Wicked Cries (The Wicked Cries Series Book 1)

by Michelle Areaux

  Changing the conversation seemed to work because Lucy focused her attention back to the book in my hands.

  "I don’t know, Sadie. Maybe we should do some research this week. Do you know what her last name was?"

  I hadn’t thought about that. I was living in a town with the most devastating histories in the country, and it never occurred to me to conduct even the simplest of research to uncover as much as Elizabeth’s last name. Most of the deceased I'd worked with were very clear with what they needed from me, meaning there was hardly any mystery as to why they were haunting me, but Elizabeth was different. This wasn’t some broken-hearted girl who needed to give some loser ex-boyfriend a last message, or a boy wanting to tell his family he was sorry for how he acted before he passed.

  This all seemed too…real.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was nine thirty and Noah was coming to pick me up in thirty minutes. I was frantic, running around my house, trying to find a bathing suit to wear under my loose-fitting jeans and red t-shirt. Now that September had arrived, the weather had cooled down to a comfortable sixty degrees. I decided to grab a light jean jacket to take with, just in case I got too cold out on the water.

  My parents watched with amusement at my drastic change in behavior. It was only a few weeks ago that I'd been miserable as I wandered around the house like the walking dead, and now I was about to go on my first date and I had no idea how I was supposed to prepare.

  "Sadie, slow down. You'll be just fine," Mom said. "I think Noah's a sweet boy; just be yourself."

  I stopped and smiled at my mom. She was being so calm it was freaky‒It was typically me who had to stop and remind her to breathe when she became overwhelmed.

  "Thanks, Mom." I took a deep breath and collected myself.

  Noah's car pulled up in the driveway. I grabbed my bag, into which I'd packed sunblock, bottled water, and a bag of cookies my mother had made for us. I had to run out the front door, to avoid the embarrassing goggling of my parents on the way out.

  Noah was getting out of his car when I ran down the front steps. "Hey, Sadie, you look great!" he said.

  I stopped and looked down at myself. I was more casual than great, but I'd take the compliment anyway.

  I walked over to the passenger's side of the car, noticing my parents mounted at the kitchen window, peering out at me. My mother waved at me and I flicked my hand back at her, mouthing for her to stop. They could be so embarrassing sometimes.

  "Thanks, Noah," I replied, hoping he hadn't seen my annoying parents.

  He held back a laugh, and I could tell he was trying not to look in their direction.

  We drove in silence while I scanned his CD collection. All of my favorite rock bands had been handily placed in a CD holder in the passenger's seat. My mind reeled; he was too perfect.

  "I like your taste in music." I ran my fingers through the collection, selecting the perfect driving music. He had everything from Drake to Pink Floyd to Jason Aldean.

  "Thanks. Yours isn’t so bad, either." He glanced over at me, flashing me a quick grin. He reached over, grabbed my hand, and held it tightly, keeping his eyes on the road all the while.

  I smiled to myself as my stomach danced into my chest. He squeezed my hand lightly, turned, and smiled at me. Seeing him like that, so happy for no other reason than that he was with me, seemed like a dream.

  When we arrived at the harbor, Noah parked his car in a side parking lot and came around to the passenger's door to helped me out, carrying my bag as we walked toward the marina.

  I checked out the area‒people were scattered throughout the shopping district where the harbor was centered. Long, white, wooden bridges and walkways stretched out over the sparkling blue and seemingly golden, jewel-encrusted water, allowing patrons to get from one area of the park to another. Outdoor shopping areas had been situated on small islands. A large ice cream cone adorned the top of a small building whose façade was covered with a painted-on rainbow. White, plastic tables sat out in the front. I watched as a small child sat eating a vanilla ice cream cone with her parents, giggling as two pigeons searched the ground for scraps. A homemade fudge shop was next to the ice cream parlor, sending the sweet and salty aroma of chocolate and butter through the open window, making my mouth water.

  More shops were located in a long line on either side of the marina. It was a quaint setting, full of relaxing walkways on a backdrop of beautiful scenery.

  I moved myself closer to him, and before I knew it, I was draped under his arm, walking with him side by side. As I scanned the marina, I felt calm and safe.

