Dead End: Midnight Hollow

by Penn Cassidy

  As I left the room, I heard Pip ask Jason if he’d like a top up on his porridge, and a second later, the sound of silverware clattering to a bowl filled the silence. I waited until I was outside with the door shut behind me to belly laugh. The stricken look on Maddie and Jason’s faces would forever keep me warm at night.

  Freddy and Norman were waiting for me at the end of the stone path near the street. They both had their arms crossed over their chests, smirks on their faces. Freddy shook his head, saying, “It’s rude to laugh at other people’s expense, you know.”

  With pep in my step, I joined them on the sidewalk. “And you’re the expert on that, aren’t you, wolf man?”

  Freddy rolled his eyes. “All right, so what do we do now? None of us have classes for at least four hours…”

  “Well I’m starving,” I said, feeling a rumble in my stomach. “I could go for some bubble tea and a scone that won't make my lower intestines explode.”

  “Looks like we’re going to Toil and Trouble then,” Norman said, holding out an elbow for me to loop my arm through.

  I smiled and did just that, and a second later, Freddy took my other arm and we made our way in the direction of town. It was strange, being out and about when for all we knew, it was the middle of the night. According to my watch, it was still early morning, but the moons overhead were still playing tricks on my brain.

  It only took us twenty minutes to get to Main Street. There were people everywhere, bustling around with arms full of decorations and preparing for the festival. I’d almost forgotten about the solstice.

  The mortal world was well past Halloween, as it was the night we ended up here, but the streets of Midnight Hollow were lined in flickering jack-o’-lanterns, wreaths of twigs, and autumn leaves. It seemed like this place was stuck in a perpetual autumn, and I loved it. I was beginning to grow used to seeing odd creatures here and there. I did almost piss my pants seeing the guy from the gas station in the overalls, but what left my jaw dropping was he waved at me, mumbling something I couldn’t understand as he passed out flyers for his auto body shop. Not at all how it seemed at first glance...you should never judge a book by its cover. Shaking my head in wonder, I almost tripped over a couple of goblin boys as they chased each other around in circles, giggling.

  Witches swished around in their long velvet cloaks, and street vendors were selling their goodies, smelling like sweet treats and savory meats. It was like a street fair…only every single day. I imagined this was what stepping back in time felt like, where everything was homemade with love. My arm was still looped with the guys’, and they led me down the street until we saw Toil and Trouble just up ahead. There was a massive cauldron out front, just like always, but this time, the witches weren’t out there stirring something questionable. There was a huge wooden ladle that seemed to be stirring itself.

  A bell tinkled overhead as we stepped into the tea shop for the first time. I breathed in deeply as I was hit with the smell of loose herbs, spices, and sugar. I’d always loved the scent of dried floral teas. Jasmine blossom was my favorite, with just a teaspoon of wildflower honey, and a close second was any kind of chai with a dash of cream.

  The walls were covered floor to ceiling in jars on shelves that looked to be stuffed with loose leaves and herbs. Drying plants hung from the ceiling all over the shop, and I spotted a girl behind the front counter picking a sprig of mint off of one of them and plopping it into a cauldron.

  “Tell me why we didn’t come here first,” I breathed, smiling as I looked around at all the teas. “This place is amazing… I could live here.”

  I looked up at Freddy and saw him smiling down at me. “Then I probably shouldn’t point out that big case of pastries, or else you might never come home,” he teased.

  I perked up immediately at the thought of baked goods that weren’t made in the aunties’ kitchen, and followed his gaze to a glass case filled with delectable goodies. Holy pumpkin, they looked amazing. I saw scones of every color and shape, sprinkles and cupcakes and cookies. I didn’t know what I wanted to try first. I had a serious weakness for sweets, and I was already anticipating a stomach ache.

  “What can I get for you?” the girl behind the counter asked.

  She was slender, perhaps no older than twenty, and had straw colored hair that hung in a dry curtain. She wore a witch's hat and long purple velvet robes. Her blue eyes were welcoming as she waited for my order, but widened a moment later. “Hey! You’re those new mortals everyone’s been talking about, aren't you?”

