Darkest Dawn

CHAPTER FOUR

Bri

“Come on ladies, hustle!” Coach Kendra called across the natatorium.

Bri pulled herself from the pool and onto the slick tile floor, unable to hide the grin on her face. She’d kicked Chloe’s butt in that last relay and both of them knew it. The obvious anger on Chloe’s face when she surfaced and saw Bri already halfway out of the pool was perfect. Bri wished she had a camera.

“Yay, Bri!” Max called from the top of the bleachers. She had books and notebooks spread across her lap. Max didn’t like being home in the afternoon. Her parents worked third shift at the hospital so she had to be silent while they slept.

“I didn’t realize hustle meant walking like frickin’ zombies!” Coach Kendra clapped her hand against the clipboard permanently attached to her other hand.

The twelve girls who made up the swim team picked up their pace until they huddled around Coach. Her beady brown eyes captured each of them in her gaze before she spoke. She looked the part of a female high school gym teacher with her too long and unflattering shorts and shirt big enough to swallow any sense of her figure. Even with her tough-as-nails exterior she was a great coach. They’d won most meets since she became coach at the beginning of the year after her parents had passed away, leaving their home to her.

Her eyes touched each of the girls as she spoke. “All of your times were below last season. You need to treat every single second you’re here as if you’re in a race. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Coach,” the girls chorused.

“Now do it again. Group together and I want two hundred and four hundred yard freestyle relays.”

Chloe snorted and Coach narrowed her gaze. “Another two hundred for you.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. They’d had this battle before and Chloe never won.

Coach lifted her whistle to her lips and blew. The shrill sound echoed off the walls and the girls partnered off.

Bri nudged Gina, a mousy freshman. She had the best backstroke on the team. As captain, Bri had taken Gina under her wing. “I’ll go first,” Bri said, giving Gina a break after the last relay.

Gina heaved a sigh of relief into her towel.

Bri took her place at the block and dropped her hands down close to her feet. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the air out slowly through her slick lips. She opened her eyes and focused on the water below. It rippled and moved over itself as if it were alive and waiting for her.

Coach blew the whistle and Bri dove into the water, her body slicing through it. She pumped her legs and arms until she resurfaced, her arms lifting over her head as she took in her first breath. Her eyes focused on the line painted at the bottom of the pool, ensuring she was right above it. Seconds before she hit the other side of the pool, she flipped her body around and pushed off the wall. She focused on the line and her breathing again, tunneling her vision in counting laps. She could hear the other swimmers but didn’t dare look to see how far away they were in relation her. Swimming was the only thing that cleared her mind. Nothing mattered when she was in the water.

On the way back from her first lap something caught her eye at the bottom of the pool. She lost her pace and her stroke slowed for a second as she squinted her eyes to get a better look. Something red ebbed and flowed at the bottom of the pool. A body shot past her and she snapped out of her trance. She clenched her jaw and picked up her pace, knowing she’d lost precious seconds by letting herself get distracted. She kicked her legs and moved her arms faster until she reached the side of the pool. She couldn’t help search for it on her final lap. As she sped down the lane whatever she’d seen was gone. She pushed on until she touched the side of the pool where Gina stood ready on the block. The girl dove into the water.

Chloe preened from the next lane, having finished her laps before Bri.

Bri jumped out of the pool. “Have fun on your next set.” She didn’t look back at Chloe, her mind still on what she might have seen.

Bri made her way to the bleachers and wrapped a towel around herself. Her heart still pounded hard in her chest as she thought about how she’d messed up. She watched Gina, mentally critiquing her form. Coach never moved from her spot yet Bri felt her stare. She was going to hear about her screw-up soon enough.

Gina was the first to finish in her group, even though Bri had slowed them down. She smiled at choosing the girl. Coach might not be as hard on her since they’d won. Bri headed to the side of the pool to join her team. The girls huddled together, cheering for Chloe. Even though Chloe had earned those extra laps with her mouth, they still were a team. Since they were always in competition, Bri was rarely able to watch Chloe. Chloe’s form was very good, even though Bri hated to admit it. One thing she loved about the sport was that most of the time it was individual. A place where Bri shined.

Chloe lifted herself from the pool and made her way over to the group. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath. They all turned to Coach for their next instruction.

“That was pitiful. Same time Monday.” Coach unnecessarily blared her whistle in their faces and headed toward the locker room. “Shower up.”

