“I suppose I never had to define the type of friendships before. We’re all different, but I suppose I feel Zoe is more of a friend than Shoana. But they’re both friends—suppose I’m being a bit defensive there.” 

“No, not at all. Many of us have a rating system for our friends. It’s just we’re never asked to disclose it.”

“This is the house, just to the right there,” Sergeant Phil said.

Ruby stepped out of the car. The brightness of the day hurt her eyes and she tried to remember where her sunglasses were. Probably in the box in the ground. No. She wasn’t going there. This could be an ongoing battle, not to think.

The house was silent. Ruby guessed it must be around ten, and Catherine confirmed her guess was accurate. Ruby tried the door handle. It was unlocked.

“I might just go in and warn the girls that we have visitors.” As Ruby walked inside, she sensed something and a gush of air went past her. What was that? The back door was open. Just the breeze. Why was she on edge? That’s obvious, Ruby.

“Zoe . . . Shoana?” She didn’t speak loudly, but her voice echoed through the house.

Nothing. She felt a presence beside her.

“Thought it best I come with you,” Catherine said.

Ruby saw Sergeant Phil heading down the side of the house, past the side window.

Ruby pointed upstairs. “The bedrooms are up there.” She felt light-headed and found the nearest seat.

“You okay?” Catherine asked.

Ruby nodded.

“Stay put. I’ll go check on the girls. I’m sure they’re just being girls and catching up on some long-lost sleep.”

Ruby felt reassured as she watched the detective move up the stairs but dispirited when she saw the gun come out. 

Catherine entered Zoe’s room. There was a scream.

Catherine leaned over the balcony. “It’s okay, Ruby. Your friend got a fright, finding a stranger in her room.”

Zoe appeared at the top of the stairs, wrapped in a blanket and her hair all over the place. She looked down at Ruby.

“What’s going on, Ruby?”

Ruby stood up. “It’s okay, Zoe.” Ruby wasn’t sure what to say next. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

Zoe gave a puzzled look but nodded. 

“I think I’ll have one too.” 

Ruby turned to see Shoana standing in the doorway with the Sergeant behind her. 

“Found this one standing outside.” Sergeant Phil said.

Both the girls looked confused and worse for wear. Both gave puzzled looks to the bandages on Ruby’s hands. After a period of letting the fog dissipate and introducing themselves, Catherine did what detectives do—ask questions.

“You girls remember much about last night?”

They looked around at each other, as if unsure of what was going on. Shoana’s knees bounced and she avoided eye contact. Zoe picked at her fingernails and cleared her throat.

“All pretty weird. Don’t remember much at all. Don’t even remember going to bed,” Zoe said, and as if hit by a lightning bolt, she stood, and rushed to the sink and dry-retched. She turned towards them, and wiped her mouth with a tea towel, said, “My goodness. Anything could’ve happened. I could’ve been raped.”

“It’s okay, Zoe,” Catherine said. “There would be signs if you’d been raped and I’m sure you haven’t been.”

Zoe sat down and calmed her breathing. The tea towel rested on her lap.

“I’d say you’d been mildly sedated to enhance your experience of the event,” Catherine said.

Zoe covered her mouth with the tea towel.

“Shoana, how are you feeling?” Catherine asked.

“Bad. All I want to do is sleep.”

Catherine nodded. “How did you girls get into this ritual thing?”

“My fault. I’ve been to a few and I’ve always found them to be positive events. It’s not like humans or animals get sacrificed, or there’s communication with demons or anything. People have wrong ideas about what Wiccans do.”

‘It’s not your fault, Shoana,” Ruby said. “We did our research too. Didn’t we, Zoe?”

Ruby thought Zoe was going to puke again. But she swallowed and nodded to Ruby. Shoana seemed to just want to defend Wiccan and not to care she was drugged but happy to take the blame and move on. 

“Well, I think you got a bad apple this time around, Shoana,” Catherine said.

“Well, I haven’t been drugged before. Sad, because there’s normally a feeling of euphoria. No need for drugs.”

“You girls are the lucky ones,” Catherine said.

“Why’s that?” Zoe asked, clearing her throat.

“Ruby was drugged as well. Then buried alive. I would say she was offered up as some kind of sacrifice.”

Zoe made another trip to the sink. The sergeant followed.

“What? Impossible. She’s here,” Shoana said.

“It’s true, Shoana. Some people saw what happened and rescued me.” Ruby’s head started swimming, her vision blurred. She wished her mother was there. A hand touched her shoulder and a glass of water appeared in front of her. She looked up at the caring face of Sergeant Phil.

“Have a sip,” the sergeant said.

Ruby had a sip and let out a deep breath. She needed to rest. “I’m not up to talking much about it. Maybe later. But whoever organised last night needs to have a talk with these police officers.” 

Catherine was looking at Shoana. Examining her, even. Shoana did react differently to Zoe—no dry retching, just a matter-of-fact attitude. Maybe that was a harsh judgement—Ruby knew her emotions would be out of whack after a shock like this. Everyone reacted differently to things. But there was no empathy. What she’d been through was . . . Ruby choked up. 

She looked at Shoana through watery eyes. But Shoana was avoiding eye contact. Why?