was something on the mat. My heart hammered crazily in my chest.

  Making sure no one was in the hall, I carefully slid the chain lock in place and opened the door a crack. A dead rat was laying on the mat, belly-up, with a note pinned to its chest. Its thin pink tail laid out stiffly. I twisted my nose in disgust, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat. The note read, We smell a rat.

  ###

  “It’s a cheap stunt, even for Phillip,” Hugh said, pacing the kitchenette later that night. I was sitting on a chair, sipping a mug of hot cocoa. The rat had been disposed of down the garbage chute, but he’d kept the bloody note.

  “It might not even be Phillip,” I reasoned, setting down my cup. “Like you said, it’s more like a childish prank.”

  “He’s testing us,” Hugh said. “He’s letting us know that he hasn’t forgotten about us.”

  “Is it safe for us to be in Hell?” I asked.

  He looked at me with sad, haunted eyes, and attempted to smile. “I won’t let him get anywhere near you. Not again.”

  “That didn’t answer my question. Am I really the only one that can stop him?”

  “I think your ties to this Luminos might be our most powerful weapon,” Hugh said. “But I’m trying to find other options. Believe me, I would take you out of town right now. But Phillip is planning on destroying the fabric of dimensions itself. Running would only put us in more danger.”

  ###

  I rested for a week, going to school and hanging out with Theo in my free time. I was hyper vigilant, always looking over my shoulder.

  Hugh and I decided that Saturday was going to be my big day with the grounding stone. I was going to try and see the prayer group’s attempted ritual. I hoped to have enough time to see if Eleanor’s horrible secret had to do with Luminos, too.

  I found myself in Erasmus this time, on one of the benches with a mountain of pillows beh
ind my head, as the nurse checked me over.

  “How long are you going to be under?” Theo asked, resting beside me on the couch.

  “I don’t know,” I said.

  “Give me a jump off point, Hugh,” I said, staring at the ceiling with the stone on my heart.

  “Um, I remember Claire talking about a line, a procession of candles. They walked two by two down the tunnels to the seal in the basement.”

  I shut my eyes and pictured the tiny flames suspended above taper candles, the teenagers all wearing somber expressions as they marched down the dark tunnels. The world slipped out and I slid gracefully down.

  I followed the procession of casually dressed teens through the dark tunnel. There was another girl with them, and I realized that I recognized her face. It was Stephanie Laylon, the one who was destined to be in a mysterious accident. I got cold chills down my spine, realizing that she was the one who was going to be put on the sacrificial stone. She was smiling and chattering away with Deana and Cheryl, though neither girl was talking back.

  It came out to a dirt-floored basement, and then to the room I sort of recognized the shape of―the pool room where Warwick threatened me with his gun. There was nervous chattering.

  “Quiet,” Phillip commanded, and the chattering ceased.

  Roughly in the spot where Alyssa and Susan’s bodies had been found there was a seal like the one Jenna had been sacrificed on. It was a large cement dais with draining channels running around the outside.

  So it had been covered up when they rebuilt the place. It wasn’t as raised as the one beneath the orphanage’s shed―this one could have easily been covered. It creeped me out that it was still active enough to work underneath all of that cement. Candles had been set up along the perimeter.

  Claire’s eyes kept darting around. I couldn’t see any ghosts, but I had the feeling it wasn’t just waiting for Hughie that was making her so nervous. Phillip stared at her face.

  “What do you see?” he queried in a gruff whisper.

  She jumped, blushing peach. “Oh, nothing. Just so many shadows. It’s almost like there’s something there.”

  “Why, dear Claire, there is something there,” Phillip said, his eyes glittering in the candlelight. “You know that better than any of us. Now put your hands on the symbol.”

  She did as she was told. “I don’t feel anything.”

  Phillip tilted his head. “I didn’t think you would. Let’s put these ghost sightings of yours to good use, hmm? Stand to the side and let me know if you see anything…well, dead.” He let off a disgusting little laugh and she did as she was told.

  Straightening and addressing the others, Phillip intoned, “Umbra regnum!”

  “Umbra Regnum,” came the rumbling reply from the others. They all looked much more nervous, like they were changing their minds about being there. Stephanie looked around, the smile melting off her face as she got confused. Slaughter and Cliff Ford grabbed her by the arms as she shouted and struggled.

  Both sweaty and serious, the two boys dragged Stephanie over to the seal, forcing her down as they tightened the leather belts around her wrists and ankles. She kept screaming. Ford slapped her hard in the face and jammed a gag in her mouth. I look away, my stomach squirming.

  Stephanie’s tortured eyes found Cheryl, imploring her for mercy. I remembered as Cheryl looked guiltily to the floor that Stephanie was her best friend.

  Producing an old, heavy book, Phillip flipped the pages to a ribbon bookmark and began chanting. “Oh, Dark Master, we call to thee, to bring us your power. Fill our minds and bodies with your power here in our unholy sanctum. We give you this sacrificial offering of precious blood so you may know the seriousness of our intent.”

  Stephanie continued squealing and struggling against the straps. Phillip produced a knife―with a cold, slithering chill I realized it looked like the dagger that had been on display at the library, the one McPherson had cut his daughter Charlotte with. The blade was serrated and animals were carved into the handle.

  “Phillip, this is getting too creepy,” Claire whispered loud enough for me to hear. It was obvious she was getting anxious. Where were my dad and his friends?

