Page 70 of Plain Sight

“Mason won’t stop screaming.”

Mason’s screaming into his pillow, but his voice is all ragged. It only gets quieter when he takes a breath.

I can’t take it. Every time he screams I think it’ll be the time I lose my mind. I need it to stop.

He screams again.

The bedroom is in the wrong spot. Mason’s on the bed, a pillow over his face. The fall mangled his leg beyond recognition. I shouldn’t be able to see it in the dark.

He takes the pillow off his face and stands. Walks out of the bedroom. Drops down next to me on the couch. His arms go around me, but they’re coming from the wrong direction.

From underneath me?

“This is a dream,” he says. “It’s not real.”

“I don’t think I can wake up.”

“That’s okay,” he says. “I’ll wait.”

Small footsteps wake me up.

“I can’t sleep,” Remy says. She wears a pink nightgown with a sequined heart on the front, and her hair’s wild, a blonde halo around her head.

“Why not?”

“Gabriel’s dead. He won’t stop screaming.”

The apartment rocks from side to side like it’s on the deck of a ship.

“Gabriel’s okay.” Mason’s voice, but I can’t see him.

“Look what I found.” I can hear Remy moving, but I can’t see what she’s bending down to pick up. “I found pictures.”

“Don’t look,” Mason orders.

“I don’t think I can wake up.”

“That’s okay,” he says. “I’ll⁠—”

Small footsteps.

“Mason won’t stop screaming.”

“Why not?”

“He’s dead.”

“I’m not dead,” Mason counters. He must be right, because he didn’t sound so calm when his leg was broken. He wasn’t calm at the hospital at all. “I’m okay. You’re okay. We’re all okay. You’re dreaming.”

“I don’t think I can wake up.”

“That’s okay,” he says.

Footsteps.

“Jamie.” The teacup shatters in my mom’s hands. “You’re dead.”

“No, I⁠—”