181 Grace: Removed
“Well, it isn’t a downpour yet. We’ll have to hurry before it becomes one.” He flips the wipers on low as more droplets pepper the windshield, leaving streaky trails across the glass.
[MADNESS: <(‘0‘)>]
[WRATH: Who are you?]
I hit send before I can overthink it. Three dots appear, bounce, then disappear. Then reappear. Wrath seems to be typing and deleting multiple responses.
The walkie talkie crackles to life again. Caine’s deep voice cuts through the static: “It’s starting to rain.”
The reply comes instantly, like they were staring at their phone waiting.
“You worry more about me now than you did when Rafe threw me away.”
[MADNESS: Hello darling~]
[GRACE HARPER: I didn’t ask to be added to your group. I just got a notification saying I was invited.]
“Why a kennel? It seems to be just fine in your lap.”
The white cat shifts in my lap, settling into a more comfortable position as we brake to
a stop.
I set the walkie talkie back in the center console, unable to contain the grin spreading across my face.
“Just making sure.”
Right on cue, the walkie talkie crackles, and Caine says, “Exit in two miles.”
Sounds like a fun time. Not.
[WRATH: Are you with her now?]
[GRACE HARPER: Me. Obviously. I’m asking because I know someone named Lyre and
I’m trying to figure out if she’s the Lyrielle from your fan club.]
181 Grace: Removed.
What the fuck is the last message supposed to be?
I blink at my phone. The error message stares back.
[WRATH: I swear if you’re another one of Chaos’s little playthings I will PERSONALLY come find you.]
[WRATH: We’re just curious.]
Instead, I find myself typing.
[WRATH: ??????????]
My lips quirk. His sense of observation is as keen as always.
Jerking my head in Andrew’s direction, I ask, “Sorry, what?”
“What the hell?” I mutter, tapping the screen again as if that might fix it. It doesn’t. The entire conversation–gone. Like it never existed.
[This message thread has been removed for multiple Plausibility violations.]
Obviously, I’m getting nowhere. So I back out of the message and into the one sent by
Madness.
Feeling a little nauseated, I tap at the notification.
[WRATH: I didn’t realize who you were. We don’t pay attention to mortal names.]
Finally:
“Oh.” Blinking out the window, I realize we’re about to turn off onto the exit for our chosen Walmart stay. “Yes. That would be great, thank you. Litter box, litter, cat food, a kennel for travel—”
[GRACE HARPER: No.]
Wrath’s message draws my attention first, and I open it.
My phone vibrates.
I hesitate. “I don’t know. Just in case. What if it gets curious and gets under you My hand flies to my cheek, feeling the warmth there. Am I really that transparent? The thought makes my skin prickle with self–consciousness. I hadn’t realized I was so
t?”
181 Grace: Removed
obvious.
Snatching the receiver before Andrew can, I drawl, “We see it.
[WRATH: How did you get into our group?]
[WRATH: Who the fuck are you?]
I wave a hand dismissively, already regretting bringing it up. “Stop. I don’t even want to think about the past anymore.”
[WRATH: Come back! We’re curious about Lyrielle and she never talks to us anymore.]
His shoulders hunch. “No, there isn’t. I was just…” He sighs. “Sorry. I guess I was meddling a little too much. It’s just hard not to worry about you.”
It’s already bad enough we’re going back.
I blink, caught off guard by the question. He keeps his eyes on the road, but his fingers drum against the steering wheel.
My thumb hovers uncertainly over the back button, my eyes drawn to the new direct messages sent my way, from Wrath and Madness.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Andrew asks.
[WRATH: I’m sorry, I’ll be nice.]
[GRACE HARPER: Is Lyrielle’s nickname Lyre?]
2
If that’s the case, Lyre’s shockingly normal. Owen, too.
Andrew’s the one to grab the unit and respond. “Understood.”
“Isn’t it a little early, though? It’s only six.” I check my phone screen to confirm. We made good time, too. The storm wasn’t supposed to hit for another hour or two.
Giving up, I go to exit the app, only to see another flood of messages.
Shockingly, everyone’s still asleep, even as the car slows.
Somehow, it’s worse to see with the wipers than without.
I rest my head on my hand and stare out the window, watching as tiny raindrops hit the windshield.
181 Grace: Removed
[WRATH: ??????]
Andrew leans forward in his seat, squinting upward at the charcoal clouds swirling above us. “Looks like it’s here.”
[GRACE HARPER: No. Look, I just want to know if Lyre is Lyrielle. Yes or no?]
[WRATH: ANSWER ME.]
Leye him suspiciously.
Maybe being divinities does something to their brains.
[WRATH: Come back.]
[WRATH: Come back, Grace Harper. We don’t hurt mortals.]
He seems to love caps lock.
Oh, for-
[WRATH: Has she mentioned
any
of us?]
[WRATH: WHO INVITED YOU?]
Obviously. Or else why would I be asking him?
I stare at the barrage of question marks and threats. Whoever–whatever–Wrath is, they clearly have anger management issues. Their name is appropriate.
My eye twitches. Wrath kind of feels… annoying? 1
“I mean, you’re smiling like crazy right now just from hearing him talk,” he adds.
“There’s nothing wrong with smiling,” I say defensively.
[WRATH: USELESS]
There’s a flash of lightning in the distance.
He flinches. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. But at least he doesn’t make up excuses.
Ignoring this would probably be the smart option.
Whatever it is, I have the strong sense getting involved with him will only be to my disadvantage, so I click out. No more messaging people on this bizarre app. They’re all
4/5
181 Grace: Removed
strange. No; they’re bizarre.
[GRACE HARPER: I don’t know.]
His eyes flick to me, then back to driving.
[WRATH: Who wants to know?]
He nods thoughtfully. “Yeah, that would be a problem. Sadie’s too big to get under
there.”
[MADNESS: Welcome to the club~]
The message thread loads, revealing a string of increasingly agitated texts:
“I said, do you want me to get the stuff for the cat while you guys get the camper ready?”
There’s a longer pause this time. I glance up to check our surroundings. Andrew’s focused on the road, and dark clouds are rolling in quickly. But it looks like we’re only a couple miles from our exit now.
[MADNESS: If you have pictures, share them with me~]
“…Grace?”
