“It’s…interesting,” she said and then laughed.
Liane and I checked into a hotel just outside New York City near a bus station. During the drive over, Liane had kept the conversation light. She spoke of William and their latest adventure to Louisiana. Not surprisingly, this adventure had included a monkey. It panged me to hear of their fun and what I’d be missing. The only thing I wouldn’t miss was the part where we were cruel to others.
“Do you ever have regrets?” I asked Liane once we had settled into the room.
Liane jumped on the bed and stretched out, a licorice rope between her lips. “Like what?”
I sat on the bed next to her. “We did some pretty horrible things to people.”
“It’s all in good fun. Besides, no one was really hurt. And since when did you care?”
I shook my head. “I just feel bad sometimes.”
Liane sat up and wrapped her arms around her bent knees. “I admit, some of our pranks went too far, but that’s never going to happen again, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re leaving. Who knows if we’ll ever see each other again?”
I hadn’t thought about that. “You’ll come visit me, won’t you?”
Liane tilted her head and smiled. “I’m sure I will.” She reached over and grabbed her purse off the nightstand. “Speaking of travel, here is your bus ticket to Chicago. It leaves at 5:30 a.m. Once you get there, take a cab to the Weston Hotel downtown. I’ve booked you a full month. I figure that should be enough time to get you on your feet, maybe find a sweet job pole dancing or something.”
I laughed and playfully shoved her. “I don’t know how I will ever repay you.”
“I’ll think of something. Now come on. Let’s go have our last night out on the town.”
I frowned.
“Not as witches,” Liane said. “As sisters.”
***
Before sunrise, I dressed quietly, careful not to disturb Liane who I knew was not a morning person. She’d also drunk quite a bit at dinner the night before and would probably have a massive headache if wakened too early. Instead, I wrote a short note, thanking her for everything and promising to call her as soon as I was settled.
I stepped outside into the crisp early morning air. I was about to begin a whole new life, and it would be entirely my own creation. This exhilarating thought made me walk faster toward the bus station. Other than an occasional dog barking, the streets were deserted and quiet. I stopped at an intersection and looked both ways before crossing. As I moved to take a step forward, someone grabbed me from behind. A cloth that smelled of chemicals and jasmine pressed against my nose and mouth. I struggled for a brief moment before the strong fumes overcame me.
Before I lost consciousness, a familiar voice said, “Where do you think you’re going?”
Chapter 25
My eyes fluttered open to a thick and heavy darkness. It was unbearably warm; great beads of sweat rolled down the sides of my face. I lay flat on my back against an unknown, hard surface, and when I raised my arms, they thumped short against something solid. My fingers groped the flat surface above me, and I winced in pain when a sliver slipped through my forefinger. Coarse wood boards ran the length of my body six inches above my face.
Mouth open, I sucked in the warm, stifling air. Where am I? I turned my head to the side and felt something brush against my cheek. I reached for it and rubbed it between my fingers. It felt like a plant. A memory stirred, and I inhaled deeply. The smell of jasmine was like a slap to my face. My breathing quickened as realization of where I was and what had happened came back to me.
I pushed up against the rough wood. Surprisingly, it took great effort, and I wondered how long I’d been trapped in what I now recognized as a crudely made casket. For my body to be this exhausted, I must’ve been trapped for several days, if not weeks. My heart raced, and my stomach felt hollow.
Using all the strength I could muster, I pounded my fists against the boards above me. At the same time, I bent my knees as far as they’d go and pushed upwards, but the boards didn’t budge. “Erik! Sable! Please. Get me out of here!”
My cries punctured the darkness; the terror in my voice only made me cry harder. Over and over, I screamed until my throat burned.
Finally, I begged. “Mom.”
The word hovered above me, trapped.