Page 168 of Their Little Ghost

“The entire nation has been gripped by the case of the monster psychiatrist,” the reporter says. She’s standing outside the gates of Sunnycrest Asylum. “Magnus Acacia confessed to murdering his twin daughters, and new disturbing tapes have also been discovered that involve the abuse of patients in Sunnycrest Asylum.”

The camera pans to show the cops hauling giant boxes into their vans.

“Our sources say that these tapes show brutal acts of torture and even murder,” the reporter continues. “It’s rumored that Acacia forced minors to participate in twisted experiments going back years. His reign of terror on his patients seems to know no bounds. Acacia’s arrest and shocking crimes havedrawn international attention, leaving everyone asking the same question, how did no one know?”

“Sick fuck,” the gas attendant spits. “He won’t get away with it. He has one of those faces you can’t trust, you know? Maybe they’ll make a movie about it.”

“Maybe,” I reply vaguely, looking back at the screen.

A montage begins, showing clips of various people from our old life talking.

Nate Holt’s chiseled face flashes over the screen. “Erin was my date at our Harvest Ball,” he says. “You know, I think she might have been my first love…”

Fucking asshole.

Next, it pans to Ms. Chi, Erin’s favorite teacher at Sunnycrest.

“Erin was a talented student,” Ms. Chi says, dabbing her eyes. “I thought she was quiet in class because she was struggling to cope after Sarah disappeared, but I know now there was so much more to it. I keep wondering what signs I missed and whether there was more I could have done…”

Finally, it zooms in on a sobbing Mia. “I knew there was something wrong!” Mia says. “Erin’s dad was always controlling and overprotective. He gave me the creeps!”

It cuts back to the reporter. “Yesterday, Jocelyn Acacia was cleared of all charges…”

My mouth goes dry as a shot of my mother being escorted by police officers from the station appears. Her usually pristine hair has been pulled into a scruffy bun, and she’s wearing giant sunglasses to hide her face.

“New medical evidence has found that Jocelyn is also a victim in this case,” the reporter says. “Our sources claim that Doctor Acacia tested experimental drugs on his wife for over a decade…”

I tune out the news, my mind reeling after this latest revelation. I always believed that Mom’s spirit was stamped out after years of abuse, but the drugs explain why the fun mom I remember from childhood disappeared. Did he start drugging her because she wanted to leave him? Maybe I’ll see her again one day and ask…

“How didn’t we see it?”Erin speaks in the back of my mind.“I should have done more…”

“Not now,” I whisper.

My sister’s guilt is harder to swallow than my own. I don’t hear her as often now, but she still comes through occasionally, and I sense her presence, especially when she has strong emotions or reactions. I don’t know if that’ll ever change. It’s both maddening and comforting to know I’ll never be truly alone again.

The attendant gives me a strange look. “Did you say something?”

“No,” I lie, then spot a pack of Swedish Fish. I grab it and add the pack to the pile of snacks. “These too. Keep the change.”

I get out of there as quickly as possible. Aiden, Lex, and Eli smile as I approach them.

“Got everything?” Aiden asks.

He’s different from the man I first met in Sunnycrest. They all are. Darkness still lurks underneath their smiles—maybe it’ll always be there—but there’s now a small crack of hope peeking through stormy clouds.

“All set,” I reply.

“Swedish Fish?” Lex raises one eyebrow. “What did you do now?”

I hate them, but they’re Erin’s favorite candy. Sometimes, I like to treat her or use them as a peace offering when I’ve been too harsh or dismissive. But, after finding out about Mom, she needs cheering up.

“Do I need a reason to be nice to her?” I ask. “Maybe I’m just in a good mood.”

Aiden frowns. His uncanny knack of being able to see through me is fucking annoying, and I shake my head a little, just enough for him to know that I don’t want to talk. Not now.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Eli says, patting his seat. “Let’s go.”

I climb on behind him, breathing him in. The smell of home. Safety.

“Race you!” Lex says, kicking off.

Aiden tears after him, then Eli and I follow. I whoop into the air. Maybe we’ll never stop running. Maybe we’ll never put the pieces of ourselves back together that my father broke, but we’re together, and we’re going to be okay… I think.

I’m truly a ghost.

Their little ghost.