  Phillip pulled on a pair of brown leather gloves. “I don’t want to get my hands messy this time,” he said, then picked up the knife again.

  “We hope that you accept this pure offering,” he finished, then slammed the book shut. He didn’t even hesitate, poking the blade into the white flesh of the girl’s forearm. A line of blood appeared, and he poked harder. A smile curled on his lips, finishing his transformation into a ghoul.

  “Boss, I think there’s smoke over there,” Slaughter spoke up.

  Phillip broke out of his trance, his head snapping up. “Shit,” he said indelicately.

  Everyone in the group jumped up and I looked to see a fire glowing brightly next to the mouth of the tunnel. Phillip got closer, as did I, and saw it was a bag that was on fire.

  “What the―” Phillip started. “Did some candles get knocked over?”

  But then Hughie and his group―Warwick, Golem, McPherson, and several other boys―rushed breathlessly into the cave. They had all dressed in black.

  “Stop what you’re doing!” Hughie snarled. I felt an instant, delirious rush of pride. Stephanie screamed louder, realizing that the ritual had been disrupted.

  The others were flushed with excitement but looked suddenly afraid. McPherson’s face was particularly hard to read. He almost looked like he was impressed by Phillip.

  “Is this your plan?” Phillip said. He glared down Hughie, looking completely unfazed. Beads of sweat rolled down my father’s face.

  “You’re not going to stop me,” Phillip whispered. I realized as he raised his arm that he was still holding the dagger. Even though I knew he must have survived, my heart pounded my ribs in fear.

  Suddenly, there were other men entering the room. The group made me realize just how young Phillip and my parents were. The largest of the men, a slab of beef on legs, stepped forward.

  “Hi-hi, Mr. Laylon,” Phillip stammered, for once intimidated. He tossed the knife casually to the side while the others were too busy looking at the surroundings.

  I peered over my shoulder at Stephanie. Cheryl and Deana were struggling to get the leather straps off of her.

  “What’s going on here?” Mr. Laylon’s voice boomed, filling the cave with sound.

  “Just fun and games. You know, kid stuff.”

  “Not fun and games. Life or death,” Hughie said firmly.

  “Stephanie!” Mr. Laylon rushed to his daughter’s side, helping her up. Stephanie was bruised and bleeding, and seemed disoriented. “What were you doing to my daughter.”

  “I’ll get you back for this,” Phillip hissed at my father.

  “I can’t believe you actually thought you’d get away with this!” Laylon shouted. He came rushing back towards Phillip, and cocked his fist back.

  “I’d reconsider that if I were you,” Phillip said. “My father will have you put in jail in an instant if you so much as touch a hair on my head. We’ll ruin you.”

  Laylon’s large frame was shaking with restraint. His face was so red I wondered if he would have a heart attack right there. He lowered his fist, not without difficulty. “If you weren’t a Rhodes kid, I would see you arrested. You kids need to find your heathen asses in church.”

  “You can’t let him get away with this,” Hughie said. “Look at Stephanie, she’s bleeding.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Phillip said, and he burst into tears, his face contorting almost worse than his goblin grimace. It was so sudden and unexpected, so different than the snotty persona that he had adopted a few moments ago, that everyone in the basement was taken aback. “I don’t know what came over me. I was a man possessed, sir.” He fell to his knees in front of Stephanie. “I’m so sorry. I’m done with this. I just wanted to see if it would work.”

  “You’re disgusting,” Stephanie muttere
d. Laylon and his friends helped her off of the seal and towards the exit.

  “Let’s get you to the hospital,” another of the men said. “All of you need to get out of here, now. Playtime’s over.”

  Phillip remained on his knees staring off at the seal, which now just looked like a bad Dungeons and Dragons prop. A few candles still flickered, although most of the tapers had fallen to the dirt and gone out. The others shuffled out, looking back for Phillip. When he didn’t follow, they left.

  It was just Claire and a hesitant Hughie standing and waiting. Claire stared down at Phillip like he was merely a pest, with none of her earlier reverence or love for him.

  “Look at all the shadows,” Hughie said, looking around him in awe. I couldn’t see any of them, but I knew that they must be moving all over.

  “They’ll settle down now,” Claire whispered back to him.

  “You forgive me, don’t you Claire?” Phillip asked, looking up at her with his brown eyes pleading. Never had he reminded me so much of Henry as in that moment. That was Henry’s look, when he’d asked me to forgive him. My goosebumps hardened.

  “No, I don’t forgive you,” Claire said evenly. “I don’t ever want to see you again. We’re finished.”

  “But Claire!” Phillip protested, walking forward on his knees

  “You’re only a puppet. You’ll never be the man you wish you were,” Claire said. She spun around, clasping Hughie’s hand, much to his evident surprise as he grinned, and they walked out of the tunnel.

  CHAPTER 11

  I’D RESTED UP enough that I felt surprisingly in control. I hadn’t even felt the tug in my stomach signifying that I was going to head back yet. I had to struggle a little, like being tied to a rubber band, but I envisioned Eleanor standing in the hedge maze, the woman in red before her. I could almost see it, but I didn’t know enough. And because of the influence of Dark on what she had seen, the memory was distorted.

  Instead, I pictured Eleanor in her room at the asylum, getting her package. And then I was there, watching Eleanor smile and say thank you as she stepped back with a small, flat package. She looked healthier than the shade in my visions, although her hair was now cut in the familiar short bob.