stairs as I bolted for the kitchen, every nerve in my body on high alert. How long did I have? Minutes? Seconds?
I hurtled into the back door. The necklace snagged in the latch as I battled to slide it free. The harder I pulled, the more the latch refused to budge. Footsteps approached outside.
“Come on. Think! ”
My gaze swept down and relief followed. The bolt was pushed down in its cradle. It slid effortlessly when I lifted it. Cool air rushed inside.
I’d barely cleared the lawn when Sol shouted. The darkness between the trees beckoned. It was like last night all over again, only this time I was the one pursued.
I heeded no obstacle, barreling through branches and brush, darting between the never-ending trunks that threatened to block my path, fleeing from that sword and the map and a truth I was no longer certain I wanted to know.
All the time, Sol drew closer, the sounds of his pursuit echoing through the wood.
On and on. Like an out-of-body experience, I saw myself as if from above. Only the biting pain from the necklace, tightly crushed in my fist, anchored me to my body.
My pace slowed as the land rose. I didn’t look back. The river on my right kept my path straight. Rocks appeared beneath my feet. I approached the Ridge.
Head down, I powered up the final rise. Any second I’d burst free of the trees and could turn for the road and pray that someone passed. Maybe the officers and deputies were still out searching for Jay. The thought spurred me on. A hundred feet. Fifty. I neared an opening in the trees.
Only seconds passed before I lunged out of the shadowy darkness and out onto the Ridge. The final tips of sunset faded out to the west. The moon hung low in the east. But there were no officers, no sheriff, nothing to mark this as the place where Jay had vanished.
I’d barely cleared thirty feet from the trees when Sol bolted onto the Ridge.
“Mia! Stop.”
“The sheriff’s on his way,” I yelled. I continued to run, panicked, picturing him seizing me and hurling me into the river.
No reply came.
Hoping the threat would make him flee, I veered toward the track that led back to the road. Leaves rustled to my left.
Sol emerged, lower on the slope—he must have ducked back into the woods and swerved around. He stood within paces of the path, my only route to the road. Flight or fight governed my response. I turned and fled back toward the Ridge.
His heavy steps followed as soon as I moved. “Don’t! Mia.”
I spun around. Sol had stopped, a safe distance away. He watched me intently. His shoulders and chest rose and fell with his rapid breaths. He reached out his hand. “Come down, Mia,” he said.
I shook my head. “Where’s my brother?”
“Mia.” Sol took several steps.
I stepped back, inching closer to the edge of the Ridge and the forty-foot drop to the river.
“Mia, don’t.”
I glanced behind me. The drop was less than twenty feet away. “Don’t come any closer,” I warned. “I’ll jump.”
With hands raised, Sol approached slowly.
“I’m serious.” I cried. “I’ll jump!”
My eyes darted left and right, frantically searching forescape. With Sol’s hands still raised, I imagined them around my neck, him squeezing just like when he’d twisted the wheel in his truck.
To my surprise, Sol stopped. He lowered his hands. “Come down from there, Mia,” he said. “I’ll explain. I promise.”
“How will you explain this?” I yelled. Almost defeated, fighting back tears, I brandished the necklace tight in my fist. “You lied, Sol. You saw the light. You saw the man. I saw the map! Tell me who took Jay!”
Sol’s eyes widened. “I promise I’ll tell you everything,” he said, rapidly. “ Please. You have to come down from there.”
I took another step away.
“MIA, DON’T!”
Something in Sol’s voice stopped me. He dashed up the Ridge. Every movement registered in my mind in slow motion. Shock covered his face, yet never once did he look at
I hurtled into the back door. The necklace snagged in the latch as I battled to slide it free. The harder I pulled, the more the latch refused to budge. Footsteps approached outside.
“Come on. Think! ”
My gaze swept down and relief followed. The bolt was pushed down in its cradle. It slid effortlessly when I lifted it. Cool air rushed inside.
I’d barely cleared the lawn when Sol shouted. The darkness between the trees beckoned. It was like last night all over again, only this time I was the one pursued.
I heeded no obstacle, barreling through branches and brush, darting between the never-ending trunks that threatened to block my path, fleeing from that sword and the map and a truth I was no longer certain I wanted to know.
All the time, Sol drew closer, the sounds of his pursuit echoing through the wood.
On and on. Like an out-of-body experience, I saw myself as if from above. Only the biting pain from the necklace, tightly crushed in my fist, anchored me to my body.
My pace slowed as the land rose. I didn’t look back. The river on my right kept my path straight. Rocks appeared beneath my feet. I approached the Ridge.
Head down, I powered up the final rise. Any second I’d burst free of the trees and could turn for the road and pray that someone passed. Maybe the officers and deputies were still out searching for Jay. The thought spurred me on. A hundred feet. Fifty. I neared an opening in the trees.
Only seconds passed before I lunged out of the shadowy darkness and out onto the Ridge. The final tips of sunset faded out to the west. The moon hung low in the east. But there were no officers, no sheriff, nothing to mark this as the place where Jay had vanished.
I’d barely cleared thirty feet from the trees when Sol bolted onto the Ridge.
“Mia! Stop.”
“The sheriff’s on his way,” I yelled. I continued to run, panicked, picturing him seizing me and hurling me into the river.
No reply came.
Hoping the threat would make him flee, I veered toward the track that led back to the road. Leaves rustled to my left.
Sol emerged, lower on the slope—he must have ducked back into the woods and swerved around. He stood within paces of the path, my only route to the road. Flight or fight governed my response. I turned and fled back toward the Ridge.
His heavy steps followed as soon as I moved. “Don’t! Mia.”
I spun around. Sol had stopped, a safe distance away. He watched me intently. His shoulders and chest rose and fell with his rapid breaths. He reached out his hand. “Come down, Mia,” he said.
I shook my head. “Where’s my brother?”
“Mia.” Sol took several steps.
I stepped back, inching closer to the edge of the Ridge and the forty-foot drop to the river.
“Mia, don’t.”
I glanced behind me. The drop was less than twenty feet away. “Don’t come any closer,” I warned. “I’ll jump.”
With hands raised, Sol approached slowly.
“I’m serious.” I cried. “I’ll jump!”
My eyes darted left and right, frantically searching forescape. With Sol’s hands still raised, I imagined them around my neck, him squeezing just like when he’d twisted the wheel in his truck.
To my surprise, Sol stopped. He lowered his hands. “Come down from there, Mia,” he said. “I’ll explain. I promise.”
“How will you explain this?” I yelled. Almost defeated, fighting back tears, I brandished the necklace tight in my fist. “You lied, Sol. You saw the light. You saw the man. I saw the map! Tell me who took Jay!”
Sol’s eyes widened. “I promise I’ll tell you everything,” he said, rapidly. “ Please. You have to come down from there.”
I took another step away.
“MIA, DON’T!”
Something in Sol’s voice stopped me. He dashed up the Ridge. Every movement registered in my mind in slow motion. Shock covered his face, yet never once did he look at
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