Page 71 of Our Darkest Summer

I shot him a glare.

“Who’s Bob Marley again?” Samantha asked, crossing her arms over her cherry-red top. Kevin sucked in an insulted breath.

“His bird.” Thomas joined in the conversation from where he was leaning against the wall.

“She’s not just a bird,” Kevin corrected. “She’s a green-cheeked conure.”

Braxton made a face. “I thought you had, like, an ostrich.”

Kevin blinked. “Why the hell would I have an ostrich?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Braxton contradicted. “It would be a better lookout than a parrot.”

Kevin gasped. “She’s not just?—”

“A parrot,” we all said in unison, and he rolled his eyes.

“And why would Kinsley stay behind,” Braxton looked at him authoritatively, “if Bob Marley were here?”

Kevin glanced at me with an apologetic look, and I sucked in the inside of my cheek.

“We have more important things to do than to talk about a bird.” Thomas pushed himself away from the wall, saving me from having to answer.

“He’s right, I’ll text you if anyone’s coming.” Cora handed the set of keys to Aaliyah and turned toward the entrance, just when a soft rustling came from outside the library doors.

We stilled, and my pulse jumped. Did someone see us enter? Were we about to get arrested? But the sound didn’t come again.

Cora blew out a long breath. “Go. Now.” She practically shoved us forward before creaking the door and slipping back outside. I exhaled slowly as well. We were fine. It was probably just the wind.

“Does anyone know where they store the tapes?” I asked, and Aaliyah shook her head.

“Cora went to check it alone, sorry.”

Samantha raised her hand with little to no enthusiasm. “I do.” Every eye turned to her, and she made an annoyed face. “I worked here for a few weeks.” With that, she took the lead, guiding us through the dark library.

“I’ll be right by your side.” Braxton followed, before halting again. “Wait, I forgot,” he added loudly, and we all froze as his voice filled the hallway.

“Could you just, I don’t know, keep down your voice when we’re committing a crime?” Thomas gritted, but Braxton wasn’t paying attention.

“I brought matching caps,” he said instead, knocking on one of the baseball caps’ shields as he dragged them out of his black Spider-Man backpack. “If someone somehow sees us, the brim will hide our faces.”

“Wouldn’t a mask have been better, then?” Samantha asked, and Braxton turned his gaze toward the ceiling.

“Yeah, because nothing screams,look at me, I’m breaking in, more than a mask. This is way cooler.”

Kevin shook his head. “Yeah, I’m not sure about that, Brax.”

“I like them,” Connor said, brushing over his blond curls.

I liked them as well.

“See. Don’t judge them just because they’re from the souvenir shop. Desperate times call for desperate decisions, Kev,” Braxton said, handing a cap to everyone withColdwater est. 1823embroidered on the front.

“Can we just move?” Thomas grumbled impatiently, striding ahead. “I’m guessing it’s on the second floor,” he added, and Samantha nodded, even though he didn’t turn around.

“I like it too,” Aaliyah agreed with Connor, placing the cap over her braided hair. The others went ahead, and I spared one last glance toward the entrance. I hoped Cora was all right out there.

“Are you coming?” Connor called, coming back down the stairs.