Chapter One
Elizabeth – Seven Years Ago
I pushed open the door to my room and gasped. My feet were rooted firmly to the spot, and a shiver inched down my spine.
Monica was sitting lotus-style on my bed. When she saw me, she smiled.
“Hey,” Monica said. “God, you took forever to get home! I feel like I’ve been waiting for hours!” Her cheeks were flushed pink.
“I was just outside,” I said slowly. “How did you get here? I’ve been in the driveway the whole time.”
“Elizabeth, come on,” Monica said. “We both know you’re not exactly the most observant person in the world.”
I stared at her. “But … I just … I just went outside a few minutes ago. I didn’t see you come in,” I added. “What’s up?”
Monica grinned. “You’ve been anxious over Steven and Andrea,” she said softly. She raised an eyebrow. “But I know how you can win Steven – for good.”
My jaw dropped. “What?”
“I know all about what’s going on,” Monica continued. “And I know how you can come out on top.” Her grin turned sinister in the low afternoon light.
I felt myself begin to tremble and shake with fear.
“Come here, Elizabeth,” Monica said. She beckoned me with a slender finger. “Don’t you want to know?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why? What happened? Are you okay?” I walked closer to my friend, unable to keep the fear from welling up inside of my chest. “Did something happen between the end of school and now?”
Monica laughed. Her eyes glittered. “Elizabeth, what are you talking about?” She tossed her blonde hair disdainfully over one shoulder. “I wasn’t in school today. Are you feeling all right?”
My heart sank, and I sat down on the corner of the bed, feeling afraid of my best friend for what felt like the first time in my life. Monica looked so calm and peaceful. She also looked healthy, with pink cheeks and a mysterious look in her brown eyes. The combination of her petite stature and the way she was sitting made her look ancient and wise.
“I saw you in homeroom,” I said warily. “You got angry with me when I asked where you’d been.”
Monica laughed. “God, Elizabeth, stop lying,” she said. “I get it. You’re trying to make me feel guilty. Look, I feel bad that I haven’t been here for you. That’s why I wanna help with Steven.” Her eyes flashed, and she grinned. “I have the perfect idea.”
I licked my lips. My heart was thudding, and my palms were covered in a cold, unpleasant sweat. “Okay,” I said slowly. “What’s up?”
Monica shrugged. “You just have to prove that Andrea is insane,” she said calmly. “That’s all. Then Steven will be yours.”
A wave of nausea washed over me, and I gripped the bedpost, clutching it tightly until my knuckles turned white. “I don’t get it,” I said flatly. “What are you even talking about?”
Monica laughed again. “Elizabeth, come on,” she said. “I know why you’re worried. You think he doesn’t want you because he’s involved with his sister.”
I stared at her in disbelief.
“And she’s crazy,” Monica continued, apparently unruffled by my changing facial expressions. “She’s totally nuts, and we have to prove it.”
I swallowed uncomfortably. “I…I don’t really see how that’s possible,” I said flatly. “We’re not doctors, Monica. We’re kids, just like Andrea.”
Monica laughed. The sound sent chills down my spine. I wished I could close my eyes, cover my ears with my hands, and sing really loudly to drown her out, but I knew I couldn’t. ‘For fuck’s sake, Elizabeth, pull yourself together,’ I ordered myself. ‘She’s probably been through something really horrible and traumatic, and you’re her best friend! You should help her!’
“Look, we don’t need to talk about me right now,” I said. “Why don’t you tell me what happened, where you went?”
“Later,” Monica said calmly. “I wouldn’t worry about that right now.” She raised an eyebrow. “Listen, Elizabeth, I know how we can prove it.”
I sighed. It was obvious she was dead-set on telling me … well, whatever it was that was on her mind. That wasn’t exactly unusual when it came to Monica. Sometimes, her incredible intelligence was like blinders that kept her eyes straight and narrow, focused on just one thing. Obsessing over it, even. I knew I should be glad that she was back to acting like her old self, but there was something different about her. Something off, like a piece of her personality had changed and become harder. I felt like I knew nothing about her as we sat together.
