Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

sensitivity to bright lights, sounds, or touch
    · increased production of saliva or tears
    · difficulty speaking
    I printed out the list, shoved it in my pocket and left the library after more students sat at the desks next to me, giving me weird looks. I realized I needed to be in a more secluded place. My emotions were difficult enough to control as it was and I didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else’s on top of it.
    Careful to avoid being spotted, I snuck out to the parking lot and got into my car. What I really wanted to do was drive to the cliffs, but decided against it. With my luck, I’d get caught, and right now staying under the radar seemed imperative. Since I was already excused from History, skipping the rest of class seemed harmless.
    The hour flew by and I got lost sorting through the facts. It concerned me that Phil’s behavior closely resembled many of the symptoms from the list. The problem was I didn’t know him well enough to predict his next move. I hoped wherever he ended up, a sensible person would make him go back to the hospital. But deep in my heart, I knew whatever information Mr. Brewster and his parents were keeping from me was the key to finding him.
    I watched students mill around the campus on their way to their next class and decided to stay in my car. My eyes were puffy and my mascara was a mess. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of nosey questions about why I was upset.
    I kicked myself for not being more assertive. I should’ve demanded that Mr. Brewster and the D’Elias tell me what they knew. But knowing Mr. Brewster, he had the whole thing planned and intended to make me look guilty. It must have fed his ego to prove he knew his students so well. But they were completely on the wrong trail.
    My head hurt and all I wanted to do was lean back and close my eyes. Far away I could hear the waves crash and the fog horn blare as the cool salty breeze tickled my face.
    “Where have you been?”
    I jerked awake. Sam stood outside my car window with her hand on her hip and a frown on her face.
    “Haven’t you been getting my text messages? Have you been here all afternoon?”
    I groggily looked over at the clock on the dash and realized I’d slept through all the rest of my classes. Sheepishly, I avoided her gaze, adjusted my reclined seat forward and rubbed my swollen eyes.
    “Tell me what’s going on, Julia,” she demanded when I didn’t respond right away. “You didn’t come back to class. Then they announced that if anyone had any information about Phil’s whereabouts to let the principal know. I thought you were in big trouble or something.”
    I opened the door and stepped outside.
    “I kind of am in trouble,” I said.
    “In trouble? Why?”
    “Because I was an accomplice in his escape from the hospital and didn’t tell anyone,” I said with a hint of cynical disdain.
    “What? No way.”
    “They—” I said with air quotes “—seem to think that my silence is admission of my guilt, but whatever. They’ve got it totally wrong anyway. They think someone beat him up, but the nurse told me he was attacked by an animal.”
    “What do you mean they? Who else was in the office?”
    “Phil’s parents and my dad, but I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.”
    “Oh, wow,” Sam said with concern. “So he didn’t go home after all.”
    “No.” I looked down. “I couldn’t come back to class. After getting ganged up on in the meeting, I needed to get away and think. But, I didn’t mean to miss the rest of the day. I’m going to be so busted.”
    “Oh,” she said, her anger melting away. “Sorry I yelled at you. I was worried when you didn’t come back, so I texted you.”
    “I left my phone at home by accident,” I said, wondering how many other messages I had missed.
    “That would explain why I didn’t hear back from you.”
    Sam was gracious to be so forgiving and I felt bad for worrying her. Her presence could’ve eased the blow while I processed all of this nonsense, but I didn’t need to drag her into the mire with me.
    “Sorry,” I quickly replied. “Please don’t tell anyone, or I could get in more trouble.”
    “You mean I can’t tell Katie?” she said with a silly smirk.
    I frowned back playfully and shook my head. We both let out a laugh.
    “Seriously though, don’t worry. They’ll find him,” she said with a reassuring smile.
    If I could see the hope she exuded, I imagined it would look like sunlight radiating