Chapter 23 – Three Months Later
FRANKIE
THREE MONTHS LATER
It’s fucked. It’s all fucking fucked. I drive as fast and as far as I can from my sister, until I pull over on a bridge with the motorway beneath. The same one I stopped at before visiting the morgue. Somehow I’d driven all the way back to Birmingham.
The car door stays open as I get out and begin to pace up and down, running my hands through my hair. My hands shake as I fumble with the packet of cigarettes in my pocket. Fuck, I wish it was something stronger. I want a drink.
I want a fucking drink so bad.
This always happens when I’m away from Cora. My anchor. My reason for being good. Good to her at least.
I inhale deeply, letting the smoke curl around my lungs as I replay the argument with my sister over and over again. Of course she didn’t forgive me. Of course I let her down. I always do.
And now she’s pushing me away. Not that I blame her.
I would do the same.
I try to do some deep breathing to steady myself, but my mind feels like scattered marbles inside.
Each one is holding some vital piece of fucking information that I need in order to step up.
But I can’t grab them. The marbles roll away and disappear into shadow as soon as I get close enough to grasp them.
I can’t even master my own mind… How am I supposed to earn Lou’s trust again in this state?
“I’m a fucking failure!” I scream into the night. It feels good to let it go. A tiny piece of the weight lifts from my shoulders.
“You are.” A familiar voice I’d not heard from in months says from behind me. I turn to see Charlie, standing on the empty bridge with me.
“Where the fuck did you come from?!” I shout, placing a hand over my heart as if that would stop it from beating so fucking hard. “I haven’t seen you in months and now you decide to show up?”
Charlie’s eyes narrow. “I’ve been here this whole time.” He mutters.
I frown. “No, you haven't.” Something about this suddenly feels off.
It’s Charlie, but something about him looks strange. His cheekbones seem a fraction higher than usual, his brown eyes are glassy like he’s on something.
“You have something that I want.” He says taking a step towards me.
On instinct, I step back. My legs hit the railing of the bridge. “What are you talking about, mate?” I ask.
“Where's the book, Frankie?” He asks.
I scrunch my face. “What book? The fuck are you talking about?” Charlie smiles, but his teeth are not square like before. They're sharp and pointed. “Jesus, fuck.” I’ve officially lost my mind.
He takes another step towards me. “The book that the old one gave you.” He says, grinning from ear to ear.
Old one? Then it clicks. The grimour or whatever the fuck it’s called.
Why does he want it? Is any of this real?
“I don’t know.” I swallow as he stands inches from me. “What the fuck are you?”
His teeth gleam in the street lights. “Perhaps you are telling the truth, perhaps you do not know where it is. If you did, then you would know who I am.”
I frown and think, I think as hard as I fucking can. No I didn’t read the damn book but maybe… wait. “A shadow self?” I whisper.
“He does have a brain cell after all. Now, tell me where the book is.” Terror turns my blood to ice. Why did he want the book?
“Threw it in the bin. It’s no use to me. I couldn’t give a fuck about my ancestors and their magic to be honest.” It's a lie. I gave it to Cora to keep safe until the time came to give it to Lou.
Charlie's face twists into rage. “Don’t lie to me.” He growls.
“Why do you want it so badly?” I’m pressed up against the railing now, nowhere to run or hide. As I gaze down at his face, I don’t know how I didn’t see it before.
He is me.
Me at thirteen. Maybe twelve at a push.
“A reckoning is coming, Frankie. My mistress has waited for centuries to finally end what she created.” Charlie holds out a hand for me to take.
“Together we can free her. With the book, your sister will be safe. All you have to do is trust me. She can give you everything you’ve ever wanted.
You just have to tell me where the book is. ”
Mistress? What is he talking about? My sister is already safe; we had saved her from Oscar, and now she’s at a fancy party celebrating her engagement.
“She is safe. And something tells me that giving you that book would be a mistake.” Charlie's face turns furious.
“My mistress was clear on my instructions; if you aren't going to help me, then you leave me no choice.” His hands fly to my chest faster than I can register and he pushes. The last thing I see is his sharp teeth and a split tongue before my legs and back hit the concrete below.
Cars screech to a halt around me.
Everything goes dark.