There was a splash as she smashed her shovel down on the water’s surface. “Iknewit.”
Behind my other shoulder, Dodie laughed.
“You swore it wasn’t you.” Violet’s tone was dark.
“I lied,” I said. “I bought comic books with it.”
“How did you even know where it was? I hid it.”
“It was in your dresser drawer, under your underwear. I mean, come on. It was the most obvious hiding place.”
Dodie laughed again, and Violet shouted, “You went in myroom?”
“Violet,” Dodie said, “we went in your room all the time.”
“True,” I said. “If we’re going to die down here, then I guess you should know.”
“Youcan die down here if you want,” Violet snapped. “I don’t plan to.”
Dodie’s teeth were chattering. “If this is our last moment, then I want you both to know that Mom liked me best.”
“No way. It was definitely me,” I shot back.
“Shh,” Violet said. “I can hear her now.”
A hiss came from the darkness, and we went quiet.
“I want to show you something,” Sister said. A shadow moved, tall and thin. It came from one direction, then another, flickering. I tensed. “Wake up.Wake up.”
I lunged forward and swung the bat, but hit only air. Dodie started to stumble but grabbed my arm, steadying herself.
“Sister,” Violet said.
I turned. Violet was frozen still, her face a mask of terror. The shovel shook in her hands.
“Sister,” she said again, and then she rushed past me in a splash ofdark water. She raised the shovel to hit something—I couldn’t see what it was. The flashlight moved. There was a strange thump, and then Violet dropped the shovel. And then, without another sound, she was simply gone.
“No,” Dodie moaned. “No, no, no.” She lunged forward to where Violet had disappeared and reached down into the water. “Vail, help me. She’s—”
Something bumped hard into my legs, and I staggered. I braced myself to rebalance, and it hit me again. Sister was trying to drag me under.
I kicked her. Then I plunged my arms into the water again, submerging, looking for Violet.
It was pure darkness under here. I forced my numb hands over the floor, searching, searching. An icy, bony hand landed on the back of my head, pushing me down.
I jerked, jamming my elbow back, then flipping my position under the water and kicking her off me. Her hand lost its grip, her fingernails raking my scalp in stinging pain. I kicked her again, then pushed up for breath.
“Vail!” Dodie shouted. “Over there! Toward the stairs!”
Something thrashed beneath the oily surface of the water behind us. I regained my balance again. My bat floated by me, and I grabbed it as I waded as fast as I could through the water, Dodie beside me.
Violet’s hand flew out of the water, then sank.
“Mom!” Lisette screamed.
I pushed toward the spot where the hand had gone under, then reached into the water again. Hands grasped at me—real hands, human hands. I gripped Violet and pulled up with all my strength.
There was resistance, because something was dragging her down. Something powerful. Sister had a grip on Violet and refused to let go.