“Okay,” I said uncertainly. “Tell me. How are we going to prove that Andrea is insane?”
Monica chuckled. “That’s the easy part,” she said. “Andrea’s insane because she’s a reincarnated Puritan.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “What?”
“She’s a reincarnated Puritan,” Monica said in a bossy voice. “She’s a direct descendent of this woman, Prudence Arrowsmith, who devoted her life to hunting witches and ridding the world of them.”
I sank against the wall. “Monica …”
“What?” Monica’s brown eyes flashed. “What is it?”
“That …” I trailed off, biting my lip. ‘That sounds crazy,’ I finished in my head. But I knew I couldn’t say that, not to my best friend. ‘Maybe this is Monica’s way of dealing with whatever trauma she just experienced,’ I thought. Tears of worry and fright came to my eyes, and I blinked them away before she could notice.
“It’s true,” Monica said confidently. “She’s exactly the same soul as Prudence. Why the hell do you think she hates me so much?”
‘Well, for one, you scared the shit out of her last year,’ I thought grimly, biting my lip. But I knew I couldn’t say that to Monica.
“I don’t know,” I said weakly. “I guess because you’re not crazy about religion like she is.”
“That’s part of it,” Monica said. She grinned. “But it’s also because she knows me. Our souls have known each other for a very long time, Elizabeth.”
I stared at her in shock. Every word that came out of Monica’s mouth made her sound more and more deranged. The worst part of it was her infuriating calm, the way she sat there smiling, acting like she was giving me some kind of secret news.
“Okay,” I said slowly. “How do you know this?” My heart was racing. I wondered if I shouldn’t be recording our conversation. Monica was obviously very sick. My mind began spinning down a frantic path as I wondered what the hell I was going to do when she left. Obviously, I couldn’t call Jamie and Brian. Even if they did care, they weren’t likely to do anything. Maybe I could talk to my mom, but I had a feeling she’d just call the cops. Maybe—
“You’re not listening,” Monica said peevishly, interrupting my thoughts. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, Elizabeth, it’s really simple. We just have to get Andrea to reveal who she really is, and catch her saying it, and then she’ll probably get locked up or something. It’s that easy.”
“I …” I trailed off. ‘Yeah, but do you even realize how you sound?’ I thought as I stared at my best friend. ‘You sound totally nuts. And by your logic, how come they wouldn’t lock you up, too?’
“Don’t be scared, Elizabeth,” Monica said. She reached out and touched me on the shoulder. I tried not to flinch; her thin fingers were as cold as icicles.
“I’m not really scared,” I lied. “I mean, about Andrea.”
“I mean, don’t be afraid of her,” Monica continued. “Just because she’s made it her mission to continue the witch hunt of the old days, that doesn’t mean she knows what she’s doing.”
I gulped. “Are you saying there are witches around here?”
Monica shrugged.
I bit my lip. “Monica, we’re best friends,” I said slowly, “but I’m really worried about you. Ever since you came back, you just seem so different,” I said, groping for words and feeling lamer by the second. “I just think something really bad might’ve happened, and maybe this is the way you’re choosing to deal with it.”
Monica narrowed her eyes. “What? What are you getting at?”
I blushed. “It’s just … you never talk like this,” I said quietly. “You’re so rational. And now you’re talking about witches and reincarnation. Monica, it’s too much. You know that stuff isn’t real. It’s never been real.”
Monica raised her eyebrows.
“And I’m just really worried about you,” I said quickly. “I don’t want anything to be wrong, Monica, but have you thought about maybe seeing a doctor? I could have Steven drive you if you don’t want Jamie and–”
“Enough,” Monica said. She stood up and glared at me. “If you can’t listen to my advice, fine. But I’m just trying to help!” Her nostrils flared with anger, and she stalked toward the door, yanking it open so hard the wall creaked.
“Monica, come on,” I said. “You don’t have to go! I’m just worried about you!”
Monica’s eyes flashed with anger. “Forget it, Elizabeth,” she said. “I can take care of myself!”
As she stormed out of my room, I felt powerless to stop her. I’d thought that when Monica came back, everything would be better. But now, things seemed worse than ever, and I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do to help.