Page 105
Story: Rules for Vanishing
BECCA: Sara. I think what you saw on the road is true.
SARA: And Lucy’s brother impaled her on a branch, then?
BECCA: Maybe it’s not that literal, but there was a reason you saw that.
SARA: I felt guilty. Maybe that’s what the road came up with to make me feelmoreguilty. I’m not lying. I don’t remember that happening—telling him to convince the others to go.
She grabs at Becca’s hand, her gaze imploring.
BECCA: I believe you. I believe you, Sara. But you’re forgetting things.
SARA: Why? Why can’t I remember what really happened? What’swrongwith me?
She turns to Ashford, her voice raw and demanding. Abby straightens in the corner, ready to intervene, but Sara stays seated.
ASHFORD: Your guilt over your friends’ deaths makes it difficult for you to think about that night. Because of that night, you blame yourself. Your mind shies away from it naturally, and so it’s an easier memory to hide away in the recesses of your brain. And then it is easier to hide other things alongside it. It serves as a kind of deterrent, to keep you from questioning your false and missing memories. I believe that memory is key to what Lucy is doing to you—what she is making you forget.
SARA: You mean what happened in the dark.
ASHFORD: That’s part of what I mean, yes.
SARA: And what’s the other part?
ASHFORD: One thing at a time.
SARA: You keep saying that.
ASHFORD: I’m not doing it to be cruel. You need to do the work yourself, Sara. We can’t do it for you. And you do want to, don’t you? You want the truth, and you want to be whole again.
Sara’s fingernails scratch the table’s surface. Her head lolls to the side, her eyes half-closed.
SARA: Sometimes I do. Sometimes I—sometimes I—
Becca seizes her hand.
BECCA: Stay here, Sara. Count the crows. Follow the path Miranda made for you. Remember.
SARA: I don’t want to hurt you again.
BECCA: You won’t.
SARA: No. You should go. I don’t want to hurt you again. Please. It’s not worth it. I—
ABBY: I’ll keep you from hurting anyone.
ASHFORD: Abby.
But Sara looks fixedly at Abby.
SARA: Promise?
ABBY: You want to protect your sister, right? It’s the most important thing to you. And it’s part of why you’ve been holding back. Because you’re afraid of what happens if you open certain doors. I get that. And I promise. If I think you’re going to hurt her, I’ll stop you.
SARA: Are you sure you can?
ABBY: Yeah. I’m sure.
Sara nods.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105 (Reading here)
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125