Haunted Hearts

by Jenny Bloom

  “I'd like to make you a happy girl.”

  “So, meet me at my apartment tonight?”

  “What time?”

  Ruby nodded her head side-to-side as she considered when she would be done with her tours. “How about 6:30 PM? And bring your appetite.”

  “Oh, I don't think that will be too difficult.”

  She blushed as she covered her mouth to stifle another girlish giggle. When she felt confident she wouldn't burst, she said, “That's good news.”

  “I have to get going to this class. I'll see you really soon.”

  “I can't wait.”

  “Neither can I.”

  There was a long pause as Ruby waited on the phone. She heard Lynda hesitate, then heard the line click after another few seconds of awkward silence. As she slipped her phone back into the pocket of her skirt, she strolled back to Ernest and dropped to the ground.

  “Another date, eh?” he teased. “What are you two doing this time?”

  “We're going into the woods for a picnic.”

  “That sounds adventurous. Which side?”

  “Not the witch side.”

  Ernest laughed. “No, I meant which side of the woods are you taking her to? I took my partner to the ones behind the Maldone property a few months back.”

  “And how did Micky like that?”

  “Let's just say he didn't need to say much...with words.”

  Ruby rolled her eyes and fell into a fit of giggles. Her head was woozy and her heart was fluttering madly, causing her to hold her forehead. “Wow, I think I need to eat.”

  “Yes, you totally need to eat. We both do before this last tour.”

  “I wish Mr. Cloher wouldn't book them so close together. It's like we don't have any time to rest after standing and walking.”

  “That's why I like the evening schooner tour. It's just easier to deal with instead of standing all day.”

  She shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Okay, stop talking. Eat.”

  She saluted him and said, “Yes, sir.”

  While she took small bites of her sandwich, she thought about what she might bring to the picnic. She nodded as she ate, swallowing fully before taking another bite.

  She paused mid-bite.

  I'll have to tell her I want to leave at some point, she considered. I mean, she'll probably move on from school, too, but I should mention Ireland. I have the application sitting on my table.

  When she reached for her water, she sighed while chewing the bite she had held in her mouth.

  “What's up?” Ernest asked. “You never sigh like that unless you're really thinking.”

  “Well, do you remember when I said I wanted to work in a haunted castle?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I found a job in Ireland for one of their most haunted places. And since I've gotten so much experience here, I thought maybe I should go for it.”

  “What about Lynda?”

  “What about her?”

  He blinked with a blank expression as he set down his burger on its wrapper. “Well, what about what you’ve started with her?”

  “It's important. I mean, I like where it's going, but I didn't think it would be something that would last. Like you said, she's a student.”

  “Yeah, that's true. Does she know about your plans?”

  She pressed her lips into a tight line and hummed awkwardly while rolling her eyes away from him.

  “So, that's a no.”

  “It's a not yet, Ernest.”

  “But still—you should mention that soon.”

  She shrugged. “It's only date number three.”

  “Still worth mentioning.”

  “Yeah, you're right. Thanks, buddy.”

  “Hey, what else are friends for?”

  “Stealing fries.”

  Ruby snatched a few fries from Ernest with lightning speed, causing him to yelp dramatically as he attempted to grab them back. She giggled and popped them into her mouth before he could get a hold of them. The fries were cold but their salty taste was satisfying.

  He laughed as he shook his head. “You are something else, Miss Vamp.”

  “You said it yourself: What are friends for?”

  “Stealing fries,” he sighed. “And sharing dirty secrets.”

  He winked and went back to eating his burger, going quiet as he chewed. She felt a calm silence wash over them as they continued eating. The sun hung down in the sky, threatening to fall under the horizon at any moment. Although it wasn't particularly late, she could feel the approaching dusk as if it were seconds away.

  And it only made her more excited to see Lynda.

  Chapter Six

  Lynda

  Lynda stepped over the fallen leaves, listening to the satisfying crunch they made as she walked. She watched her faux leather brown boots step forward, pushing leaves and debris out of the way. When she glanced at Ruby, she felt comforted by Ruby's presence, even as the branches around them appeared like gnarly arms reaching in to grab them.

  She shivered and swallowed the fear creeping under her skin. “This is actually pretty.”

  “I thought you might like it.”

  “What's on the menu tonight?”

  Ruby placed a finger over her own lips and winked. “That's a surprise.”

  Lynda felt giddy with anticipation. She kept her pace with Ruby and tried to relax, listening to the sounds of the fading day sing around her. She could hear the birds fluttering through the trees, their chirps filling the chilly fall air as they bounced from branch to branch. She heard the sound of other critters skittering through the forest as well as pieces of conversation from the neighboring road.

  We're not totally isolated, but at least we won't be spied on, she reflected as calmly as possible. But when it gets darker...

  She shivered.

  “Are you cold?” Ruby had stopped on the path and was holding out a fleece blanket as an offering. “You can always wrap yourself before we sit.”

  “Oh, I'm fine.”

  Lynda took a quick glance around, masking her paranoia as inquisitiveness. When she felt satisfied that there was nothing lurking nearby, she followed Ruby's lead and sat on the fleece blanket. She crossed her legs under her and adjusted her brown sweater, pulling the sleeves over her knuckles.

