Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
“Sure. It’s not like I can’t use the advice.”
“No one is coming to save me. No one is coming to make me happy. If I want happiness, I have to find it myself. And if someone tries to take it away, I will have to fight for it.”
A smile creeps up my face. Because Tomas has always been a happy guy. He’s always looking at the bright side. He’s always making the most of things.
And I’ve been doing the exact opposite, haven’t I? I’m grumpy, and growly, and selfish.
And now I kinda just feel like shit.
“No one’s coming to save you, Pell. Not the caretaker. Not the gods. Not the monsters. So if you want to be happy, then it’s up to you to make yourself happy.”
We stare at each other for a moment. “Tomas—”
“No need.”
I chuckle. “You don’t even know what I was gonna say.”
“I do, Pell. And you don’t need to apologize for anything. We are who we are.” He shrugs. “But sometimes it’s good to take a second look at ourselves and make a decision to be someone else. Now go. You need to get to Pie. She has her own decisions to make, I’m sure.”
“Will we see each other again?”
“Is that sadness? Will you miss me?” He walks up to me and pulls me into a giant hug. Squeezes me for several seconds, which is far too long for my comfort level. But when I try to pull away, he doesn’t let go. “Just enjoy it, Pell.”
So I do.
Because that was his answer.
This is it.
Like it or not, the curse has been broken. Or, at the very least, is in the process of breaking.
And he will go one way, and I will go another.
Where we end up is anybody’s guess.
Finally, he lets go of me and steps back. “Don’t give up on her.”
“Who? Pie? Never.”
“Never,” Tomas agrees.
Then I turn and walk over to the stairwell. But then I turn back. “Hey. Congratulations, by the way. On the family.” And then I smile, and I realize it’s a real smile. “You deserve it, Tomas. You really do. I’m happy for you.”
“And me you.”
Then I turn back to the stairwell and begin to climb. Some of the steps are missing and there are gaping holes that I have to leap over. I try to see what’s down underneath the dungeon stairs, but not even my eyes can penetrate that darkness.
Some of the steps have been reduced to sand. And it makes me wonder at the power of my voice.
Speech.
It’s familiar to me. And it lines up with Pie’s spelling powers too.
Weird.
But I don’t have time to think about that just yet. I have to get these hallways to cooperate and that means I have to know what I want them to do.
When I get to the last step, there’s a huge gap between me and the rest of the sanctuary. Like the dungeon is about to fall into some deep, dark abyss and forever be severed from the rest of the world.
And I guess this is it.
I take a deep breath and focus all my attention—and intention—on what I need.
Then I close my eyes and the words come tumbling out.
“The end of the line and now it’s time
To take me where I want to be.
At peace with Pie, she is mine
And the hallways here are now the key.”
CHAPTER NINE – PIE
As I walk through the door back to Pell’s tomb, I find myself in a fog and I don’t come out the other side. My mind is slow and muddled. But then, as the fog lifts, I hear a voice. Pell’s voice.
“Pie?” It’s echo-y and far away.
“What?” And that’s my voice. But it’s not coming from me. It’s coming from somewhere distant and it’s also echo-y and far away.
“I love you, Pie.”
I smile, just as I hear my other self say, “What?”
And I sound surprised when I shouldn’t be surprised. I know Pell loves me. It’s probably the only certain thing about my life.
“Listen, I know you think you like that sheriff, but he’s not your type.”
Huh. This conversation feels familiar, but new at the same time. Is this the day I got my Jeep out of impound? The day I kissed Russ Roth? The day I learned about my debt? What is going on?
“How—” other me says.
Oh, I know what this is! It’s a memory. Like in the hallways. That’s so cool. My days are in the hallways!
Except this isn’t how it went that day. I didn’t even like Pell at that point. And he, for sure, was not proclaiming his love to me.
“He’s not. OK? Just trust me. You and me?” He points to us. “We’re the real thing.”
He and I are the real thing.
Wait, what is happening here? Where am I? Didn’t I just go to Granite Springs to find Jacqueline?