Page 3 of Insidious

What am I doing?

From somewhere within the haze, I reach for my phone.

Not him.

He is too far away, dreaming about Chloe. I call my person.

The one person who has seen me at my worst without flinching. She will take care of Amelie.

It takes me five attempts to find her number. It rings twice before Lily picks up.

“Luna? You finally return my call? I am not talking to you, you dumb bitch.”

“Lily?” My voice crackles like crumpled paper.

There’s a pause, and then her tone sharpens instantly. “What’s wrong? You sound—where are you?”

“Can you … Can you come get the baby?” My words slur just slightly. I swallow and try again. “Please. Just come. Take her.”

“What? Why? Are you hurt? Are you safe?”

My head swims. My knees feel soft. The counter tilts slightly under my palms.

“I’m just … tired,” I whisper. “So tired.”

“Oh, god.” She breathes. “Stay on the line. I’m coming right now. Don’t move. I am getting into the car.”

But my eyelids already feel heavy.

The flower-circle of pills blurs into white smudges. I swallow one more.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble around the little pill that feels like a stone stuck in my throat, though I’m not sure who I’m apologizing to.

Lily?

Amelie?

Isaac?

Maybe all three.

The last thing I hear before the phone slips from my hand is Lily’s voice, urgent and breaking apart.

“Talk to me. I’m coming. Just stay with me.”

Chapter 2

Luna

There is an annoying beeping sound in my head. I just want it to stop but it doesn’t. It comes and goes like waves.

Sometimes, it is close to my ear.

Sometimes, it drifts far away, like it belongs in another room.

Beep.

Pause.