Page 22 of Dirty Liars
There Astor goes again, some odd mixture of torment and kindness that I don’t understand. If he’s trying to confuse me, then he’s doing a good job.
“I just hope the lighthouse keeper isn’t home,” I mumble and start toward the lighthouse just as Wills and Astor roar with laughter. I know there’s something they’re not telling me, and the fact that Blair didn’t laugh too makes me a little worried. I guess I’m just going to have to find out for myself.
I crawl over rocks and dunes until I finally come to the door. I know there isn’t much hope of it being unlocked, but I have to try it just in case. No luck, of course.
The group is watching on from down the beach. I can just make them out faintly in the moonlight. There’s window near the door, but it’s locked too. There’s only going to be one way to do it.
It isn’t the first time I’ve broken a window, but it somehow seems worse this time. I’m supposed to be leaving my old life behind, not starting it all back up again. I hate this. The sound of shattering glass cuts at my soul.
This is not what I wanted my life to be like at this school.
Victoria’s words resonate in my head as my heart pounds like a sledgehammer against the inner wall of my chest. I have to do this. I reach into the broken window and unlock it, and then slide the window open enough that I can climb in.
I pause at the sill listen for the sounds of anyone in the tower, but it’s silent. It’s eerie and creepy, and it isn’t long before I’ve managed to scare myself with ‘what if’ scenarios. I make sure to clear any glass fragments from the sill before I hoist myself up and inside.
It’s dark and musty, the small circular building lit only by the pale moonlight filtering in behind me. Several boxes and crates have been stacked to one side, but aside from that and the creaking metal staircase spiraling upwards—it’s empty.
The first thing I do is check to see if I can unlock the door from inside, and I can. At least I won’t have to do anymore window climbing.
There’s no lamp in sight, so I start opening and rifling through the boxes. The first two are empty of anything other than straw, but as soon as I open the third I look down at what can only be the argand lamp.
It looks old; really old—the kind of old that makes worthless things valuable again. I know if I get caught, there’s going to be hell to pay.
I curse Astor under my breath and pick up the lamp. It’s heavy; made of iron and brass, and topped with a glass cover that’s ancient as well. I pray that nothing happens to it.
I need to get out of here as fast as I can. I cradle the lamp against my chest and head for the exit, when I happen to notice something I hadn’t seen before. There’s a red circle of light up in the corner of the wall, just over the door. I know what it is right away, and curse myself.
I really am out of practice.
It’s an infrared camera. I close my eyes and duck my head down, hoping that it somehow didn’t catch my face. Maybe I’ll get lucky and it’s as forgotten as the rest of this place. With all the speed I can muster without endangering the old lamp, I sneak out of the door and close it behind me.
I don’t know how I got down the dunes and rocks so fast, but before I know it, I’m thrusting the lamp into Astor’s hands. He laughs and pushes it back into mine.
“Oh no, Sadie. That lamp is your responsibility. Now, you’ve seen the pedestal where they put the flower arrangements in the main hall, right?”
“Yes,” I say, not liking where this is headed one bit.
He nods. “That’s right. That’s where you’re going to put the lamp.”
I hate him. I actually, truly, completely hate him.
He laughs again. “Don’t drop it on the way back.”
Victoria is cheering me on, clearly drunk, and the holy trinity are eyeing me with interest. All of them. I walk away from the lighthouse with the old lamp clutched so close to me that I know it’s going to leave marks on my skin.
The lights have all gone out in the dorms. Now Ireallyknow I should have stayed in with Dana. I’m afraid I’ve started something in motion that doesn’t end tonight.
Once back at the school, I wait until I’m sure the main foyer is empty and hurry to the pedestal. I have to move the flowers away in order to place the lamp, but there isn’t any other surface to place the vase. I’m looking for the best replacement spot when I hear the sound of a door opening down the hall. I panic and leave the flowers on the edge of the secretary’s desk and flee as fast as my feet will carry me.
I don’t go back down to the beaches. I won’t give them the opportunity to give me another of these ‘tasks’.
I run all the way up to the third floor and all the way down the hall to the last door on the left. When I reach it, I slam it behind me, resting my back on it for a moment before sliding down it to the floor. I can’t tell if I want to scream or cry, so I do neither. I just bang the back of my head against the door.
Have I mentioned how much I hate Astor, Wills, and Blair?If not, here it is.I hate them.
Dana sits up in bed and flips on the little lamp on her bedside table.
Shit.No wonder. I forgot she was here too, and now I’ve woken her up.
