Unlocked Read online

  Title Page

  Unlocked

  Margo Kelly

  Author of Merit Press’s Who R U Really?

  Copyright © 2016 by Margo Kelly.

  All rights reserved.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

  Published by

  Merit Press

  an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.

  10151 Carver Road, Suite 200

  Blue Ash, OH 45242. U.S.A.

  www.meritpressbooks.com

  ISBN 10: 1-4405-9359-0

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9359-8

  eISBN 10: 1-4405-9360-4

  eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-9360-4

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events, or locales in this novel are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. The resemblance of any character to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and F+W Media, Inc. was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

  Cover design by Frank Rivera.

  Cover images © iStockphoto.com/joshuaraineyphotography; iStockphoto.com/Timothy Hughes; iStockphoto.com/imagoRB.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgments

  Book One: Chaos Friday

  Saturday

  Book Two: Authority Sunday

  Monday

  Tuesday

  Wednesday

  Thursday

  Book Three: Skepticism Friday

  Book Four: Belief Saturday

  Sunday

  Praise for Margo Kelly’s Who R U Really?

  Acknowledgments

  I hereby declare my gratitude to the people who directly influenced the publication of this story.

  Brianne Johnson: You are the best agent in the industry! You’ve been a crucial advocate, and your support means the world to me. Thank you.

  Jacquelyn Mitchard: You helped me break into the publishing world with my debut novel, Who R U Really?, and your continued generosity with Unlocked has brought me great joy. Thank you.

  Merit Press: You have terrific people like Frank Rivera, who created an amazing cover, Lisa Laing, who refined this manuscript with proper punctuation and grammar, and Bethany Carland-Adams, who managed the publicity efforts with persistence and patience. Thank you.

  Early readers: Your insights on character development and plot points were essential to improving this story. When I asked you to read it just one more time, you did. Michele Yancey, Shelby Engstrom, Mary Buersmeyer, Holly Barnes, Artemis Grey, Christi Corbett, and Melissa Dean. Thank you.

  My family: You people are the biggest blessings in my life. Katherine, Jacob, Mitchell, Sarah, and Chris. For your daily unconditional love, I thank you.

  Book One

  Chaos

  A peculiar sort of chaos looms beneath the pretense of peace.

  Friday

  August 23

  Crimson lights flashed beneath the darkening Idaho sky, and swarms of people screamed as they plummeted on roller coaster rails. My friends and I passed unshaven men who blew whistles and offered the world, if you’d only play their game—toss their rings, shoot their balls, throw their darts—for a small price, of course. The tempting aroma of fried foods made my empty stomach tighten. Funnel cakes. Corn dogs. Fried Twinkies.

  “Hannah, there it is!” Lily motioned toward a massive white tent. A throng of people near the opening pointed and laughed at the show inside. Lily snatched my wrist and yanked me forward, but Manny tugged me back.

  “Food first.” He patted his stomach.

  “No. Hypnotist first,” Lily said. “He’s the whole reason we came tonight.” She pulled, and her tan shoulders hunched. But Manny held on, and together, the three of us blocked the crowd trying to move down the fairway. A tall blond lady grunted and hedged around us. Then Lily’s long-time love, Jordan, laughed at our spectacle, which was the last thing I wanted. I wrenched free from my friends and took a step away.

  “Let’s work this out,” I said.

  “Oh, Hannah . . .” Lily adjusted her golden tank top. “You’re crazy if you think Manny and I will ever agree on anything.”

  “Then we’ll flip a coin,” I said.

  Jordan plucked a quarter from his pocket. “Who wants to call it?”

  Lily clapped. “Heads!”

  Jordan tossed the quarter high into the evening sky. We craned our necks, and the evening breeze blew my hair across my face. I smoothed it back into place as the coin crested and began to fall. Jordan reached for it, but a burly man—too busy laughing to watch where he was walking—bumped into Jordan before he caught the coin.

