The Calling (Darkness Rising 2)

Sam shook her head and looked away, and I understood what she meant. Mrs. Tillson had removed mementos of Sam, just as she had her own daughter's. I could see in Sam's face that it meant a lot.

She found her phone hidden under her bed, turned off. "I'm going to call her. Sorry, guys, you can go next--"

"Yes, you go first. We'll..." I motioned the guys out. "I'll get washed up."

The guys had already cleaned up. Or done the best they could with a quick wash and teeth brushing at Corey's. There hadn't been any spare toothbrushes, so I'd done mine with my finger and tried not to look in the mirror. One glance had told me that no amount of touch-ups was going to help. I needed a twenty-minute shower.

"And this clothing is getting burned," I said as I raked a comb through my tangled hair.

"There's a fireplace downstairs," Corey said. "I'll take it for you right now."

I gave him a look. "Once I have something to wear."

"Grab a shirt from Nic's room," Daniel said. "She won't mind. It might be a little small but..."

"That's fine," Corey said with a grin. "I won't mind either."

It was good to see him grinning, even if there was a hint of desperation in his goofing around. We were all on the edge of panic, trying not to think about what happened in Salmon Creek, what happened to our parents, where we'd go from here.

Still, there was no way I was wearing anything of Nicole's. I'd sooner put on Sam's stuff, even if black really wasn't my color.

I was about to ask Sam if I could borrow something when she came out, phone in hand. Her expression said she hadn't talked to her aunt.

"There's a signal, isn't there?" I said. "They can't block the whole town."

"No, I've got a signal but..." She looked up. "Her cell number's been disconnected. I tried a few times."

I took the phone and called my mother. Then my dad. Both times rang through to a message saying the number was no longer in service. I tried a third number plucked from memory--a guy I dated last summer, I think. Someone answered. I hung up.

"The phone works," I said. "But my parents' numbers are disconnected, too."

"Cutting off contact," Daniel said.

I glanced at him.

"Who pays for their cell service? The St. Clouds, right?"

I nodded. "They're on the corporate plan, like everyone--"

Everyone else in town was on the same plan, even if they didn't work for the St. Clouds directly. That was one of the benefits of Salmon Creek life. Free cell service for all. Cell service that could be discontinued or monitored at any time.

"So why did they leave ours--" he stopped. Then he snatched the phone away from me. "We can't use that."

"What?"

"They didn't disable our phones. They must think we could still have them. If we do, and they dry out after the crash..."

"We could use them and they could track us." I dropped the phone onto the bed. "We need to get out of here."

Sam picked up the phone and turned it off. "We didn't talk to anyone. It'll be fine."

Daniel hesitated, then said, "We have to get to Maya's place and check the shortwave radios."

Sam's leg wasn't up to the walk. I'd suggested retrieving the truck and trying to zip into the park without being noticed. Daniel said it was too risky. He asked Corey to stay behind with Sam, but clearly Sam wasn't comfortable with that. I suggested Daniel stay. She refused. I didn't like leaving her behind, but that's what she wanted, and she wasn't budging. The moment I stepped into the park, my eyes filled with tears. It looked exactly as I'd left it. As we walked along the trail, other than the smell, there was no sign that there had been a fire. It had been veering south when we'd last seen it, but I'd barely dared hope that meant my park had been spared. I knew the animals in my rehabilitation shed were all safe--Mom had transported them to a facility in Victoria when the fire hit--but I was worried about every other creature out there, too.

/> When we reached the house, I stopped. The Jeep was gone. The windows were dark.

"They aren't here," I said, barely able to get the words past the lump in my throat.