Playing with Fire (11 page)

“The doctor said the only other choice is to have you locked up.” Mrs. Helliman pressed her handkerchief to her eyes. “We can't do that. You
must
leave.”

“I won't!” Belinda said defiantly. Her expression had hardened. “You can't make me!”

Her father rose to his full height, towering over his teenage daughter. “Yes, I can.” He gripped her arm and dragged her out of the room and upstairs. “You go first thing in the morning.”

The lock on her bedroom door clicked loudly from the outside. Belinda tried twisting the knob desperately, but the door wouldn't budge.

There was no way out until morning. Until she was sent away.

Suitcases, already packed by one of the Helliman
servants, lay waiting by the door of her bedroom with the pink-flowered wallpaper. Belinda crawled to the wall and knocked four times. Her secret signal to her sister.

Margaret returned the knocks from her bedroom on the other side. Belinda pleaded through the thin wall for Margaret to unlock her door. They'd run away together.

Margaret kept repeating, “I'm sorry.” She couldn't or wouldn't open the door. She told Belinda to sleep.

“No!” Belinda howled. As she moaned, her hair took on a darker hue. Redder. Angrier.

No longer in control.

They couldn't send her away. By herself.

Red everywhere.

No Margaret. No friends.

All she saw was a curtain of red.

Until the suitcases burst into flames.

Belinda watched in awe as the yellow fingers of heat grew higher and higher. It was as if she were in the audience, viewing a play on a far-off stage. Then the flames leaped to the windowsill, igniting the wood with a ferocity that shocked her into action.

“Wake up! Everyone get out!” She grabbed a cotton blanket folded at the foot of her bed and flung it in hopes of putting out the fire. The blanket disappeared into the flames.

Into the flames that engulfed the bedroom.

Into the flames that traveled down the hall to the bedrooms where her family slept.

“It's all her fault,” I said. I'd seen Belinda start the fire that killed her family.

“No, it's not.”

I blinked. I was back in the hotel room. Smoke everywhere. Laura still struggling with the window.

Lily pressed a cool washcloth to my face as I sat on the carpet. The TV static, the shower, and the blinking clock had stopped. How long had I been like this?

“It's not her fault,” Lily repeated. “I don't know where you went in your mind, Sara, but you were talking the whole time. Narrating what you saw.”

I pulled the washcloth away and eyed Belinda, still hovering beside Lily. “It was bad. She did it.”

“No. It was a mistake,” Lily said simply. “Belinda didn't mean to start that fire or any of the fires. She
had no control. She needed help that no one could give her.”

“That's what's so dangerous.” I couldn't shake the image of those flames.

“She's lonely, Sara. She lost her family and her sister. She needs a friend—that doesn't make her bad. Everyone judged her unfairly.”

The smoke drifted away. Belinda's clenched jaw softened. Laura stepped from the window and moved toward the door.

I thought about all the times I'd been quick to judge. I'd thought Delilah was destructive when she'd really been baking muffins. I'd thought George Marasco wanted to destroy Midnight Manor on the boardwalk when he'd really wanted to save it. I thought the soldier spirit was trying to spook me when he'd really wanted to find Lady Azura, his true love. Had I been wrong about Belinda?

“She may be lonely, but she starts fires,” I said. “She scares me.”

“Even though you can see her and I can't,” Lily said, “I know what I feel when she's near, and I don't feel scared. I want to help her.”

“Take me home,” Belinda said in a low voice. Her glow had dimmed. She searched Lily's face with her now-dark eyes. “Take me home with you.”

“She wants to go home with
you
,” I told Lily.

“It's open!” Laura cried with a giddy laugh. The door suddenly swung open, ushering in a rush of cool air. “Let's get out.”

“I'm not leaving without her,” Lily said.

Laura waved us to hurry. “Who? Sara?”

“Belinda.”

“Whoa!” Laura lifted her arms in protest.

“Sara?” Lily asked. She raised her eyebrows, and I knew what she wanted.

“I don't know if I can,” I admitted.

“Please.” Lily said. “I trust you.”

