Page 71 of Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets

I try to speak, but my mouth is parched, cottony. I shove my phone at Jacey.

Hesitantly, she takes it, but she doesn’t react, only squints at it. She presses the home button, then hands it back to me. “I think your battery died, Savannah. Just tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s Piper.” My voice is nothing but an echo. Like my eyes, it’s detached. Not my own.

“What is it?” Jacey breathes.

I can’t hear my own steps as I walk, trance-like, along the path. I don’t hear the others ahead of us or the birds. Only a low, steady hum playing in my head, drowning out everything around me.

Then my voice—the one I no longer recognize—punctures the buzzing, as two words slip out and freeze time.

“She’s awake.”

Chapter 29

“She’sawake?” Jacey asks, her voice grating against my already-throbbing head.

The pain is causing my vision to crack. I try to push the phone back into her hands. “Keep your voice down,” I snap. “Did Sam and Abby hear you?”

Ahead, Sam turns around. How much did he hear?

“Sorry,” Jacey whispers.

I inhale, letting the breath out slowly, like a leaking tire. “My mom texted me twenty-four times. She called me seventeen times.” My hands shake, sweat making the pink case slick between my fingers.

Jacey touches me on the shoulder. “This is incredible news.” But neither her face nor her tone matches the words.

I know exactly how she feels. “Yeah.”

Tyler falls back into step with us, his eyes wide. “She’s really awake?”

Way to go, Jacey.

“We should head straight to the hospital.” Jacey’s footsteps quicken, and dust rises around the hems of our jeans.

“Someone should go to the cops,” Tyler says. “Tell them as much as we know so they can protect Piper. Even if Sam didn’t hear what Jacey said, he’s going to find out soon enough. Pretty suregirl wakes up from comawill make the local news today.”

“Do you want to go to the hospital or the police station?” Jacey asks, touching me lightly on the arm.

“I have to go to the hospital. My parents probably already sent out a search party for me.”

“Okay, you handle the cops,” Jacey tells Tyler. “I’ll drive Savannah to the hospital.”

He nods, and Jacey treks ahead to join the others. Somehow, my tired, heavy feet have managed to gain some buoyancy. We haven’t stopped to rest once, but I get a second wind as we swoop around the mountainside, pushing along the final stretch down the rock-lined trail.

I crane my neck and see the trees thinning out ahead. Catching up with Grant, I stand on my tiptoes to whisper into his ear. “When we reach the school, drive to the police station. Or find someone with a working phone. Tell the cops about Sam. Tell them Piper needs protection.” I lick my dry lips. “Don’t say anything to anyone, but she’s awake.”

Grant’s mouth falls open. “What? Th-that’s amazing. How are you getting to the hospital?”

“Jacey’s going to drive me.”

“And the others?”

I shrug. “I’ll tell them to head to the police station too. Strength in numbers.”

“I’m so glad she’s awake, Savannah.”

I force a swallow. “Yeah.”

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