What Holly Heard (8 page)

And then Miriam saw what would haunt her nightmares—Holly's eyes.

Her beautiful green eyes.

No longer green.

They had rolled back into her head. Like two egg whites, they stared up blankly, lifelessly at Miriam.

And Miriam opened her mouth in a long, high scream of horror.

M
iriam had never truly screamed before.

Screamed in terror.

Screamed
for her life.

The sound burst out of her, a frantic animal cry. So loud she found herself holding her own ears.

She stumbled away from Holly's corpse, slipping on the tarp. A can of paint spilled, pouring thick red liquid all over her sneakers and the floor.

She fell hard.

Miriam felt no pain. All she could think about was the sickening gray-whites of Holly's eyes, the claws of her hands. She had to get away.

Holly's dead! How can she be dead?

Miriam scrambled on her hands and knees, slipping in the paint, trying desperately to regain her footing.

When she finally struggled to her feet, Miriam stood still for a moment, ignoring the whimpering sound that escaped her throat.

Tears blurred her vision, and she turned and ran blindly for the doors.

Someone grabbed her.

Held her hard. Someone tall and very strong.

“No!” she wailed, struggling like a trapped animal, pounding her fists against the chest and arms that reeled her in.

I'm going to die, Miriam thought.

Holly's killer is going to strangle me, too.

“Miriam!”

“No!”

“Miriam!
It's me! It's Jed!”

“Jed?” Miriam stared up into the shadowed face. It
was
him! “Oh, Jed.”

She clamped her arms around him and held tight, wanting him to make it all go away.

“What is it?” he asked. “Why are you screaming?”

“Holly,” she sobbed. “Holly's by the locker room. Dead. She's dead.”

Jed's fingers dug into the flesh of Miriam's arms. “What?”

She managed to meet his eyes.

“Yes!” she screamed. “Go look. Look for yourself.”

Slowly Jed released her and moved toward the locker room door. He cautiously avoided the spilled
paint. He leaned to peer around the sign. In her mind, Miriam saw what Jed was looking at—Holly's horrible, purple face and neck. Holly's corpse.

Miriam sank to the floor, gripping her hands together tightly.

How could this happen?
She didn't understand. She couldn't think.

Jed thundered across the gym floor. He scooped her up by the arm. “Come on. We're getting out of here.”

“Jed—what about—”

“She's dead. We have to get to a phone. Call the police.”

Blindly Miriam nodded.

Moving side by side, they slammed through the doors and ran down the hall to the phones near the gym entrance. Jed frantically fished in his pockets for a quarter.

“You don't need it!” Miriam yelled.
“Just dial!”

Jed grunted and punched the numbers. Miriam hardly heard him speaking into the receiver. She couldn't make her mind focus on anything. Nervously she wandered away from the phone, toward the double doors leading outside.

“Miriam,” Jed called. “Stay close.”

Her ears barely recorded the order. All she could hear was the echo of her own scream. Once again she saw Holly's sprawled corpse, the blue scarf pulled so tight around her throat. She imagined Holly struggling, clawing at her attacker.

Her attacker.

Miriam froze.
Who did this?

Mei? Noah?
Could it really be true?

Distantly Miriam heard Jed hang up the phone. Then he was next to her again, holding her close.

“Come on,” he whispered. They moved to the double doors and stepped outside.

The cold, clean air swirled around Miriam. She saw everything around her so clearly now—Jed's grip, her paint-smeared sneakers on the sidewalk, the tears freezing on her cheeks.

Jed sat her down on the curb near Holly's Camaro. She could picture Holly behind the wheel, happily dishing out the latest rumors flying around school. Holly driving her to Jed's basketball games. Holly wearing her favorite scarf. Holly's attacker pulling the scarf tight, strangling her.

Holly.

Miriam couldn't believe she was really gone.

Murdered,
she reminded herself.
Someone murdered Holly.

“Are you going to be all right?” Jed asked softly.

Miriam shook her head. She reached into her pocket and found a tattered tissue. She blew her nose loudly.

“I'll never be all right,” she murmured.

She tossed the tissue aside. Jed pulled her closer and told her everything would be okay.

“I don't want to be comforted, Jed,” she whispered coldly. “I want to know who killed her.”

“Whoever it is, they're long gone by now.”

Maybe, Miriam thought.
But I think I know their exact address.

“Part of my brain keeps telling me this is all a dream,” Miriam mumbled. “That Holly is still alive.” She gazed up at Jed. “But I know she's dead. I saw her lying there. I saw her.” Miriam covered her face and sobbed into her hands.

Jed jumped to his feet and paced back and forth. “Where are the cops?” he growled. “Why is it taking so long?”

Miriam glanced up at her boyfriend. His eyes were cold. He seemed to have forgotten she was there.

Jed threw himself at Holly's Camaro.

Miriam stared in astonishment as Jed smashed his fists against the hood of the car. He kicked the tires, the door. But not a sound escaped his lips.

Oh, no, Miriam thought. He's really lost it this time.

She choked back a sob. “Jed?”

“What?”

“Will you stop that? Please?” Miriam gazed at him with desperate eyes. “Will you hold me?”

