Getting Home

Part 47

I nodded, biting my lip. "Come on, let's go get some help."

I let go of his hand, taking off down the alley towards the headlights that still shone at the entrance of the alleyway—

Until I about halfway when I realized Henry wasn't following me.

He was back where we had arrived—and I couldn't hear him anymore.

"Henry!" I called. "Come on!"

He just stood there.

Yeah. We're screwed.

I sprinted back to him, grabbing his hand, to pull him along with me—

And I heard his voice again.

Ava?

I started running again, pulling him along and holding his hand tight. I can hear him again, I thought. Maybe we have to be close?

I'm definitely good with that, he thought.

Or did I think it?

The car at the alley entrance was a police car—and it was trashed. I shivered, thinking of the epic battle it must have been through, my mind flashing back to the horrors of the police station... what all those poor people had gone through. Long, deep grooves were carved into the sides and door panels, the bumpers smashed, side mirrors missing. It was parked up on the curb, like it had been run into it.

The cop car sat alone, lights on—

With no one around.

Henry Avenue was completely silent, empty and peaceful. The sky was just beginning to lighten, the very beginning stages of night fading away and the morning slowly sliding in to replace it. I had no idea how long we had been gone.

Maybe the world was empty, eaten up by the dark entity.

Oh, that's a lovely thought, Henry said.

I jumped in surprise, pulling my hand out of Henry's. I didn't hear him anymore, but he smiled at me—mischievously. And if there's one thing I could rely on in the universe that would never change—

It was how his beautiful, perfect smile made everything okay.

Better than okay.

Ha! Didn't hear that, did ya? I thought.

He just kept smiling, and it made me feel better than ever.

I went around to the driver's side of the police car—nobody inside it either. I cautiously opened the door, feeling like I was doing something naughty... and illegal. There was a bunch of complicated looking stuff, a big cage blocking off the backseat, and on the backseat was—

A Rory's First Kiss blanket.

Not A blanket—MY blanket.

"What... the... fuhhh..." My breath trailed off in amazement.

What the heck is THIS doing here?

And then I remembered I gave it to Sean this morning.

This was Sean's car?

I instantly felt sick to my stomach—judging by whatever this car had gone through, it meant that he probably didn't...

Henry was suddenly there, gently touching my shoulder.

"Where, Henry?" I said, not even noticing my eyes sting with tears anymore. "Where do we go?"

It knows you and I are linked, Henry's voice swirled through my head. It was searching for me because it didn't know what else to do. When it felt I wasn't here anymore, it would have determined the next best step—finding YOU. It just doesn't know you went with me.

"How would it ever know how to find out where I would be?"

He shrugged.

"Get in," I said, hopping into the driver's seat. All the lights were still on, the key was still in the ignition. The computer in the center of the dashboard had some kind of lockscreen, but it showed the date and time—

It was the same day; not even that—

The same morning—

Only hours had passed.

"Henry," I gasped as he hopped into the passenger seat. "We've only been gone for like six hours. We were over there for days."

My stomach suddenly rumbled.

"If you can feel it, can you give me directions?" I asked Henry. "I mean, I don't know where I'd be, I never did anything—"

I suddenly remembered.

"Oh my god, Henry, today is the America's Voice audition—that's where I would be today. Morgantown Mall—we can try there."

I started the car, a wave of sadness lightly washed over me as I remembered the little Civic, and how many times I had done the same thing, just reaching down to turn the key.

Morgantown wasn't too far from here. I carefully back off the curb, then started down the street—it was a lot different than the Civic too; big and floaty. I suddenly got the urge to start pushing buttons to see if I could get the big flashing lights on—I mean, this was an emergency, right?

And besides, when would I ever get the chance again?

The streets were empty and still in the fading night. I made a turn, then saw a bright orange light in the middle of the street. I approached cautiously, slowing down a bit and giving a wide berth—

It was a husked out shell out of a burning SUV, the metal parts of the frame sticking out from the flames.

"Oh my god, Henry," I whispered. "It's bad."

"Must... hurry..." he said.

I accelerated. The car was a lot bigger and heavier than the Civic, but it sure moved faster. I looked at Henry, wanting to ask him so many things. Did I have to touch him? I couldn't hear him now, so did that mean—

"Ava!" Henry suddenly shouted.

I looked back at the road—

And saw we were barreling down on two people right in the middle of the street.