Death and the Girl Next Door

The depression that had taken hold lurched inside me. I couldn’t look at anything or do anything or say anything that didn’t cause a deep sadness. Jared’s absence had left a hole in my heart. My behavior toward him was reprehensible. After everything he’d done for me, I threw him to the wolves the first chance I got.

I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. “Should we invite him in?” I asked Brooklyn.

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“Well, you did bring Dr Pepper.” I looked at the six-pack in her hands.

A sad smile spread across her face. She was sad for me and I felt so guilty because of it.

She walked to the window, opened it, and leaned out. “Hey, blondie. We got pizza. Can you leave your post for a little while?”

After a minute, Cameron crawled in from the fire escape. Brooklyn handed him a slice of pizza and a soda. He closed the window and sat on the seat there as Glitch sat at my desk and Brooklyn settled in at the foot of my bed.

Having them all with me, I suddenly felt famished. I inhaled two slices of pizza before slowing to a nibble on a third.

“I really didn’t expect you to eat anything,” Glitch said, disappointed. I attempted a small laugh. “Now I’m going to have to make popcorn to fill the void.”

“Oh yeah,” Brooklyn said, “we brought a movie.” She reached over and took a DVD out of her purse. “It’s your favorite.”

I looked at it. “Rocky Horror Picture Show is not my favorite. It’s your favorite.”

“I know,” she said. “But I figured you wouldn’t enjoy whatever we got anyway, so at least I should have some fun.”

What would I do without my very best friends? Wait a minute. What would I do? What if they suddenly died or moved or got deported? Can they deport Americans to foreign countries? What would I do?

Tears began to sting my eyes and I turned to grab my inhaler off my nightstand. After a quick spray, I sat breathing deep with my face averted until I could get my emotions under control.

“You don’t have to hide from us,” Cameron said.

I didn’t turn back. “I know. This is just getting really embarrassing.”

“Lor,” Brooklyn said, “look at me.”

I turned to her, my wet cheeks a dead giveaway.

She leaned in and covered my hands with hers. “I don’t know what to do for you. How to help.”

“You are helping,” Cameron said, always the pragmatist.

A fresh supply of tears welled up behind my eyes, just waiting for someone to say the right thing, or the wrong thing, or pretty much anything.

I looked at Glitch. “Is this what it was like for you?”

He was caught off guard, and his lips pressed together. We had made a deal a long time ago not to talk about that spring break our second-grade year, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He glanced down at his pizza. “No. I was just … in shock or something. I don’t know what happened. I barely remember it.”

“Maybe Cameron can shed some light?” I looked over at him, my brows raised in question.

“I’ve never talked about it,” Glitch said in surprise. “What makes you think Cameron had anything to do with it?”

“Just a guess. Am I wrong?” When neither of them answered, I knew I was right. “Glitch, what happened? Was it anything like what’s been happening here?”

“No, hon.” He shook his head. “Not even close.”

I looked at Cameron. “Did it have anything to do with an angel? With Jared?”

“No, Lorelei,” he said. “It had to do with two very evil people.”

“Cameron,” Glitch whispered under his breath. He shifted in his chair, suddenly uncomfortable. I decided to drop it. If there was no connection, there was no reason to push for information. Not now, anyway.

“What did he look like?” Brooklyn asked out of the blue. I knew whom she meant without asking. I had told them about Jared, about how he had changed in the forest. I think I left them with the impression that he’d become a huge, green, one-eyed monster.

Even though he hadn’t, I didn’t know how to tell them what he did look like. “You’ll never believe me,” I said.

“Let me get this straight,” Glitch said. “We’ve just witnessed things most humans are completely oblivious to. The stopping of time, that whole becoming-transparent-so-a-grand-piano-can-pass-through-you thing, the banishing of a pissed-off poltergeist, the mysterious memory swipe of three men in a forest … but no, you’re right. We probably wouldn’t believe you.”

“Really, Lor,” Brooklyn said. “How much more bizarre can this get?”

“Was he, like, all grotesque or something?” Glitch asked.

“No.” I paused and thought back. “He was beautiful.”

“Beautiful? I thought he was scary,” Brooke said, clearly wondering what the big deal was.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t scary. I just said he was beautiful.”

“Chicks actually call guys beautiful?” Cameron seemed appalled.

Brooklyn smirked.

“Okay,” I said, “but you have to keep an open mind. That means you too, Glitch.”

“We’ve been through this, remember? I’m totally open.” He stretched his arms wide to prove it. “I’m an open book, an open door, an open sign that blinks in red and blue neon.”