Chapter 32 – Fly, Baby, Fly
I blink. Once. Twice. Staring at my mom like she just grew another head and started speaking Martian.
"What school?" I finally ask, dragging the words out slow, like she's trying to sell me something I didn't order.
She beams. Oh God, she beams. "I don't remember the exact name right now, but it's in Edenville! Paul already arranged everything—accommodation, supplies, uniforms, even your books. For both of us, Ella! We'll be moving there together. A new start. A normal life." She clasps her hands dramatically, voice going all soft and dreamy. "And you'll finally get to meet my boyfriend."
My jaw clenches. Edenville. Did she just say Edenville?
She doesn't notice my silence. She keeps going, her voice bouncing like a motivational speaker on cheap caffeine. "I know how hard you tried for scholarships, sweetie, but this town tied you down. Now you can finally spread your wings and flyyy." She drags the last word out like she's auditioning for Broadway.
I almost choke. Fly? Really? What is this—Disney channel?
But I can't laugh. Not now. Because the hum in my head stirs, low and sharp, vibrating in the back of my skull like a warning siren. Edenville. Mystery M. Finally, the dots are connecting, the road clearing. This is it.
But I can't show her that.
Not one twitch. Not one smile.
So I fake it. My eyes narrow, my arms cross, and I let mock anger drip from my voice. "Why do you keep doing this, Mom? You're only dragging me to Edenville so you can play house with your boyfriend."
Her face falls like I just slapped her with a hammer. "Baby…" she whispers, voice trembling, her hands reaching toward me. "No. Don't say that. This isn't just about me. This is about you too. Your future. Your chance to start over, to heal, to actually—"
I scoff, cutting her off. "No matter how hard you try, Mom, it won't work."
Her lips press together, her eyes wet like she's about to cry, but I don't give her the satisfaction. I stand up, the chair scraping against the floor with a sharp screech, and walk away. Every step loud, heavy, making sure she feels it.
I storm into my room, slam the door shut, and lean against it, my chest rising and falling like I just ran a marathon. The fake anger slips off me like a mask, and what's left is fire. My body hums, my blood hums, the Silent Noise pulsing louder than ever before.
I press my palms to my ears, but it's not coming from outside—it's inside. It's me.
Edenville.
The place where everything started.
The place where everything will end.
I pace the room, biting my lip so hard it nearly bleeds. Mom thinks she's doing me a favor, handing me a shiny new life wrapped up in ribbons and Paul's money. Cute. Adorable, even. But what she doesn't know is that she just gave me exactly what I wanted.
Mystery M is in Edenville.
And now… so am I.
I drop onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, my heart beating in sync with the hum. She really thinks this is about "normal life." School. Uniforms. Meeting her boyfriend. Pfft. If only she knew the storm she's dragging herself into.
I smirk, just a little, because fate finally threw me a bone.
Mom thinks she's moving us toward peace.
But really?
She just signed the invitation to war.