Page 11 of Her Wicked Plan

I had an awful day at school. I was ten and didn’t have many friends. I got teased for being a loser—that’s what the kids called me. When Mom found out, she planned this special night for us—only us—not my dad, not Chloe, just me and her.

She packed my favorite snacks, knowing they would cheer me up. We lie on our backs, focusing on the twinkling dots above our heads. “There are a lot of stars in space.”

“There are.” She nods in agreement. “Just think about all the ones that we can’t see—all the ones beyond the stars that blanket our sky, the stars outside our galaxy.”

I never thought about the number of stars. We learned about some of it in school, but at my age, it wasn’t something I thought about often. “Millions. That’s how many stars there have to be out there.”

My mother smiles, turning her head to face me. “Billions.”

“Wow.” My voice is a whisper full of amazement.

“You are special, Leo. Just like the stars that shine brightly in the night sky.” She grasps her hand in mine, holding it tight. “Don’t let those kids at school get to you because they are wrong. You are the most incredible boy and will do great things in your life.”

“You have to say that because I’m your son.”

“I’d tell you that even if you weren’t.” That truth makes me smile. “Do you know how much I love you?” I shake my head at her question. “I love you more than all the stars in the universe.”

I blink, my eyes widening. “Mom, that’s a lot of stars.”

“I know.” She squeezes my hand. “It’s a lot of love.”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I have to figure out a time to see them soon. I press the end button, blinking multiple times to get rid of the tears.

My eyes became focused on the scenery outside the window. I’m not sure when the clouds rolled in, but the sky has darkened to a shade that matches my mood.

Trees whip by us as we drive at what feels like 70 mph, but I’m sure the driver isn’t going that fast. When my eyes shift towards the front of the car, I glance at the speedometer, seeing that he is only going fifty.

Snow pelts the windshield, causing the man to turn on the wipers. A storm springs upon us out of nowhere, one that I’m sure will turn into rain and melt the snow away, while I head to the darkest place I’ve heard of.

I did research not only on Veronica but also on the entire place. The asylum has multiple wards, depending on the patient's risk.

Unlucky for me, Veronica is a patient in Ward B. It may not seem like an awful ward, but I’ve read that she has spent time in the worst. Does that mean she got somewhat better? I’ve never dealt with someone at this level of risk.

Will I even be able to do it? My mother's words echo in my mind, and I close my eyes and inhale to calm myself.

“I didn’t mean to listen in on your conversation.” The thick southern accent makes my eyes flutter open, and I find the driver's eye bouncing between the slick road and me in the mirror. “You’re going to be a doctor at Black Lake?”

“I am.” I re-situate myself in the seat. He can’t be from Seattle with that accent. “You’ve heard about it?”

“There isn’t a soul who hasn’t heard of Black Lake.” He chuckles. “The craziest of crazies get sent there.”

That doesn’t help my anxiety.

“And you still agreed to drive me out here? It’s a two-hour drive, and you know what that place holds.”

“The drive ain’t terrible.” He shrugs his shoulders. “You only get a glimpse of the building from the road, but the small spots you see are incredible. After hearing stories, it’s fun to imagine what the hell goes on in that place.”

“Stories?” My interest has peaked, which is probably not for the best. “What stories?”

His gray eyes slide to mine in the mirror. “You sure you want to know?”

“It’s most likely not a good idea, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to learn what I’m getting myself into.”

“All right then.” He clears his throat, gripping the steering wheel tighter as the snow transforms into rain and pelts the windshield. Perfect timing. “A buddy of mine used to work there. He was a janitor. He saw multiple fights break out and said that a patient killed a nurse before.”

“Lovely.” I swallow hard, my heart racing at the thought of what these patients are capable of.

He can sense the nerves in my voice. “Take nothing I say too seriously. They are just stories. You never know. It could be sunshine and rainbows in that place.”