Within These Walls

Life After Dark: 17 (WTW Sequel)

"You've got one overactive imagination, my friend," Pablo says.

"And you all are crazy! Can't we go back to finding flippers? I mean, it's what we've been doing for months. Why are we changing the game plan now?"

"You see any flippers falling out of the sky?" Marcus asks. "We waited around for three weeks before we heard about that kid we found hanging from the tree. We're fresh out of flippers. I wouldn't be surprised if the Shroud got to the rest of the kids."

"That's exactly what will happen to us, too!"

Pablo tsked. "Jones, you've been with us for five months and you're finding out just now that we don't like to run away from danger? Dipshit."

He pouts. "No need for name-calling, Pablo."

"Don't mind him." Janie grinned. "He's just dealing with a serious case of blue balls, that's all."

"And you're nothing but a frigid bitch as always," Pablo retorts.

She sticks her middle finger out when he looks back with a sneer.

"We're going to check out the lead," Marcus repeats, firmly this time. "I don't trust this Hermes asshole one bit—would it have hurt him to tell us all this months ago? But if it's true, this could finally put us ahead. We'll be the hunters for a change."

Pablo laughs and crosses his feet on the dashboard. "I don't give a damn about Blanks or not, but I'm not about to pass up the chance to kill one of these sons of bitches."

"That's what I'm talking about. What about the rest of you?"

"I'm in," Janie says. "But I'm not sure if it's the safest place for April to be."

I know she's being realistic, but it still hurts to hear that. It's a reminder that I'm more of a liability than anything, which makes me more determined to proof I'm anything but. I need to be there to make sure that we succeed. For Carson. For all of us. And even if I blank, I'm just one out of thousands. What could it possibly hurt?

"I'm your link to Hermes," I say. "There's a reason he's not contacting anyone else. Besides, I might be able to lead you to the Shroud. You only found out about the cave because of me, remember?"

Marcus stares at me in the rearview mirror, and I look away, hoping he can't see the sweat coating my forehead. "Alright," he finally says. "April stays with us. I'm guessing the rest of you are up for it. You can bail out if you want, Jones. Just tell me when to stop the van."

I see the violent shudder that passes through Jones, and I know he's thinking about the Blanks we saw back there. "I'm good. Just don't expect me to go into any more creepy caves, alright?"

It doesn't escape my notice that Willow is the only one who isn't contributing to the conversation. I look over my shoulder to see her looking out of her window. Her silence feels purposeful. Full of secrets. Earlier before we got in the van, when everyone else was too distracted to see us, I grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her aside.

"I know it was you," I whispered, searching her face for answers. That moment was her chance to come clean before I pulled Marcus and the others into it.

She stiffened. "What?"

"You did something to me while I was sleeping. You made me follow the shadow."

"I—I can't begin to guess what the hell you're talking about."

"Willow, for God's sake," I snapped, tightening my grip. "Be upfront with me for once in your life. Why did you do it? You could have gotten me killed!"