  “Dude! Watch out!” Manny yelled at the stranger. I wrapped my fingers around Manny’s arm, and he relaxed. The offending guy held his hands up in apology and wandered away.

  Manny raked his fingers through his thick chestnut hair. “Let’s get the hypnotist over with so we can enjoy the rest of the night.”

  Lily beamed, and her hazel eyes sparkled. “We need to hurry and get our seats. The next show starts in ten minutes.” She grabbed Jordan’s hand, and they darted toward the white tent, but the crowd from the previous performance flooded out and blocked their path.

  “Thanks,” I said to Manny. “I just want everyone to get along and have fun tonight.”

  Manny laced his fingers through mine, and my heart fluttered. Would tonight be the night we finally kissed? We’d been friends for years, but we just officially started dating last week. He was the best thing in my life, and I wanted to be with him forever. He squeezed my hand, and we meandered over to the tent to wait with Jordan and Lily.

  Jordan fiddled with the gold hoop dangling from Lily’s ear, and she fussed over the spikes in his sun-bleached hair. They were the poster children for cute couples. Lily had even bought Jordan a plaid shirt with golden lines through it to coordinate with her tank top, and they both wore faded denim shorts and Converse sneakers.

  The crowd of people cleared, and we ducked inside the mammoth structure. Spotlights illuminated the entire space and rock music blasted from corner speakers. Stands of bleachers spanned two-thirds of the perimeter, and a stage filled the remainder. Men, like a colony of worker ants, moved around, sweeping and rearranging chairs for the next show.

  Lily claimed a spot near the middle front of the bleachers, and I perched next to her. A shiver ran up my spine when the cold metal touched the backs of my thighs. I wedged my fingers beneath my legs, and my silver bracelets clanked against the steel.

  “Why do you want to sit so close?” I raised my voice over the blaring song.

  “To get picked for the show.” Lily bugged out her eyes, as if it should’ve been obvious.

  My throat tightened at the idea of making a fool of myself in front of everyone. I wished we could move further back, but all around us, the stands were filling fast.

  Over the noise, a familiar hee-haw laugh split the arena: Chelsea. She and her date, Mark, bounded toward us, her long tan legs accentuated by her short shorts. Her single blond braid swished back and forth as she moved. She was a starting center for volleyball and towered five inches over Mark, who was a second-string tight end for the football team. He had to move twice as fast to keep up with her, but he had pursued her ever since she moved here last fall.

  “You didn’t save us seats?” Chelsea asked.

  “It flooded with people too fast,” Lily said. We hopped up and excha
nged hugs with her.

  Jordan stepped in front of Chelsea and fingered the collar of my white blouse. “You’d be hilarious hypnotized,” he said.

  “No, I wouldn’t.” I swatted his hand away and straightened my collar. “Besides, it’s only entertainment. A gimmick.”

  “Jordan’s right,” Chelsea said. “You would be funny onstage, but you’re way too uptight to be submissive to anyone.” My jaw dropped, and Chelsea laughed.

  “I’m not uptight,” I said, but my words faded into the deafening music. I just never wanted to be disorderly like my dad. He embarrassed Mom so many times in public. She would flush beet red as she worked to quiet his outbursts. One evening back in New Jersey, when I was eleven, Dad refused to get into the car. Mom started the engine and threatened to leave him in that crowded mall parking lot. I loved him too much to abandon him there. I pleaded with him, and when I reached for his arm, he backhanded me. My head flung to the side, and the pain seared through my cheek. Less than twenty feet away, a trio of girls from the popular clique gawked at my family’s debacle. Their ringleader cocked an eyebrow. Then the girls snickered and scurried away. I fought back my tears and turned toward Dad. I opened his door and waited—keeping my hands to myself. Several minutes passed before he relented and sank into the passenger seat. He never touched me again. He died three months later.

  The music in the arena suddenly changed from blaring rock to a peppier pop song at half the volume.

