Chapter 196

Eli stands in front of the small mirror in his room, buttoning a clean shirt he has not worn since his last day at Westbridge. The fabric feels stiff against his skin after weeks of old t-shirts and gym clothes. He runs a hand through his hair and checks the time on his phone. The woman on the phone yesterday had introduced herself simply as Selene and asked to meet at a quiet café across town. She had not given many details, but something in her voice made him agree. Now he wonders if he should have said no.

A ragged cough echoes from his mother’s room down the short hallway. He pauses with his fingers on the last button. The sound comes again, deeper this time, like it hurts and continues for a while as he counts the seconds. When they finally stop, Eli walks to her door and pushes it open gently. His mother is lying in bed, propped against thin pillows, her face pale and drawn as the room smells of stale air and the faint medicinal tang of the pills on her nightstand.