Chapters (51)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Acknowledgments
- P.S. Insights, Interviews & More . . .*
- About the Author
- About the Book
- Also by Alison Gaylin
- About the Publisher
After we put Gabriel’s body in the fire, I fell asleep, and woke up to the sound of Elizabeth’s screams. Her father was awake—Elizabeth’s knapsack in one hand, a burning torch in the other. He kept yelling “Witch!” over and over. I saw him do it. I saw him burn his own daughter. Elizabeth was dying and I couldn’t get near her, because her crazy father had dropped the torch and it was a windy desert night and the flames kept growing and spreading, from one tent to the next to the next. Her brothers shrieking.
“Run!” Elizabeth yelled. And so I ran and I ran, thinking about what had happened. Torch in one hand. Elizabeth’s knapsack in the other. That psycho freak of a father had found her tarot cards.
Now, I am trying to get back to the Arco station, because I have decided to let that spot determine my fate. If the pay phone there is working, I will call the number in Gabriel’s wallet. If it’s not working, or if there are police officers there, I will turn myself in and go to jail. If I die before ever arriving there, well, that’s fine too. I haven’t slept in days. My best friend burned to death. Another life I’ve ruined. I can’t make decisions. All I can do is keep moving.
June 25, 1976
9:00 A.M.
Dear Aurora Grace,
Aurora Grace, there is a wonderful old movie called Easter Parade (I saw it yesterday), and in it, this goofy girl named Hannah Brown falls in love with a famous dancer named Don Hewes. And he loves her too, but she refuses to believe it because why would a famous dancer love a goofy girl like her? So, Hannah says to Don, “Why do you want to dance with me when you can have the very best?” And he says, “I don’t want the very best. I want you.”
I’m writing that down in this letter to you so I can remember that line and the movie, and what happened after the movie. I want to take that day and wrap it up in a box that I can keep with me always.
You know, it’s funny. I thought I had to get back to that Arco station so I could either rescue Jenny or receive the punishment I deserve. I was leaving it up to God. But God had other plans. I think God brought me back to that Arco station, so I could experience one full day of perfect happiness. Everyone should have one full day of happiness, Aurora Grace. Even somebody who deserves to lose everything and probably will. Even somebody like me.
Love,
Mom
June 25, 1976
1:00 P.M.
Dear Aurora Grace,
I found a pay phone. I called the number. Jenny is alive!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Mom