I nodded. I'd try.

I never, ever thought we'd be doing
this
together. But what else can you do when your best friend needs help?

Except for the faint smell of ash, the room had magically cleared of smoke. Belinda remained by Lily's side. Laura stayed by the door. I watched Belinda warily. Without the glow and the burning eyes, she looked like any other teenager in an old-fashioned nightgown. With a change of clothes, I could imagine her hanging out at the boardwalk arcade back home.

That's how I'd talk to her, I decided. None of Laura's new age chants. None of Kayla's snippy remarks. None of the fear and taunts of those other kids.

“Lily likes you,” I began. “We both do.”

Lily nodded her encouragement. “Tell her that we can be friends, but she can't come live with me.”

I did. “You need to find your family,” I added. “Your parents and your sister. They're waiting for you to join them.”

“They do not want me,” Belinda replied.

“That's silly,” Lily scoffed when I translated. “Your parents were listening to some silly doctor. Your mother was so sad and overwhelmed that day. She thought sending to you to your cousin would help. Margaret only wanted what was best for you too.”

“They wanted me to be alone.” Belinda's voice had a flat, hollow sound.

I needed to try something else. How could I ask this girl to leave this room and this world without giving her something to go to? Watching Lily stare in the opposite direction from where Belinda stood, I realized she needed
someone
.

I closed my eyes and focused on Margaret. I brought forward all the visions I'd seen of her and tried to connect. Tried to will her back to this world.

A hand tapped my shoulder.

Lily pointed to the aragonite crystal on her necklace. “Can I?” she asked.

“Definitely.”

Lily slid off the bead, and I pointed to the corner where Belinda hovered. Moving slowly, Lily gently placed the crystal on the ground. “This means
friendship. Sara gave it to me, and I'm giving it to you.”

Belinda bent down and scooped up the crystal, making a protective cup with her hands. She stared incredulously at it.

“She took it,” I whispered.

Lily let out a nervous giggle of relief.

The sound of her laugh. Same as Margaret's laugh. I focused on their similar happiness.

I let the sound fill me. Surround me.

My left foot began to tingle. That pins-and-needles feeling I dreaded—until now. I looked about with anticipation. And then Margaret materialized, her nightgown-clad body barely visible.

For a moment, the two sisters stared at each other.

I waited, unsure of what to say or do. Laura moved alongside me and placed her hand on my shoulder, as if she knew.

Slowly, Margaret opened her arms to invite her sister in. Belinda melted into her hug.

And then they were gone.

I stared at the empty corner. No sisters. No glow. Only the aragonite crystal remained, nestled in the carpet.

“You did it!” I wrapped Lily in a similar hug. “She's gone!”

“Is she happy?” Lily asked.

“Yes, I think so. She went with her sister.”

Lily smiled widely. “You're amazing. I can't believe you can really see and talk and do those things.”

“You're amazing,” I said. “Without you, I would've totally botched this. You were the one who knew what to say to her. You understood her. Only you.”

“It's true,” Laura agreed. “I might be able to sense their energy, and Sara here, well, my mind boggles at what she can do, but you, Lily, have a compassion that goes beyond all that. You reach out to help those so lost and far away. The power to see good in everyone is the truest gift.”

“Laura, you can tell Mr. Himoff the rooms are now spirit free.” I was giddy at the thought. I'd never done something like this without Lady Azura's help.

“No thanks to me. Whatever he pays me, I'm going to share with both of you.”

“You don't need to do that,” Lily said.

“Totally,” I said. “This was your job.”

Laura bent and picked up the small crystal. “Why
did you choose aragonite? It never would've occurred to me.”

“It's for friendship, right?” Lily asked.

“Lady Azura said it has more power than that.” I thought back. “It brings about acceptance and understanding.”

For a moment, we both let the words sink in.

“Good thing Belinda left it behind for me.” Lily twirled her hair nervously. “I'm sorry, Sara. I got crazy yesterday when you told me and—”

“No, I'm sorry,” I said. “I didn't do it the right way, and I waited way too long.”