  "Which of these boats are yours?" I looked out over the array of boats, sitting neatly in rows, according to size. The larger, more prestigious boats and yachts were tied up near the office, while the smaller, less expensive ones had been placed closer to the end of the dock.

  "That one." He pointed to a small, red and white speed boat, located second to the last on the dock. We walked down toward it, side by side, our feet tapping the wet, wooden planks, making a squelching sound beneath my flip-flops. The sea air was calm and inviting. A slight breeze protected us from the blazing sun, threatening us with its powers for the last time of the season. It was an unseasonably warm day, as the meteorologist on the morning news had predicted before warning citizens to enjoy the delightful temperatures, as that they wouldn’t last.

  When we reached the boat, Noah jumped in first, then held his hand out to me. I looked at him, unsure if it was safe. He shook his hand, motioning for me to take hold, and I did, reluctantly, and placed one leg into the boat, trying not to fall overboard.

  "Hold on tightly. I promise I won’t let you fall." He grinned from ear to ear.

  I rolled my eyes, gave him my other hand, and pulled my other leg into the boat. Even after I'd stepped onto the boat, I held onto Noah for balance, probably much longer than I should have. He said nothing but continued to hold me. For a brief moment, our eyes locked.

  "So, are we ready to go?" I spoke much too quickly and had ruined the moment. Most of the time I don’t say enough, but now I was afraid I'd said way too much.

  He placed a small key in the ignition and the motor revved. The vibration from the engine penetrated through the thin seats, feeling like a million tiny fingers massaging my shoulders and back, relaxing me. We took off, out into the harbor, and the wind began to pick up. I sat in the back of the boat, watching Noah navigate. His curly brown hair flew in the wind and his shirt clung to his thin figure as the wind rushed over him. He held tightly onto the small white steering wheel glancing back at me from time to time as I sat behind him.

  He seemed relaxed and happy as he drove out into the open water. I watched as the emerald water sparkled in the sunlight. The sky was a flawless baby blue without a single cloud to be found. With the reflection of the sun dancing out onto the water, it looked as if tiny diamonds were cascading off the breaking waves made by the boat.

  After we'd traveled a few miles, Noah cut the engine. I heard the loud roar come to a halt, creating a peaceful tranquility as the boat rocked and swayed in the calm water.

  Noah walked over to me and sat down on the side of the boat. He dangled his bare feet over the side, allowing the tips of his toes to touch the top of the water.

  "I love it here. Sometimes I come out here by myself and just sit and stare out at the horizon. Life can get really complicated, and I guess I just need to hang alone sometimes, to think about things. You know what I mean?"

  I looked out at the vast scenery‒it was beautiful. On the horizon, I saw golden, sandy beaches, populated by families enjoying the last day of nice weather. They looked so tiny in the distance, causing our separation from society to appear that much greater. I knew what Noah meant‒it was nice to just clear your head and pretend to be normal for a while. I nuzzled even closer to Noah, and he wrapped both of his arms around me. "Thank you for bringing me here," I said. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I don’t know how to react to all of the
recent changes in my life." I wished I could tell him more, but I didn’t want to bring anyone else into my chaotic life.

  He reached his hand across the small distance that separated us and touched my face; the sensation was electric, and bolts of electricity seemed to shoot through my hand and down to my stomach. I smiled at him, allowing my mouth to be just inches away from his.

  We sat there in awkward silence before he said, "So, how have you enjoyed your first few weeks in Salem? Meet any ghosts or witches?" He chuckled quietly but tried to look serious.

  "What?" I said. "No, not yet, but it’s still early." I'd meant it as a joke, but he looked at me with wary eyes, as if he could tell I was hiding something from him.

  Noah laughed nervously. "Yeah, you’re right." "So, what was all that about in the guidance

  office?" I asked, wondering why Mrs. Grumpy had scolded him the way she did.

  "Oh, nothing but innocent pranks gone wrong, is all." He looked at me with that boyish grin; he was trouble, that much I knew.

  "Do tell," I provoked, offering a slight smile and nudging my shoulder against him.

