The Wishing Well

Chapter 6

Olivia's hands trembled while pouring the glass of ice water. She wondered if anyone else saw her goosebumps yet; at least they were leaving her alone today. She sat down against the wall, and pretended to watch the movie on the television.

Some time passed before Ian joined her and asked, “Are you okay?”

Even though she was no good at lying, Olivia gave the tiniest of half-nods. She took a sip of the water, trying to gather herself. She was going mad for answers—wanted desperately to know the hows and whys. She would solve the mystery and then leave this place she hated so much.

Olivia swallowed hard. “I'm kind of scared,” she admitted, voice low so that only he could hear. “My mom's never home, and I don't have any friends…” Her voice trembled and she broke off, waiting for Ian to speak—but he just listened. It felt better than false words of reassurance, so she continued. “I just keep expecting somebody, or—or something to jump at me on the street. Being alone, with them hiding things about the well. I just want to…go.”

“It is tough,” Ian said at last, “that your mom's never around. I'll walk you home tonight.”

Olivia blinked at the sudden offer. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“I don't know what it's like to be new here, but I want to help you.”

Her gaze wandered back to the television screen. “How've you been?”

“Bored,” he replied. “Lots of homework. You?”

“Same,” Olivia said. She drained the last of her water and gazed at the empty cup resentfully, wishing for more. “But it hasn't gotten boring yet.” I don’t pay much attention to homework anymore.

“That's good.”

“You really want to help me,” Olivia said suddenly. She was unable to change the subject for very long.

“Yes.”

“I might occasionally need your help brainstorming.”

“Of course.”

“Sometimes it could be really late.”

“That's fine,” Ian replied slowly.

Olivia smiled and asked, “Do you have a cell phone?”

The relief on his face was almost comical. “Yes, I do.”

“Could I please have your cell phone number?”

Ian gave his phone number a little clumsily, and she added him to her contact list.

Feeling more relaxed, she scanned the room, taking it all in. It was an entirely different world here, where everybody spent a great amount of their lives. There was a chess match in the far corner, and according to Averil, it had been going on for two days. On the laptop against the far wall, some girls were downloading music illegally. The movie ended, and someone turned on one a celebrity gossip channel.

Olivia stared at her watch with alarm as the night crept by. Was she being silly in letting Ian walk her home?

Ian left to join a group in the corner. “Let me know when you're leaving,” he added over his shoulder. Olivia watched him go, torn between what she wanted and…something else.

Her gaze dropped to the empty cup of water on the floor, but—wait. It was empty a moment ago! Now it was half-full with the clear liquid. Maybe it was a hallucination; she shut her eyes and looked again, but nothing changed.

Olivia inched closer to the door, trying to make sense out of this and not panic. How could it magically refill itself with more water? She remembered the moment where she wished for the water to be refilled. It was a quick, insignificant thought—surely it couldn’t have caused something like this!