“We both need a heavy dose of aragonite,” Lily said, taking the crystal from Laura and slipping it in her jeans pocket.

“Agreed. Friends?”

“
Best
friends, silly.”

“What about that ice cream down at the lake?” Laura suggested. “I could go for something cold.”

As we headed toward the elevator, Lily checked her phone. “Kayla texted me a zillion times.”

“Oh.” I wasn't going to judge.

“She's starting to annoy me,” Lily confided.
“Everything is all about her all the time.”

“I can see that.”

“My mom says Kayla always has to be center stage. She doesn't like her much.”

“I thought you didn't care what your mom thinks,” I teased.

“Sometimes she's right.” Lily scrunched her nose. “Totally hate when that happens. She called you special that first day you moved in. Not that I didn't know that myself.”

“You just didn't know how special,” I joked.

“Otherworldly special,” Lily said, linking arms with me as we ran down the lawn to meet Mrs. Randazzo and Angela by the lake.

A huge bonfire blazed on the beach, and both adults and teens milled about, roasting marshmallows and listening to two guys strum acoustic versions of pop songs on guitars. Despite the flames, the mountain air was cool, causing me to shiver in my sweat-soaked shirt. I didn't care. I was so happy to be outside under the star-studded sky.

Kayla and a boy were sharing ice cream on a bench made from a fallen log. She touched his shoulder with
each exclamation as she told him a story. She waved to us, then returned to her tale.

Owen stood uncomfortably next to a thin, mophaired man who could only be his father. His dad lectured to Mr. Himoff. Owen noticed me and crossed his eyes.

I crossed mine back. He
was
kind of nice.

“Hi, girls. Laura,” Angela greeted us. “Look over there. The staff is setting up chairs for a wedding tomorrow. Isn't this the most romantic place? Can you imagine the gorgeous photos of the bride out there on those rocks?”

“Actually,” Mr. Himoff said, making his way over to us, “we're doing the photos on a secluded point around the other side. There's a lone bench, and the view of the lake is magnificent. Big, big wedding.”

“Not a problem,” Laura said.

“Meaning?” Mr. Himoff asked.

“Meaning you're ready for a packed hotel.”

“Our situation? It's solved?” He sounded surprised.

“The ghost is gone!” Lily exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. “Laura did it!”

“Really?” Mr. Himoff's gaze traveled around our
group. He wasn't sure how we knew all this, but he gave up trying to act proper. “Amazing! Congratulations!” He pumped Laura's hand. “Thank you.”

Thank you
, Laura mouthed to me and Lily as Mr. Himoff pulled her up toward the hotel to talk “business.”

“I'm liking what I'm seeing,” Mrs. Randazzo said. “Two best friends acting like best friends.” She gathered us close and squeezed us in a group hug.

“Mom!” Lily wriggled away, even though I could've stayed that way longer. “Sara and I are getting ice cream. Come on, Sara.” She took my hand.

As we walked off, Lily pulled the aragonite crystal from her jeans pocket. “What do we do with this? Should I keep it?”

“I gave it to you.”

“But it's a friendship thing. Shouldn't there be two? We're both going to need help with understanding and acceptance if we're going to be doing this together,” Lily pointed out.

“Doing what?”

“Seeing spirits. You and me.”

“Together?” That soaring feeling was back again.

Lily nodded. “We're a team. You do the seeing and, I guess, I do the talking.”

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed my house in Stellamar. It was late, but Lady Azura answered on the first ring.

“We're going to need another crystal!” I said, laughing into the phone. “Lily's part of our spirit thing too.”

“All the way!” Lily added, her giggles blending with mine.

HELLIMAN HOUSE:
Vacation Fun for Teens

By Angela Fiorini

Looking for a family-friendly resort that will impress the toughest guest, your teenager? Welcome to Helliman House, nestled in New York's picturesque Adirondack Mountains. This breathtaking, newly renovated resort has the fun and variety to interest smartphone-tapping teenagers as well as provide the rest of the family with an upscale good time
.