It's Not a Cult by Lauren Danhof

Author:Lauren Danhof
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

16

SORE AND STUPID

THE NEXT MORNING WE all slept in. I didn’t mean to, but when I opened my eyes, it was almost noon. West had kicked me in her sleep, and I had apparently rolled off the mattress and curled up in some kind of canvas tarp that smelled like fish. When I finally came stumbling down the stairs, my face sticky with pie and my back un-crinkling from the night, West and Dorothy were both up and dressed and sitting at the table, drinking coffee.

West looked up at me and snorted while Dorothy stared on in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Uh-huh.” I went to the coffeepot and poured myself a mug.

“But you don’t—” Dorothy started. I pulled back a chair, turned it around, and straddled it. “You look like you didn’t sleep well.”

“Yeah, well, West still kicks in her sleep.” I raised the mug to my lips, and West wrinkled her nose. The blueish daylight, filtering through the plaid curtains of the cabin, had thrown a bucket of cold water on our argument. In the daylight, everything was more defined, less fiery, and much, much more awkward.

“You smell awful!” West scooted her chair away. “Like garbage.”

“You stole the blanket, Your Majesty.” I took another sip. “I had to use that canvas tarp up there.”

“Oh!” Dorothy covered her mouth with her hand, and I couldn’t tell if she was laughing or trying not to throw up. “That’s what they use to clean the fish on that they catch out on the lake.”

“Of course it is.” I looked around. “How far are we from the lake?”

“Oh, less than a quarter of a mile.”

“Oh, okay.” The awkwardness only intensified. I preferred the screaming from the night before. What was happening?

“Maybe we could go down there later. It’s beautiful,” Dorothy said with a little smile.

“Why didn’t y’all wake me?” I asked.

“We’ve only been up for a little bit. James and Troy went to get the van.” Dorothy was talking like everything was normal, but I noticed her face was puffy, and I knew she’d been crying, probably after we all went to bed.

“Hey, um, Dory, could I possibly borrow your makeup?” West leaned forward on her arms.

“Dorothy, we need to talk about Mom,” I interjected.

Dorothy patted West’s hand. “Sure thing, just go in my bathroom and you’ll see it there on the counter.”

“Dorothy!” I shouted.

They both looked up at me in surprise. I saw a flash in Dorothy’s eyes before she blinked and her placid expression returned.

“I will tell you when I’m ready to talk.” Her tone was firm. I hated how small and stupid her voice made me feel, like I was being scolded by an elderly relative.

I threw my hands up and left the cabin to go see what was keeping Troy and James. The forest was quiet, and I liked it. I settled down in a rusted metal lawn chair on the little porch and put my bare feet up on the railing.

I could see the charm of the place, although living here was still crazy.

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