Page 111 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

“I’m speaking to?”

“N-Nim. Winters. Nim Winters. Is this about my parents? Because I can’t get hold of them. Are they okay?” The last is barely a whisper.

I already know they’re not, which makes no sense. I mean, they could still be out partying. Itisa two-hour drive. They’re probably about to pull into the drive and here I am, bugging these nice people who just happened to have dialed the wrong number.

“Winters?” There’s a pause on the line before the lady says, “Please hold for Deputy Thatcher.”

“Who—?” But the phone’s on-hold music cuts me off.

My thigh is throbbing so painfully, I wonder if I opened it up while I was sleeping. But I can’t move to check it. I can barely fucking breathe.

“Deputy Thatcher.”

“Hi,” I whisper back.

“Yes? Can I help you?” He sounds irritated.

“Um...I…think you tried to phone me.” My voice is slowly disappearing as my throat starts to tighten more and more.

“I’m speaking with?”

“Nim Winters.”

“Nim. Yes.” The change from irritation to sympathy is abrupt. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

For some reason, I expect him to mention the boys in the woods.I’m sorry, Nim, but they’re not convinced you’ll stay quiet. They’re coming to get you.

Which is ridiculous, because he’s adeputyand he wouldn’t be calling to warn me that some killers were headed my way.If anything, he’d say that they sent out a squad car, that it would be arriving any minute and then I’ll be safe.

Oh, shit, I’m zoning out instead of listening.

“...about an hour ago. We’re still investigating the cause, but it appears that?—”

“I’m sorry, what?”

Thatcher clears his throat. “It’s your parents, Nim. They were involved in a car accident about an hour ago along the Bug Ash Pass.”

“Are they...are they okay? Are they in the hospital or something?”

“Nim, no, I’m so sorry.” He pauses, breathes into the phone like he’s sighing. “They were declared dead on the scene.”

My ass thumps onto the carpet in the middle of the hallway. It hurts, but in a faded, distant kind of way. I can still see into the dark, empty room where my parents were supposed to be asleep.

“What?”

“Do you have someone you can go to? A nearby relative, perhaps? Someone you can call?”

“No...um...I’m at Vicky’s house.” It’s the stupidest thing to say. How could this guy possibly know who?—?

“Vicky Pellegrino?” Thatcher sounds surprised. “Her place in Blackstone Heights, or the one in Lavender Valley?”

Gees, is there a single person in Cinderhart whodoesn’tknow Vicky?

“Uh...the one by the forest?”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Thatcher pauses, exhaling into my ear. “I’m sorry, I had no idea you were in Cinderhart, Miss Winters, otherwise I would have come to see you in person.”

“Okay, thanks.” I end the call while he’s still saying something and then wish I hadn’t. My hand drops into my lap, and I stare at my phone’s screen for a few seconds.

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