  He sighed and showed me that irresistible grin. "I wanted to show my school support, so I decided it'd be a good idea to write our school name on an extra-large pair of male underpants and hang them from the flag pole." He chuckled, having been reminded of the immature prank.

  "Is that all?" I teased. "I thought you were going to tell me you released helpless frogs about to be dissected in biology class, or that you streaked across the football field."

  Noah turned in wild surprise as I spoke. His large brown eyes widened at my jokes.

  "Hmm…you're giving me some great tips." He poked my side, laughing. "Maybe you could be my right-hand man next time, since you seem to be a master at coming up with pranks."

  "No, I don’t think that'd work. I like to fly under the radar," I said, becoming more serious.

  "Well, your scheme didn’t work‒I noticed you." He turned to me, his boyish grin replaced with a small smirk.

  I looked down and bit my bottom lip.

  Noah must've noticed my embarrassment, as he changed the topic by reaching behind me and grabbing two fishing poles.

  "Do you like to fish?" he asked, handing me a long red and silver pole.

  "Well, I've never been fishing before, but there's no better time than the present to try." He baited the hooks with worms, we placed them into the water, and we sat back and waited for a fish to bite.

  After thirty minutes of growing bored, I felt a tug on my line and I jumped up. "A fish! I caught a fish!" I was excited but didn’t know what to do next. A roar of adrenaline rushed through my body as I struggled to keep hold of the fishing pole. Noah jumped up, placed one arm around my waist, and grabbed hold of the pole with his other hand. His arms were essentially wrapped around my waist at that point, and I couldn’t help but smile as I looked up at him. Thankfully, he was paying more attention to my prey than the goofy grin I was giving him.

  Noah continued to struggle with the line, and I made a few comments to play along with my act, like, "Wow he sure is a big one," or, "Man, this is tough." I felt confident that Noah believed I was occupied with the fish, and not giggling to myself like a foolish, love-struck teen.

  He helped me reel the fish in, doing the majority of the work as he pulled the line back and forth, fighting with the target. When the fish finally came flopping out of the water, it was such a tiny little thing that I made him throw it back in.

  He laughed as he rescued it from the line and threw it back into its watery home, continuing to laugh at me for being so afraid of such a tiny, harmless creature.

  I reached over and pushed him, laughed, and said, "You jerk! Don’t laugh at me." I tried to play tough, but he grabbed ahold of me. We both laughed uncontrollably as we wrestled at the side of the boat. Water splashed up and into the boat as we rocked, and I felt myself losing my balance, in danger of tumbling over the side as my legs gave in. Before I could stop myself, I was falling over the side of the boat, taking Noah with me.

  We made a loud, large splash when our bodies hit the water, which was much warmer than I thought it would be. When my head came back above the surface, Noah was already there, laughing and wiping the water out of his eyes.

  "I can’t believe you threw me off the boat!" Noah managed between laughs. He swam toward me, still smiling.

  "I am sorry, but you deserved it. You shouldn’t have laughed at me!" I pushed a small wave of water at him.

  He came over and grabbed me. His expression changed drastically, and a serious glint shone in his eyes. He held my arms tightly. I had to kick rapidly to keep my head above water, but once in his arms, I was able to relax and let him hold me up. He stopped laughing and his face became intensely serious as I stared into his eyes.

  In Noah, I'd uncovered what I hadn’t expected‒something I needed, something that would save me from my eternal desolation.

  He pulled me closer, and I put my arms around his neck and tried to balance myself in the water. His lips were inches from mine, the heat in his breath warming my face. His hands were locked behind my back, tightening with every moment. He leaned in closer and brushed his full, sweet lips against mine.

  I pulled back, stunned by his audacity at first. Then I remembered the night at my house, and our almost kiss. The hopeless feeling that overcame me at the missed chance had taken me by surprise. I looked at his face. He was undeniably charming. Before I knew what I was doing, I grabbed his face and pulled it to mine, and the intensity I felt as we touched was indescribable. His were the first lips I'd had ever touched, and the experience was more than I could ever have hoped for.

