Page 147 of The Last Session

I fixated on a long scratch on the wooden floor. “She was there too.”

Mikki shook her head. “That must’ve been…”

“I think she hit her head on the way in. Or drowned. And there was some dead animal in there too. A dog.” Maybe that dog Sol kept bringing up—Dionysus?

“Christ.” Mikki exhaled. “I never would’ve come here if… I had no idea it would go this far. Karen said Grace went in of her own volition.”

“Yeah, because she was brainwashed.” I shifted. My hips still ached from lying on the rock ledge. “How long was I down there?”

“I guess this is the third night.” Mikki shook her head. “It shouldn’t have taken this long. But the first night, Karen waited until late to turn on the Wi-Fi and call Clint, who called me. We were going to try last night, but Karen wasn’t able to slip the drug into their wine. So wewaited until tonight. It was so horrible… I wanted to call the police, but Clint said he tried last time. They took it as a prank call, literally didn’t even come out here. So he thought we should get you guys out first and then go to the cops.” Mikki rubbed her eyes. “Maybe I should’ve called them anyway, I don’t know. But he and Karen just seemed so confident about what to do. And to be honest, I didn’t totally believe it was happening. It just seemed too wild. But then I couldn’t get ahold of you…”

“You’re going to have a hell of an article.” I leaned the back of my head against the wall. This still felt surreal, like I’d been pulled into a TV show or movie—the colors too bright, voices too loud.

Karen came through the doorway, her face ashen.

“It’s a past life takeover,” Karen said again, as if it were obvious. “I should’ve known after what Moon did to Talia.” She settled heavily in the desk chair.

Steven’s girlfriend—the one Sol said Moon didn’t like.

“What did Moon do to her?” I asked.

“Killed her,” Karen replied. “Shoved her off the tower.”

“You knew she’d killed people?” Mikki stopped and stared at her.

“She said it was an accident. I—we—believed her. But we shouldn’t have.”

Mikki resumed her pacing. “We need to come up with a plan. A way out.”

Karen crouched next to me and pulled a granola bar from her pocket. I tore it open and scarfed it down.

“Are there any exits through the cave?” Mikki asked. “Like, tunnels or anything?”

“Not that I know of.” Karen handed me a second bar, which I also basically swallowed.

“You’re the only one of us three who knows anything about this place.” Mikki’s voice turned businesslike. “So think, Karen. You have to help us figure this out.”

Karen didn’t respond, just stared into space. She seemed shell-shocked.

“No more food?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“We need to get to Clint’s car.” Mikki bit at her thumbnail. “He parked about a mile out so they wouldn’t hear it. Left the keys inside. I ran track in college, so if I get the chance, I’ll make a run for it. Hmm.Maybe we can hit them with something when they come back…” She jumped up and started opening drawers.

Karen watched her. “You want to bonk them on the head? They have guns, hon. All of them. The boys liked to go out into the desert and shoot.” She sighed. “They took Clint’s too.”

“Karen.” Mikki stood and flung up her hands. “Instead of shitting all over my plans, let’s work together here.Yes, and.So: You have any ideas?”

“I don’t.” Karen gazed at me. “But maybe Thea does.”

“Why?” Mikki scoffed. “She got here when I got here. She doesn’t know anything.”

“But she has powers. Both of them do. It’s just that Catherine… well, her mind hasn’t been right since she was down there.”

“Karen, please.” Mikki dropped her head into her hands. “Please stop talking like that.”

“How long was Catherine in the cave?” I asked.

Karen looked down. “It was too long.”