  My smile thinned, but I tried to seem enthused. Norman beat me to the punch and said, “Not as mortal as you think.” I looked to my right and watched as he flashed the girl some fangs.

  Her eyes lit up, and she placed her hands on her hips. “Well then, I know just what to whip up for you.” She looked to Freddy and I next. “What’ll you have? We’ve got pumpkin juice, witchbramble tea, blackberry cappuccino—”

  “Surprise me,” I said with a smile. “I…trust you?” I really didn’t, but life was all about taking chances, and what harm could a little tea really do?

  “Witchbramble it is then. It’s my specialty.” The girl winked.

  “Make that two,” said Freddy. The girl nodded and twirled away. He looked down at me with a shrug. “What the fuck is witchbramble?”

  I cringed slightly. “No clue, just hoping for the best at this point.”

  We took a seat on a small set of couches and waited for the tea to brew. I was still eyeing that glass case of pastries. Eventually, it became too much for me to take, so I asked the girl to please grab me a pumpkin scone with chocolate sprinkles, and she passed it right over. Perhaps I should have been ashamed of the way I inhaled that scone. The guys watched me devour it in two bites with their mouths hanging open. I didn’t regret a thing. It was delicious and so much better than anything I’d had at coffee shops back in the mortal world.

  Our tea came out a moment later in to-go cups. We thanked the girl, and I paid for them with some silver coins the aunties had given me. I’d need to set up some kind of credit system at the bank soon, because I felt like I was living in medieval Europe right now with my coins jingling in my satchel.

  Norman hissed as he took a sip from his cup, and when he pulled it away from his mouth, his lips were stained in red. “Blood…” he said quietly, eyes flickering to mine in worry. “I-I—” he stammered, but I laid a hand on his arm and squeezed.

  “It’s fine, Norm. You can drink blood in front of me. Your body literally needs it to survive, so you don’t have to be ashamed of that.”

  He breathed out a long sigh, clearing his throat. “You’re not grossed out?”

  I laughed. “Why would I be? Do I need to remind you how I let you slurp from my own neck a few nights ago?”

  Freddy snorted and Norman sputtered, but I just grinned at them both as we left Toil and Trouble and started walking down the street.

  “That was different and you know it,” Norman muttered, taking another swig of his bloody beverage.

  “What was that?” I asked with a smirk.

  “Just drink your flower water.” He was trying to suppress a smile, but failed badly.

  Was it wrong to be jealous of a cup? Just the thought of his mouth on my neck again left my heart racing and me craving to feel his fangs pierce my skin again.

  Five minutes down the street, a sign caught my eye. It said Palm Reading Here. I sipped my tea thoughtfully, stopping in front of the shop. I was surprised at the full, sweet flavor of the witchbramble tea. I still had no idea what I was drinking, but it sort of tasted like vanilla with a hint of mint and jasmine. It had a kick of spice to it as well, and I just hoped I didn’t end up somehow allergic to it.

  “Don’t tell me you believe in psychics,” Norman said with a smirk, staring up at the shop beside us.

  I gave him a dubious look as I said, “We traveled to an alternate dimension, and you’re suddenly the expert on what’s real or not?”

&
nbsp; Freddy snorted, and Norman glared at his twin. “I’m just saying, most psychics are carnival con-artists. If someone could really see the future, don’t you think they’d like…tell the government so they could stop wars from happening?”

  “You’ve given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?” asked Freddy.

  “Shut up, man, you know what I mean. It's just a scam,” Norman said, punching his twin in the shoulder.

  “Yeah well, two weeks ago, none of us believed in vampires and werewolves, so I think I’ll take my chances,” I muttered, tipping back my cup and downing the rest of my tea. “I’m gonna check it out. You girls feel free to do what you want.”

