Prologue

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cryp·​tid nounA creature whose existence is disputed

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cryp·​tid noun
A creature whose existence is disputed.

cryp·​tid nounA creature whose existence is disputed

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

1987

The small car shook as it careened down the road, plunging deeper into the dark forest. Henry tightened his grip on the backseat armrest, concentrating on breathing through his nose so his dinner didn't end up in his lap.

Violet leaned forward, catching Henry's eye. They were in the backseat together, behind Caleb and his girlfriend, Roz. Henry peeled his gaze away from his knees—his gut couldn't bear to watch the blur outside the window—to look up at her. She gave him a warm, heartening smile that made Henry's throat tighten for another reason.

"Sorry," she whispered, leaning closer. "I should've warned you about Caleb's driving."

Henry turned his gaze down again. It was hard to hold anyone's eye, but if he had to, he'd prefer it be hers. Her eyes were a perfect shade of blue, so deep that they verged on purple, like her name. He tried to force a smile of his own, but his jaw was tight from being clamped shut to stem the threat of puke. "It's okay," he muttered back through gritted teeth.

She must've heard the pain in his voice. "We'll be there soon," she said, reaching over and touching his arm. "Promise." Withdrawing her hand, she leaned back and left Henry to his struggle.

Violet seemed to understand that Henry preferred the quiet, especially if he was uncomfortable. He didn't need small talk to fill the space. He hated nothing more than when people fretted over him, buzzing around him like annoying flies. Violet was more like a butterfly, the gentle flap of her wings barely disturbing the air; that's why he liked her.

Violet was the whole reason Henry was in this car. He never got invited to these things, not that it bothered him. To him, crowds and parties and strangers were annoying at best, terrifying at worst. But when Violet approached him in the hall on the last day of school, he couldn't say no. He'd seen her around school, noticed her blue eyes, her fluffy white-blonde hair. He'd always wanted to talk to her, but he never imagined that she'd be interested in someone like him...

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