  “So,” she whispered. “How often do you come out here?”

  “Often enough to know that it's fine for having a cute picnic.”

  Ruby flipped open a picnic basket and procured four taper candles, setting each of them in a candle holder. As she lit each wick with a lighter, she whispered something under her breath.

  Lynda leaned closer. “What's that?”

  “I was just saying a prayer.”

  “To?”

  Ruby grinned mischievously. “The spirits of Halloween.”

  She winked but Lynda felt a chill run down her spine, inviting goosebumps to tickle her arms. She tugged her sweater tighter to close out the feeling that she was being watched. One glance over her shoulder was enough to prompt the paranoia back to the surface, this time appearing as what it was—and she couldn't hide it.

  She shivered. “Well, I hope they leave us alone.”

  “Nobody will bother us here, I promise.”

  “I'm going to hold you to that.”

  “Hey,” Ruby soothed as she took Lynda's hand. All the candles were lit and they cast a soft glow over Ruby's features, illuminating her comforting smile. “I know you're not into this supernatural stuff, but the ritual makes me feel safer. And I want to make you feel safe, too.”

  Lynda squeezed Ruby's hand. The shivering soon subsided and she relaxed, her shoulders relinquishing tension as she studied Ruby's face. “I think it's working.”

  “Magic is mostly about intention rather than outcome.”

  “Then, what's the point?”

  “My mother would say that it's important to put out the energy of what you want to receive. If you put your wish into the univ
erse, it'll come back in some way. It may not always be what you want, but it'll be something.”

  Lynda hummed. “That sounds complicated. I like my facts better.”

  “Do you ever believe in more than facts?”

  “I trust the occasional feeling.”

  Ruby raised a curious brow and smiled slyly. “And do you trust your feelings about me?”

  “Who said I had feelings about you?”

  Ruby feigned a shocked expression and placed her hand over her heart, giggling as she did. “Wow, what a hit to the heart.”

  “I mean, I have feelings for you.”

  “Hmm...good save.”

  Lynda winked. “I thought it was good.”

  “Do you really have feelings for me?”

  “I do. I feel like...” Lynda trailed off as the breeze picked up, blowing a lock of hair against her cheek. She shifted it aside and let the shoulders of her sweater fall down, exposing part of her neck. “You make me feel like I can be comfortable.”

  “I'm so glad I can do that.”

  “I can drop that obsession with being perfect, you know. I've been wearing it for so long that I think it makes me nervous when I make mistakes.”

  Ruby gave her a sympathetic look. “You don't ever have to worry about being perfect around me. I like you for who you are—for everything you are—and that includes your mistakes.”

  “It's just weird.”

  “What?”

  “I'm not used to feeling this way, especially not in a place where I haven't made that many connections.”

  Ruby scooted closer. “Do you have friends here?”

  “Oh, of course. That's a given with school, but they're not... I mean, I'm not saying they're not important. I'm saying... What I'm trying to say is that...” Lynda huffed as she faded into silence. She licked her lips and swallowed the knot in her throat before continuing, “What I'm saying is I value our connection.”

  “I love the bond we've created. It's fast, but it's--”

  “Is it too fast?”

  “No, it's perfectly fine at its current pace.”

  Lynda took a shaky breath. “Are you sure? I don't want to come on too strong or make you feel uncomfortable.”

  “Lynda.”

  She perked up. “Yeah?”

  “You're doing great, honey.”

  Ruby didn't give Lynda time to respond. She closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to Lynda's, taking whatever Lynda might have thought to say.

  And Lynda let it happen. She surrendered to the kiss just as she might sink into a hot lavender bath. She felt the breeze surround them—there it was again—and the shivers that transpired made her wrap her arms around Ruby's shoulders. She kept Ruby close, unwilling to let Ruby go.

  When she finally released Ruby's lips, she was panting. “Wow.”

  Ruby grinned and giggled. “I'll say.”

  “You have a way of quieting my mind.”

  “Yeah?”

  Lynda nodded. “It's like the chatter suddenly goes away and I'm left with nothing but attention for you.”

  “That sure sounds like magic to me.”

  She blushed. “I don't know if I'd call it that yet.”

  “I think that our two beliefs could intertwine. My magic could be your facts and your facts could be my magic.”

  “That's an interesting way to put it.”

  “Are you hungry? I made chicken salad and I brought crackers.”

  Lynda beamed. “That would be so good right now. I haven't had anything to eat since late this morning.”

  “Well, be my guest.”

  Ruby gestured to the basket and Lynda dug in, finding a packet of crackers and a container of chicken salad. As Ruby gathered the forks and a couple bottles of water, she hummed a tune. Lynda listened close to the sweet symphony coming from Ruby. She became swept away by it, completely distracted from her hunger and lost in the chime of Ruby's voice.

  The tune prompted her heart to jump in rhythm, to beat so hard that she thought she might have been panicking.

  She cleared her throat and popped open the salad container. “Did you make this from scratch?”

  “I sure did.”

  “Is there anything you can't do?”

