Incandescence

34: Late Night Visits

Diana's car is still missing from the driveway when we make it back to Alice's. Mason takes off into the bushes, mumbling something like "Catch you guys inside" while the two of us take the more common entrance through the front door.

Inside, the faint sounds of the TV can be heard from the living room. The door nudges open as we're making our way up the stairs, and Alice's father calls out, "Ally? That you back, kid?"

"Yeah, it's us, Dad," she says, pushing me up the stairs. She throws open her bedroom door and ushers me inside. Her expression is one of nonchalance, but there's something off about her actions.

"What's with you?" I ask.

"Nothing," she snaps. "It's just . . . Dad's not quite right lately. He's always trying to talk to me whenever Mom's gone. It's just awkward, okay?"

"It's called being a parent."

"It's still awkward. We don't have anything in common. Hell, we barely even know anything about each other. He's always just there."

I might not be able to relate on the dad-front, but I can understand what she means about barely knowing him. It's just the same with Mom – when she's gone I never bat an eyelid, because even when she's there there's still something blocking us from really understanding each other. And part of it is down to me, I'm aware of that now.

Still, I'm hardly going to share these words of wisdom with Alice.

Fingers rap at the window. We both spin around as Mason waves from outside, gesturing at the lock. Sighing, Alice heads over and pushes it open, letting him inside.

"We really shoulda stopped off at a convenience store on the way back," he says, making himself comfortable on one of the beanbags. "Everyone knows you can't have a proper sleepover without popcorn."

"Last I checked, zombies take the 'sleep' outta 'sleepover' anyway," she retorts.

"Got any DVDs we can make do with?"

"Knock yourself out. I'm going to bed."

"Killjoy."

Even as they continue to argue between each other, I'm not really listening. I'm thinking about Diana and wondering where she could have gone for so long. I'm thinking about the ghost from Edmund's house and trying to figure out why the hell it didn't just kill us. Most of all, though, I'm thinking about the diary.

The fear'll spread and the parasites'll infect. Mass hysteria. Weakening in the brain. Then they'll get in. Deepest fears'll be brought to light.

Fear. Rage.

All one in the same, isn't it?

My thoughts eventually settle on the three names I've got to figure out. Nathan Scott. Chassandra. The ginger girl who's got to be involved. It's just a hunch, but something tells me if I can work out who each of them are, I'll be able to find Lena.

But what if Hope goes down first?

It's not going to happen because I'm not going to let it. That much is certain.

Sometime later, the squeak of a door opening catches my attention. I've been tossing and turning, trying to sleep for the last hour, but so far there's nothing that can assure me I'll wake up in one piece if I let my guard down in this house. I glance up and realise with a pang of confusion that the room is empty. I know Mason left earlier because I heard him, but as for Alice?

Sitting up in my sleeping bag, I grab my holdall and rummage through until finding a jumper. Then I pull on my shoes and head downstairs. I hear the back door click as it opens and follow the noise.