2 Days Later. On the Road.
The book was riding shotgun.
It hadn’t written anything new since Baltimore.
Umi was driving. Cat in the passenger seat, on the book. Like a guard dog.
Miri was in the back with a map and pink highlighters.
Alex was playing soft guitar in the back. Making up songs about ghosts.
Fritz was in the middle, 3 energy drinks deep, scrolling. "So we’re ghostbusters now? But make it literary?"
Claire had given them one rule: Don’t open the book unless you have to.
Daniel had given them another: Call me every 6 hours.
The book thudded.
All 4 froze.
It opened itself.
Page 1 was still: We were hungry. Thank you for remembering.
Page 52 was new.
_Author 1: Umi. Location ping: Salem, Oregon.
Author 2: Miri. Location ping: New Orleans, Louisiana.
Author 3: Alex. Location ping: Nashville, Tennessee.
Author 4: Fritz. Location ping: Chicago, Illinois._
Under that:
There are 4 hungers now. Find them before they find seats.
Fritz sat up. "Bro. We’re being split up?"
"No," Umi said. Cold. Certain. "We’re being tested."
Miri traced New Orleans on the map. Her hand was shaking. "What if we can’t... what if I’m not brave enough?"
"You are," Umi said without looking back. "That’s why it picked you."
Alex stopped playing. "Nashville. Music city. Of course my ghost plays guitar too."
Fritz squinted at Chicago. "Chicago has good bats. And better energy drinks. I’m in."
The book flipped to page 53.
4 new paragraphs. Each in a different handwriting.
_Umi: The girl in Salem draws animals. They all die the next day.
Miri: The boy in New Orleans sings to empty chairs.
Alex: The man in Nashville writes songs no one remembers the next morning.
Fritz: The kid in Chicago takes photos. Everyone in them disappears a week later._
At the bottom:
Remember them. Don’t feed them. Don’t sit.
Silence.
Umi turned the wheel. "We split up."
"What?" Miri said.
"We’re faster alone," Umi said. "And safer together is what they expect."
Fritz pointed at her. "Cold but smart. Respect."
Alex sighed. "Fine. But we check in. Every night. No exceptions."
Miri nodded, wiping her eyes. "Deal. And... we don’t forget their names."
The car stopped at a crossroads. 4 directions.
Umi got out first. Took the cat and the book.
"No," Alex said. "Book stays with me. I’m the storyteller."
Fritz grabbed it. "I’m the one who’s surprised. It likes me."
Miri took it gently. "It cried pink ink for me. It’s mine."
Umi just stared at all of them.
The book floated out of all their hands.
Hovered.
Then tore.
Into 4 pieces.
Each piece flew to one of them.
Now each of them had 1/4 of the book.
Their pages only showed their city. Their ghost.
Umi looked at her piece. Salem.
"See you in 48 hours," she said.
And walked into the dark.
Miri hugged everyone. "Please be safe."
Alex gave a two-finger salute and tuned his guitar.
Fritz cracked a new energy drink. "Chicago, baby. Let’s get weird."
4 cars. 4 directions.
4 authors.
1 book.
From each piece of the book, a whisper:
"Don’t forget us."