He stared at her for a moment. Then he took a deep breath, nodded, and returned to his seat. He slipped his arms around Miriam, and she buried her face in his shoulder. “I'm so glad you were here,” she whispered.

Surprised by her own words, Miriam glanced up at Jed's face. He had been there all along. In a dark, deserted school by himself.

Miriam sat up straight. She felt a chill of fear.

Jed. All alone in the gym. So late.

“Why were you here?” she asked in a trembling voice.

She suddenly didn't want to know the answer. But she had to ask.

“Jed—why were you here?”

“I
was working out,” he mumbled absently. “I was putting in a late set in the weight room. Gary left about ten minutes ago.” Jed stiffened. “Oh, man.
Gary.
When he hears about Holly …”

“Oh, Jed,” Miriam moaned. “He'll be devastated.”

Jed nodded.

Miriam could feel her breathing grow slower. Her thinking cleared. “You guys were here,” she said. “Did you hear anything?”

Jed shook his head. “Not a thing. We had Gary's tape player really loud.”

“Are you sure?”

Jed's face darkened. “I'm sure, Miriam. We didn't hear a thing.”

Miriam spotted it immediately—Jed's violent personality
surfacing to meet her challenge. Then it sank back into its dark hole.

She shivered.

“Who would do something like this?” Jed wondered aloud.

Miriam's eyes narrowed. Who
would
do this? Who would commit such a horrible crime?

Someone bad, Miriam thought. Someone evil.

Someone capable of killing her own mother.

Mei.

“Are you all right, Miriam?” Ruth asked. “Can I get you anything?”

Miriam shook her head. It felt so heavy she thought it might fall off. “I wish everyone would stop asking me if I'm all right, as if I just got over the flu or something.”

“Sorry,” Ruth replied.

They were in Miriam's house on Fear Street. It was late the following afternoon. Ruth had stopped by to deliver Miriam's homework assignments.

Miriam was glad her mother had let her stay home. She would have been totally useless at school.

But even being at home was torture.

The day had passed slowly. Miriam spent the whole time huddled under her quilt, dozing fitfully. The only time she could forget about Holly was when she was asleep.

Even then she had dreams of those rolled-back eyes and Holly's purple neck.

Too much to bear.

“Gary is really torn up,” Ruth said. “I guess he cared about Holly even more than I thought.”

Miriam wondered why her friend sounded so numb.

Maybe because she is numb,
Miriam thought.
I know I am.

“He wasn't in school today, either,” Ruth continued. “I dropped by his house this morning before I left for school. But his father wouldn't let me in.”

Miriam kept silent, listening to Ruth's quiet voice, half of her eager to hear what was going on in the twisted world of Shadyside High.
Old gossip habits die hard,
she thought with some guilt.

“And Mei wasn't there,” Ruth continued. “I checked.”

Miriam didn't reply. She knew what Ruth was thinking.

“Noah was there, though. Looking totally psycho. I guess he hasn't been sleeping.”

Miriam wiped her palms on her comforter. She pulled it up to her chin, feeling safer under its warmth. “I don't want to talk about them, Ruth. I just can't.”

Ruth leaned forward. “You know, Miriam,” she said sharply. “You're not the only one hurting. Holly was my friend, too.”

Miriam shook her head sadly. “I'm sorry, I know you're right. I'm just so miserable. And frightened.”

Ruth sat down on Miriam's bed. “Holly and I
didn't always get along. But still, I can't believe she's gone.” Ruth met Miriam's gaze. “I'm controlling my emotions, but that doesn't mean I don't have them.”

Miriam sat up in bed. “I
never
thought that, Ruth,” she replied, gripping her friend's hand. “I know you must be upset too. It's just that …”

“What?”

Miriam tried to smile. “I miss her already.” A tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. “I miss her, and I haven't been able to think about anything else. Every time I close my eyes, I see Holly's face.”

“I know,” Ruth replied. “The school is having an assembly tomorrow. Kind of a memorial. They're going to talk about Holly's death, lecture on school safety, all that stuff.”

She paused. “The school counselors think everyone will go nuts if they don't talk about their feelings. Maybe it would do
you
some good to talk about it.”

Miriam sighed. “I've been talking to myself all day, and
that
hasn't helped. My mom says I have to go back tomorrow. She thinks I need to get back into the routine. That it will help me forget.”

Forget Holly's death? Miriam thought.

Never.

Miriam threw her pillow at the wall, feeling a burst of rage. “Everyone thinks I should forget about seeing Holly's body! How is that possible?”

“I didn't mean it that way,” Ruth said quickly.

Miriam nodded, her anger fading back into sadness.
“I know. I was talking about everyone else—my parents and Jed. Not you, Ruth—you understand how I feel. I couldn't get through this without you.”

Ruth looked away. “I'm not so strong. On the inside.”

“I wish
I
was as tough as you,” Miriam persisted. “I always have. You keep your cool. You didn't miss school. I know you've been through this before with your father. But that doesn't make Holly's death any easier to take.”

“Holly's
murder,”
Ruth corrected her.

Miriam shivered. “I don't want to think about that.”

“We have to, Miriam,” Ruth argued. “We know who did it.”