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“It’s very complicated,” the person said. “But it’s going to be a lot of fun. I have to hide.
Umm its giving...LIAR
Dottie became acutely aware that she was in a structure in the middle of a lake, halfway up a mountain.
Uh oh
She started to move toward the hatch, and the person moved that way as well.
AHHH
“I’m so sorry,”
No ur not
When the darkness came for Dottie, it was quick and it was total.
NOOOO DOTTIE
“I’m a strong believer in truth in advertising,”
Same girl same
Stevie and her parents had had many conversations about the nature of truth and fact,
Black and white thinking
There was only a single road in,
Seems like a trap...
as if a place hard to reach by car was somehow inherently suspicious
UM I AGREE
“I’m not going to change my mind.
U tell em girl
Be nice, Stevie.
The inner struggle is real girlypops
“And that Nate boy is a writer?” her mother said. “The Nate boy is a writer,” Stevie confirmed.
She conforms to everything her mother wants, even speaking like her to make her happy :(
Much as we love you, we have no idea why you have been accepted into this school, strange child of ours.
They have so much doubt and sometimes see nothing in her its so degrading and will certainly have an effect on her
Ellingham had no application, no list of requirements, no instructions other than, “If you would like to be considered for Ellingham Academy, please get in touch.”
How did she get in touch then?
“She has nice hair,” Stevie’s mom said. Though she was talking about someone else, this was a reference to Stevie’s hair,
I swear if her mum doesnt say just one genuine nice thing about her soon im gonna start tweaking out
The pixie cut suited her, and it was easy to care for.
And thats all that matters girl <3
“Make friends,”
Points for effort.
YES POINTS FOR DAMN EFFORT
kind of wanted the going-out, shopping, prom-going type, and we got this weird, creepy one,
I actualLy can't why do they treat her like this for nothing
Sometimes Stevie felt bad for her parents.
WHY??
Minerva.
Mcgonagall
(Plink, said a molar.)
“The teeth, your shirt, you’ve got an Eye of Horus tattooed on your wrist, the chamomile tea in the kitchen has packaging written in Arabic, and you have a tan line on your forehead from a head covering. Just a guess.”
AND THEY THINK SHES NOT SPECIAL???
“Stevie thinks she’s Sherlock Holmes,” her father said. He liked to make these kinds of remarks that sounded like jokes, and may have been well-intentioned on some level, but always had a hint of shade. “Who doesn’t want to be Sherlock Holmes?” Pix said, meeting his eye and smiling.
Pix I love you queen
In that moment, with that one remark, Pix won Stevie’s everlasting loyalty.
As one would
If that shade required a name, Stevie would have to go with “queasy salmon.”
Stevie had recently seen a true-crime documentary on how layers of paint could be peeled back, revealing writing that had been hidden for decades. Since then, she had desperately wanted to steam and peel a wall, just to see if anything was there. These walls probably had stories.
“Good job today!” Albert Ellingham called to them. “See you fellows tomorrow!”
“Robert was bending my ear about meetings the entire way.” “Please tell Mr. Ellingham that he has to go to Philadelphia,” Robert said, passing over his hat. “Mr. Mackenzie wishes me to inform you—” “I’m starving, Montgomery,” Ellingham said. “What’s on for tonight?”
Real
Playing games with his employer was a nonnegotiable part of his job,
Fun
“there is nothing so serious as a game” was one of Ellingham’s many mottoes.
What serves on either side, and if you wish to hide, may protect you from your foe, or show him where to go?
“There is a telephone call, sir,” Montgomery replied. “You must come at once, sir. On the household line. In the pantry. Please, sir, hurry.”
“I have your wife and daughter,” a voice said.
Noo
STEVIE BELL HAD A SIMPLE DESIRE: SHE WANTED TO BE STANDING OVER a dead body.
Oh-
This box contained the bare necessities of her life: her mystery novels.
Real
Where her books were, she was. Get the books right and the rest will follow. Now she could address the rest of the room.
Same girl same-
The coat had deep pockets and a thick belt, and when she was wearing it, Stevie felt powerful, prepared, and extremely waterproof.
His voice was deep and smooth and rich, like what gravy might sound like if gravy could talk. (Which, luckily, it cannot. Gravy might have a nice voice, but the conversation would probably be dull.)
What-
Hayes was a YouTube star.
*laughs* sorry, sorry (not sorry)
“Sorry, I was on the phone,” he said. “I was talking to some people in LA.” He held up his phone, as if indicating the presence of tiny Los Angelenos inside of it. It wasn’t clear to Stevie why he was apologizing or even explaining why he had been on the phone before she had seen him. But she nodded anyway, like this made sense. Maybe this was something celebrities—Hayes probably counted as an actual celebrity—did. They talked on the phone, and then they told you about talking on the phone.
I cant w him already and i just met him
“It’s been a weird summer. That’s why I was on the phone.”
No one asked-
“Your show is good,” she said. “I really liked it.” This wasn’t entirely true.
Also, this was Hayes Major, internet star, getting her to carry most of the heavy stuff, but still.
Ugh
“People in LA,” he said unprovoked, as they picked up some more boxes. “There’s been a lot of interest in the show for movies, so . . .”
Again, literaly no one asked
“So, I just have to make a few more calls now that I’m here?
Cmon bro shut up
Hayes Major had never asked her name.
Ofc he didnt his life revolves around himself
WE HAVE YOUR WIFE AND DAUGHTER. DO EXACTLY AS WE SAY IF you want them to live. Do not call the police. We will know if you have. We have eyes on the police station. Take twenty-five thousand out of the safe. Come out to the lake yourself. Get into a boat with the money and come to the island. You have fifteen minutes.”
There was a telltale snick, and the entire panel of wall gave.
Cool
“Robert, there is no time for this. I am taking this money out to the lake. Light a lamp and then help me count.” Later, when asked about this moment, Robert Mackenzie would say that there really was no time to think. That was the genius of the demand—no time to think, no time to plan.
Nooo
