Page 82 of The Last Session

Whoa. Calm down.He’d never even hinted at being attracted to me. There was just something about this place. It had to be coming from Moon and Sol, the erotic energy in the air.

I tried not to look flustered as I walked up. “Hi.”

“Hi.” He stood, clicking on a flashlight and handing me a second one.

“Oh, nice. Thanks.” I turned it on.

“We’re lucky.” His voice was low. “High winds tonight. We’ll still try to be quiet, of course. But I was worried about someone hearing us.”

“Totally.” Sound traveled so easily in the desert. I paused, listening to the rushing and whistling of the wind. “So where do we start?”

“The spaces that we know for a fact people aren’t sleeping in. Save the riskiest for last.”

“Sure.” I followed him across the veranda and through the dining room. The normally cheerful space felt creepy and watchful, like shadowy people might be crouching behind the chairs. In the kitchen, Jonah opened a few cabinets, which were packed with huge bins of rice, flour, and other cooking supplies. I eased open the door to the walk-in pantry. The shelves held stacks of cans and plastic jugs of water.

“They’re ready for the apocalypse,” I said softly.

“No kidding. Let’s keep going.”

We continued down a hall off the back of the kitchen that opened into the lobby. Jonah quietly opened the desk drawers, pausing as he noticed the car keys.

“They just leave them here?” he muttered.

“I guess if different people are using the car, it makes sense to keep them near the front.”

After a quick search, we approached the courtyard. Against the backdrop of the burbling fountain, I wandered around, shining my light. The eyeless heads were even creepier in the dark.

So was the purple door. Had the curtain in the window moved? When I looked more closely, it was completely still.

“I want to see the statue.” Jonah leaned in, his breath tickling my ear.

I nodded, leading him up the stairs to the second floor, down the walkway, and towards the last door that led to the spiral staircase. We went slowly to avoid loud creaks and stepped out on the landing. The junk room. It felt like we were playing a game. Cold… warm… warmer… There was an energy in the air, gathering around us.

I went immediately to the black-and-white painting of the figures and pulled it back. But when I shone the light behind it, there was nothing. Just a dusty open space.

The sudden absence shocked me. “Someone moved it.”

Jonah held up a hand, listening. Then I heard it too: similarly careful, quiet footsteps up the rickety staircase. He turned his flashlight offand motioned for me to do the same. We moved back into the room, crouching behind a pile of cardboard boxes.

The person walked into the room. They ambled slowly around the perimeter, shining their own flashlight into every crevice. They were getting closer.

I tensed, grabbing Jonah’s arm. At the last second, he shot up and aimed his light at them.

“Whoa!” She threw up her hands.

Jonah lowered his flashlight. “Mikki?”

She lowered her own, her voice hushed. “Jonah? AndThea?”

“What are you doing here?” Jonah asked quietly.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Instead of her usual fashionable attire, she was in a sweatsuit and sneakers.

No one spoke.

I glanced at Jonah. I wanted to trust Mikki, but how could I? After all, I’d just been musing about the idea of plants. I knew Jonah was a good actor; Mikki could be even better.

“What, you think I followed you in here?” she asked.