Visions

Chapter 9

The nightmares were all about Emma that night. Josh grabbing Emma's wrists, trying to force her into his car. When she wouldn't go with him, he got a shovel out of his trunk and pointed it at her. Then Emma was smacking the black horse with a paper chai cup, and I was the one chasing her through the forest.

Emma was on my mind the whole next day. Until Luke's Hemi-orange Challenger was parked outside school that afternoon. "Bailey." He jogged toward me, his biceps stretching the sleeves of his blue t-shirt. "Want to get some chai?"

"Sure." Something normal. What a concept. And a chance to pick his brain about what he wanted.

He slid my backpack off my shoulder and opened the passenger door for me. "Anyone still giving you trouble around here?" he asked as he shifted the car into gear and headed toward Magpies.

"No. I just give them the voodoo eyes and they run."

"Nice." He laughed as we drove over the Animas bridge. I avoided looking over the side at the churning, writhing water that I knew was mocking me. "You know," he said, "I need to take you down the river again."

My back went rigid. I felt the freezing water sucking me under, rushing down my throat, filling my lungs until they threatened to explode. How Death's fingers had been clasped around my neck. Until Kai showed up.

"We need to do it soon," Luke said. "Before it gets too cold. How about tomorrow?"

"Nah, I wouldn't want to bother you." I wasn't going down the river again. Ever. Odds were that Kai wouldn't be there a second time. Probably wouldn't pull me out even if he was.

"It's no bother." Luke pointed to the rapids. "Look, the water's perfect." My mouth wouldn't form a single word as I stared out the windshield. "Bailey?" He touched my shoulder. "I won't let you fall in again. I promise."

"I can't." I shook my head. "And please, do not make me say that again."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

Weak and pathetic wasn't normally me. Admitting it out loud was even worse.

Luke parked on the street in front of Magpies, turned off the engine and rested his hand on mine. "You used to love the river, right?" I shrugged as the warmth of his hand melted mine. "You won't be happy until you go back. Until you conquer it."

He was probably right.

But there were other ways to be happy.

When we got out of the car, Luke slid his arm around my waist and led me into Magpies. As soon as we walked in, Delaney ran up and threw herself into Luke's arms. "Hey, baby," she said.

Luke gave her a hug and then reached for me again. "Delaney, you remember Bailey?"

"Oh, yes." She looked me up and down. "The drowning victim." We gave each other smiles that didn't quite reach our eyes. Then Luke and I left pouting Delaney inside and took our drinks to an outside table.

That was new.

And to my advantage.

It was Luke's turn to answer some of my questions. "So, how do you know about visions?" I said.

Luke rustled his hair. "Maybe we should talk about something else."

"Cough it up." I set my cup down. "You might know something that could help me."

"Bailey." He cleared his throat and reached for my hands. "I was wondering if you could . . . I mean . . ."

His jaw stiffened as he looked over my shoulder and nodded to someone behind me. "What's up, man?"