  I made for the door, but the guys didn’t follow. I looked over my shoulder as I hoisted the door open. They smiled at me, and Freddy just said, “We’re gonna head over and grab a bite across the street, those scones have way too much sugar for this beach bod.” He patted his hard abdomen, and I just rolled my eyes.

  “Meet us over there when you’re done getting conned,” Norman added.

  I ignored their laughter as I entered the psychic shop. The inside was dark, since most of the front windows were blacked out, but it wasn’t like sunlight would ever threaten to peek through anyways. Candles flickered everywhere, putting my aunties’ manor to utter shame. It was warm, but not stifling.

  Beads hung from the ceiling, along with multicolored gauzy fabrics. I suddenly got a sense of déjà vu. It slithered up my spine like a memory, and my brain immediately flashed back to the carnival in the mortal world on Halloween. In fact, now that I really looked around and paid attention, there it was—the table in the center of the room with a crystal ball on top. One wooden stool sat on one side of the table, and two matching stools faced it on the other.

  For a second, I felt like the walls were closing in around me. Had I come full circle? Was this how it ended? Shit…did that Frank guy drug me somehow and these entire last couple of weeks were just some bad trip? Maybe Maddie was right. Maybe we should have run from that booth the second things got weird.

  I was about to hightail my ass out of the shop, hoping to the great pumpkin that Midnight Hollow was still there on the other side, when I heard the swish of beads and footsteps coming from the other side of the shop.

  “Ah, Miss Hallowell,” came an all too familiar voice.

  I turned on my heel slowly and faced Frank, who strolled into the room, wearing an identical velvet suit to the one he was wearing the last night in the mortal world, only this one was a shocking orange instead of purple. Even his crazy that matched. I suddenly had the hysterical image of Frank’s entire wardrobe filled to the brim with identical suits in every color of the rainbow.

  “What are you doing here, Frank?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

  He smiled, casting his hand towards the stool I once sat in. “Have a seat,” he said.

  “I think not.” Shaking my head, I glared at the man who probably set all of this in motion in the first place. “Was it you?” I asked. “Did you make our bus crash?”

  He blinked at me, genuinely taken aback, and the shock in his expression loosened something in my chest a little. “Oh my, no I didn’t.”

  “Then what are you doing here? Who or what are you?”

  “Have a seat, October, and we can have a little chat while your friends grab a bite to eat.”

  I looked over my shoulder out of pure instinct, but brought my eyes back to Frank a moment later. “If I sit, do you promise to tell me what you know? No bullshit?”

  “None,” he confirmed with a smile.

  Slowly, I approached the table and took a seat on the stool, arms still crossed. We were silent for a moment, the room filled with nothing but the crackling flames of the candles surrounding us, until he asked, “So how are you enjoying Midnight Hollow?”

  “You said no bullshit,” I muttered.

  “I can assure you, Miss Hallowell, I am in no way here to…bullshit you.” He smiled kindly. “As you might have noticed, my humble little shop straddles the line between the mortal world and this one. The fact that you stumbled in here on the night of Halloween was purely coincidence, as the veil was just thin enough.”

  My eyes widened. “Are you saying Maddie and I were actually in Midnight Hollow?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  “So what was all that mumbo jumbo about, then? You said something was coming. Were you talking about the accident?”

  His face sobered, and he shook his head. “I apologize if I might have mislead you in some way, Miss Hallowell, but my powers don’t work like that. I don’t see your future as if it were a film. It’s more of a small glimpse into possible futures, and even then, it’s more of a feeling. A warning, if you will.”

  “So you think your prediction was trying to warn me about the crash?” I asked hopefully. I hoped that’s what it was, because then I could rest easy. I hadn’t even realized how much Frank’s prediction that night had actually rattled me.

  “Would you mind letting me try again?” he asked, holding out his open palm.

  I stared at his hand, unsure if I was willing to go through this again. The last time hadn’t worked out so well for everyone else that was thrown from that bus. I still didn’t know if any of them had died that night, or what had happened when the five of us just disappeared. But what could it really hurt to know if danger was still looming? It wasn’t like he made it happen.

