Kate reached for my arm, steadying me. “What happened? What did you see?”
“She was getting into a cab, and then. then there was a crash,” I stuttered, barely able to catch my breath.
“Was she hurt?”
“I. I don’t know. It ended right there, right with the crash. But it was today; I saw the date on her phone. Oh, God, I’ve got to warn her!”
“Come on, let’s go.”
Next thing I knew, I was running beside Kate, her blond hair fanning out behind her. We were headed back toward the dorms, and as we approached the building, the door swung open. We made our way up the stairs and down the corridors toward my room. Thank God that Kate was with me, because I’d dropped my bag back by the fountain and didn’t even have my room key with me.
But as long as I was with Kate, that didn’t matter. The door to my room burst open just as we reached it, and before I’d taken even one step toward my desk, my cell phone flew right across the room, into my shaking hands.
With fumbling fingers, I dialed Patsy’s cell. Seconds later, it began to ring.
“Hello? Violet?”
She was outside; I could hear the sounds of cars whizzing by, of car horns and jumbled voices as people walked by. Thank God, there was still time!
“Pats — Mom?” I corrected myself. “Mom, listen, I know this sounds nuts, but don’t get into the cab, okay?”
“What? I can barely hear you; I hate this headset.”
“Listen to me!” I yelled. “Don’t get in the cab. Take the subway or something.”
“There’s a cab. I’m sorry; I’m running late to a meeting. I’ll call you tonight, okay?”
“No, don’t get in the cab! Do you hear me?”
“You’re breaking up, Violet. I’ll call you later.” Click.
“No!” I screamed, sinking down on my bed.
Kate’s face paled. “What should we do?”
“There’s nothing we can do.” I threw the phone across the room, watching helplessly as it skittered across the floor and banged against the desk.
“I’m going to go tell Mrs. Girard what happened, okay? She can send word to your teachers.” Kate rushed out, and I closed my eyes, hoping for another vision. I had to know what happened, damn it. Sandra had tried to teach me to summon a vision, to replay it so that I could look for details I’d missed the first time.
I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate, trying every trick that Sandra had taught me. Nothing.
I wanted Aidan. He was back at school; he’d come back the day before. I reached out to him telepathically, calling out his name in my mind.
Are you okay? Aidan’s voice, inside my head.
It’s Patsy!
Meet me at the chapel.
I snatched my cell phone off the floor, shoved it into my back pocket, and ran out without even closing the door behind me. I knew I was breaking a rule, taking my cell with me, but I didn’t care. I ran the entire way to the chapel, my heart pounding.
As soon as I stepped inside, Aidan’s arms were around me. “What happened?” he asked, his lips against my ear.
I started to cry again. “A vision. I saw Patsy get in a cab— today — and then there was a crash. I tried to warn her, but she couldn’t hear, she wouldn’t listen,” I sobbed, my face pressed against his chest.
“And you’re sure this is going to happen today?”
“Yes! Yes, it was exactly like I saw it happen. I even saw her take a call. It was me! Calling to warn her, but she wouldn’t—”
“Shhh, calm down. Okay, how long ago did it happen?”
“I don’t know. Maybe ten minutes?”
“Have you tried calling her back?”
I swallowed hard. “No. Do. do you think I should try?”
“Do you have your phone?”
“Yeah, right here.” I pulled it from my back pocket, but my hands were shaking so badly that I dropped it. No way was I going to be able to dial.
As if he understood, Aidan picked up the phone and hit the redial button, then handed it back to me.
I held my breath as it began to ring. Once, twice, three times. On the fourth ring, she picked up. “Hello?”
“Mom!” I nearly screamed it, I was so relieved to hear her voice. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“Hey, can you hear me?”
“Yeah, I can hear you just fine.”
“I was just in an accident, nothing major.”
“I told you not to get into the cab. I had a vision; I knew something was going to happen, and—”
“Please, Violet,” she said, then sighed loudly. “Don’t start this again. Anyway, I’m fine. They’re taking me to the hospital, just to check everything out. The driver. well, he’s in pretty bad shape. Thank God I was wearing my seat belt.”
“What hospital? Where are they taking you?”
“What? Oh, I don’t even know, maybe Mount Sinai? Wait, no, the EMT is saying Lenox Hill. But listen, Violet, you do not need to leave school and come down here, okay? I’ll call you after I leave the hospital. I have to go now. They’re putting me in the ambulance, and I can’t use the cell—” I heard a click and she was gone. I let out my breath in a rush, and Aidan’s arms went back around me, steadying me. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I lied. “Sounds like she’s fine. She told me to stay here.”
“Good. I imagine she’s a tough lady.”
“She’s pretty tough,” I agreed. “But what about next time? Why won’t she listen to me?”