Cipher

“Sorry,” the man said as the scene unfolded in Summer’s mind. “I was in such a hurry to get home I didn’t even see you there.”

Cold filled her, and she felt nauseated for the second time tonight. “I’m uh… You’re… It’s…”

Mom draped her arm around Summer’s shoulders and smiled at the man. “Have a safe journey home.”

“You, too. And again, I’m sorry.” He stepped to the edge of the curb and hailed a cab.

Summer watched him lift his phone to his ear as he climbed into the yellow car. This can’t be real. Surely he’s not going to…

As terrified as she was of seeing the impact, she couldn’t tear her gaze off the taxi as it entered the flow of traffic. Her pulse pounded in her head, drowning out all other noises.

When the car drove out of sight, she blew out a shaky breath. Nothing happened. My mind’s playing tricks on me. It was just a weird hallucination or something. One hell of a vivid, weird hallucination.

“Summer?” Mom leaned closer, eyebrows scrunched together. “Are you okay?”

“I guess all the dancing took it out of me. I suddenly feel exhausted.” Summer put a hand on her stomach. “And really hungry.”

“We’ll grab something on the way home from the airport.” Mom glanced at her watch. “Dad’s due in fifteen, and it’ll take us at least forty to get there.”

“Let’s get going then.” Summer started toward the car, doing her best to act like everything was fine. But the graphic image of the man’s lifeless body kept flashing through her mind, and she had this weird feeling that she’d never be the same again.

Chapter One Three years later…

Summer barely restrained herself from putting on a dance show for the neighbors. Bobbing her head just didn’t do justice to the music pumping through her earphones. All she wanted to do was get into the house, celebrate the start of the weekend with some dancing, and then relax for a couple hours before going out with Cody.

What am I going to wear? If I don’t do a load of laundry soon, I’m going to have to pull something off the floor and hope it’s not too wrinkled or smelly.

The sun reflected off her plastic Get off the road, I’m 16 keychain into her eye, making her attempt at finding the house key more of a challenge. Dad had bought the keychain, thinking it was hilarious, and had also attached a canister of mace. Summer put up with both because they’d come with a car. Since she’d turned seventeen a while ago, she thought she might be able to rid herself of the keychain without Dad getting too upset—the mace wasn’t optional; she knew that without having to ask.

Finally. Summer inserted the key and opened the door. She tossed her keys into the bowl on the side table, then ran up the stairs, singing along with Hayley Williams.

At the top of the stairs, she added some dance moves, swinging her curls back and forth across her vision. Moving to the beat, she danced into her open bedroom door.

The sunlight coming through her window was blinding, so she moved across the room and closed her curtains. She spun away from the window, belting out the chorus.

The strange woman perched on the end of the bed put a quick end to Summer’s song and dance. Summer stared, hair covering one of her eyes, heart beating a million-miles-a-minute.

That woman wasn’t there a minute ago.

Was she?

The woman smiled, displaying a set of startlingly white teeth. She didn’t look dangerous. In fact, she was the human version of cotton candy—a pink fluffy dress, bubblegum colored lips, and a Marilyn Monroe hairdo.

Just in case the woman wasn’t as friendly as she looked, Summer reached into her pocket to retrieve her cell phone. Where is my…? Oh holy crap, I left it charging in the car. Summer thought of her mace, downstairs, next to the front door. So close, yet so far away.

The woman tapped her ear and then pointed to Summer.

A gentle tug popped the earphones out of Summer’s ears. Afraid to look away from the woman, she dropped the wires, leaving them hanging from the iPod in her pocket. Without music filling her head, the situation suddenly seemed more real.

She’s dainty. The woman didn’t look very tall either, although she was sitting down, so it was hard to tell for sure. I bet I could take her if it came down to it.

Please don’t let it come down to it.

“Hi, Summer,” the woman said, her voice light and airy. “We need to talk.”

How does she know my name? Summer studied the woman again, sure she’d never met her before. She’d for sure remember a grown woman who dressed like a cartoon princess.

“Maybe we should talk outside on the lawn,” Summer said. Witnesses would put her at ease. Of course, Mrs. Graves was most likely the only person home right now. As far as witnesses went, she wasn’t a very good one. An axe murderer probably couldn’t coax a reaction from Summer’s mentally-out-to-lunch neighbor—a harmless-looking lady wouldn’t even register. Mrs. Graves would probably stare out her window with detached interest, then go feed her army of cats.

“Well, no one can see me but you, so it would look like you’re talking to yourself. And I’m rather sure your reaction to this news is going to be attention-grabbing.” The Cotton Candy Fairy blinked her big eyes like one of those creepy dolls with the moveable eyelids and long lashes.

Okay, it’s official. This woman’s completely insane.

Summer swallowed past the lump rising in her throat. “Are you lost? I know a place down on Peach Street that’s really nice.” That’s where the mental hospital was. If this lady hadn’t come from the hospital, she could use an extended visit there.

“I’m not insane and I don’t have time for this. You’re a special circumstance. I’ve never had to start from scratch before.” The woman tapped her manicured finger on her lips and turned her eyes to the ceiling, like she expected to find answers there. “Let me think for a second. I know it’s going to be hard for you to accept from someone you don’t know.”

The woman slapped her hand to her forehead. “Goodness, me! I never even introduced myself. No wonder you think I’m insane.”

Yes, the introduction was the problem. Not that you broke into my bedroom, claim I’m the only one who can see you, or that wings are all you need to complete your fairy costume.

“I’m Gabriella,” she said with a big flourish and a giant smile, like she was in a beauty pageant. “I dole out assignments, welcome people home, that kind of thing. Before long, you’ll get the hang of this and it’ll become second nature to you. We’ll get you started and then you’ll be right as rain.”

Summer just nodded. This lady was obviously off her meds, and she knew better than to disagree with a mentally unstable person. Under normal circumstances, she’d point out that the phrase right as rain didn’t even make sense.

“Since this is your first assignment, you’ll have more time. It takes a certain skill, and,” Gabriella—if that was even her real name—looked Summer up and down, “I think it might take you a bit to get going.”

The shorts-and-T-shirt getup was because Summer had been at dance practice. “I don’t normally wear this.” Wait. Why am I explaining myself to her?

Summer took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. She eyed the door, wondering if she could get to it faster than Gabriella. “Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I can call someone for you if you like.” She took a generous step toward the door. “Family?” Another step. “Friends?”

Gabriella stood, and Summer froze in place. “I guess I might as well charge on through. Tip-toeing is getting us nowhere. There’s a girl who goes to your school named Ashlyn Moore. Do you know her?”

The name sounded familiar, but Summer couldn’t place a face with it. “No.”

“Well, you need to get to know her. She doesn’t have much time, and she needs you.”