  Placing my hand in his palm, I tensed as his eyes shut immediately and his fingers wrapped around mine tightly. That same coldness slithered through me, just like the first night I stumbled into his booth. Frank’s eyes were moving rapidly behind his eyelids, and his breathing was becoming more ragged.

  “What is it? What do you see, Frank?” I asked pathetically.

  “It’s—” he struggled to get it out. “I’ve never had this happen before…”

  “What?!” I was beginning to panic now. “What hasn’t happened before?!”

  Frank let go of my hand abruptly, and I had to brace myself as I rocked back on the stool. It took a moment for him to blink, as if clearing away a fog. He looked at me, this time gravely.

  “What did you see?” I asked again, gritting the words through my teeth.

  “It’s not what I saw, Miss Hallowell… It’s what I didn’t see.” His haunting voice gave me goosebumps, almost like a warning for what lay ahead for me.

  “You need to speak in plain terms, Frank,” I demanded, tired of running in circles like a merry-go-round.

  He cleared his throat, tipping his hat up and running a palm over his sparse grey hair. “I didn’t see a thing. Your future…it simply wasn’t there, like a blank slate.”

  I blinked at him a few times, sure I’d heard him wrong. That didn’t make any sense. Unless I was about to die in the next few seconds, he should have been able to see something.

  “So what does that mean?” I asked. “Am I gonna die?”

  “Oh my, no,” he was quick to say. “Although I’ve never seen such a vision before, or lack of vision rather, I don’t believe it’s alluding to your demise. If death was in your future, it should have been quite clear.” He tapped his chin with his finger a couple of times before saying, “I’m unsure, but from what I can tell, your future seems to be uncertain of itself. I believe you’re at a crossroads, and it’s up to you to decide which way you will turn.”

  I gave Frank a droll look. “But isn’t that the entire point of free will in the first place? I don’t get it… Are you defective?”

  A sharp, surprised laugh fell from his lips. “You mortals are very loose with your tongues.” He clucked his tongue at me. “No matter. I only urge you to stay vigilant in the coming days. I have the sense that the darkness isn’t done with you quite yet.”

  Okay…it was time for me to leave. I’d had just about all I could take of Frank for one lifetime. “We’ll it’s been lovely chatting with you Frank. I’m gonna get going and try to f
orget this conversation ever happened. What do I owe you?”

  He waved a hand at me. “Your money's no good here, Miss Hallowell.”

  I cocked my head to the side. “Why do you keep saying that?”

  He smiled, and this time, his smile was nearly sweet and old-manish. “I knew your father, David, when he was just a young man, only a little older than yourself.”

  Sucking in a breath, I couldn’t help but take a step forward. “You knew my dad?” My eyes were wide, and already, I could feel the sting of tears behind them. Just the mere mention of him was enough to get the waterworks revving up.

  Frank nodded, that top hat bobbing. “Lovely fellow, and incredibly sharp. He used to bring me tea when he passed through this side of town. He and your mother were excellent people, kind and generous.” His eyes twinkled with memory, before looking at me. “You look so much like Mari.”

  My lips were quivering now, and I suddenly felt bad for all the not so great things I’d thought about Frank. If my parents had liked him, then how bad could he really be? I trusted my parents’ judgement, even when I didn’t always agree.

  “I miss them a lot,” I found myself saying. “I wish they could have come here with me. I wish they would have told me where I came from. Maybe then they wouldn’t be—”

  “It’s no use worrying over what could have been, sweetheart,” Frank said softly. “The only thing we have the power to control is what is to come. I may see glimpses of the future, but nothing is ever set in stone. If you want to live a life in honor of your mother and father, then listen to your gut. Listen to the warnings your intuition provides you with, and it’ll never steer you wrong.”

  I left Frank’s shop in a daze, not sure how to feel. I didn’t exactly feel upset, but I definitely felt like something had changed. I knew there were more things about this place that I still needed to figure out, and there were things about my parents’ death that were bothering me.