The Fleeting Happy

Twenty-Seven

Present day.

"I don't remember what happened after that," I whispered, thinning my lips.

"Montana," Officer Garza said sternly. "I know you remember. I know you know who killed Aurora. All we need... is a name."

"I'm not Montana," I murmured. "My name is Rory Caples."

My name is Rory... right?

Officer Garza fixed me with a look of concern. "Sweetheart, I'm going to bring in a special friend of mine. His name is Lincoln. He works for the school district."

There was a loud scrape as Officer Garza pushed back her chair and rose to her feet, clunking over to the interrogation room's door. I'm not sure how much time passed, but it felt as though an entire century had gone by. I watched warily as Officer Garza disappeared through the door and reappeared mere moments later, this time followed by a skinny, bespectacled man wearing patterned wide-leg pants and a baja hoodie.

"This is Lincoln," Officer Garza said softly, pulling out her chair. "Lincoln, have a seat."

"Thank you, Officer Garza. May I have a word with the young lady alone?"

"Go right ahead." Officer Garza shot me a well-meaning look before striding confidently out of the interrogation room, mumbling something into her radio.

As soon as she was gone and the door shut quietly behind her, I felt a claw of anxiety beginning to scratch at my throat. I gripped the armrests of the chair with tight knuckles, trying my hardest to steady my breathing.

"I know you," I whispered, wrenching my eyes shut. "You're Link the Shrink."

"That's me," Link's calm, mellow voice confirmed. "My name is Link. Can you tell me what your name is?"

"My name is Aurora Caples. Everybody calls me Rory."

"Are you sure?"

"I-I'm sure."

I opened my eyes again. Link was studying me with a deadpan look on his face. "Can you tell me your parents' names, Rory?"

"I..." I frowned. "Scott Caples and Madoka Akimoto."

"I want you to answer me honestly, okay? I'm your friend. You can trust me. Do these names ring any bells to you? Aaliyah Elmer. Gus Elmer. DeShaughn Elmer."

"They're Montana's parents and her brother," I said. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because Aaliyah Elmer and Gus Elmer are your parents, Montana. And DeShaughn is your older brother. They're your family. They're standing outside this room right now, they're quite concerned about you. Would you like me to bring them in? DeShaughn came back to Severn Valley from college just to see you. He's worried sick."

I felt my breathing turn haggard. "Wh-what..." I clasped my hand to my chest. "What are you talking about? Link, I'm not Montana. I'm Rory."

"Your name is Montana May Elmer. You are sixteen years old. You go to Severn Valley High School."

"Stop."

"Last night, you witnessed the love of your life jump to save you from a bullet. She died in your place, and the grief was too much for you. It triggered an acute stress reaction that caused you to hallucinate and believe that she's still alive the only way you could— by convincing yourself that she had never taken the bullet for you. By convincing yourself that you had died instead. But Montana, listen to me: you are not dead. You are alive. You can get through this. We can get through this—"