A cell phone ring saves me from responding to Jaxson—and my thoughts.

"It's Mom," Jaxson says.

"Don't answer!" I demand, grabbing his phone and sending Maeve to voicemail.

Soon texts flood in.

"Jaxson, she knows I'm missing!" I say, scanning the texts popping up across his lock screen. "Malcolm!" I yell, attempting to stand.

"Why not just tell her the truth?" Jaxson says, helping steady me.

"Because she'll send me to an insane asylum like she did to my mom! She won't understand what I really need to get better!" I demand, shoving off towards the kitchen.

"And what exactly is that?" Jaxson asks.

"I don't know!"

Before we turn the corner, we're met by a smug-faced Malcolm.

"Look," he says, grabbing my arm, pulling me into view of the kitchen. "I got this young man working on putting your floors back together."

Sure as shit, I see a scared Maverick desperately trying to hammer boards back together—karma for all the Mavericky things he's done.

"Noice," Jaxson says, letting his guard down momentarily for a small laugh to bubble out.

"Malcolm, my sister knows I'm missing," I continue.

"Yes, well, we best hurry then," he says, waving his finger around. "Lead the way to your bedroom."

"I got the wallpaper!" Jin says, hurrying past us with packed hands, nearly bumping into the still frozen Bundty.

Rina struggles behind him, dragging a giant bucket with her.

"Jin, my lad, always one step ahead!" Malcolm raises two thumbs in passing. "You," Malcolm commands, flicking Jaxson's shoulder, "Go get my bag!"

"Is this guy for real?" Jaxson says, brushing his shoulder off.

"Now!" Malcolm says, clapping his hands as he nudges me towards the stairs. "Jin, come with us! Have the girl do the wallpaper," Malcolm calls back.

"Jin?!" Rina calls, standing with the budget and scraps of wallpaper thrown at her feet.

"Freaking code red Rina! Just do it!" Jin says, hurrying to join us on the stairs.

"Jaxson?!" Rina then calls.

"I know it sounds crazy, but it might help Vel get better! I'll make it up to you," Jaxson's muffle voice calls from under Malcolm's giant duffle bag.

"Is this what you guys meant by getting down with the sickness?" Rina yells as we reach the top of the stairs.

"WELCOME TO MY LIFE!" Jaxson yells back.

"It's here," I say, pointing to my—I mean Jin's—bedroom.

"Of course," he says, laying his hand against the door. Jaxson, Jin, and I stand to exchange looks as Malcolm becomes quiet and caresses the door with his hands.

"Da, fuck?" Jaxson whispers to me.

"Give him a second," Jin says, watching Malcolm intently.

Malcolm begins mumbling to himself. I'm pretty sure it's the Hungarian language he's been bragging about. It's like, yeah, we get it, you think you're pretty awesome because you know some fancy words and fancy spirit stuff.

"Malcolm, I'm pretty sure we don't have time for the dramatics," I say.

"Always time for—"

"Hungarian," Jin and I say at the same time.

Jaxson throws his arms up in confusion for like the millionth time.

Slowly, Malcolm opens the bedroom door and enters without turning on the light. He looks around, tilting his head side to side as if listening for something. I find myself cocking my head to the side to listen too, but all I hear is Maverick's banging from the kitchen. Apparently, Maverick putting the floors back together is working because my headache is going away.

We continue to watch Malcolm from the door as he passes, his eyes scanning. Even though I've been in this room a million times, for some reason, I feel scared to go in, so I continue to linger at the door. Jin and Jaxson seem to have the same creepy-ass feeling because they linger too.

"Holy shit," Jaxson says, looking around at the demolished room. "Vel...you did...this?"

"Red Lady did it, not Vel," Jin says.

"Is she like your other personality?" Jaxson asks.

"No! I can't control her. She's NOT me! But also kind of is me?"

"Sounds a lot like that multiple personality thing," Jaxson says, shaking his head. He's more like Maeve. He has a hard time believing what isn't tangible. This has to be killing his natural urge to call bullshit.

"Trust me, I've conducted a lot of research and proposed many hypotheses, and based on my discovery. It's NOT a mental disorder."

"I'm sorry, but did you say science experiments?" Jaxson looks over at me with a smirk, leaning in to whisper, "I didn't know you had a thing for nerds."

My god, it's true. I have a thing for a nerd.

"What's carved into the walls?" Jaxson asks, watching Malcolm run his hands along them.

"Stars," Jin and I answer again in unison.

"Oh, that makes sense," Jaxson scoffs, annoyed.

"Your mother," Malcolm says, interrupting us.

"What?" I ask, as her red hair pops into my mind.

"I need to speak with her," Malcolm says, turning to open the half-ripped shutters, letting moonlight poor into the bedroom.

"I told you she's...I mean, you know she's..."

"She's dead," Jaxson answers as I lose the words.

"Of course, I know. Come," Malcolm says, waving us over.

We all hesitate.

"Come! I need my bag."

Jaxson mumbles under his breath while bringing the bag over to plop it on the floor. Malcolm begins rummaging through it as Jin grabs my hand and walks me into the room.

"Here," Malcolm says, bringing out what looks like a dark board.

Malcolm sets it down on the floor, allowing the moonlight to illuminate it. I know exactly what it is—a ouija board.

*Thanks for reading. Please remember to vote.