Page 55 of The Narrow

“Take care, Eden,” she says.

I promise that I will; we say our goodbyes.

What happened to you, Grace?

They had wanted to be together forever. They had disappeared the same night. But somehow, Maeve was still here, alone and lost, and Grace—Grace was nowhere to be found.

19

YOU’RE MINE, YOUknow. Forever. No matter what.

In the dream,we’re in the woods together, me and Maeve. Her fingertips trail up the inside of my forearm, sending shivers down my spine. My back against a tree trunk, she kisses my neck, my jaw. Her body is against mine, trapping me there as I sigh and moan at her touch.

We’re meant to be together. It’s destiny.

She kisses me, and my mouth fills with river water.

Forever, forever, forever.

I wake suddenly, and for a moment I don’t realize why. Then I hear it—footsteps in the hall. I bolt upright. I was careful today. I didn’t let a single drop of water in, I’m sure of it. It can’t be Maeve.

The footsteps pass my door, and I realize they’re going the wrong way. As I sit frozen in bed, I hear the door at the end of the hall open. Is Madelyn going outside for some reason?

I force myself out of bed and go to the hall. The lights are off. The door to the entry room is open.

So is the door at the bottom of the stairs.

I lose another few seconds processing the impossibility of what I’m seeing. Then I’m down the hall, screaming for Madelyn but not waiting for her to wake. I bolt through the empty changing room. The front door gapes open, and beyond it snakes the empty path. I run outside barefoot and look around wildly, searching for any sign of Del.

Something coppery glints among the trees. Del, moving quickly away. She’s already crossed the lawn—dry, thankfully, after days without rain—and is heading into the cover of the woods.

I do not have to wonder where she’s going. I already know. I sprint after her, calling her name. As soon as the grass gives way to the dirt and roots and underbrush of the woods, I regret not stopping for shoes. Rocks dig into the arch of my foot; sticks stab at me. Somehow Del is still moving with smooth, swift steps away from me. The ground slopes down. In the dark, I can’t see where I’m going, tripping and sliding and careening off tree trunks.

“Del!” I call out.

She halts. I scramble down the incline to catch up with her and discover what’s stopped her—the chain-link fence that divides the campus from the Narrow. Del stands dumbfounded in front of it, fingers laced through the wire.

“Del,” I say, reaching for her shoulder.

“I have to go,” she says hollowly. “I have to find her.”

“Who?” I ask. “Grace?”

She turns her face toward me, but her eyes don’t seem to see me. “I promised I would come find her,” she says.

A flashlight bobs among the trees. “Delphine! Eden!” Madelyn calls.

I shield my eyes as the light sweeps over us, and Madelyn comes scrambling down the same way I did. She’s at least shoved her feet into shoes, untied.

Beside me, Del gives a little sigh, and her knees go out from under her. I yelp in surprise and grab hold of her, grateful for how small she is. Madelyn dashes forward to help, and we hold her up as Del’s head rolls, then snaps up, her eyes blinking.

“What... Where...?” she starts, and then she gasps, eyes widening in fear.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” Madelyn soothes her. “We’re going to get you back inside. The ground’s dry, you’re okay.” She starts to guide the stricken Del up the hill. When I move to help, Madelyn moves protectively to block me and snaps, “I’ve got it. I think you’ve done enough, Eden.”

Startled, I fall back, letting them make their way up the hill together. The adrenaline surge is collapsing. My feet hurt. I watch the flashlight vanishing up the hill and shiver, though it isn’t cold.

Behind me, the Narrow whispers between its banks. I turn, standing right where Del stood, fingers laced through the chain link.

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