LOT'S MOUNTAIN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Stuck Between a Rock, and Well, a Glass Place

The next morning a Stone Man shows up. He's pretty stocky and has a cheap watch that he keeps fiddling with. Cheap-Watch drives me to school and then picks me up in the afternoon. He takes me straight to the Shermans' place and Tim. I guess he's taken some time off work. Great, lots of quality time with Tim Sherman. Just what I always wanted.

I try to leave three more times. The Stone Hounds get me each time and rough me up. I don't use the medallion that the Glass Man gave me. I don't want to use that damn thing. I can do this on my own. And anyway, I can't risk anyone knowing that I have it. One day, I might be desperate enough to use it.

The next day it starts all over. Cheap-Watch picks me up and takes me home. I don't try to escape again until it gets dark. This time I make it into the neighbor's yard before Shard gets a hold of me. Bastard. It only lets me get that far to toy with me. The hounds break my leg and cut me up real bad.

As she holds onto me, Diane begs me not to try to run again. Her voice shakes as she looks at my blood smeared all over her hands and arms.

I mean, it was like Shard had chewed on her instead of me.

My real mom never looked like that when Greg was slapping me and Bill around.

But seeing Diane staring down at me, I feel like shit. I don't want her to look so scared again. So I sit down with Tim and practice like I'm supposed to. He shoves things at me and I make them disappear. He doesn't say anything about what's going on, but he won't look me in the eye, either.

After that the days roll on with more of the same—Cheap-Watch takes me to school and drops me off at the Shermans' house in the afternoon, Tim has me lose stuff, I eat some, I go to sleep. When Tim does let me leave the house, the only place I'm allowed to go is school, and that's really screwed up.

I never get to go to the theater with Jamie and the rest of the kids from lunch. Today Jamie asked me if something was wrong. I just kinda shrugged. Why answer? I'd just have to lie.

Day fades into evening, but it doesn't matter. Tonight isn't any better than this morning or afternoon. I lose stuff and find a pair of mittens, some fuzzy dice, and a chewed-on baseball. It's nothing that'll save the world, but if I keep this up, I can have one helluva yard sale.

After practice tonight, I head upstairs. Nameless curls up like a fuzzy half-moon in the middle of my desk.

Sitting in my room, I get to wondering about Grim. It's been about a week since Grim and me were at Grief's Dawn. That means he could show up any day now. But if he does, then Shard and his buddies will kill him.

Please, just for now, let Grim somehow know to stay away.

All of a sudden, there's a flicker of light outside my window.

No. Not now, Grim.

I jump up, getting ready to yell, but it isn't Grim. It's only car headlights.

How do I get a message to him that it's not safe here for him? Is there a way for me to tell him to stay away?

There is—the Glass Man's necklace. I don't know exactly what it'll do, but he hinted that it would let me get out of here. I could use it just once and warn Grim. Even if it doesn't do something weird to me, I don't want to owe him anything, though.

And I definitely don't need to invite more crazy into my life.

I'm not that desperate yet. Not yet.

But come to think of it, while I'm stuck here, what weirdness is the Glass Man up to? Another set of headlights flashes by my window. He may not be charging at the Stone Men or trying to get me, but he has to know that they have me looking for that key. He's the kind of nut that would have a back-up plan. But what?