Odin's Murder

o, he wouldn’t. And now Faye’s gone too. We’ve got to go find them.”

“Okay. But there’s something I’ve got to do first.” He ties his running shoes. “And I need my camera. We won’t have much time. Once the admins see Jeremy’s face they’ll come looking for me. No way is he going to keep his mouth shut.” He stands. I lean in, kissing his mouth, quick and light. An image of a silver blade pops in my mind, and is gone just as quick. He smirks at me. “I’ll need my shirt.” I pull it off over my head, and hand it to him. He stares, mouth half open. “Jesus, Cherry.”

A fist pounds twice on the dorm room door in warning as a key slides into the lock. We both freeze.

*

“Memory? Are you in there?” Zoe asks as she opens the door. “Oops. Excuse me.” She pulls the door back shut, and calls through it, “Please put something on. I’m coming in.”

She hasn’t seen Ethan. I push him toward the closet, and grab a towel. “Be quiet,” I whisper, shutting the door on his battered face as I open the one to the hall, wrapping the towel around me.

“I was about to shower. Is there a problem?” I ask Zoe.

“Why aren’t you at your group?” She shoves past me into the room, and turns in a slow circle, obviously searching.

“I’m waiting for my brother,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m beginning to think I’m being lied to about this whole situation. If he isn’t back here this morning, I’m calling every hospital within driving distance, and then I’m calling the police.”

Her head snaps in my direction, and her eyes examine my face. She opens her mouth, closes it, and then sneers. “Don’t be so melodramatic.”

“Why are you checking up on me?”

“It’s my job to check up on you,” she says. “Dr. Anders noticed you didn’t show up for your group meeting. He sent me here to look for you.”

“So Dr. Anders is checking up on me, now, too?”

“He checks up on all the groups. He was worried about you. We all know Julian being in the hospital has to be hard on you.”

I want to believe her. I study her face, looking for signs that she knows more than she’s telling, but her expression shows only earnest concern. I sigh. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I had a nightmare.” I glance at the wall behind me, to the marks I don’t remember drawing.

She stares, eyes wide, at the wall behind me. “What did you do?”

“It’s just pencil. It will wash off.”

“You better hope so. What is all that?”

“Just some notes. It’s for our project. I work better like this. If it doesn’t come off my room deposit will cover the damages.” I watch her as she examines the drawings. She appears to be in no hurry to leave so I say, “I really should get that shower.”

“Have you seen Ethan?” she asks, turning to face me.

“No,” I make a face. “I just woke up. Where would I have seen him?”

She walks around the room, near the closet, but doesn’t open the door. “Dean Burnett was looking for him earlier. I just wanted to pass along the message. If you see him will you tell him?”

“Sure.”

“Alright. Have a nice day!” She smiles bright and leaves the room.

Still suspicious, I wait until she’s all the way down the hall before I close the door behind her. The second the exterior door slams closed, I relock the door to my room and run to the closet. Ethan is still pushed into back, smashing my shirts and dresses. I help him over the shoes and accessories.

“What was that all about?” he asks.

“No idea, but I think we better hurry. Looks like people are starting to look for you.”

“She didn’t ask about Faye,” Ethan says, glancing at my roommate’s desk, and then back to me.

“No, she didn’t.”

“Get dressed. I’ll meet you out front in fifteen minutes. By the fountain.”