Corareef12:

I don’t know. I guess you’re my secret. No one knows I talk to you.

JW44:

THAT’S NOT A SECRET. I ALREADY KNOW THAT. SOMETHING ELSE, THEN. GO TO THE WINDOW.

Corareef12:

What?

JW44:

GO TO THE WINDOW AND STAND THERE. I WANT TO SEE YOU.

Corareef12:

How can you see me? Are you outside right now?

JW44:

JUST GO AND STAND IN THE WINDOW FOR A MINUTE AND THEN COME BACK.

Corareef12:

Okay. I’m going now.

Corareef12:

All right. That was weird but I did it. I didn’t see you, though.

JW44:

I SAW YOU. YOU’RE WEARING A GRAY SHIRT AND HAVE YOUR HAIR IN A PONYTAIL.

JW44:

YOU STILL THERE?

Corareef12:

Are you outside?

JW44:

I’M ALWAYS AROUND. OKAY. NOW I’LL TELL YOU MY SECRET. PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER GIRL, A LONG TIME AGO. HER NAME IS RACHEL. EVERYONE THOUGHT SHE RAN AWAY. BUT SHE DIDN’T—SHE CAME WITH ME.

JW44:

ARE YOU STILL THERE?

Corareef12:

Is she dead?

JW44:

NO. THAT’S ALL JUST RUMORS. I DON’T NEED TO KILL PEOPLE. THEY WANT TO COME WITH ME. RACHEL WANTED TO COME WITH ME. ALL THE GIRLS DID.

Corareef12:

But what about the girls who died? Everyone says you killed them.

JW44:

LIES. THE GIRLS WANTED TO COME WITH ME. THE ONES THAT DIED WEREN’T BRAVE ENOUGH. I CAN’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

Corareef12:

I don’t think I can include this in the report. I don’t have any proof. My teacher says we have to have reliable sources.

JW44:

YOU DON’T THINK I’M RELIABLE?

Corareef12:

I need proof. Like from a book or newspaper.

JW44:

GO TO THE LIBRARY AND LOOK THROUGH THE YEARBOOKS FROM 1991. YOU’LL FIND IT THERE.

Corareef12:

What will I find?

JW44:

THE PROOF. THEN WE CAN MEET EACH OTHER IN REAL LIFE. THEN YOU’LL KNOW I’M WHO I SAY I AM.

Dr. Madeline Gideon September 14, 2018

Dr. Madeline Gideon

September 14, 2018

I remember being taken aback by Cora’s statement—I didn’t die. “Yes, Cora,” I said. “You are alive and a whole lot of people are so happy about that.” Cora tried to say something more but it morphed into a grimace of pain. I patted her uncasted arm and told her that I would stop by later in the afternoon to see how she was doing. Cora nodded, then closed her uncovered eye and floated off to sleep. I told Kendall goodbye and beckoned Mara to join me in the hallway.