A Pocket Full of Posies (Book 3)

Chapter Twenty-Two

It's no longer light out when I wake up. The cabin is silent. I'm still slumped over the master bedroom's double mattress, and despite the darkness outside, Carmen's not beside me. I sit up, and pull myself back to lean against the headboard. It takes me a moment to remember what happened. When I do, I clench my hand into a fist, then hit the mattress with all the force I can muster up.

Stupid. I'm stupid. I wish I had the excuse of naivety, but I knew what I was doing. I knew what was happening, with that dark spirit at Chiku and Sefu's place, with the sheep. I knew what I was doing. Why didn't I stop? Why didn't I say anything to Annabel? Or Ava, or Carmen? Or anyone? My throat is dry, as if someone has scraped it with a blunt rake, so I leave the bedroom to fetch myself some water.

The second I step into the living area, I wish I hadn't. The room is empty, bar Carmen, who's pottering around the sofa and armchair with a few pillows in hand. The room is dark, but dimly lit by a tall lamp next to the TV. I consider leaving quietly, just disappearing back into the bedroom, but I'm fed up of being a coward, so I mumble a meek hello. Carmen's head whips towards me, and she stops in her tracks.

She throws the pillows in her hands onto the sofa as she says, "I'm going to crash here tonight."

She says it quietly and with hesitance, like she's worried she'll offend me. Or like she's scared I'm going to hurt her.

"Don't do that," I say before quickly following it up with a, "you take the bed. I'll sleep here."

Carmen opens her mouth as if to argue, but decides not to, and instead, she nods with a quiet thanks. I try to show a smile back, but my mouth must not get my brain's message because my lips don't even twitch. I mutter something about getting my sleeping stuff, then disappear back into the master bedroom.

When I return to the living area, Carmen is sitting on the arm of the sofa. She's biting her nails. She stands when she spots me, gives me another thanks, and heads towards the hallway. Just as she's about to disappear into the darkness, she pauses, and turns back towards me.

"I'm not sure if you heard me explain earlier," she says in a hushed voice. "The whole, uh, dark thing might be related to Ava. The Gruffudds were saying dark energy attracts dark spirits, something about them being able to identify and latch onto dark activity, all that stuff. Something might've tracked you--us down from, uh, that energy. I called Kato, by the way. About Ava." She follows it up with a, "sorry, just so you know."

To think, I'd assumed there was no way I could possibly feel any worse about all of this. I don't respond to Carmen, just blink at her like some kind of idiot. She says a goodnight, then steps into the hallway. Seconds later, I hear a door close. I exhale a long, heavy sigh as I fall onto the sofa, which now has a white duvet on it.

"Explain to me what the hell is happening, right now."

Annabel's voice catches me by surprise, and I snap my head up to see her ice blue eyes digging into every freckle on my face. She's standing above the sofa with her arms crossed tightly across her chest.

"I'm evil," I mutter as I lie down, not bothering to pull the duvet out from underneath me. "Surprise!"

"The sheep? The other night, when it was--"

"Yep, your truly."

For the first time, well, ever, Annabel is speechless. I've closed my eyes, so have no idea what her face is doing, but I can take a good guess. I'm surprised when a few minutes pass, and I hear nothing from my sister. She's usually yelling at me by now. When she does find the words to respond, they're not hard or angry. They're much worse. They're quiet, hurt.