meet me at my condo. We need to prepare.”
“Prepare how?”
“Look, the Everneath is not a place you go to lightly. If you land in the wrong spot, if you make a wrong turn, you’ll die. And if you die, I’ll lose everything I’ve been working toward.”
The air was heavy with a sudden ominous feeling until Cole clapped his hands together loudly. “Right then. See you later!”
“What do I pack?”
His lips turned up. “Pack light. You can’t really bring much to the Everneath. But one thing you will need is a token of Jack’s.”
“A token?”
His face grew serious. “Yes. A token. Look, Nik, there are scary things that go bump in the Everneath, and the terrain is hard to navigate, but our biggest challenge will be you.” He took his pointer finger and poked my forehead. “More specifically, your memory. Find something that reminds you of Jack. Something that connects your brain to him, and only him.”
“Like what?”
“The two of you were lovey-dovey. Didn’t he ever give you … I don’t know … a heart-shaped locket necklace?”
“No.”
“A teddy? With a T-shirt that says I LOVE YOU BEARY MUCH ?”
I rolled my eyes. “ No . He wasn’t like that.”
“Whatever. Just find some object that makes you think of Jack and no one else, and bring it with you.” He started to turn away.
“So you’re going with me?” I said.
He paused for a moment, shook his head in an exasperated sort of way, and then continued out of the store. Max followed closely behind, shooting me a disgusted glance before storming out the doorway.
I heard motorcycles rev up and pull away, and then Will came rushing in.
“What happened? Did he say no?” He looked at my face when I didn’t answer. “Becks, are you okay?”
I shook my head.
“You’re not okay?”
“No. Yes, I’m okay. But no, he didn’t say no.” I threw my arms around Will. “I’m going to get Jack.”
I knew what object I needed. Something small enough to carry. Something that made me instantly think of Jack the moment I saw it. Something tangible and tactile that I could press into the palm of my hand and identify without even seeing it.
The feel of it gave me an instant connection to Jack. I always kept it nearby, always at hand. Even after I’d Returned and things were so different between us, this object was my tether to the life I’d given up. The life I had before. The life with Jack.
I found it in my bedroom, under my bed. A note. Jack’s note.
Ever Yours
He had given it to me after the Christmas Dance last year. No amount of Everneath brain-suck could take away the meaning behind those two words. The same ones he had on his tattoo. I was sure of it.
I decided not to see my father and Tommy again. I didn’t leave a note or anything. If I didn’t make it back by tomorrow morning, that would mean I’d been in the Everneath for weeks. And I probably wasn’t ever coming back.
Will drove me to Cole’s condo. When we got there, we sat there in silence for a minute or two, then Will grabbed my hand. Squeezed it tight.
“I want to come with you,” he said.
“Absolutely not.”
“But I can help.” His eyes were pleading.
I couldn’t believe he was bringing this up now . “Will. You know you can’t come.”
“Why not?”
I watched him for a moment. He knew why. But maybe he needed me to tell him it was impossible so he could take comfort in the fact that he’d done everything he could. I listed the reasons.
“Number one, I doubt Cole would take you. Number two, your mother needs you, and I need you to take care of everything here. Number three, there is no way in hell I will be responsible for losing both of the Caputo brothers.”
He frowned and brought my hand to his lips. “I know you’re right.” He sighed. “I want my brother back,” he said. “But I don’t know if this is the right way.”
I brought his hand to my own lips. “This is the only way.”
“But you’re putting your trust in
“Prepare how?”
“Look, the Everneath is not a place you go to lightly. If you land in the wrong spot, if you make a wrong turn, you’ll die. And if you die, I’ll lose everything I’ve been working toward.”
The air was heavy with a sudden ominous feeling until Cole clapped his hands together loudly. “Right then. See you later!”
“What do I pack?”
His lips turned up. “Pack light. You can’t really bring much to the Everneath. But one thing you will need is a token of Jack’s.”
“A token?”
His face grew serious. “Yes. A token. Look, Nik, there are scary things that go bump in the Everneath, and the terrain is hard to navigate, but our biggest challenge will be you.” He took his pointer finger and poked my forehead. “More specifically, your memory. Find something that reminds you of Jack. Something that connects your brain to him, and only him.”
“Like what?”
“The two of you were lovey-dovey. Didn’t he ever give you … I don’t know … a heart-shaped locket necklace?”
“No.”
“A teddy? With a T-shirt that says I LOVE YOU BEARY MUCH ?”
I rolled my eyes. “ No . He wasn’t like that.”
“Whatever. Just find some object that makes you think of Jack and no one else, and bring it with you.” He started to turn away.
“So you’re going with me?” I said.
He paused for a moment, shook his head in an exasperated sort of way, and then continued out of the store. Max followed closely behind, shooting me a disgusted glance before storming out the doorway.
I heard motorcycles rev up and pull away, and then Will came rushing in.
“What happened? Did he say no?” He looked at my face when I didn’t answer. “Becks, are you okay?”
I shook my head.
“You’re not okay?”
“No. Yes, I’m okay. But no, he didn’t say no.” I threw my arms around Will. “I’m going to get Jack.”
I knew what object I needed. Something small enough to carry. Something that made me instantly think of Jack the moment I saw it. Something tangible and tactile that I could press into the palm of my hand and identify without even seeing it.
The feel of it gave me an instant connection to Jack. I always kept it nearby, always at hand. Even after I’d Returned and things were so different between us, this object was my tether to the life I’d given up. The life I had before. The life with Jack.
I found it in my bedroom, under my bed. A note. Jack’s note.
Ever Yours
He had given it to me after the Christmas Dance last year. No amount of Everneath brain-suck could take away the meaning behind those two words. The same ones he had on his tattoo. I was sure of it.
I decided not to see my father and Tommy again. I didn’t leave a note or anything. If I didn’t make it back by tomorrow morning, that would mean I’d been in the Everneath for weeks. And I probably wasn’t ever coming back.
Will drove me to Cole’s condo. When we got there, we sat there in silence for a minute or two, then Will grabbed my hand. Squeezed it tight.
“I want to come with you,” he said.
“Absolutely not.”
“But I can help.” His eyes were pleading.
I couldn’t believe he was bringing this up now . “Will. You know you can’t come.”
“Why not?”
I watched him for a moment. He knew why. But maybe he needed me to tell him it was impossible so he could take comfort in the fact that he’d done everything he could. I listed the reasons.
“Number one, I doubt Cole would take you. Number two, your mother needs you, and I need you to take care of everything here. Number three, there is no way in hell I will be responsible for losing both of the Caputo brothers.”
He frowned and brought my hand to his lips. “I know you’re right.” He sighed. “I want my brother back,” he said. “But I don’t know if this is the right way.”
I brought his hand to my own lips. “This is the only way.”
“But you’re putting your trust in
Similar Books