  Ruby glanced at the trees as she became lost in thought. Her eyes flickered with memory and then returned to Lynda, looking as lovely as the day they had met. “I mean, I'm sure there are plenty of things I can't do.”

  “You're so humble about your skills. Aren't you afraid you'll fail at what you do?”

  “Yeah, I'm just like every other human.”

  “Do you ever worry that your magic won't give you the outcome you want?”

  “That's why it's all about the intention. I keep a clear goal in mind as I go about my work. It's how I treat every task.”

  Lynda hummed thoughtfully. “That's an interesting way to live. Is it more productive?”

  Ruby laughed. “I have a feeling you're going to try to use magic to get you through school.”

  “Well, if it works for you...”

  “So, you do believe, even a little bit.”

  Lynda stammered over her words. “Oh, I wouldn't... I don't t-t-think I'd venture to say that yet.”

  “It's okay to change your mind about things.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Ruby picked up an empty cracker and piled chicken salad on top of it. She took a bite and chewed it thoroughly before responding, “We learn things every day. What we believe right now could end up not serving us in the future. There's always room for change.”

  “I kind of like that way of seeing life.”

  “I think it helps to remember that we're supposed to change. We learn, we grow, and we change with the tide of life. I'm not the same person I was a year ago and I'm willing to bet the same applies to you.”

  “So, based on the idea of change, if we were to go our separate ways in a month, that wouldn't bother you?”

  Ruby paused. She held a cracker in one hand and a fork in the other as her expression shifted from blank to warm to blank again. “Are you planning on leaving after this semester?”

  “No, I'm still working through my junior year which means I'll have another year of classes to get under my belt before I consider leaving Salem.”

  “What do you plan on doing after college?”

  Lynda shrugged. “I need to find a job in the business sector.”

  “What kind of business?”

  “I'm not sure yet.”

  Ruby giggled. “Miss Five-Year-Plan doesn't have a plan, eh?”

  “You don't know how much anxiety that causes. I'll be getting a degree soon. I could help most any business get off the ground at this point. It's a huge field that offers a slew of opportunities.”

  “It does.”

  “Maybe I could work in business administration and become a manager of sales or human resources.” Lynda shrugged. “The possibilities are endless.”

  “And that makes you nervous?”

  Lynda nodded slowly. “So nervous.”

  “I think you'll figure it out before then.”

  “You really think so?”

  “You're driven, Lynda. You have your goal in sight. You work hard to get to where you want to be and you're not afraid to do what's necessary to get there.”

  She chuckled with amusement. “Can you tell all that just by looking at me?”

  “I think most anyone could divine that from looking at you, but I'm speaking from my experience with you.”

  “You're very sweet to say all that. My mother never really said those things to me when I was a teenager.”

  Ruby looked sympathetic. “That must have been hard.”

  “No harder than growing up without a mother.”

  “Well, I guess we've both had a hard time in life.”

  Lynda smiled warmly. “I'm glad you don't see it as a competition. Some people would probably get upset and say they had it worse. But you don't. You liste
n as if you weren't ever struck by grief in your life.”

  “I don't think it's fair to make an Olympic game out of pain. We all suffer—but that doesn't mean it's any less valid.”

  “I love the way you think. You're so empathetic.”

  “Ah, the curse of being a witch.”

  Lynda laughed while piling another cracker with salad. She ate a few more crackers and hummed contentedly as her stomach growling subsided. When she reached for another cracker, her hand brushed Ruby's. She glanced up to find Ruby giving her the warmest expression.

  Something struck her then. It could have been a lightning bolt or even a meteor, she couldn't tell. But the fact remained that it was a blitz of emotions that overwhelmed her spirit. She swelled with it, rose above the trees, and floated for a while over their picnic, swearing that even though it was just a feeling, she could see them sitting next to each other. She could see them staring. Her eyes flickered over Ruby's again, searching for anything that might betray the reality that she felt.

  Ruby blinked slow. It appeared to Lynda like they were both in a dream, like the world had slowed to a halt and the only thing she could think was how much she wanted to kiss Ruby again. She was still floating—she couldn't come back down to earth even if she tried.

  Focus on Ruby. Ground yourself.

  She blinked away the surreal images. Once she did, she found herself sitting as she had been all along with her legs crossed and her hands fumbling with a cracker. The cracker snapped in half and she dropped it, disregarding the residual hunger pang that rippled through her stomach. She dove forward and took Ruby's lips.

  She was hungry for something else—something more.

  And she had to sate her hunger.

  Chapter Seven

  Ruby

  Desire struck Ruby as hard as Lynda's lips. Her defenses dropped instantly as she invited Lynda onto her lap and into her soul. She relaxed back against the blanket, knocking over water bottles and bumping into the picnic basket as she attempted to make room for their sudden collision.

  She didn't care that it was late, that the night air was brisk with cold, and that the wind would soon bite at their skin—she exposed herself regardless. She whipped off her jacket and tore frantically at Lynda's sweater, exposing the blouse hiding underneath. She dragged her fingers underneath Lynda's top and sought Lynda's breasts that swelled as soon as she touched them.