Page 29 of Smoke the Enemy

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Has anyone left anything for me?” Could this be a gift from Alex? One of the church ladies? She and Dad?

“No. Were you expecting someone? I left earlier to go to the store, but I’ve been home the rest of the day.”

Should I tell her someone was in our house then? If she gets freaked out too much, she might not let me return to campus despite the real danger being here already. I hate lying to my mother, but I’ll hate more being locked away at home. “Kali was going to mail me something. Never mind.”

My hands lift the box and I’m surprised by how light it is. Slowly, I open it and find there’s only a single folded piece of cream paper inside. With one hand, I unfold the thick paper.

For his heart.

His… My chest rises and falls as I try to comprehend what my eyes are looking at. I need to make sure I’m reading this correctly or determine if I’ve lost my ability to read. That’s when I see the little snake drawn around it…

The killer. The killer found me here and was in my house. This box is… for someone’s heart. Literally? As in, they mean to physically place a heart in here? Surely not. This must be symbolic of breaking up or ripping someone’s heart out. My breathing is choppy as I try to cope with what I know this truly means. It’s a promise of what’s to come. The room feels too hot, while at the same time my teeth are chattering. The box clatters to the floor as I rush to the bathroom to vomit. Who was in my house? Who is doing this? And whose heart are they planning to put in that box?

Once I empty all the contents in my stomach, I collapse, my back hitting the floor. They wereinmy house. They found me here. People aren’t just dying on campus anymore. The killer is now finding us at the places we thought were safe.

One thing is clear, no one andnowhereis safe.

I go find my mother to tell her that I’m returning to campus. She’s not going to like it, but I can’t risk staying here. They were here because of me. My parents are good people. They’re naïve to the point of being blind about Alex, but that’s a reflection of their innocence to this dangerous world circling us.

“Hey, Mom,” I greet her as I enter the kitchen to find her cracking an egg into a mixing bowl. She’s wearing her floral apron, and her long hair is piled on top of her head.

“Hey, honey! I’m baking your favorite,” she tells me in a sing-song voice. “Gingerbread muffins with lemon glaze.”

It feels as though an anchor was just dropped on my heart. She’s smiling so brightly, and her eyes are alight with joy. I’m going to be the one to destroy that.

“Thanks.”

Her lips turn downward. “I thought you’d be more excited. Do you not like these anymore? I can bake something else. There’s still time to change the flavoring–”

“No, Mom. I love those. Listen, I need to get back to campus.”

Her hands immediately still. “The new semester hasn’t even begun. It’s not even New Year’s, Taylor Mae.”

Oh shit. She used Taylor Mae.“Kali–”

“Kali was here over the holidays to visit. I’m happy you have a new friend, but she doesn’t need to consume all your time. Your family would like to see you too. You know if you devoted as much time to your studies, the Lord, and family, as you do this Kali girl–”

“Mom!”

“Don’t interrupt me, young lady. This hurts, Taylor. You’re wanting to leave… again.” She’s right. I did run away to Alabama. I hardly ever returned home; even skipped some holidays. I won’t do that anymore. I won’t let my fear keep me from my family. But at the same time, I do need to escape every now and then. “What am I doing wrong? Tell me. Talk to me. Why do you want to keep running away from home.”

Guilt gnaws at me. I can see her point, and her pain is evident in her glassy eyes. My mother is breaking apart in front of me, and I did that. “I’m trying to figure some things out. Didn’t almost everyone of God’s chosen people or Jesus’s disciples have to make journeys alone before they became who they needed to be?” I’m literally grasping at straws here. I can’t think of any names, but I’m sure there’ssomebodyin the good book who had to leave to find themselves.

My desperate words seem to have registered. After a brief pause, she says, “I’m worried about you, baby. Are you sure this Kali is a good girl?”

“It’s not just her. I need this, too. I’m just trying to figure out who I am.”

She wipes her hands and then walks around the counter to me. “Don’t run off and let a bunch of strangers tell you who to be either.” The warmth of my mother’s embrace almost has me in tears. I didn’t realize how badly I needed a hug, or for someone to hold me. She kisses my hair and then sighs. “Help me bake these muffins so you can at least take some with you. We’ll put a few aside for Kali as well. But you’re not leaving until after supper with us. Your daddy isn’t going to be happy either.”

I smile into her neck, wanting so much to explain that me running away this time is for their own safety, nothing more, but I can’t tell her that. She’ll only worry more.

She then continues, “But you know how to handle him.”

She laughs and then takes the kitchen towel to smack my bottom with it. “Yeah, I’ll have to make meatloaf now. Or no,we’llmake it. If you’re planning to run off early on me, then you’re at least going to help cook.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Mom.”

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