RUNES (A Runes Book 1)

Chapter 8

8.  DAMAGE CONTROL

“Thanks for making dinner, sweetie,” Mom said when she walked into the kitchen. She picked up a toast of garlic bread and took a bite. I’d just pulled out the tray from the oven. “Oh, crunchy. How was school?”

“Terrible.”

She frowned, putting the toast down. “What happened?”

“Kate Hunsaker died.”

“Oh, honey. Come here.” She gave me a hug, then leaned back and rubbed my arms. “You should have called me.”

I shrugged. “The principal talked to us, and there were grief counselors for those who needed one. Some stupid guy confronted me and Cora in class and said it was our fault. You know, because of the party.” Mom’s back grew stiff, her green eyes flashing. I couldn’t believe I’d said that to her. “That was before we were told Kate died.”

“Who’s this guy? What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter, Mom. He’s an idiot.”

“People are always lashing out when they grieve.” She peered at me. “Listen to me, sweetheart. I feel terrible Kate died, but it wasn’t your fault or Cora’s or Eirik’s. If the blackout was meant to happen, it was going to happen. If it was her time to die and move on, nothing and no one could have stopped it. You should not feel responsible for what happened,” she stressed, starting to repeat herself. “None of you should.”

“Do you really believe everyone has a time to die?”

“Oh yes. Death is the one thing you can’t escape. When it’s your time to go, you will go.”

I bit my lower lip. Did she believe it wasn’t Dad’s time to go? Was that why she didn’t believe he was dead? Or was she just being delusional like Mrs. Rutledge claimed? I didn’t dare ask.

After dinner, Mom disappeared upstairs. I was surprised when I didn’t hear from Eirik. Sleep didn’t come easily. I kept checking to see if Torin was home.

“Wake up, Raine.”

Mom’s voice reached me as though from afar. I squinted, trying to find her. “What?”

“You slept through your alarm, sweetie. You’re going to be late for school.”

I flung the covers aside and saw the time. I had twenty minutes to get my butt to school. I showered and changed in record time and raced downstairs. There were several texts from Eirik and one from Cora asking if I needed a ride. I called them back, but they were already at school.

“Do you want me to come get you?” Eirik asked.

I stared at my car and chewed my lower lip. He was so sweet, but I didn’t want him to be late for his first class just because of the stupid runes on my car. “It’s okay. I’ll drive. See you later.”

I closed my phone and slowly walked toward my car, staring at it like it was a viper. I could ask Mom for a ride, but she would want to know what was wrong with my car. Of course, finding out that it was okay would only reinforce her belief that something was wrong with me.

“Need a ride, Freckles?”

I exhaled and turned to face Torin. “No, thanks.”

“I could get you to school in two minutes flat.”

It took me ten minutes most mornings. “Is that before or after you get a speeding ticket?”

“The cops would have to see me to give me one,” he bragged and extended his helmet toward me. “Unless of course you want to drive your car and learn firsthand the curse associated with those runes.”