Fractured Bonds [Book Three]

19: Dread

Someone was taking the bodies. 

First, Tracy's body at the Animal Clinic suddenly disappeared. The only reason they even found out so soon was because whoever took Tracy tripped the alarm at the clinic, sending an alert straight to Scott's phone. And then Melissa couldn't find Lucas's body at the hospital no matter where she looked. Nobody had moved them, they were just gone.

Sky had only found out because she was in the house when Scott got the alert, alone for once since Ariel was with her sister after she got discharged, wanting to keep her company before school the next day. It was weirdly awkward between her and Scott now, like they both refused to address the elephant in the room of what he'd said to her, and she definitely didn't want to be part of that conversation. 

However, it was easy to distract herself once they'd realised the bodies were missing, and quickly volunteered to call Stiles whilst Scott spoke to their Mom with Kira. 

But Stiles was acting strange too. Throughout the call, Sky could practically feel his anxiety and skittishness through the phone, and when she'd double-checked he was okay, he just brushed her off with a quick 'yeah, of course', which did nothing to soothe her worry with how squeaky his voice turned when he replied. It happened every time he lied, something she picked up from years of friendship with the boy. Only this time, he wasn't lying with mischievous intention, but with fear.

It was only a matter of time before she figured it out, he couldn't keep a secret from her of all people. Though for the night, she let it go, knowing they all needed to rest for school the following day.

The next morning, Sky meets Ariel and Malia outside of the school alongside Lydia, who was carrying on with her life as if she'd never been stabbed by a tail at all -- a typical Lydia move. Nevertheless, she was back to business, confidence returned as she pushes the doors to school open and struts in, leaving the others to follow.

"What's that?" Sky asks Lydia, leaning over her shoulder curiously as she walks hand in hand with Ariel.

Lydia glances up from the book she had pulled out, "The Dread Doctors by T.R. McCammon," she replies, gazing back down to it with a look Sky had learned was her 'Banshee eyes'.

"What?" Malia wonders, seeing her stare.

"I don't know. There's something about it. . ." Lydia trails off.

"I think you shouldn't," Ariel says abruptly, making them all turn to her in confusion, not expecting her rash words.

Sky tilts her head, "Why?"

"Have you actually read it yet?" Lydia questions her. "Has anyone?"

"No," Ariel says, frowning at the cover. "And I don't want to."

"I did, and I didn't understand any of it," Malia tells her honestly.

"We should probably all read it," Lydia suggests, sending Ariel a glance.

Malia nods, "Kira's working on that."

Sky slows down after a moment, waiting for the other two girls to get fairly ahead before she speaks up, "What's wrong?" she asks Ariel quietly.

"I don't know," Ariel admits, bringing a hand up to rub her neck absentmindedly. "I saw the book, and I just -- I felt this fear."

Sky exhales, glancing down the hall to Lydia, "Unfortunately, that probably means that we're heading in the right direction," she tells her, stroking her thumb across the back of Ariel's hand.

"Yeah," Ariel sighs.

"We're gonna have to read that book."

By the time they catch up to Lydia and Malia, they're at their lockers, Malia pulling out her stuff as Lydia focuses on the book in her hands.