Dark Side of the World // S.S. [Book Two]

Chapter 17

Lydia, Malia, and I enter the school and I stare curiously at the book in her hand. She'd told me they're called Dread Doctors. Malia had apparently found the book in Tracy's room. Why anyone would read something like this, I have no clue.

Lydia stops suddenly and Malia asks, "What?"

She gives a small shrug. "I don't know. There's something about it. Has anyone actually read it?"

"Just me." Malia replies. "And I didn't understand any of it."

Lydia walks briskly and says, "We should probably all read it. I know you struggle to read, Meg."

I glare at the book. "Well, if you can find me a Greek copy, that'd be great. I can actually read Greek without a problem."

Malia glances between us. "Kira's working on that. I'll let her know of your request, Meg." After a quick text to Kira, she continues, "Stiles says he can't find anything on the author. He thinks it's a pen name."

Lydia focuses on the front cover for a moment before flipping it over and reading the summary. ""In a small New England town, teenagers are taken in the night and buried alive. Days later, they emerge transformed, wreaking havoc and spreading terror, commanded by an ancient order of parascientists known only as the Dread Doctors."" She nods. "Sounds vaguely familiar. How does it end?"

Malia gives a small shrug. "It doesn't. This is supposed to be volume one."

"Is there a volume two in existence?" I inquire.

"I think we're living volume two."

Lydia frowns. "Maybe the real question is...Is this a novel or someone's prediction?"

I sit next to Lydia and Malia sits in front of her. Malia turns seconds later to face Lydia. "Why is your heart beating so fast?"

Lydia doesn't answer and instead, flips through the pages, stopping at the last page. She lets out a soft gasp. "Look at this, you two. Look at the acknowledgements page." She turns the book so we can see it.

Malia reads aloud, ""For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight...this book is dedicated to Dr. Gabriel Valack." Do you know him?"

Lydia nods. "Yeah. And I know where to find him."

I stop by Stiles' house and I tell him about the plan Lydia and I came up with.

"Meg, I'm going with you." Stiles says as he picks up a gray jacket from the end of his bed.

I raise an eyebrow. "I recall something about you being sick and wanting to spend the rest of the day at home."

He shrugs. "I'm slightly under the weather."

I shake my head. "You don't have to come. Malia's not going either."

He frowns. "Malia's not going because she knows that that place is a nightmare asylum of insanity and death, okay?" He slips on his jacket and a wince doesn't escape my notice. "Let's go."

"What was that?" I ask with a frown.

"What was what?"

"You winced."

He doesn't quite meet my eyes. "I have a bad elbow."

"It was your shoulder."

"Pain radiates. It does that." He says before sighing. "You are not going without me. You remember what happened to Deaton when he talked to Valack?"

"Scott and Kira are going to be there." I remind him.

Stiles narrows his eyes. "Okay, I'm not letting you go to a place where one of the orderlies almost killed you or Lydia."