  After a few moments, we broke our embrace and swam back to the boat. Noah climbed in first, pulling me in behind him. Soaked from our unexpected swim, we lay on the front of the boat drinking bottled water he'd stored in the boat's cooler and allowing the sun to dry us off. I could feel him watching me as I lay in the sun.

  When he stood up, took his soaked shirt off, and tossed it onto the deck, I caught a glimpse of his tanned body, glistening in the bright sunlight. Small drops of water fell from his wet hair, rolled down his forehead, and then down his muscular back. I'd never noticed what a nice body he had, thin, but muscular, not the same kind of muscular you see on brawny football players and wrestlers, the kind you see on lean, strong guys. He sat back down next to me, leaned back, rolled over onto his side, and propped his head up in his hands. Before, I'd only ever seen him as this nerdy boy, but today, he was much more. I snuck a peek at him as we stared out into the horizon. He seemed so calmed and relaxed, I was

  afraid to speak, fearing I'd interrupt the moment.

  Suddenly, he laughed, breaking the silence. "I can’t believe you're here," he said, voice amused, but thoughtful.

  I pondered the statement for a moment‒should I respond, or sit quietly to wait and see what he said next? Before I could make up my mind, he continued, "I was so afraid to ask you out, but Lucy pushed me to call. I mean, don’t get me wrong‒I really wanted to call you, but you're kind of…hard to approach."

  "Oh," I said, startled at his revelation.

  "No, don’t take it the wrong way. It’s just…you're so different from other girls around here‒they're all so…predictable." He flashed me a mischievous grin as he said the word predictable. I must have really stunned him with the kiss in the water.

  "Sorry, I think."

  "No, I like that you're unpredictable; it makes the chase more fun." He gazed at me, his eyes looking directly into mine.

  "What chase?" I mocked, thinking back to how Noah had practically stalked me on my first few days in Salem.

  "Sadie, I don’t even have a class down half the hallways you do. I just enjoy your company. Besides, my first attempts didn’t go over so well. I mean, I practically stalked you in the bookstore and you almost took out a restraining order. You're very mysterious and‒don’t take this the wrong way‒but you don’t rea
lly pick up on too much."

  Now I was offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  Noah Laughed, and rested his body on one arm. "Everyone but you noticed I had a crush on you. I mean, I've liked other girls before, but something about you is irresistible. I seem to be drawn to you. Maybe it’s the mystery behind the secrets hidden in your eyes."

  I felt my face turning a violent shade of red, and turned my head away from him, both flattered and embarrassed. His presence was intoxicating. It felt so calm and comfortable laying on the beautiful boat with him.

  "So, why don’t you have a girlfriend?" I asked, unable to resist asking the question.

  Noah chuckled and sat up. "Is that a trick question?"

  Stunned, I shook my head. "No. I um…am serious."

  "I don’t know if you've noticed, Sadie, but this body doesn’t really attract all the ladies." He pointed to his lanky arms and curly hair. He had a smirk on his face as he spoke, but he was being serious.

  "It’s just…you're so nice. I mean, you came over to help me with geometry, and you were one of the first people‒well, the only person other than Lucy‒who even acknowledged my existence when I moved here." I stared at him, hoping I radiated sincerity.

  "To be honest, I'm not really that good in geometry. Lucy told me you were having difficulty keeping up, so I had her tutor me so I'd have an excuse to come over and tutor you. Saying it aloud makes me sound certifiable." He chuckled. "I just wanted an excuse to see you." He smiled, his brown eyes to sparkling in the sunlight.

  "Are you saying you had to get a tutor to be a tutor?" I laughed at the thought and sat up to get a better glimpse at him.

  Noah nodded. "I hope you're not mad. I just didn’t know how to find the courage to ask you out, so I thought if I came over and helped you you’re your homework, you'd sort of…owe me." His smile faded and an abashed expression took hold of his features.

  "You didn’t have to do that. I mean, you could have just asked me out. It’s not like I have an entourage following me around. You're the only one who's noticed me‒ever. Besides, I kind of owe you for almost killing you the other day," I said, attempting to lighten the mood which had become way more serious than I'd intended.