Back to Me

The Weight of Blood

No... a part of her believed she couldn't trust Lizzie with this. She saw how the blonde had been ready to attack Hope the night before. And considering how their plan ended, she doubted Lizzie would be on board with it.

Josie watched as her sister walked closer at a leisurely pace. This, at least, gave her time to come up with a somewhat decent answer.

"My Belgian pen."

Lizzie paused, mulling over her words as if to make sure she heard correctly. Landon's eyes widened, surprise written all over his face. Josie broke into a sweat. If her answer didn't give her away, surely Landon would.

"A pen?" Lizzie repeated, "And you need Frodo here for that?"

Josie shrugged, an attempt to appear nonchalant, "Mom bought it for me when we went to Europe. I don't write in my journal without it. And yes, Landon kindly offered to help me out."

Silence extended awkwardly. It couldn't have been more than a minute, but for Josie it lasted hours.

Lizzie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the brunette, "That's a pile of bull," She deadpanned. Josie's stomach plummeted, "I know for a fact you never misplace that pen. You don't even let other people touch it! So spill, dear sister, what has you so shaken?"

Her mouth opened and closed several times, but words refused to form. She was in the middle of avoiding her sister's eyes when she zeroed on the clock above-- it read 5:28. Josie's nerves flared again, this time for a different reason.

She was running out of time to find the Necromancer's head.

"I- I have to go," She sputtered, her feet hastily carried her more than halfway down the hall before she realized Landon remained rooted to his spot. She turned on her heel and grabbed his arm to drag him with her.

Lizzie scoffed indignantly in the distance.

Josie kept going until she came to a window overlooking the west wing of the school. It was mostly weeds and thick trees, uninteresting to the casual onlooker. But for those who observed, they could see a small crack next to a tree. A crack that led to the cell where Hope was being held. She was supposed to spark a flare through it once she confirmed Alyssa Chang was behind the impersonation. Then, they could go on to stage three.

Though stage three was useless if Josie didn't have the Necromancer's blood. Or what remained of it, anyway.

Next to her, Landon tensed, to which Josie sent him a puzzled look.

"Josette Saltzman, what the hell?" Lizzie shouted from the opposite end of the hallway, approaching dangerously fast and bringing the student's attention to herself.

Josie glanced frantically between the window and her sister.

"Stop lying to me right now or I swear I'll jinx the truth out of you," Lizzie's face was scrunched with irritation, and Josie knew she wouldn't back down now.

Still, she tried to play dumb.

"Me? Lying? Lizzie, stop jumping to conclusions," Her voice didn't sound nearly as confident or strong as she wanted. Immediately, she regretted ever opening her mouth.

"Yes, you're lying! Whenever you do you stop blinking for a disturbingly long amount of time."

Josie gasped, almost offended, "I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"Not."

"Do."

Landon watched the exchange, awkwardly swaying on his feet as students snickered at another one of the twins' petty arguments.