Hunted (40 page)

“It’s fine. I just have to get something.” I went to the backpack that Nick had given me and unzipped the opening, then rummaged around until I found what I was looking for. I pulled it out and showed it to Billy.

“Where did you get those?”

“Nick put them in the backpack.”

Billy smiled. “That should help convince them.”

We rushed to Mom and Dad’s bedroom and stopped outside the closed door. I pressed my ear to the wood and although I could hear their voices, I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Almost afraid to know what they were thinking, I tapped on the door. A moment later Dad opened it.
 

He looked surprised to see us standing there. “I thought we told you to wait downstairs.”

“I have something to show you.”

He sighed, then held the door open. Billy and I walked in. Mom was sitting on the bed, but when we came in she stood next to Dad. “Well?” he said.

I held up the two power bars Nick had put in my backpack. They weren’t the kind I’d had in the F.A.T. centers—there were no drugs in these, just appetite suppressants—but these particular power bars didn’t exist in this world.

Mom and Dad each took one and examined them. Dad looked at Mom, his eyebrows raised. She shrugged.

I wondered how they were able to communicate like that—without words—but figured it was a marriage thing.

“I want to check something,” Dad said, then he left the room.
 

We all followed him downstairs and watched as he sat in front of the computer and Googled the power bar. There were no results.

“Interesting,” he muttered.

“Google me,” Billy said as he took my hand.

I smiled and squeezed his hand.

A moment later we were looking at a picture of Billy on the screen, only it said he had died. Dad spun around and looked at us. Mom stared at us too.

“Your story is pretty incredible,” Dad said.

“I know,” I said. “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

“Thank you for telling us anyway,” Dad said.

He said it like he wasn’t sure whether or not to believe it, and I felt my heart drop. “It’s completely true.” I looked between my parents. “You don’t believe us, do you?”

Dad sighed. “It’s just . . . a parallel world? You have to admit it’s pretty improbable.”

Panic swelled within me. What if they refused to believe it? What would happen then? What would Billy do?
Would he go back to his world?
I
had
to get them to believe me. “But what about the power bars, and the scars on my neck and arm?” I lifted my hair to show Dad where the torture device had been cut out.

He stood and looked at my neck. “Huh.” Then he touched the healing wound. “That’s interesting,” he murmured.

I looked at him with pleading in my eyes. “It
really
happened. It did.”

“I believe you,” Mom said.

We all turned to look at her and hope swept over me. I went to her and my voice came out in a whisper. “You do?”

“It’s a crazy sounding story,” she said. “But all the pieces fit. And even if you and Billy practiced your stories ahead of time—and there were so many matching details between your two stories that it seems pretty impossible for you to have made this up—I really feel like you’re telling the truth, Morgan.”

Relief cascaded over me.
She believed us
. Then I turned to Dad.

He frowned. “I just don’t know, Morgan.”

“What can I do to prove it to you?” I asked.

He sighed. “I don’t know. I just need some time to digest what you and Billy told me.”

At least he didn’t reject our stories outright. “Okay.” I hesitated. “What about Billy? He doesn’t have anyplace to go.”

Billy’s face flushed. “It’s fine. I’m sure I can figure something out.”

Mom looked concerned and she turned to Dad. “Can we talk?”

He nodded and the two of them went back upstairs.

“It’s okay, Morgan,” Billy said. “Your dad’s having a hard enough time believing our story. I can’t ask him to take me in.”

“But where will you go? It’s cold outside. You can’t just wander the streets.”

He sighed, then smiled at me. “I’m resourceful, remember?”

I just shook my head.

A few minutes later Mom and Dad came back into the living room. I looked at their faces—Dad didn’t look very happy, but Mom look relieved—and I hoped that meant they’d come to a decision I’d like.

“Billy can sleep here tonight,” Dad said, and I felt my heart blossom with joy. “But tomorrow we’ll make other arrangements.”

My joy faded a bit. “What other arrangements?”

“I called a friend from work and he said he’d be willing to take Billy in.”

“Mr. Campbell, you don’t have to do that,” Billy said. “I can make my own way.”

“I’m sure you can, but you’re not yet eighteen, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Billy clenched his jaw, like he didn’t like being told what to do, but I grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. “It’s for the best,” I whispered, and he seemed to relax.

Dad looked at Billy and me, then at our joined hands, then back at us. “You two seem to like each other.”
 

My face reddened at his observation.

He looked directly at Billy. “Son, I’m going to warn you now. If anything inappropriate happens with my daughter, I’ll kick you to the curb so fast your head will spin.”

“Yes, sir,” Billy said.

“Morgan, please get some blankets for Billy. He can sleep on the couch tonight.”

“Okay.” I hurried upstairs to the linen closet to get a pillow and some blankets, then brought them back downstairs and set them on the couch.
 

“It’s getting late,” Mom said. “It’s time to settle in for the night.”

“Okay,” I said, then Dad and Mom headed up the stairs. I turned to Billy. “I’m sorry Dad won’t let you stay here.”

“Well, we didn’t think he would, remember? I’m sure it will be fine at his friend’s place.” He slowly grinned. “I’m just glad I decided to follow you to this world.”

His words made me realize that it didn’t matter what house he lived in—as long as he was in my world, everything would be okay. I knew what was most important—being with those I loved. Having Billy here just made everything all the sweeter. When I had been in his world I’d told him how great it was here, and now he would be able to see it for himself. Not only see it, but experience it first-hand. I looked at him, a wide smile on my face.

He smiled back, then pulled me into his arms and pressed his face into my neck. “I’m so glad you weren’t just a crazy girl making up stories, Morgan.”

I pulled away, a look of mock indignation on my face. “Well, shame on you for ever doubting me.”

He laughed softly. “I’ll never doubt you again.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Good.”

He pulled me close, then moved his hands to my neck, tilting my face so that I looked him in the eye. “I can’t believe I almost let you go.”

My hands slid around his waist and I relished the warmth of his closeness. “I can’t believe you’re actually here.”

He smiled, his gaze focused on me. “I’ll always be by your side, Morgan. Always.”

He lowered his face towards mine and our lips pressed together and I felt the same explosion of feelings I’d felt the first time he’d kissed me and I knew this is what paradise must feel like—being with the ones you love in a place where you feel safe. Home.

I was home.

# # #

My beta readers, listed in the acknowledgements, wanted to know “
What happens next with Billy and Morgan?
” and “
What happens to the other Morgan?
” Quite honestly, I’d like to know too! So, I am going to write 2 books to answers these questions.
 

The book about Billy and Morgan will be out by May, 2014, and the book about the other Morgan will be out by August, 2014.

To be notified when these and other books are available, please go to my blog by clicking this
link
, and sign up to follow my blog. Enter your email address in the top right corner and make sure to respond to the confirmation email or you won’t be added.

Thank you so much for supporting me by buying my books!