Nobody Knows (Razes Hell 1)

“Determined. He’s determined to get out of that place and not go back. And,” she added, her smile returning, “he’s determined to help you.”

Yup. That was Jason. Once he got an idea, he wouldn’t let go until every possibility of it working out had been blasted to pieces. I appreciated his efforts, I just didn’t think there was any plan he could concoct that had a shot at succeeding. And involving Lucy? This wasn’t her battle to fight, and if she mistook his trust to help with this for more, she would get hurt.

I didn’t have the strength to hold both of us together.

“I’m going to visit him tomorrow,” I said. “Couldn’t it have waited until then?”

“Probably. But he gave me the... idea, hoping you’ll have made a decision by the time you see him.”

“Fine. What is it?"

Lucy released her hands from behind her back and handed me an A4 sized padded envelope. The contents were super thin because I couldn’t feel anything through the inner bubble wrap.

“You have to read the letter carefully, and think before you say no. Jason said you’re going to refuse, and asked me to tell you it’s not as crazy as it seems.” She stared at me, as if the fate of the whole universe was in my hands. “Okay. I’ll let you read in peace.”

Once she left the room, the only sound was my deep breathing as I tried to work out what might be in the envelope, and why Jason was so sure I’d refuse.

Wait. What was I thinking? If it was Jason’s idea, it would probably be insane, so of course I’d reject it. On the other hand... Jason’s crazy ideas often worked out.

“Oh bloody hell,” I muttered, tearing into the package and upturning it so the contents spilled into my lap.

Two pieces of writing paper and a CD.

Okay.

I picked up the piece of paper that fell out first, and my breath hitched as I read:

Nobody Knows lyrics by Drew Brooks

A little girl, a lonely step

A little boy who didn’t know who he was yet

She held his hand, she dried his tears

Picking up the fragments of shattered years

Asking nothing, she waited there

With a patient smile and cranberry-scented hair

I needed her, my light, my sun

I never knew what she’d become

Nobody knows how hard I tried

To fix the pain buried inside

To keep on swimming when I wanted to drown

To stop the waves from pulling me down

Nobody knows how much it takes

To stay complete when I want to break

When there’s nothing left one thing is true