Radiant by Christina Daley Read Free Book Online

possessed one spoke clearly, directly, and politely.
    Politely .
    Mary dropped the dictionary. She didn't really believe in paranormal and supernatural stuff. But Carter's polite speech and his miraculous , for lack of a better word, recovery just didn't make sense in the natural world.
    And then there were his eyes.
    Mary never forgot how his eyes opened for a split second while he was hunched over in the wrecked car. And she didn't forget the tear she saw in the emergency room, which only came after the doctors were ready to pronounce him dead.
    What if Carter wasn't suffering from brain damage? What if that wasn't him who had looked at her? Or had shed that tear? What if something, like a soul from that Italian hell she read about in English, had taken hold of his body like this guy in this movie? Was it possible outside of the movies?
    Was Carter Maxwell possessed ?
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- 9 -
    Convinced
    Mary couldn't sleep that night. The ideas kept racing through her head. And just when she was about to slip into slumber, a new slew of thoughts would arise and stir things up again. They only paused when the alarm clock went off.
    She showered, dressed, and met Mom in the kitchen for breakfast.
    " Are you eating dinner with Ba again tonight?" Mom asked.
    Mary shook her head. "I've still gotta catch up on some things. I'll stop by and see her for a little bit, but I'll come home to study. Do you want me to get a burger or something and bring it to you for dinner?"
    "No, y ou don't have to do that," Mom said.
    Mary looked at her . "You need to remember to eat."
    " Yes doctor," Mom chuckled. "But I've got it covered with leftovers. By the way, your eyes look a little red. Did you sleep well last night?"
    Mary stirred her cereal. "I've got a lot on my mind."
    " Want to talk about it?"
    " Not really."
    Mom stared at her for a moment. "Well, if you change your mind, you always know I'm here."
    " I know. Thanks."
    Mary hadn 't finished her cereal by the time breakfast was over. After she kissed her mother and said goodbye, she headed for the bus stop. At school, her radar immediately went up for Carter. But she didn't see him in the halls. During Pre-Cal, she kept wondering if he would be waiting outside the door like he did yesterday when class was over. But he wasn't. She didn't see him after Art, nor did she find him when she meandered by the lunchroom and the computer lab. English was hell again. But still no Carter in the hall.
    Finally, Mary arrived in Physics. Carter, wearing that thick black sweater again, sat in his usual seat on the back row. He didn't talk to his friends, and they ignored him as well.
    Mary took her seat and tried to concentrate on the lesson. She stole a couple glances back and saw that Carter had his book, but it wasn't open and he didn't take any notes. Also, his eyes stayed forward.
    When the final bell rang, Mary deliberately put her things away slowly. She watched out the corner of her eye as Carter put the strap of his bag over his shoulder and walked to the front of the room. She waited for him to come say hello.
    But h e didn't. He walked out of the room without even looking her way.
    Mary wasn 't disappointed. She was hurt. And she knew that she deserved it for talking to him the way she did yesterday.
    She shouldered her bag and left the room. Before she could leave, she needed to swing by David's locker and remind him to return her expensive brush. He had a project to finish during lunch, and he a sked if he could use her "bling" brush. David did help her before on other things, so Mary was okay with letting him use it. This one time.
    She heard the basketball team practicing in the gym as she passed by. As s he headed up a stairwell, she heard giggling. At the top, she saw a tall, gorgeous girl flirting with a tall and semi-gorgeous guy. Mary didn't know the guy, but she recognized the girl as Carter's girlfriend, Laci. Mary lowered her head as she tried to duck past