❝I'M NOT PSYCHIC.❞
❝YOU'RE SOMETHING!❞
FAYELYNN MATHERS was the town freak ever since she was found on the river's edge with burn marks all over her body. For years, she was relatively sound, never had any outbursts and did her best to fit into soci...
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❝MAYBE WHAT WE'VE DONE IS CREATE THE DEVIL IN OUR OWN IMAGE.❞ -DEAN KOONTZ, PHANTOMS (1983)
FAYELYNN'S PARENTS THOUGHT it best to keep her home for the day after the previous night's incident, but Faye refused. She didn't tell them what she saw, but Fayelynn's secret reasoning for wanting to go to school was just to see if Barbara Holland was present. Perhaps if she was there that day, then those visions were just her mind playing cruel tricks on her. But if she wasn't? God, Faye didn't want to think of what she'd feel if she wasn't.
She looked around for Nancy, knowing that where Nancy was, so was Barbara. Yet even when Faye managed to find Nancy standing at her locker that day, there was no Barbara in sight. That didn't mean Barbara wasn't in class though, right? Just because she wasn't with her didn't mean anything. All she had to do was just ask Nancy if she saw Barbara in class that day.
"Hey, Nancy?"
Nancy looked up from her locker and smiled, "Oh, hey, Faye. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much... Hey, listen. Did Barbara come to school today?"
Nancy thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so. I didn't see her today in class. Why?"
"Um..." Faye had to think of a lie and fast. Luckily, she managed to think of one. "She and I have a project that's due soon, that's all."
"Oh..." Nancy nodded. Faye was about to turn and walk away after she thanked the girl, but Nancy stopped her with her voice piping up once again. "Oh, wait! Where were you this morning?"
"Huh?"
"You usually pick the boys up, don't you? You weren't there this morning."
Faye had to think about it for a moment. "Oh shit.
Then it instantly dawned on her that she completely abandoned the boys earlier that day. She must have been so intent on getting to the school to see if Barbara was in attendance that she just forgot to go to the Wheeler's house and ride with them to school. Faye already knew that this wouldn't end well. They'll never forgive her for forgetting them like that, she just knew it. Perhaps they'd give her the silent treatment or not invite her to one of their campaigns (even though Mrs. Wheeler would invite her anyway so she could stop one of the fights that would no doubt break out if one of the boys was angered about the play another one made.) Things like that have happened before, but they were always sorted out.
❖❖❖
Faye stopped by the middle school that day in hopes of finding the boys at the bike rack so she could apologize. She had rounded up all the loose dollars and change from her pockets and locker so that the kids could head to the diner to get some french fries or something. She knew that they always enjoyed going there whenever Faye got paid, and she enjoyed it too! It was one of the few times so actually felt comfortable being outside of her house. She guessed it was because they saw her smiling for the first time and realized she wasn't so strange after all so they just left the girl alone.
