Mirror, Mirror (Book 2)

Chapter 29: Questions

After excusing Jonah to leave the cabin, Officer Lawson sat down beside Oliver and made himself comfortable. The bed sagged as his weight nearly broke the springs in the mattress.

Clearing his throat, Officer Lawson asked him a couple questions regarding last night.

"I heard that there was a hail storm," he explained. "Can you tell me why you are in bed, unharmed?"

"God saved me, I guess," said Oliver sheepishly.

"I guess He did," the cop smiled. "What happened to your ankle?"

"I either tripped on something or an animal bit me."

Officer Lawson leaned back for a second.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I had a doctor look at your ankle and said that it looked good as new."

"What?" asked Oliver, staring at his left ankle.

Although the teeth marks appeared around his leg, the cuts weren't as deep as last night's.

"Whoa," he murmured. "What about my arms and legs?"

"The hail never touched you." Officer Lawson replied. "It's something the doctors couldn't figure out."

Amused, Oliver checked his arm and legs to find no bruises, marks, or scars on him.

How is that possible? he wondered. Did he say some kind of spell while he was unconscious?

Unfazed by his reaction, Officer Lawson said, "I am here to find your history teacher, Ms. Fern. Rumor has it that you've seen something."

"Like what?" Oliver shrugged.

"The animal that attacked you."

"Yeah, right." Oliver scoffed. "The only thing you care about is being on the cover of a newspaper."

Officer Lawson frowned. "I understand you don't trust me—"

"Really?" Oliver implied. "Was it before or after you called Amelia a slut?"

The police officer blushed for a moment, remembering the time he accuses Amelia of killing burglars and stealing their clothes. He even went ahead and criticized her clothing and British customs, much to Oliver's shock.  

Although it has been a while since the incident, Oliver and Amelia made sure Lawson remembered his foul words. 

"I apologized for my behavior a long time ago," he says quietly. "anyway, let's talk about you."

"I rather get hit by a bus."

"Oliver," Officer Lawson said angrily. "Now is not the time to act like a child—tell me what happened last night."

Oliver stared at the policeman in pure disdain and eventually gives in.

"Last night, I was telling my classmates a campfire story when it started raining. Ms. Fern and Jake made all the kids go to cabins, but when I followed them, I tripped on something hard and sprained my ankle."

"Did anybody help you?"

"No," he answered. "I had to walk up to the cabins by myself."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want them to worry about me."

"Jake told me that you never got involved in the camp that much."

Of course, he did, Oliver thought sulkily.

"Do you know why that is?"

"If I told you, then you wouldn't care." said the boy candidly.