  Chelsea edged around me and took my seat. “Well if you’re too chicken to be in the show, Lily and I can volunteer.”

  “Go ahead,” I said.

  “No!” Lily said. “She’s just teasing.”

  Chelsea shrugged and surrendered my seat. “Fine, just make sure you entertain us.” She grabbed Mark’s hand, and they ran off to claim spots at the top of the bleachers.

  “Don’t let them badger you into doing it, if it’s something you don’t want to do,” Manny said. His towering six-foot frame shaded me from the arena’s spotlights.

  “Trust me,” I said. “I’ll choose for myself.”

  His brown eyes widened, and he caressed my cheek with his smooth fingertips.

  “Oh gag.” Jordan pretended to barf. “It’s a good thing we haven’t eaten yet; otherwise I’d be blowing chunks all over you two.”

  Manny whacked Jordan’s chest.

  “Dude!” Jordan lifted his hands.

  “Stop.” Lily pulled him toward her, and he sat to her right. I sat to her left, and when Manny took the spot next to me, he wrapped his arm around my waist.

  He whispered in my ear, “You’re amazing.” His breath made my skin quiver.

  A guy on the stage thumped the microphone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said, and the song changed to an anthem of drums and guitars, building the excitement. “Tonight, I have the honor of introducing the mystical Master Gira.” The guy swept his arm to the side of the stage, the drums beat at a maddening level, and the crowd applauded as a man stepped onto the stage. He wore powder-blue sneakers, worn-out jeans, and a white button-up collared shirt beneath a black blazer. His face, too tan. His hair, too white. He clapped his huge hands together, and his bleached teeth glowed under the glare of the spotlights.

  Lily whacked my knee. “Volunteer with me.” She twisted several strands of her long brown locks around her finger. “Take a risk with me. Life is meant to be lived. Please?”

  I glanced up at the stage and back at Lily. “I’ll do it, but only because we’re friends.”

  “Yes!” Lily threw her arms around my neck. “Best friends.”

  “Welcome to my Mystical Madness!” Master Gira swung the microphone stand out of his way and clutched the mike with his other hand. The crowd cheered.

  He spread his arms wide and asked, “Who’s been hypnotized before?” Half the crowd thrust their hands into the air. They clearly thought this was no big deal. Maybe I was too uptight.

  “Who thinks it’s all a giant hoax?” he asked. Lily clutched my wrist and raised it high. I yanked it back down, but the master mystic had already locked eyes with me. He raised his bushy white eyebrows and strutted to the left side of the stage.

  “Who’s afraid of appearing foolish tonight?” A majority lifted their hands. “I’ll tell you what”—he pointed, and the music in the background softened—“everyone shake your hands high in the air.” Everyone did, including me. “Shake them faster. Higher. Lower. In front of your face. Turn to your neighbor. Who seems foolish now?” The volume of the music increased, and everyone burst into raucous laughter. “And we haven’t even started the show yet!” Master Gira shouted into the microphone.

  He moved back to center stage, directly in front of me, but he looked beyond me—higher up into the stands. “Grab the hand of your neighbor and extend your arms out straight.” Both Manny and Lily linked fingers with me. The animated hypnotist lifted his arms up and down, and everyone in the crowd followed without hesitation. We all looked ridiculous, but the merriment was contagious.

  “Who’s ready to have the most amazing time of their life?” The crowd shouted their approval. “Well, the best seats in the house are right up here.” He pointed toward the row of chairs on the stage. “If you want to let go of your fears and feel more relaxed than you ever have, join the show tonight. I have fifteen chairs, and I need them filled boy, girl, boy, girl. Who wants to help?”

  Lily tugged me to my feet, and with her other hand, she reached for Jordan. I reminded myself that I was doing this for her. I was nothing like my dad. I could have fun and keep my composure.

  Manny hopped up with us. “I’ll go, too. When it’s over we can do whatever you want.”

  “Eat funnel cakes,” I said.

