Page 61 of Visions of Darkness

“That’s right.”

The woman’s brow twisted. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah?” I said it like she was the one who was losing it.

She cleared her throat and gave her head a harsh shake, as if she were trying to shun whatever had tripped her up.

“I’m Jill, the RN on staff tonight. Come on back, and we’ll get your intake questionnaire filled out.” She widened the door, and I could feel her frazzled nerves as I slipped by her and into the next room.

Here, it was sectioned off. There were three small holding rooms on the left and three rooms with desks on the right.

But the only thing that mattered was the second locked door at the very back. Heavy, reinforced metal.

The door that led to Aria.

My chest tightened into a fist, and the chaos spun and banged against the walls, fighting for a way to get out.

Clawing its way to her.

I came to a stop in the middle of the room, my gaze sweeping the area, gauging my next steps.

The nurse rounded on me, her brow furrowed as she looked at my face.

Eyes roving.

Searching.

“Sir, I’m afraid you might be in the wrong place.” She kept her voice a whisper. Riddled with questions. “The adult facilities are on the property behind this to the north. You can gain access on Morris Street. I can have someone escort you, if you’d like.”

Her words were weighted, and an awareness was seeping in.

The way she looked at me.

Like she knew me.

But I still had to play this right. I couldn’t get careless.

“Not in the wrong place.” The words were gruff, scraping like dull razors at the back of my throat.

My fingers itched to grab her key card.

“I’m seventeen,” I forced out.

Bullshit, yeah.

I silently begged her to accept it.

“What is your name?” she suddenly asked beneath her breath, like she was trying to keep it from the woman who currently was tapping at a computer in one of the rooms on the right.

Urgency radiated from her, and alarm gusted through my senses.

“I already filled the information out.” I gestured at the iPad she held in her hand. “James Aragon. Date of birth, May 17, 2005.”

Her head shook, and she suddenly reached out and grabbed me by the wrist. Emphasis underscored the words. “No.What is your name?”

I felt like her stare was searing into me. Burning through the rubble. Like she might have a tap into the otherworlds.

I didn’t have time to answer before the door behind us buzzed and a security guard pushed through, his words rushing out ahead of him. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Jill.”

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