Page 10

Five

My three dear friends, my wooden figure friends, were hanging out, life-size, in the outer office, and they were very much alive. Madigan was sitting … on my desk, looking far more stunning and far more lethal in flesh and blood. She was moving my stapler through the air and snapping it shut as if it was some kind of biting bird. Her sleek bow leaned against my chair. Austri, short, stout and as full of life as I expected, was standing at the coffee cart devouring a maple donut. And Lyric leaned against the front of my desk, looking every bit the edgy, beautiful and wonderful best friend I’d known for years. My coworkers were freaked out, but I was so thrilled to see them (even if it was just a glitch) that I didn’t know who to greet first. Lyric made that decision for me.

She skipped along on her short black boots and held out her arms. “What? No hug for your bestie?”

“Lyric.” Her name caught in my throat, and I held back tears. I crossed the floor in two long strides and we hugged. Her long braids danced on my shoulders. She felt warm and like home and she felt all too real. I leaned back. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, like always. “This is a glitch, right? You’re not really here?”

“Nice way to treat your three best friends,” Austri chortled. He held up a second donut. “Why the hole? I don’t understand. Why not a full circle of doughy sweetness? Feelin’ cheated.” He shrugged and shoved the entire donut into his mouth. Sprinkles and bits of glaze dotted the rough animal hide cloak he was wearing.

“Do you know these lunatics?” Mark asked. He kept a cowardly distance. “Get them out of my office. Kylie, call the police.”

Kylie hadn’t moved from her stunned position behind her desk. She blinked at the trio as if she might be hallucinating. I’d never had other people, familiar people, witness the same glitch scene as me. “They just appeared.” Kylie’s words drifted around the room aimlessly. “Just popped up.”

Madigan had bored of the stapler and was checking out my keyboard. “Madi? Is this real?”

Madigan smiled at me. For years she’d worn the same stern expression, so seeing her smile made my chest tighten. “Sure is, Rafi. We need to get you out of here.”

“You mean, out of this office?”

“For a start.” Madigan hopped down from the desk. She moved gracefully, like a cat. She glided across to me. Her arrows vibrated in the quiver on her back.

“She has weapons.” Mark’s voice was a few octaves higher. “Call the police, Kylie.” Linda finally worked up enough courage to poke her head out the door of Mark’s office.

“That’s her. She’s the one who hurt my hand.”

Madigan cast a wicked grin Linda’s direction, then she turned back to me. “We need to go, Rafi.” Her tone was calm. The trio had been there for me in dark times and in good times. I saw no reason to fear or contradict them now as flesh and blood.

“I’ll call the police,” Mark said angrily.

“No! I’m sorry. They’re uh, they’re friends from drama club, a theater group. We’ve been rehearsing a play, a sort of medieval-future dystopian thing,” I said. “No need to call the police. I’m fired, so I’ll get my things, and my drama friends and I will be on our way. Right, guys?” I plastered on a smile.

“Drama friend,” Austri scoffed.

Madigan grabbed a pen and threw it at Austri. It stuck point first in his animal skin cloak. He stared down at it. “Look what ya did to my finest cloak.” He yanked the pen out and threw it. It stuck in the wall over my desk. He grinned widely. It was as warm and full of charm as I expected. I’d developed a personality for each of them in my mind, and I’d been spot-on about all of them.

“Well, drama club, bestie—” Lyric took my hand. “Guess we should be on our way.”

Mark was following through on his threat to call to the police. Madigan walked straight up to him and stood toe-to-toe with the jerk. She didn’t say a word and stood stock-still as if she was still a wooden figure on a shelf. She stared at him. He lowered the phone mid-conversation, and the color drained from his clean-shaven face.

Madigan moved toward the office. She knocked on the doorway, then leaned in and growled. Linda screamed. Madigan laughed. She turned and winked at me. “Austri, stop eating. We’re out of here.”

“You forget how long it’s been,” Austri complained. He grabbed two more donuts.

“Wait, my purse.” I grabbed it and took Lyric’s hand again. I never wanted to let it go.

Austri led the way. Mom had assured me I could trust Austri. She said he’d always lead me to safety, so I followed without question. I was still struggling to decide if I was in a glitch or if this was actually happening. I really hoped it was the latter. I was going to be disappointed if I popped out of the glitch, and the trio were back in their wooden form.

Curious and shocked stares followed us down the hallway to the elevator. “Theater group,” I explained to some of the more familiar faces. “Big production this summer. Don’t forget to buy tickets.”

The elevator bell dinged, and the doors opened. Madigan reached for an arrow. I put my hand on her arm. “Just an elevator. We step inside.”

“Inside that?” Austri asked warily. “Looks like it wants to eat us.”

“Nope, it’ll just take us down to the lobby.” They all hesitated. Frankly, I was a little hurt. “Seriously, would I put any of you in danger?”

“You certainly wouldn’t.” Lyric stepped in first, then Madigan, and I held the doors while Austri convinced himself to join us.

“If only we had another one of those cakes with holes,” Lyric quipped before he made the big leap. I lowered my face to hide my smile.