Absolutely, Positively, 100% Normal

Chapter Eleven

"Shay", I whispered, the implication of them sending me his hair and the necklace he always had on his person sinking in. No way. They couldn't have Shay - I'd just been with him an hour ago! Riley was calmly watching me. She hadn't moved since handing me the envelope.

"What is the meaning of this?" There was a slight tremor in my voice despite the firm tone I had aimed for.

"My superior has acquired your shield. Without him you are exposed to others who would seek the Divinity Mirror. It is in your best interest to come willingly."

I refused to believe her and didn't understand the terms she'd used. Taking out my cellphone, I dialled Shay's cellphone. There was no answer. I panicked briefly before remembering that he'd left his cellphone at home today. I hung up and called his work phone. Mrs. Pritchard answered on the fourth ring.

"Mrs. Pritchard, this is Raina, sorry to bother you but is Shay there?"

"Oh no, sweetie, Shay's not scheduled to come in tonight, and we're just about ready to close up anyway."

"Oh, okay.Thank you."

"Is something the matter?" Concern laced her voice.

"No, no. I was just looking for him, is all. I wanted to ask him to help me study for our upcoming exams. Sorry again."

"No problem Raina." She hung up and I quickly dialled Mrs. Mcallister's phone. It was switched off, which meant she was at work. I pressed the 'end' button and met the empty gaze of the reaper before me. 

"Will you come with me now?" she asked, not even blinking. I slumped in defeat. Shay wasn't where he was supposed to be. I couldn't be sure whether Riley was telling the truth, especially since she'd called him my shield and spouted some nonsense about a mirror. I clenched the hair and necklace in my fist. If there was a chance that Shay needed me, I would go.

Riley, despite her lack of emotion, or possibly because of it, seemed to be the brutally honest, straightforward type. Just as I'd opened my mouth to assent, someone pushed me to the side and back.

"Don't go", Gray said, now in front of me and facing Riley. Riley remained still, not batting a lash at Gray's sudden appearance. "Trust me, you shouldn't." I shifted from behind him.

"Do they really have Shay?" I demanded. Gray glanced back at me.

"Yes. I came as soon as I heard. Don't do it Raina, listen to me." I gave him a look. He knew well enough the second he'd confirmed Shay was there that I would go. I slipped Shay's necklace around my neck. I stepped around him and approached Riley.

"I'm sorry Gray, but you know I have to." Riley held out her hand and I took it without wincing at the shock that ran through my arm again. I smiled back at Gray. "Thank you for looking out for me anyway." I nodded at Riley to signal that I was ready. I felt the stretching and pulling feeling of teleporting. Gray cursed and grabbed my other hand just before we vanished from the hospital.

We appeared in the middle of a lounge decorated in metallic gray and black and accented with dark purple. There were about half a dozen  people - all reapers, I assumed - in the room and none of them paid us any mind. Riley lead the way out the room, her hand still firmly holding mine. i couldn't;t help but notice that she had the same neutral body temperature as Gray, who was walking behind us with a tension in his body that wasn't there before.

We went down some surprisingly normal looking hallways until we reached a pair of grand metal double doors across which the organization's symbol was engraved. Riley released my hand to push open both doors simultaneously. They swung inward with a low groan.