The Calling (16 page)

“Oh, Miki, are you all right? I thought I had lost you, too. What kind of danger were you in? Where have you been? Look at you. What happened?”

How could she possibly tell her mother what had happened? Miki had trouble believing it herself. She snuggled close, letting her mother hug her tightly.

“I—I don't know where to start.”

“Start at the beginning. Paige? Where is Paige? Her family is worried. Her mother called me earlier in the evening.”

“Page is dead, Mom. It's my fault. Paige is dead.” Miki sobbed, pain filling her as she remembered her best friend running, desperately trying to escape.

“Paige? Dead?”

“Is this your daughter, Mrs. O'Ryan?” A man's voice spoke beside them. “We got inside the building, but no one is there. Looks as if street people had moved in, but no one's inside now.”

“Go back and search again. My daughter's friend—is she in there, Miki, inside the building?”

“Yes, someplace—maybe in the basement. I couldn't find her.” Had they taken Paige with them? She wouldn't be—no, that would be worse than dead. Paige was dead. Miki was sure she was dead. She started to sob. She couldn't stop herself.

“Maybe you're mistaken about Paige, Miki. They'll find her. She'll be all right.” Her mother hugged her even tighter.

Miki shook her head. She had been mistaken about so many things, but now her mind was clear. She had killed Paige. Her foolishness and curiosity, her ambition, her need to belong to someone had killed Paige. How could she live with that? And Paige, beautiful gentle Paige, gone, or worse. If they had let her live, they would make her one of them, the living dead, her soul lost forever.

“Look at your feet, Miki,” her mother said, pushing Miki away enough to look her over. “They're bleeding. Your leotard is torn, and you're shivering. I'm taking you home. You can talk to the police later.”

Miki listened to her mother worrying about a few scratches, her clothing—things that meant nothing. But she needed a mother right now. A mother who warned her that bad things happen. One who tried to protect her, but couldn't. Miki had invited the evil in. It had come and almost stayed. Her guilt
would
stay.

“Sheila?” A man called her mother's first name.

“Bill, here I am. I found her. I found Miki.” Her mother grabbed Miki's shoulders and spun her around. “Oh, Miki, look.”

Miki stared at the policeman with blurry eyes. And the small figure beside him. “Paige? Paige, is that you?” She leaped away from her mother and grabbed Paige in a huge hug. “Are you all right? Oh, Paige, please tell me you're okay.”

“Well, I've been better, Miki, but I—I guess I'll be all right. I got away from them. You came along just as I was sure they were going to find me. They went after you, Miki. On the stairs. If you hadn't come when you did—” Paige started to cry, too. “Oh, Miki, I was so scared.”

“I know, Paige, I know. I was scared, too. For you and for me. I killed Rima.”

“I heard that. I was under the stairs, Miki.”

“And I—I killed Davin. Elah helped me get out after that.” Miki turned to Bill, still holding Paige. “You didn't find anyone else inside the theater?”

“Not a sign of anyone. What were you doing in there, anyway? The place is condemned.”

“My daughter will talk to you tomorrow.” Her mother used her lawyer voice. “Right now, she's hurt and in shock. She'll tell you the whole story tomorrow.”

Bill and the other policeman seemed to realize it would do no good to argue. They turned to leave.

“Let's go home, Miki. I've neglected you. Let's go home and try to be a family again.” Her mother pulled both Miki and Paige into her arms, then pushed them toward where she'd left the car, the door wide open. Miki closed off a part of her mind and became a child, a needy child who did as her mother told her.

A family. What was that? A group of people living together? One person who loved you? She hugged her mother one more time before she and Paige tumbled into the back seat of her mom's comfortable old car. “Yes, I'll try. I'm glad for another chance.”

About the Author

Barbara Steiner (1934–2014) was an acclaimed author known for her books for children and young adults. Steiner authored over seventy titles, including picture books, early chapter books, mysteries, young adult thrillers, historical novels, and romances. In her lifetime, Steiner visited more than ninety-four countries and all seven continents, and many of her books were inspired by her travels. She lived in Boulder with her family until her death in January 2014.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1995 by Barbara Steiner

Cover design by Mimi Bark

ISBN: 978-1-4976-2989-9

This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

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New York, NY 10014

www.openroadmedia.com

THE DARK CHRONICLES

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