Lost Soul

Chapter Twenty-Four: Golem

I expect to be greeted by Death again in her lovely sea-side cabin with the hammock, and the rocking chair, and the gulls squawking outside.

Instead, I'm greeted by an upside-down world and swaying back and forth.

Someone's hand grips the back of my legs and shoulders dig into my side.

I start to tense before I can calm myself.

"I think my passenger is awake."

Relief floods through me.

I haven't been kidnapped after all. It's just James.

He dips down and settles my feet on the ground, but I can't get them under me, so he eases me all the way into the grass.

Nick drops to one knee at my side and pulls one of my eyelids up.

I jerk back with a groan.

"Her pupils are responsive. That's good right?"

They all share a look, but none of them know the answer.

We really are hopeless without Rae.

"What were you thinking, running off like that?" Charlie crosses his arms.

"It's my fault," Ava cuts in. "I said we should. I thought you would catch up sooner."

"Well, we would've," Cat growls, "but Daniel ran off and we had to make sure he didn't get himself killed."

Alex frowns at him. "Why'd you run off?"

Daniel stands at the back of the group, his arms crossed. He nods at me. "I thought I could bring Raven and you two back without any fuss."

Izzy rolls her eyes. "Yeah, great job."

He scowls at her. "At least I tried."

"You should've stuck with us," James scolds. "You heard Ava. She was waiting on us to catch up."

"You know, we wouldn't be in this mess if Raven didn't run off first! How about we focus on that instead!?"

My eyes droop a bit and I start to lean forward involuntarily.

Nick catches me and eases me back up. "Can we save the arguing for later? Raven's not looking too hot."

"Well, Charlie? Where's this boat you told us about?" Cat asks.

Charlie scans the shoreline of the lake. "It shouldn't be far, but everything looks different from down here."

"Can't you guide us from the sky? I could tie a string to you like a kite."

He glares at her. "You're hilarious."

"Found it," James announces.

A row boat is slowly creeping towards us across the water's edge.

Charlie frowns. "That's odd. I thought it was docked."

James shrugs. "Guess not."

Nick grabs James's sleeve as Cat and Charlie go to pull the boat in. "You need to be careful," he hisses. "You're being reckless."

James snaps his sleeve away. He glances at me, but even if he's worried about me listening in, it's not entirely obvious that I am considering my eyes are half-closed and I'm slumped against Nick. "I trust them to know," he whispers. "They're our friends."

Nick clenches his fist. "Don't forget about the last people you told about your... talents."

James's expression darkens and the water bubbles nearby. "Don't."