For Nevermore Season 1

weird.”
    “Weird, indeed,” Randy said. “So, you must’ve gotten a look at the killer, right?”
    “No, it was the weirdest thing. He was all blurry, like my subconscious didn’t want my conscious to see him or something. And in the second dream, I was looking through his eyes, so I didn’t get a look. Plus, he put on some kinda mask.”
    “A mask?”
    “Yeah, a mask. I guess he didn’t want the girls in the dungeon to see his face.”
    “No, that wouldn’t do him a bit of good,” Randy said.
    They drove a bit longer in silence.
    “I think that water tower you’re talking about is off this exit coming up,” Randy said.
    “Okay.”
    “So keep an eye out for the house, or the water tower, whatever you see first. Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    Something was buzzing in the back of Noella’s mind. She’d been trying to remember another element of the dream since she called Randy. There was something on the tip of her tongue, something from the dream that she was pretty certain would help them find the house. Yet, the harder she tried to remember what it was, the less she could recall.
    But that wasn’t the only weirdness.
    Something seemed off about Randy. He wasn’t talkative like he usually was. Maybe it was because of the fight last night, or because of the horrible things she’d written about him. Or maybe it was just the seriousness of their mission.
    Noella felt another flush of guilt. “Randy?” she said, waiting for his eyes to meet her in the mirror.
    “Yeah?” he said.
    “I just want to say I’m sorry.”
    “Sorry for what?”
    “For the whole Facebook thing. I know there’s no excuse or anything I can say that will make you forgive me, but I really didn’t mean those things. Even though we don’t always get along, you’ve been there for me, especially lately. And for that, I thank you. And apologize.”
    Randy’s silence was a sting of rejection.
    He’s gonna make me grovel!
    Noella was sorry, but not sorry enough to grovel. And if she were being truthful, she’d meant every word she’d written . . . at the time, anyway.
    She said, “Did you hear me, Randy? I said I’m sorry.”
    “Oh,” Randy said. “Yeah. Thanks. No problem.”
    They drove a little longer in silence, as Randy turned into ever-narrowing side-streets, until they were on a long road out in the middle of nowhere, headed toward more of the same.
    Noella searched above the tree line for any sign of water towers.
    “Did you tell anyone else about your dreams?” Randy asked.
    “No,” Noella said, then corrected herself. “Well, yeah, I told Tori.”
    Randy’s eyes widened, “The missing girl?”
    “Yeah.”
    “What did you tell her? Tell me what you said, exactly.”
    Noella repeated everything she remembered telling Tori until Randy seemed pleased with her answer. “Why?” Noella asked.
    “It’s so weird,” Randy said, ignoring her question and meeting her eyes in the rearview. “How you were able to figure this all out. I thought I’d been so careful.”
    “Huh?” Noella asked, confused.
    “Don’t play stupid.”
    “What are you talking about?” Noella asked, noticing that Randy’s face and eyes had gone from calm to crimson and angry.
    What did I do?
    “Are you some kinda witch or something?”
    “What are you talking about, Randy?” she asked, as the odd sensation buzzed louder in her brain.
    “I don’t see how else you could’ve seen me kill those pigs. You must be some sorta witch.”
    Noella’s heart froze.
    What?
    “What?” she said, her voice broke, as fresh realization crept through her body and slithered down her spine.
    She finally remembered what was at the tip of her tongue. A realization she’d not made in the dream, but was now surfacing as big and bright as the sun at noon.
    There was a smell in the house. A lingering, familiar scent — Old Spice.
    She met Randy’s eyes, then turned crying in silent horror as she realized she was trapped in the back of the car with no way of escape.
    Randy must’ve recognized the fear in her eyes, because a twisted smile spread across his face.

    * * * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

    William opened the door and ushered Dante inside his office.
    “She’s safe for now,” Dante said. “What did you need?”
    William removed his glasses, then rubbed them on his shirt. Dante noticed that William’s eyes, which normally held no emotion, now looked disturbed, hollow, haunted.
    William sighed, then returned his glasses and said, “Follow me.