The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer: Volume 1 Hardcover - 2011

Excerpt

1
BEFORE
Laurelton, Rhode Island

THE ORNATE SCRIPT ON THE BOARD TWISTED in the candlelight, making the letters and numbers dance in my head. They were jumbled and indistinct, like alphabet soup. When Claire pushed the heart-shaped piece into my hand, I startled. I wasnâÈçt normally so twitchy, and hoped Rachel wouldnâÈçt notice. The Ouija board was her favorite present that night, and Claire gave it to her. I got her a bracelet. She wasnâÈçt wearing it.

Kneeling on the carpet, I passed the piece to Rachel. Claire shook her head, oozing disdain. Rachel put down the piece.

âÈêItâÈçs just a game, Mara.âÈë She smiled, her teeth looking even whiter in the dim light. Rachel and I had been best friends since preschool, and where she was dark and wild, I was pale and cautious. But less so when we were together. She made me feel bold. Usually.

âÈêI donâÈçt have anything to ask dead people,âÈë I said to her. And at sixteen, weâÈçre too old for this, I didnâÈçt say.

âÈêAsk whether Jude will ever like you back.âÈë

ClaireâÈçs voice was innocent, but I knew better. My cheeks flamed, but I stifled the urge to snap at her and laughed it off. âÈêCan I ask it for a car? Is this like a dead Santa scenario?âÈë

âÈêActually, since itâÈçs my birthday, IâÈçm going first.âÈë Rachel put her fingers on the piece. Claire and I followed her.

âÈêOh! Rachel, ask it how youâÈçre going to die.âÈë

Rachel squealed her assent, and I shot a dark look at Claire. Since moving here six months ago, sheâÈçd latched onto my best friend like a starving leech. Her twin missions in life were now to make me feel like the third wheel, and to torture me for my crush on her brother, Jude. I was equally sick of both.

âÈêRemember not to push,âÈë Claire ordered me.

âÈêGot it, thanks. Anything else?âÈë

But Rachel interrupted us before we could descend into bickering. âÈêHow am I going to die?âÈë

The three of us watched the board. My calves prickled from kneeling on RachelâÈçs carpet for so long, and the backs of my knees felt clammy. Nothing happened.

Then something did. We looked at each other as the piece moved under our hands. It semi-circled the board, sailing past A through K, and crept past L.

It settled on M.

âÈêMurder?âÈë ClaireâÈçs voice was soaked with excitement. She was so sketchy. What did Rachel see in her?

The piece glided in the wrong direction. Away from U and R.

Landing on A.

Rachel looked confused. âÈêMatches?âÈë

âÈêMauling?âÈë Claire asked. âÈêMaybe you start a forest fire and get eaten by Smokey the Bear?âÈë Rachel laughed, briefly dissolving the panic that had slithered into my stomach. When we first sat down to play, I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at ClaireâÈçs melodramatics. Now, not so much.

The piece zigzagged across the board, cutting her laughter short.

R.

We were silent. Our eyes didnâÈçt leave the board as the piece jerked back to the beginning.

To A.

Then stopped.

We waited for the piece to point out the next letter, but it remained still. After three minutes, Rachel and Claire withdrew their hands. I felt them watching me.

âÈêIt wants you to ask something,âÈë Rachel said softly.

âÈêIf by âÈæitâÈç you mean Claire, IâÈçm sure thatâÈçs true.âÈë I stood up, shaking and nauseous. I was done.

âÈêI didnâÈçt push it,âÈë Claire said, wide-eyed as she looked at Rachel, then at me.

âÈêPinky swear?âÈë I asked, with sarcasm.

âÈêWhy not,âÈë Claire answered, with malice. She stood and walked closer to me. Too close. Her green eyes were dangerous. âÈêI didnâÈçt push it,âÈë she said again. âÈêIt wants you to play.âÈë

Rachel grabbed my hand and pulled herself up off the floor. She looked straight at Claire. âÈêI believe you,âÈë she said, âÈêbut letâÈçs do something else?âÈë

âÈêLike what?âÈë ClaireâÈçs voice was flat, and I stared right back at her, unflinching. Here we go.

âÈêWe can watch The Blair Witch Project.âÈë ClaireâÈçs favorite, naturally. âÈêHow about it?âÈë RachelâÈçs voice was tentative, but firm.

I tore my eyes away from ClaireâÈçs and nodded, managing a smile. Claire did the same. Rachel relaxed, but I didnâÈçt. For her sake, though, I tried to swallow my anger and unease as we settled in to watch the movie. Rachel popped in the DVD and blew out the candles.

Six months later, they were both dead.

Âû 2011 Michelle Hodkin

Media reviews

Citations

• Booklist, 09/15/2011, Page 76
• Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks, 11/01/2011, Page 0
• Hornbook Guide to Children, 01/01/2012, Page 100
• Kirkus Reviews, 08/01/2011, Page 0
• Publishers Weekly, 08/01/2011, Page 0
• Romantic Times, 10/01/2011, Page 60
• School Library Journal, 11/01/2011, Page 126
• Voice of Youth Advocates, 10/01/2011, Page 403