Georgia’s weak voice permeated through my muddled brain, and I turned around.
She reached for her head and rolled to her back.
Back off, just back off, I silently told the ice encasing my fingers. “Georgia. I’m coming.”
I glanced behind me, and the frozen statues glistened in the sun filtering through the leaves. I’d killed them. My stomach cramped. I didn’t have a choice. Had to protect Georgia. Protect myself.
Shit.
By the time I reached Georgia, the ice had faded from my skin. I never really understood what happened to it, but for now, I was grateful it was gone.
“You all right, girl?” I asked.
“What happened?” She sat up. “Wait, a—”
“Big damn dog, that’s what it was. You ran, tripped.” I reached for her head. “You were out for a few seconds, there.”
She shifted to the side and looked over my shoulder.
I moved in front of her. I was pretty sure the sculptures were out of sight, but it didn’t hurt to block her view. Just in case. “Can you walk?”
Her eyes bobbed in my direction, and she nodded. “Ohh. No nodding. No nodding.”
“Let me help you.” I glanced behind me as I guided her up to confirm no one pursued us, then urged Georgia forward.
We made it out of the thicket and into unobstructed sun. I drank in a deep breath of fresh air, hoping to calm my nerves. It did nothing to ease my guilt. Despite those jerks ruining my life, I didn’t enjoy killing them. In fact, I hated it.
To my right lay a patch of open land, dusted with yellow wild flowers. And with the sun shining down on them, it looked like a soft, swaying blanket of gold.
Yes. This was what I’d seen from the road. Beautiful.
“Main Street is that way. See the packed trail there?” Georgia pointed ahead of us.
“Got it.” I put my arm around her. “Go slow, hold on to me.”
“Girl, you are sooo not picking any short-cuts ever again. As in ever. You don’t even like to hike, do you?” She touched her head. “I got a goose egg there.”
“I’m so sorry, G. I—”
“Not your fault I’m a klutz. Damn dog chasing us. How’d you scare it off?”
“Just growled louder than he did.” If only it had been a dog. I chanced another glance behind us. Still all clear . “It’s pretty here. This is what I saw from the road.”
“This part, I know. You can see some of it from Adams Street. It’s old man Conroy’s land.”
“That’s cool.”
The golden flowers swayed as a gentle breeze breathed over their delicate petals. “It’s just that—well—Mom and Dad took me to a place like this once when I was a kid. I liked it.”
“Oh. Sorry. I know you don’t like talking about them.”
I coughed over the lump in my throat. “Yeah, well…they’re dead. Not much to talk about.”
No matter what town Scott dragged us to I’d always managed to find a spot to claim as mine. One I knew Mom and Dad would like, too. Just my way of staying connected to them. It helped me get through all this Coats crap better for some reason.
Looked like I’d finally found it. Too bad it was right when we’d have to up and leave— again.
“A re you okay, Mandy?” Scott yanked me into a massive hug. “Georgia?”
“She’s fine. Her dad checked her out. Minor concussion. Her mom’s going to watch over her a little bit tonight.” I hopped onto the counter top, thankful the shop was empty. “So, should I start packing?”
So much for my date with Zach tonight.
“I’ll close up shop and get out to the field.” He engaged the blending shield and pressed chop.
The machine whirled to life, pulverizing the strawberries and bananas to mush. Once again he had to go clean up what I’d done. “I’ll go with you.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Scott. What do you do when I…freeze people like that?” I wasn’t sure why I asked, because I didn’t think I wanted to know.
He poured the smoothie mixture into a glass and turned, holding it out to
She reached for her head and rolled to her back.
Back off, just back off, I silently told the ice encasing my fingers. “Georgia. I’m coming.”
I glanced behind me, and the frozen statues glistened in the sun filtering through the leaves. I’d killed them. My stomach cramped. I didn’t have a choice. Had to protect Georgia. Protect myself.
Shit.
By the time I reached Georgia, the ice had faded from my skin. I never really understood what happened to it, but for now, I was grateful it was gone.
“You all right, girl?” I asked.
“What happened?” She sat up. “Wait, a—”
“Big damn dog, that’s what it was. You ran, tripped.” I reached for her head. “You were out for a few seconds, there.”
She shifted to the side and looked over my shoulder.
I moved in front of her. I was pretty sure the sculptures were out of sight, but it didn’t hurt to block her view. Just in case. “Can you walk?”
Her eyes bobbed in my direction, and she nodded. “Ohh. No nodding. No nodding.”
“Let me help you.” I glanced behind me as I guided her up to confirm no one pursued us, then urged Georgia forward.
We made it out of the thicket and into unobstructed sun. I drank in a deep breath of fresh air, hoping to calm my nerves. It did nothing to ease my guilt. Despite those jerks ruining my life, I didn’t enjoy killing them. In fact, I hated it.
To my right lay a patch of open land, dusted with yellow wild flowers. And with the sun shining down on them, it looked like a soft, swaying blanket of gold.
Yes. This was what I’d seen from the road. Beautiful.
“Main Street is that way. See the packed trail there?” Georgia pointed ahead of us.
“Got it.” I put my arm around her. “Go slow, hold on to me.”
“Girl, you are sooo not picking any short-cuts ever again. As in ever. You don’t even like to hike, do you?” She touched her head. “I got a goose egg there.”
“I’m so sorry, G. I—”
“Not your fault I’m a klutz. Damn dog chasing us. How’d you scare it off?”
“Just growled louder than he did.” If only it had been a dog. I chanced another glance behind us. Still all clear . “It’s pretty here. This is what I saw from the road.”
“This part, I know. You can see some of it from Adams Street. It’s old man Conroy’s land.”
“That’s cool.”
The golden flowers swayed as a gentle breeze breathed over their delicate petals. “It’s just that—well—Mom and Dad took me to a place like this once when I was a kid. I liked it.”
“Oh. Sorry. I know you don’t like talking about them.”
I coughed over the lump in my throat. “Yeah, well…they’re dead. Not much to talk about.”
No matter what town Scott dragged us to I’d always managed to find a spot to claim as mine. One I knew Mom and Dad would like, too. Just my way of staying connected to them. It helped me get through all this Coats crap better for some reason.
Looked like I’d finally found it. Too bad it was right when we’d have to up and leave— again.
“A re you okay, Mandy?” Scott yanked me into a massive hug. “Georgia?”
“She’s fine. Her dad checked her out. Minor concussion. Her mom’s going to watch over her a little bit tonight.” I hopped onto the counter top, thankful the shop was empty. “So, should I start packing?”
So much for my date with Zach tonight.
“I’ll close up shop and get out to the field.” He engaged the blending shield and pressed chop.
The machine whirled to life, pulverizing the strawberries and bananas to mush. Once again he had to go clean up what I’d done. “I’ll go with you.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Scott. What do you do when I…freeze people like that?” I wasn’t sure why I asked, because I didn’t think I wanted to know.
He poured the smoothie mixture into a glass and turned, holding it out to
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