I keep thinking about what Madame Pommier told us the night before. Psychics? Connections to the past? It’s difficult to stomach. Still, I did see ghosts, so I suppose I have to believe in such far-fetched explanations. I can’t decide if it’s better or worse that we’re seeing living people not actual ghosts.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGILscDTocb
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuYO2gJuRO
In any case, Madame Pommier told us the connection will be closed by sunset tonight. It’s a crucial time, according to her, because tonight is All Hallow’s Eve, when the connection is the strongest. The last thing we want is for patients—whether lunatics or psychics—to cross over here or for students to get trapped in a 1920s psychiatric hospital.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9hJYzxoxL
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gmSN2j2l1
As far as I’m concerned, sunset is delaying it for too long. I make the mistake of telling Roanna, who’s been downcast since Madame Pommier explained everything to us last night.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6Zh8jjZet
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto57kSzkN3
“I don’t know,” Roanna says as we walk through the hallway toward the canteen. “Is this really the right thing?”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1k19uT58Y
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYbIxv9m3p
“Look, Ro, I know this is fun for you, but have you ever thought it could be really dangerous?”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDlWo0gnsx
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jGVIjMt6s
“No,” Roanna says, pushing her glasses up her nose. “I really don’t think so. I feel like there’s something more—like these people are misunderstood.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMYfrE0mBi
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB1a6yCcFu
A disbelieving laugh bursts out of my mouth before I can stop it. She clamps her lips shut, her eyes widening slightly.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEw2fAGmOU
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKX2vRNZr0
“Ro, I’m so sorry.” I reach out to her. “I was being a complete tosser. I didn’t mean to laugh.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUBTk7dNU0
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8XdPQscHH
“No, because you always just hold back, right?” she says, stepping out of my reach. “I know you don’t believe me. You never have.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS1MS1rSO6
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoD6nLik6d
“I never lied to you,” I say, temper rising. “You knew I never believed in any of this, but you also knew I always supported you.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y75k0A7Vn
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU0j5hexUT
“You’ve seen them now,” she says. “How can you not believe there’s something more happening here?”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5KI8ScXPl
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmabSNBG26c
I think back to the room with the row of beds, and the way the people came toward us. I remember the bruise on Jen’s throat. I can’t suppress a shudder.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyBiRy8wCb
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLENjL2Xms9
“It’s a freak connection that shouldn’t exist,” I say.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQ3AQxL7yf
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjul9hvy2V
“Cami, I think I’m one of them.” There’s a note of desperation to Roanna’s voice.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWD9ZvVSwJ
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDskf9P2QzQ
“One of…whom?” I say carefully. “Psychic? You’ve got to be kidding me.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiqcDEeSMh
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyL9P7GT2D
Roanna glares at me and speaks vehemently. “I’ve had dreams about Wolverhampton since before I ever laid eyes on this school. I’ve seen more ‘ghosts’ than all the other students combined—even Jen. I keep seeing this nurse, and she looks so…she looks so sad. I have to stop Madame Pommier from closing the door before we can learn more about what’s going on. And if you aren’t going to help me, I don’t need you.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mqkl8tTjY
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4nYbjzUJW
“Fine,” I say, her last line causing anger to come to a boil inside me. “Do it on your own, then. I never understood why you insisted on dragging me along everywhere.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6nHtPKn3A
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G63zHXit8
“Good news for you. I won’t be doing that anymore.” She spins on her heel and stomps off.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMvIL7lbLC
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBCgvTRpQq
I take a deep breath and head away from the canteen and toward the grounds. I want to see Will. I want him to hold me and soothe me. My heart pounds, and dread fills my veins. This is the biggest fight I’ve ever had with Roanna.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaQIkowS5m
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmLmLFPeNZ
I’m walking through the hallway, thinking only of finding Will, when someone stops me by putting his hands on my shoulders.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48u2CeFwqz
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUvTItlD4s
I stare at him, wondering how he can touch me so easily. I don’t really know him, and I’ve only spoken to him a handful of times—most recently when he helped me pick up my fallen books the other day.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j9i06LMPF
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWe2Xwe8fjg
“Cami,” he says, taking a deep breath and visibly steeling himself. “I wanted to talk to you.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbkCrAGfY8
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBxrEiBvJL
“All right,” I say, my mind still on going outside and finding Will.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5NVSMjqVf
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQc1SHya2N
“I know how you feel,” he says in a rush. “People have been telling me over the past couple of years that you…that you fancy me. I don’t really know how to say this. I guess I should just come out and say it. The truth is…I’m gay.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYehkOqXeVZ
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsQlmHkAG8
“Oh, um, congratulations,” I say, trying not to let the word sound like a question. I’m not sure why he’s telling me this when we’ve only talked a few times. “I’m sure coming out was very difficult.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo40zjEJG8e
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuXeEzyGJw
“I have to say, you’re taking this much better than I expected. I’m relieved.” But he looks a little disappointed.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NFGKgRWRf
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8ArvG1EZd
“I’m sorry, but…who are you?” I say, feeling a little bad that I have to ask.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28iHX0IwmI
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPWJ9Qj4WJ
His eyebrows knit together. “I’m Will. Will Poynter. We’ve emailed each other a bit during the holidays.”668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztGQEilA8T
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMV3x90Ty6
I’m frozen. He isn’t Will Poynter. Will Poynter is my Will. I think about him sitting beside me under the crabapple tree; Will lacing his fingers through mine; Will telling me he’d planted camellias for me. Everything good in my life has been tied to Will—everything that hasn’t been tied to Roanna, that is. They’re the people I love most in the world.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshuR7mMDdu
668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiq7Wucz5eE
I know I have to find Roanna and apologize, but first I have to find Will—my Will—and figure out what’s going on.668Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6BmELwMoi
Penana
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