Just as Bri heaved a relieved breath, Coach’s voice bounced off the high ceilings. “Brianna, in my office.”

Chloe snorted on her way past Bri.

Bri clenched her jaw.

In instances where Chloe annoyed the crap out of her, she tried to remember the days when they weren’t at odds. They had been friends up until their freshman year when they both got onto the swim team. Chloe’s overly competitive nature had split them up and Chloe had veered off, making her own set of friends who were higher in ranks than Bri and Max.

Max bounded down from the bleachers. “What happened out there? I saw you slow down. You okay?”

Bri nodded and pulled her hair free from the cap. She twisted her fingers around the strap of her goggles. “I thought I saw something.” She shook her head.

“Well you definitely gave Chloe more fuel.”

I shrugged. “There’s always Monday.”

They entered the locker room.

“I’ll wait for you by the lockers, okay?” Max headed down the narrow hall.

Max knew the locker room always freaked Bri out. For some reason Bri was reminded of horror movies when she went in there alone. The tall ceilings and dim lighting threw shadows in every corner. To the right were the showers. A dozen stalls, capable of hiding anyone from wandering eyes. The perfect spot for a serial killer. Up ahead were rows of lockers and benches. She didn’t expect Max to wait outside of the shower cubby—she wasn’t five.

To the left were two storage closets and Coach’s office. She knew Coach stayed late and was thankful for small favors on those occasions when Max had other club commitments.

Bri opened the door to the office.

Coach was at her desk. Her hands were on her lap. “What happened just now?”

Bri bit her lip, unable to come up with any excuse other than the truth. “I thought—”

Coach cut her off. “I know you girls are distracted. Boys. Dances. College. And whatever else.” She leaned back in her chair, locking her eyes with Bri’s. “Boys will always be around. School dances will be forgotten. College is important, though. And I understand you have a single mother who’ll probably help with your college fees. But you’re good enough to get a full ride to any reputable college with a swim program. You’ll just have to work harder.”

Bri tightened the towel over her chest.

Coach pointed at the wall. “You have to be a leader for these girls and I think you are doing a good job, but there’s more potential in you. And if you are willing, I’d like to offer you some extra time to get you there.”

Bri’s skin flushed. “Really?”

Coach nodded, her expression stoic. “You have less than two years before you leave this place. Which isn’t ideal, but I think we can do it.”

“Thank you.”

Coach tapped her hands on her desk. “I want you here for an extra hour on Monday. We can work out a game plan then.” Coach’s offer was amazing. Her reputation had preceded her before she came to Willows Lake. Multiple college trophies and even an opportunity to get into the Olympics before she’d injured herself. Mom would be proud.

“Sounds good.”

Coach looked at her desk. “Get out of here.”

Bri nodded, noticing a barely perceptible lift of Coach’s lips. Bri suppressed a smile. Coach wasn’t as tough as she seemed—that didn’t mean she deserved any less respect though.

The rest of the girls were already changing when Bri claimed the closest shower stall to the locker room. She knew Max would be annoyed if she took too long. And she couldn’t wait to share the news. She showered as quickly as possible, just enough to get the chlorine off her skin. When she turned off the shower, a dull ringing settled in her ears, growing louder and louder. A splitting headache accompanied the sound so she leaned against the still-warm plastic wall of the enclosure.

She reached for the towel slung over the hook right outside the curtain but missed, toppling forward. She caught herself as her foot slipped across the floor. She was able to grip the towel and hook just before falling. Black spots dotted her vision. She took a deep breath, willing her eyes to stay open and not succumb to passing out.

Several breaths later she was able to come out of it. Sweat trickled over her body and she shivered. When she was sure she could stand without falling, she lifted the towel from the hook and wrapped it around her body. She slipped on flip-flops, grabbed her damp bathing suit, and headed for the locker room.

The buzz of voices didn’t greet her this time. The other girls must have headed home.

Bri blinked a few times to make sure her balance was okay. “Max?” Lockers outlined the space and all the benches were empty. Her breathing was loud in her ears. “This isn’t funny!”

Something moved behind her and she spun around, expecting to see Max. No one was there. She swallowed the tractor-trailer-sized lump in her throat and headed for her locker. As she spun the combination on the locker, something shuffled behind her. She paused, her hand hovering over the lock. Her skin heated as she turned around again.

Max knew not to mess with her. “Coach?”

She quickly spun the combination again and reached in her bag for her clothes. She didn’t even bother to get halfway dry before shoving on her underwear, shirt, and jeans.