  “Funnel cakes it is.”

  I gave a quick nod, and all four of us ran up onstage with eleven other suckers. Several stage assistants showed us which seats to take. Manny and I sat next to each other, but they positioned Lily and Jordan at the other end of the row. She gave me an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and he winked at me.

  Gira explained to the audience that they needed to be very quiet while he hypnotized us. “Not everyone can be hypnotized,” he said. “If I or my assistants see someone is not fully under, we will excuse them from the show to return to the bleachers. And likewise, if a member of the audience falls under, we may bring him or her to join us up here.”

  The lights over the bleachers dimmed, and the spotlights aimed at the stage brightened. I squinted at the harsh beams. The hypnotist stepped in front of the row of chairs and touched each person on the shoulder. His jeans brushed my bare knees, and he paused in front of me with his index finger on my shoulder. I focused on the blacks of his pupils, and goose bumps popped out on my arms. My instincts told me to get off the stage. But the show had already begun. Lily would kill me if I left now. I could just pretend to be hypnotized.

  Master Gira shifted his hand in front of me and offered it to shake. He didn’t do that with anyone else, and so I hesitated at first, but then I relented and extended my own hand. Without warning, he clutched my wrist and jerked it upward, nearly lifting me out of my chair. He held my palm so close to his face, his breath warmed my skin. He lowered his voice and spoke in a rapid monotone.

  “From the tips of your fingers relax your muscles.” He released my wrist and touched my fingertips. Then he trailed his hand down toward my elbow. I was uncertain about how I should react. “Feel an overwhelming sense of peace. Let go of your worries. When I count to three you will slip into a deep resting place of serenity and comfort. One. Two. Three. Sleep!”

  He snapped, and my chin fell to my chest.

  But I wasn’t asleep.

  I wasn’t snoring. I wasn’t dreaming. My eyes were open, and I was aware of everything around me, but my head felt heavy. I played along, and even with my chin down, I could see the hypnotist step to the person next to me. On my other side, Manny tugged at the hem of his tan shorts and bounced his knee. He lean
ed forward and whispered, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” I whispered without moving a muscle.

  A stage assistant said to Manny, “Please return to the audience.”

  I needed him to stay.

  Manny’s hand tightened into a fist on his thigh. “I want to continue,” he said.

  “No.” The stage assistant nudged his arm.

  Manny flexed his fingers and plucked at his blue polo shirt. The assistant led him away, and another assistant guided someone else to Manny’s chair. The stranger’s chin sank to his chest. My eyes throbbed from straining, but before I closed them to rest, a shadow crept across the stage floor. I took a deep breath and listened to the hypnotist tell more people to sleep. Were they all faking like I was?

  “Open your minds,” Master Gira said with a cadence. “Open your minds and listen to my voice. I’m going to count and when I reach ten, you will be in a deep restful sleep, but you will still hear my voice and respond to my directions. As I count, visualize yourself moving down a plush staircase. Each step down brings you closer to true relaxation. Each step doubles your sense of peace. One, you’re on the first step moving down.”

  I’m doing this for Lily.

  “Two. Three.”

  I hope Manny is okay.

  “Four. Five.”

  I am not like my dad. I can stay in control.

  “Six. Seven.”

  I wish I could see Lily and Jordan.

  “Eight. Nine.”

  An ant crawled across the stage. It was out of my reach; otherwise, I would have squished it under my flip-flop. I hated those pests.

  “I only want you to experience an overwhelming sense of serenity and comfort. Relax . . . Ten. Accept the feeling of immense satisfaction. Gradually lift your heads and open your eyes.”

  I lifted my chin, thrilled my neck didn’t ache from being in the same position for so long. I stretched from side to side and scanned the audience for Manny, but the bright spotlights kept me from making out the faces. They seemed like distant ghosts instead of living people. I glanced down to the end of the row, expecting to see Lily and Jordan, but they were gone.