Holly Fever (Mondamin Court #1)

Chapter Eight

Zoey wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting on the couch. It must have been a long while. She was shivering, and she could see her breath in the vague light coming through the window. Outside, the wind howled and the snow blew.

She looked around, not sure what had roused her from her stupor. Then it came again, the knock, barely audible over the wind. She could hear a young girl's voice, pleading through tears. "Hello! Hello! Is anyone there? Please answer. I've been to four houses already. Someone please answer."

The pleading in the voice forced Zoey to rise and go to the door. The girl on the porch couldn't have been more than nine. She had dark hair peeking out under a heavy, pink coat with furry fringe. Her cheeks were red from the cold and her tears.

"What's wrong?" Zoey asked.

"My sister is sick," the girl cried. "I tried to tell my mom, but she won't answer. Ethan won't either. I think," she bit back a sob and barely whispered, "I think they might be dead."

Zoey stared at the girl. What can I do?

"Mister?"

"I'm a girl," she said mechanically. She looked down and saw the fear in the little girl's eyes. She knew she had to at least try. "My name is Zoey. Come in."

"But my sister," the girl protested.

"I know," Zoey said. "Let me get dressed. In the meantime, get out of the cold."

The girl stepped nervously over the threshold. It was only marginally warmer in the house, but it was out of the wind.

"What's your name?" Zoey asked. She flipped a light switch before remembering that the electricity was out. She found a pair of snow pants by feel and pulled them on. Then she stepped into her mom's boots. They were tight but they fit. She pulled a coat on and felt for a flashlight.

"I'm Esther, Esther Hillcrest," the girl said. "My sister Ruth is very sick. She keeps coughing, and she's hot. Mom won't answer and she feels cold. I think—" She stopped herself and took in a shuddering breath.

"Let's go check it out," Zoey said. She pulled on her gloves and then held her hand out to Esther. Once she was out in it, the blizzard didn't seem quite as bad. The wind howled, but the snow seemed lighter and she could see the houses clearly.

"Zoey's a girl's name," Esther said as they walked. "Are you sure that's your name?"

Zoey laughed dryly. "Yeah, I'm transgender."

"What's that?"

"It means I was born looking like a boy, but really I want to be a girl."

"I don't blame you. Boys are gross," Esther said, her voice matter-of-fact. Zoey laughed for real this time.

At the door she had a spike of anxiety that had nothing to do with the possibility of finding dead bodies inside. Hillcrest. It hadn't dawned on her when Esther had told Zoey her name. They were conservative Christians. The father had always looked at Zoey—Devon back then—with revulsion, and he didn't even know about this. How would they feel about Zoey coming into their house?

"I'm scared," Esther admitted at the doorway.

That helped galvanize Zoey. "Me too," she admitted. "But we got to. For your sister." She pulled out the flashlight and opened the door.

"Mom, Mom," Esther called out as she went inside. "I brought help. She's a boy, but she wants to be a girl, and she answered the door, Mom." There was no answer. "Ethan, are you there?"