The Other Side of Sanity

2. Sam's Liquor

"We're taking you out of this house, Em."

I looked up from the locket in my hands and ceased fiddling with its clasp. I'd been at it for days and still couldn't get it open.

"Huh?" I frowned at Carmen, sat between two more of our hometown friends, Liz and Sylvia, on our couch.

"We're getting you out of here," she repeated. "You've been sitting around in here for two weeks straight. You need to get out, at least for a little bit."

"You need to breathe some fresh air!" Liz chimed in.

Sylvia nodded. "And get some sun. You're so pale and—"

Carmen put a hand on her arm to shush her. "Some exercise would be good for you. It's not healthy to stay trapped inside all the time."

I gripped the locket in my hand and smiled tightly. "Like mother, like daughter I guess, hm?"

The smiles fell from Liz and Sylvia's faces.

"You know that's not what I meant," Carmen stared me straight in the eye, crossing her arms.

And she was right. I knew she'd only been trying to help. But there was something injured and angry trying to claw its way out of me, and it felt like it could lash out and bite at any moment. I needed to get control over it.

I took a deep breath. "Fine. Where are we going?"

Liz perked up again, bouncing in her seat. "We're going to the lake!"

My stomach dropped. "Lake Hampshire?"

"What other lake is there?" Sylvia asked, laughing. Carmen gave her a stern look, shutting her up once again.

"That's just one idea," Carmen said. "I know how your mom used to feel about the lake, we just thought that it was the perfect, sunny day to go swimming, but if that's no good for you then we can—"

"No, let's go," I cut her off. Conviction constricted my chest.

She was found walking barefoot by the lake...

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Completely." Forcing a smile I added, "Swimming sounds really fun right now."

And I want to see the place where my mother was found. I want to feel closer to her.

Liz and Sylvia celebrated with excited squeals and more bouncing while I went upstairs to find a bathing suit.

"Who's driving?" I asked when we were all changed and ready to go, standing by the front door.

"That would be Kiera," Carmen said, naming another one of our childhood friends. "She should be on her way over right now to pick us all up."

I stared into the kitchen at the table, still piled with paperwork. My dad was out running errands, but I'd texted him about going to the lake. It almost felt like a betrayal, leaving to go have fun with my friends. I knew it was silly, but at a time like that it just felt wrong to even think about doing something that made me happy.

A few minutes later Kiera arrived, filling the street outside with the roaring, rumbling sound of her huge truck. We made our way to the curb, beach towels tucked under our arms.

"Wassup," Kiera nodded out the window, her short, tight curls bouncing. "Everyone pile in."

"Whoa, what's in the cooler in the back?" Sylvia asked, cocking her head towards the bed of the truck as she stepped up into the backseat.