Note: If you read the last chapter, I sort of changed the time line so that Finnley skipped school to do all this stuff. Just in case you were confused.
“Come on, Monica,” Finnley said. “We need to get to Mia’s house, make sure her parents know.”
“You know it won’t help,” Monica warned.
“I know.”
He went as quickly as he could to Mia’s house. Before he even went in, he could hear shouting from the inside. Monica took the hint and disappeared. Finnley took a deep breath, inhaled, and steeled himself. He knocked on the door, and the shouting broke off.
Mia’s father answered the door, looking stormy. “Finnley!” he said with surprise.
“Hi,” he replied. “I’m sure you already realized that Mia isn’t here. I have a note from her, I think you should look at it—”
“I’d been hoping she’d be with you,” Mr. Hart replied, whatever had been powering him suddenly deflated. He took the proffered note, but only set it on a table near the door without looking at it. “Look, you should head back home. We’ve called the police; they’ll handle it from here.”
“Wait! The note mentioned the forest. I think she’s in there!” Finnley cried.
Mr. Hart gave him a stern look. “Mia was — is — terrified of that forest. She wouldn’t have gone in there unless someone chased her in.” Or she chased something in herself, Finnley thought. He looked like he was about to close the door, then changed his mind. “Look, I appreciate you coming here. Thank you. We’ll let you know when Mia is back, though she may not be able to go out for a while.” Then he really did close the door.
Finnley could hear the fight resuming. “You know you provoked her to do this,” a woman was seething. Mrs. Hart. She didn’t bother to lower her voice.
“Whatever this is, it wasn’t me!” someone snapped back. Finnley unconsciously matched the voice to the face and came up with Uncle Fred. “I’m just as worried about her as the rest of you.” Finnley knew that he shouldn’t be there, knew that this wasn’t something he should be hearing. He backed away slowly, down the porch steps, and turned away from the house. Their solution wouldn’t be with Mia’s family.
Monica reappeared beside him. Neither said anything as they walked the short distance to Finnley’s house. Both knew, however, what they were going to have to do. I refuse to let Mia spend the day in the forest, scared and alone, Finnley thought grimly. Or maybe… not alone. That thought was even worse. The thought that she may have found this creature, this… nightmare she was hunting. He didn’t want to betray his mother’s trust again, but he would do it for Mia.
Only, when he came home, his mother’s car was already in the driveway. He hadn’t expected her to be home from work this early. Did she know that Finnley had cut school? Had the principal called her, or the Harts?
He motioned for Monica to follow him around the back way. He pulled his key from his backpack and unlocked the door as quietly as he could. They crept into the house — or rather, Finnley crept. Monica didn't have to make a noise if she didn't want to.
Mrs. Bale was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.
“Mom!” Finnley exclaimed, and his surprise wasn't faked. He hadn't expected her to be… lying in wait for them like that.
“Finnley, Monica,” she replied. Her eyes softened as she stared at Monica. “The Harts called me. But… Well, I'd assumed Mia was with you. If she's not, then that can only mean…” She trailed off, and gave them each a hard look. Slowly, almost threateningly, she put her hands on her hips. Finnley swallowed. “You were going to go look for her. Do you know where she is?”
“She left a note,” Finnley replied quietly. “She's gone into the forest… I think she's chasing her nightmare. We have the note to her parents, but they ignored it. They think she's terrified of the forest.”
His mom rolled her eyes heavenwards. “And because it's so clearly not safe for her, you two are going in as well,” she said with a sigh. “Were you even planning on telling me?” Finnley’s eyes danced sideways and his mother slowly exhaled. “Fine. I hate to have a child wandering in the woods. Go pack your bag with… supplies. Grab a first aid kit from the bathroom upstairs.”
His mouth must've been hanging open because Monica gestured for him to shut it. “You're — you're letting us go?” he sputtered incredulously.
“Well, it's not my first choice,” she admitted, “but I doubt I could stop you. The police are busy. Why not us?”
“Us?”
“Of course. I'm going with you. Now hurry up; I'll pack us some food, just in case. We’ll probably still be out there by lunch.”
Monica gave Finnley a light kick in the shin which sent him scurrying upstairs. His mom was going with them to find Mia in the forest. Of course she was. Finnley began to repack his backpack, though he kept the knife. He included the first air kit, a raincoat, two water bottles, and his magic notes (lighter and easier to navigate than the textbooks themselves). He found an old walking stick, a gift from his father, tucked into the closet and took that too. He didn't need it for the walking, but he remembered how Mia had taken down a monster with a baseball bat. The stick made him feel just a little bit safer.
As he came downstairs again, he paused as he heard a scrap of conversation between Monica and his mother.
“…tell your parents?”
“No,” Monica returned. “I… When I emerged from the spirit world, it was here in this town. To fulfill my… purpose. I don't think I can go very far from here, but I haven't tried.”
“Do you want me… do you want me to call them sometime? Tell them you’re… okay?”
There was a heavy silence. Then: “Yes,” Monica breathed. “I — yes. I would love that.”
Finnley descended the last few steps to find Monica seated at the kitchen counter with his mother, Mrs. Bale’s hand on her knee. The two turned to look at him as he entered the room.
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