“You don’t seem at all worried that people have been disappearing, and it hasn’t just been our friends,” Edie said, rubbing her wrist and twisting the hand in the air. “That crowd tonight was half as big as it was arvo, and if I were here all alone like you, I would be pretty worried about something happening to me.”
James smirked. “You are alone now, aren’t you?” He fixed his eyes on Cassidy. “I notice Apricot isn’t here, either. Looks like we’re all alone now.”
“This isn’t funny, James!” Cassidy shouted. Her face and neck were beet red from crying, and she put her hands up to catch more tears as they fell.
No use telling them to keep quiet now.
“I know you know something. Tell us what is going on,” Edie demanded.
“I tried to help before things got this bad and you didn’t want it.”
Edie wrapped an arm around Cassidy’s shoulders and stared daggers into James as she led both of them out of the room. “I know you’re behind this somehow. When all this is over—”
James interrupted her. “You know, Edie, I have figured out a thing or two about what’s going on, and I’ll be honest with you. I didn’t have anything to do with Ryan’s death, but I’ll take full credit for Brad’s disappearance.”
Cassidy’s face drained from red to white so quickly that James thought she was going to pass out and took a small step forward before he could stop himself. Both women took a step away from him again and he stood tall, crossing his arms.
“How?” Edie asked. “How did you make Brad disappear? Next to Brad King, you’re a nobody, if you’re just a YouTube magician like you’ve been telling us, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. So, tell us who you are, really.”
James stepped forward again and this time Cassidy jumped backward and Edie flinched. He eyed them in his periphery as he took two more strides to his bedside table and picked up his phone.
“You saw how I made Brad disappear,” he said, holding the device up by the corner like a playing card. “Are you sure you want to see me do it again? Maybe I’ll make you disappear this time.”
Cassidy whimpered behind Edie, but Edie also felt a shock of fear. Like ghosts and curses, she knew that the square in James’ hand couldn’t hurt her, or that’s what she would have thought only days ago. She swallowed her fear and called his bluff.
“You don’t scare me, James. I know it’s bigger than you. They got us all in one place and are controlling food and communication. It’s probably not hard to hack our phones and drug the water. Half the people here are C-list actors who would do anything to get ahead, including acting like they don’t remember us.” She paused, then added, “or acting like they’re more important in this whole show than they are.”
James set his jaw, understanding her meaning completely. “If that’s the case, then are you saying Apricot and Rose are in on this as well and kept it from you two?”
Cassidy’s wet eyes flicked from James to Edie, like she wasn’t sure who to side with anymore.
“Not willingly,” Edie replied. She gave James another hard stare, full of hatred, and turned to the door. Cassidy followed, shoulders slumped. With her hand on the door knob, Edie turned.
“You’re not as important as you think, James.”
“Ditto,” he replied.
Edie whipped the door open and stood still as a sentry locked on James. Cassidy seemed unsure of herself as she walked into the hallway and turned. Only then did Edie walk out, leaving the door wide open.
EdiehatedhowCassidyclung to her like a barnacle, but she didn’t exactly feel safe alone in the tent when she’d fled the show and felt some amount of gratitude toward the woman for coming to find her when Apricot didn’t turn up to the villa.
After leaving James’ dorm, the two of them went back to Edie’s tent to collect some of her things. It felt like a betrayal to leave only Rose’s suitcase behind, so she took only what she needed for the night. She also left her phone behind.
Cassidy told Edie she could stay in either of the empty rooms, but Apricot’s belongings were still scattered around her room. She was still nowhere to be found when the two women got back to the villa, but Edie could tell that Cassidy still held onto hope. Edie hoped Apricot would come back, because if she did then maybe Rose would, too.
While changing into her sleep shorts and oversized shirt, Edie heard a shriek from across the house. Without thinking, she grabbed the closest thing she could get her hands on. Only once she found herself in Cassidy’s bathroom, staring at the two of them in the mirror, did she realize she was holding a bedside lamp.
Cassidy stood with her back turned to the mirror, examining the back of her arm in the reflection.
“What? What happened?” Edie asked.
Cassidy sobbed. “My tattoo is gone.”
“What?”
“The friendship tattoo I got with Apricot. It’s gone.”
A cold fear washed over Edie as Cassidy let go of her arm and slumped her body over Edie’s to cry into her shoulder. With her free hand, she rubbed Cassidy’s back and tried to think of a possible explanation.
