The Society of Imaginary Friends (Book 1 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 4

The next afternoon, Valerie was ready when Dr. Freeman visited her on his rounds. Neither Sanguina nor the yellow-eyed medical assistant was anywhere to be seen. She was glad—she didn’t want to be distracted from her mission. Whether she was crazy or not, her decision was made. She was going to the Globe, and now she had to do her part.

That morning she had forged a letter from a “cousin” to show Dr. Freeman. She was going to have to make a run for it, and she didn’t want him to worry about her too much after she was gone. He was one of the few people on Earth who would notice—and care—if she vanished.

As he checked on the other patients in her room, her face burned. She hated lying, especially to him. He was the kind of person she wanted to be when she grew up—patient, smart, and caring. It seemed wrong telling him the biggest lie of her life.

“Well, Ms. Diaz, you’re looking much better. It’s good to see pink in your cheeks again,” he said as he reviewed her chart.

“I’m a lot better. I have great news! My cousin is coming to visit. I haven’t seen him in a long time. I got his note today,” she said, unfolding the letter she had written.

Dr. Freeman glanced at the letter over the top of his chart. “I haven’t met him, have I? I didn’t know you had family.” His voice was laced with suspicion.

Valerie knew that he probably thought this was part of an elaborate schizophrenic episode, but she continued with her story. “He’s been out of the country for the past few years. But he finished school, and now he’s old enough to be my guardian. He’s working on getting temporary custody of me.”

“I look forward to meeting him,” Dr. Freeman said, a little absently. He was already thinking about his next patient, she could tell.

“One more thing—could he take me on a trip?” He looked at her closely, and Valerie knew she finally had his attention.

“You’re a very sick girl. We need to have you under observation,” he said sharply. Then his eyes became gentle. “These things aren’t sorted out overnight. You’ll have to remain patient while custody is being reassigned.”

She lowered her voice so the other children in the room couldn’t hear her. “I’m not getting any better. Every time I have one of my episodes, it gets worse. I know that you think I could even… die.”

“Now, listen, I’ve never said that.”

“In my entire life, I’ve never left Oakland or seen much of anything, really. And Thai is willing to take me to see the world while I still have time left.”

“I see.”

“One way or another, I’m going. I wanted you to know.”

“I can’t allow that, Valerie. I’m sorry,” he said, and she could see that he really was. But that didn’t change her mind.

That night, Ming’s and Jeremiah’s soft, rhythmic breathing didn’t relax Valerie as it usually did. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn’t stop thinking about what was coming next for her. Where was this launch site, anyway? She wished she had thought to ask Cyrus. Sleep was impossible.

She quietly got out of her bed and went to the window. It was raining again, and the glass steamed up from her breath. She looked up, but she couldn’t see the stars tonight. Soon, she’d be looking at that night sky from a whole new perspective—or she’d be dead.

It was all so exciting, but the enormity of what was happening to her was overwhelming, and Valerie started to feel choked with panic. She was taking a decisive step, one that would either yank her out of her life as she knew it, or kill her. When she got to this Globe place, where would she live? How would she support herself? Would the people on the Globe be nice like Cyrus, or cold and distant, like Mrs. Sims? Her stomach twisted, and her breathing grew ragged.