Mirror, Mirror (Book 2)

Chapter 35: Mama Marie

Minutes after the group encountered a satanic circle, Jake called the police, who then sent out several vehicles into the heavy traffic and onto the reddish-brown mulch.

The cars spread out in different directions; two were parked near the boardwalk, several had blocked the camp entrance, and three more stood in front of Banquet Hall.

Once again, the police came out of their cars and asked the children what they saw, what they heard, and so on. As the kids fed the cops details, Oliver was interrogated by the dreadful Officer Lawson.

He stood near the boy on the bottom of cabin stairs, writing down Oliver's statements in a small notebook. As he wrote, Lawson's dark brown hand clenched the yellow pencil, almost breaking the lead in half.

Clearing his throat, Officer Lawson asked the boy, "so this circle just appeared out of nowhere?"

Oliver bobbed his head in silence. "Yessir."

The policeman looked at him. "Why?"

"I don't know," Oliver sighed.

"Do you at least know what it is?"

Oliver scratched his fingers against the back of his head then shook his head.

"Do you know who could have done this?"

"No."

"A classmate?"

"No."

"A camp counselor?"

"No."

"What about-"

"I don't know," Oliver interrupted harshly.

"Are you sure? Think of any other theory."

The boy snorted, thinking that this is one of Lawson's bullshit tactics. He doesn't know why Lawson is harassing him, but Oliver knows that he is selfish and manipulative.

Staring at him head on, Oliver retorts, "I don't know anything else."

Lawson gazes at him sympathetically, then pats his plump hand against Oliver's right shoulder.

His touch was like caressing sandpaper- it was dry, scratchy, and rough, compared to the pages from Oliver's books.

Speaking of books, Oliver had an idea how to track the culprit, but it is only for a matter of time before Jake knows that he is missing.

Seeing his sullen reaction, the policeman removes his hand from Oliver's shoulder and asked him what was wrong.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" he implied.

"No."

"Oliver Harper-"

"I said no," said the boy earnestly. "I don't want to talk to you."

The policeman sighed then rubbed his coffee-colored eyelids.

"Oliver, this is serious: tell me what you know-"

Suddenly, he hears a hostile British voice.

"Or what?" it says angrily. "You're going to arrest him?"

Surprised, the police officer looked over Oliver's shoulder to see Amelia standing behind him, crossing her arms over her blue overalls.

Taking a cautious step forward to Officer Lawson, Amelia scowled, "I want you to stay the fuck away from Olly."

Officer Lawson blinked uneasily. "I am just doing my job."

"I was hoping you could tell me about what happened. Although the motive isn't clear, I think there is something wrong with this camp."