LITMIR.BIZ

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laughing at each other as we made up our own words to the songs. Then there was a sheet of metal coming straight at us and a screeching noise that hurt my ears. I screamed.

      The next thing I knew I was in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of me and beeping machines by my side. My dad was holding my hand.

      “You came back to me,” he said, tears spilling down his face. Later he told me my mom had died instantly in the crash. I’d been unconscious for days. By the time I woke up, Mom had already been buried. I would never see her again.

      My memories of the crash were still vivid all these years later, but now I felt detached from the event. All that was left was the scar, my dad’s sadness, and the guilt I felt when I tried to remember my mom. I kept a photo of her with me, so I wouldn’t forget what she looked like.

      The bell broke my reverie. Caitlin turned to me.

      “So did you choose home ec or art?”

      “Art,” I answered, as I gathered my books.

      “Well, you’re on your own for this one. I’m off to bake a cake. I’ll see you in maths. The art rooms are back up the corridor; turn right and they’re on your left.”

      “Caitlin, what’s the deal with Adam and Enya? Why don’t people like them?”

      Caitlin laughed. “Her name is Áine. You know, like Awn-ya. You’re going to have to get used to these Irish names. Anyway, it’s just … well, they’re stuck-up and a bit weird.” She leaned in closer. “There are rumors about their family. I don’t think I believe them, really, but you know what they say—there’s no smoke without fire.”

      “What kind of rumors?”

      “There’s been talk of ‘odd’ goings-on. And Adam and Áine don’t do much to persuade people otherwise.”

      “So when you say ‘odd,’ you mean …?”

      “Really odd. You know … things-that-go-bump-in-the-night odd.”

      “You’re joking, right?”

      She raised her shoulders and half smiled. “I don’t know. But you’ve been warned.” She wagged her finger and left the class.

      I wasn’t much good at art, but I did enjoy it. I was happy that the art teacher ignored formalities and got right down to business. She handed me a sketch pad and pointed me toward a desk with a drawing board on it. I glanced at the still life of white daisies in the center of the room and picked up my pencil, but a shiny black bob on the opposite side of the room caught my eye.

      Áine DeRís. She didn’t look at me, just kept sketching. What was it with the DeRís twins? I couldn’t get away from them. I looked up at her again and this time her eyes met mine. She quickly looked away, and I rubbed my neck in annoyance. Now that I knew Adam and Áine were twins, the similarities were obvious: the dark, rich hair; the green eyes; and the strong facial features. They both oozed the same quiet self-confidence, the type of arrogance that came from a life of privilege. Odd, though. Adam’s old car seemed to suggest they weren’t rich.

      I sketched away as I thought about them, flicking glances through the limp-looking flowers when Áine wasn’t looking. By the end of the class I was pleasantly surprised with what I had produced. I finished off the sketch and went to get the fixing spray. I was just returning to my desk when Áine passed me. She brushed the display table in her haste to get by and nearly knocked over the vase. Saying nothing, she righted the vase, picked up a daisy that had fallen to the floor, and gently placed it on my desk. Giving me a cautious smile, she walked out.

      Caitlin was right. Weird. I grabbed my bag and glanced at the flower she’d left on my desk, doing a double take. I could have sworn it had been a tired-looking white daisy when she picked it up, but it was most definitely a healthy-looking pink daisy now. I chucked it into my bag with my things and went to my next class.

      After math (I couldn’t imagine ever feeling comfortable calling it “maths”), Caitlin and I went outside for lunch. Jennifer, Killian, and Darren were already there, stretched out in the sun. Everyone was chatting happily, and I munched on my sandwich and listened intently, catching up on the gossip. At one point, Darren turned to me, then looked back in the other direction, and then at me again. I watched him, bemused.

      “Darren, what are you doing?” Jennifer asked.

      “I was just wondering who Rían DeRís was glaring at, and it would appear to be you, Megan. Bloody hell, what did you do to deserve that look?”

      “Ree-in?” I glanced up and found the face in question. It was the guy who’d been fighting with Adam yesterday, the guy with the motorcycle. He was Adam’s brother! His eyes boiled with such intensity that I had to look away. “Why would he be looking at me? I’ve never met him,” I said uncertainly.

      “He shouldn’t even be here. He finished school last year. I’d watch out if I were you, Megan. Rían will put the evil eye on you. People around here think the DeRíses are witches, ya know,” Darren replied, standing up and waving his hands around like a magician.

      “Darren, that’s rubbish. You listen to too many old wives’ tales.” Jennifer gave Darren a look and tugged on his shirt to make him sit down. “And anyway, the rumors are of their being druids, not witches.”

      Darren leaned closer to me. “My granddad reckons they’re related to the old Killeen coven that hexed the town back in the eighteen hundreds.”

      “What! You’ve got to be messing with me. Is that what you meant by ‘odd,’ Caitlin?” I asked.

      “Darren, shut up. You’re going to scare her,” Caitlin said with a slight edge to her voice.

      They all looked at me with serious faces. Then they burst out laughing.

      “Don’t mind us,” Caitlin said, gently rubbing my arm. “Yes, there are rumors, and there have been ‘incidents,’ but none of us actually believe the stories. Do we, guys?”

      “What stories?” I pressed.

      “Tell her the one about the cat!” Jennifer exclaimed, elbowing Darren excitedly.

      “Ooh, that’s a good one,” Darren declared, leaning into me. “A long time ago, there was a woman who lived here. Her name was Elizabeth Killeen. Rumor has it she’s, like, the DeRíses’ great-great-grandmother or something. Anyway, she was a bit of a babe, and all the menfolk of the town had a thing for her. Of course, all the women blamed Elizabeth for the wandering eyes, and one unfortunate lady actually went to confront Elizabeth. When she did, Elizabeth morphed into a ferocious cat and lashed out at her, plucking an eyeball right from her head. The cat reportedly ate the eyeball, and then morphed back into Elizabeth. At least, that’s how One-eyed Lily tells the story.”

      “One-eyed Lily?” I asked.

      “Yeah, she’s the great-granddaughter of the woman who had her eye swiped out. One-eyed Lily says her family is now cursed, and since that day, all the female children have been born with one eye.”

      Caitlin threw the crust of her sandwich at Darren. “What rubbish. One-eyed Lily is a crazy alcoholic who fell asleep drunk on the pier and lost her eye because a fisherman accidentally lodged a hook in it. Don’t listen to him, Meg. He’s only winding you up.”

      I glanced around at their faces. Darren smirked at me, and Jennifer had gone back to inspecting her hair for split ends.

      “So who’s signing up for the school’s sailing classes?” Killian asked, changing the subject.

      Caitlin looked excited, while I cringed and pretended not to hear. I personally couldn’t think of anything worse.

      Caitlin eyed me. “Would you be up for it, Meg?”

      “No way,” I replied, laughing nervously. “Water and I are not friends!”

      “Oh, you should,” Killian begged. “It’s going to be fun.”

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