A shuffling sound made her stop. She held her breath as it moved closer and closer. It started at the entrance to the locker room. “Hello?”

Again, nothing.

Her teeth started to chatter and she pressed her lips together to stifle the noise. She was going to kill Max if she was pranking her. A large shadow moved across the space. Her instincts propelled her legs in the other direction. She tucked her bag against her body and sprinted toward Coach’s office. “Coach!” The office was dark and the door was locked. She was alone with whatever shadow-thing she’d seen. She ran down the back hallway and pushed through the door to the natatorium. A body lay facedown on the surface of the pool and she screamed.

The body moved, his head popping up from the surface.

Relief surged through her as she recognized the face. “Kael?” What was Kael Theron doing at school? She walked closer to the edge.

His head dipped below the surface again and he swam to the side of the pool.

Bri backed away when his hands touched the tile by her feet. He hopped from the water and towered over her. Droplets of water streamed down the taut muscles of his chest. His normally sandy blond hair was a few shades darker from the water. He only wore a pair of swim trunks.

She steadied her eyes on his. “You gave me a frickin’ heart attack.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in an amused smile. Her heart flip-flopped. Kael was a few years older and the steady subject of Willows Lake’s constant stream of gossip. Being the reclusive son of the craziest and wealthiest man in town would do that. It didn’t help that they lived on the outskirts of town on the lake in a secluded mansion. A place she always thought looked enchanted and straight out of a fairy tale.

He held her gaze. “I didn’t realize anyone was still here.”

She’d become accustomed to people looking at her eyes but with her green contact firmly in place, his stare wasn’t about the genetic deformity. It struck down to her core. “I was the only one left in there.” She hoped. She thought of the sound she’d heard before freaking out. It had probably been her imagination. In any case she stepped away from the door to the locker room.

His eyes narrowed briefly as if he was judging her truth. “Why are you here so late?”

She thought of Max and how much she wanted to strangle her for leaving before she was out of the shower. “We just finished up practice. I’m headed out to meet Max.”

“Max?”

“Maxine,” she clarified. “My friend.”

His chin lifted. “I see.”

She skirted past him, keeping her eyes on the slick floor. The sound of his wet feet followed. She turned her head. He tugged on his jeans and shoved a dry shirt over his head.

“How’s your dad?” Abbey visited Mr. Theron a couple of days a week, even though he had numerous caregivers. For some reason he had requested her to keep him company when he first got sick.

“Same,” Kael said in a clipped tone. One that she recognized as annoyance. It was the same tone that she used whenever someone asked about where her dad was. Not that she had any idea who he was. Or that she cared.

“My mom will be back to see him in a few days.” She filled the awkward silence.

He shook his head. “He doesn’t even know she’s there half the time.”

“She likes spending time with him.”

He snorted. “His ability to make people feel guilty deserves an Oscar.”

Kael made it seem like illness was something his dad enjoyed. Although she didn’t know him well enough to know if he was kidding—not that his situation was anything to joke about. Instead, she changed the subject. “You like to swim?” She immediately regretted asking. Obviously he did. For some reason he always put her on edge and not always in a negative way.

A secret smile touched his lips. “I do. It relaxes me.”

She quirked her lips. “Me too.”

He raked a hand through his hair, slicking it back. “I’m glad it was you here instead of the coach.”

Bri flushed. “Why?”

He pressed his lips together briefly before speaking. “Let’s just say I don’t exactly have permission to be here.”

“I won’t tell anyone as long as you keep me screaming like a banshee to yourself.”

He winked at her. “Deal.”

Her breath caught in her throat.

They hovered by the door, but Bri reached for it first.

“Wait.” His hand slammed into it. It came close enough to her face that she could make out each individual hair on his arm.

She whirled around realizing how close his body was to hers. His breathing was labored.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he said firmly.

If it wasn’t for Mom and her stories from Mr. Theron, she might have been afraid of his outburst. Most people in town were. He was portrayed as a “lost soul” by his father.

“I need to meet my friend,” she prompted, pointing at his arm.

“Be careful okay?” His jaw clenched. “Make sure you go straight home.”

“Okay,” Bri said, dragging the word out. Why was he being so weird?

He removed his hand from the door. “Some might take advantage of a girl who’s home alone.”

Bri hesitated but Kael didn’t meet her eye.

She grabbed the handle and pulled, the cool hallway air blasting over her face. She pushed the door open for Kael as black spots filled her vision.

