And I know.

I know, but I have no idea why. Why all the lies? Why all the games?

You can't get out you have to get somewhere else.

"Both of you went out so fast. It was ridiculous."

I back up and then stand against the wall.

What about Iris? What's he going to do to her?

"Do you know that chloroform was used between the 1800s and 1900s? The only problem with it, then and now, is the side effects. Especially with your liver and your kidneys. But, well, we'll just have to worry about that when the time comes, won't we."

"Why are you doing this?"

He ignores my question and puts the cloth in one hand.

"Why?" he echoes. He takes a step closer. "It was my job. The icing on the cake is discovering this place. All thanks to you. "

He smiles again.

I just don't ...

Go.

I bolt and stop thinking and get around the corner heading down the hall, but he's too fast.

Way too fast.

I feel a hand on my arm and another pulling my shirt and then I feel something come over my face then feel something pressed over my face and my mouth and I start to scream but I can't.

I'm trying to scream one thing over and over but I can't get it out.

Iris get out of here Iris get out of here.

I keep trying until I suddenly can't try anything anymore.

99. In Flames There it is again.

The fire and the smoke.

Blossoming in front of me, burning hot and bright and wild.

I know she's in there.

Jocelyn is in there and she's burning and I'll never see her beautiful face again.

My eyes close, then open again.

The flickers of yellow and orange and red flames wave at me.

I close my eyes again.

This time when I open them, I see them.

Animals everywhere.

Dogs and cats and deer and groundhogs and foxes and even wolves.

They're all ...

I'm so dreaming. He must've slipped me something else besides chloroform.

The animals stand at the side of the fire, watching.

Then I see the black shape that's in flames.

The Crag's Inn.

My senses are having a hard time tracking and keeping up with the flickering flames. I feel weighed down, trapped, half conscious.

The inn is burning. It's really, truly burning.

I hear a song that was playing at the prom, mocking me.

Wake me up before you go-go 'cause I'm not planning on going solo.

But solo is what I am.

The inn is gone and surely that means Iris is too.

No.

I look to my left and see the window of my mom's car.

Outside it is a fluttering bird, watching.

Watching me.

I close my eyes again.

100. Driving Good thing I'm not confused.

Because if I was, I might be driving really not so well on my way to get Poe and then-oh, I don't know.

She's the only one I trust.

I trusted Iris, but ...

Don't think about it don't go there don't Chris.

I don't know what happened. With Iris or with Jared or with Poe or anybody.

Iris wasn't in there there's no way there's absolutely no way.

I'd feel sick to my stomach, but I feel like I left my stomach and my wits and pretty much anything I have back there on the hill that has a still burning still raging fiery mass on top of it.

I really almost drove off the cliff when I started up the car. Not on purpose, but because I was driving so fast.

And because you don't have a license.

But really.

I mean really.

I want someone to pull me over.

Please lock me up and throw away the key. I'll do anything for that.

My mind races.

Jared-is that his real name? I seriously doubt he's Uncle Robert's son.

How could you be so dumb?

I replay the last, what, five months or so. I should have thought things through more carefully.

He shows up the moment I go looking for help after her death. He shows up with his stories and his lies and his advice.

Listen to me, okay? You have to lie low. For a while.

So that's what I did.

I laid or lied low. I don't know which one I did. I just know which one Jared did.

I trusted him while he lied.

But what does Iris have to do with any of this? And why-why do this now? Why do this and leave me there to watch?

Everybody else around me gets hurt. But nobody hurts me. Not physically, anyway.

I don't want to imagine something happening to Iris. It's impossible. There's no way. She was an old lady who wouldn't hurt anybody. They wouldn't do that to her. They couldn't.

I drive through a maze of woods and wilderness and wonder if I'm some animal trapped inside, being watched like a guinea pig.

I think back to last night, about the smile and the sweetness that made me forget. Just for a moment.

Moments like that are good. They're necessary.

They're also like dreams. You wake and find them gone. You wake and find yourself driving in a nightmare. Just like now. Just like this.

101. Mad World Then you arrive at Poe's and suddenly find that you're hovering over yourself watching in horror.

You see the cars outside, but still you park on the side of the street.

Two squad cars with lights still on.

Of course you think the worst. But you can see Poe on the lawn crying and being held by her mom.

You see her father talking to Sheriff Wells.

Someone approaches you as you walk toward them.

The sky is clear and you're out of the woods and the heavens watch you.

Deputy Do-so-very-little Kevin comes over to you and stops you before you can go any further.

Now you're screaming though it doesn't really feel like it.

You're shouting for Poe but she just looks your way.

Looks your way as if this is your fault.

But you don't know what you did.

The deputy warns you to get back in your car and leave.

The sheriff looks over with little help.

No expression.

No expression.

Something happened.

You stand and look around and your world spins and swirls and you don't go anywhere.

Kevin tells you to go home and wait. Go home and wait.

Sit and listen.

You look at Poe and see the tears in her eyes.

That's all this town is and this story is and these secrets are ... just one big bowl of tears.

You find it kind of funny.

You begin to walk back to your car.