“Brianna?”

She turned around, looking up at Kael. His eyes were pulled down at the corners with worry.

She took a deep breath, recovering quickly. “I’m fine. I need to eat something.” Her phone buzzed from her backpack. She’d had it on silent since the morning, as she didn’t want to give any teachers an excuse to take it away. She pulled out her phone. Several texts from Mom littered the screen. She’d arrived at the conference and would call later.

She exhaled deeply and tossed a quick wave to Kael before leaving the natatorium. The door closed behind her and she took a few more deep breaths before heading down the hallway, letting go of the strangest ten minutes of her life. Her nerves must have had the better of her. She’d probably heard Kael splashing around in the pool, which had freaked her out since Coach rarely let anyone in the natatorium unsupervised. With Mr. Theron’s clout in town, Bri doubted Coach could say anything to stop Kael though. And since she’d nearly passed out in the shower, her eyes had probably being playing tricks on her.

The room whirled around her again and she leaned against the wall for support. She took out a granola bar from her bag—she always had food handy, especially after the amount of calories she burned at practice. She unwrapped it and took a few bites until she felt somewhat normal.

She turned the corner and stopped.

She blinked a few times but the image at the end of the hallway didn’t go away. Brianna Taylor couldn’t take her eyes off a mirror image of herself standing at the opposite end of the hallway. The only difference was that the mirror image was dressed differently. The out of body experience made her stomach roll and the edges of her vision blur.

CHAPTER FIVE

Sloane

I couldn’t believe I survived the rest of the day cooped up in a cubby at the back of the library. Not once did anyone come back and find me. I spent the first hour wondering what had gone wrong and imagining the possibilities. Had this person changed their mind? I couldn’t imagine anyone I knew able to pull off an elaborate prank like this. The back of the cafeteria was the meeting place he or she had requested. Maybe something happened to the person who summoned me. Hopefully nothing bad. I wished he or she had included a cell phone number or something.

I pressed my hands on both sides of my head, attempting to calm my thoughts. If this person found me in Manhattan, he or she would be able to find me in Willows Lake. At the very least they could leave a note at the motel. The fear of running into that guy again made me stay put. I jumped at each bell signaling the change in classes. I glanced over my shoulder every few minutes to make sure I hadn’t been caught. I wondered if I’d be in even more trouble because of breaking into the school. I thought of the excuses I’d make: “Well technically I didn’t break in since the door was open.” An excuse I was sure the principal or whatever disciplinarian caught me wouldn’t appreciate.

I tucked my chair further into the cubby and took out my phone. I’d had it turned off from the second I entered the library. There wasn’t a plug anywhere near my hiding spot. I didn’t want to risk losing my charge. I flipped the mute button and turned the phone on. A few messages came in from Amber wanting an update.

I quickly texted her back, promising to call her with details later. She assured me that my dad hadn’t called her house yet.

My shoulders slumped. Dad knew I wasn’t supposed to be on my phone during school hours. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t hear from him later. I’d have to connect with Amber and coordinate our stories.

I carefully took the letter from my pocket and reread it, trying to figure out if or where I’d gone wrong. My mind wandered to the other two confrontations I’d had since I arrived. They weren’t from the mysterious letter writer but they had something equally strange in common. How had they mistaken me for someone else? And if Jake liked this “Bri” girl so much, why would he think I was her? Unless we looked alike?

My hands froze around the phone. A silly idea popped in my head and before I could dismiss it, my fingers were already moving across the screen. I opened the browser on my phone and went to Google, typing in a few search items. “Bri” and “Willows Lake”. I knew it was a long shot, and after reading the first few pages of results I knew I had been correct. I contemplated other search terms when I found an article from the previous year. The blurb highlighted a girl named Brianna Taylor from Willows Lake taking first place in a swim meet. The girl in the bathroom mentioned something about swim practice. I clicked on the article.

I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe a picture of Bri or some clue why two people thought I was her. Instead there was only an image of a swimming pool. I scrolled through the article. No photo. At least I had a full name. I went back and typed the keywords “Brianna Taylor” and “Willows Lake”. Articles from the town’s small press came up about Brianna. With each one I held my breath, expecting to see a picture. It only took a few articles to find one.

My breath caught in my throat as I zoomed in on the photo. It was grainy but unmistakable.

“No frickin’ way.” I didn’t care if anyone heard me. I could always pretend to be the girl who others had mistaken me for.