by Rue Volley
“I feel you,” GG whispered. She also had terrible allergies. Come to think of it, we all did. With that thought the three of them all sneezed in unison then ducked behind the wall. It was comical at best.
I kept my eyes locked on the car. It sat idle in front of The Hollow BNB. I guess my dad had kept his word and put in a call, but I hoped that he would’ve told them it would be best if they left before anyone on the town’s council confronted them. The three of them rejoined me, one head over the other as we stared in disbelief.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a license,” Liv said.
Both Court and GG parted their lips with brows furrowed.
He held up his hands. “Don’t hate! A car would be fun. Just think about driving around, maybe on a date—or leaving Juniper—” he was abruptly cut short when GG and I spoke at the same time.
“Leaving?”
“Yes, leaving. The world is a big place.”
GG’s nose wrinkled. “Who cares about the world? We have everything right here.”
He paused then shrugged. I didn’t know where his heretic way of thinking was coming from, but we all promised to stay here and be BFF’s forever. FOREVER. Clearly, Liv wasn’t as serious as we were.
Court took his hands, “Who else would put up with you like we do, Liv?” She was the only one out of the group who could go toe-to-toe with him and win. GG was too nice, and I didn’t want to bother with it.
He jerked his hands away from her, and she laughed. My head dropped to hide a smile.
“So, mean.” He raised a brow.
She turned away and let her interest return to the situation at hand.
“How much do you wanna bet that their car will be gone by—”
Before Court could finish her sentence, we spotted three of the town’s council members rushing toward the BNB. They were all on their bicycles, full of intent, like the witch in The Wizard of Oz. One of them, Petunia Periwinkle, even had on a long dress and pointy-toed boots. I covered my mouth. The irony.
Liv laughed. “Now,” he added.
I leaned back and rubbed the side of my arm. It wasn’t getting any warmer, and I felt terrible, like the fact that Angel and Max being here was my fault. If I had only ignored them then we wouldn’t be dealing with them now.
“Hey, I should probably get home.”
“Um, why? Can’t you see that all of the drama is about to start?” Court asked while eyeing the BNB.
“When have you ever seen them yell at anyone, Court?”
She stood up and glared at me. I was right. Some words would be said, behind closed doors, none of which we would witness, and then the car would leave, taking those ghost hunters away for good. The town wouldn’t stand for any of that. They never had. Why would it be any different now?
GG reached in and toyed with one of my white-blonde curls. “Always so rational for someone who loves paranormal books.”
Court’s annoyance flared. “Yeah—okay. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waved a hand without looking at me. It made me feel awkward—unneeded, and I didn’t want that ever again. I had already dealt with boys and dating, taking the three of them away from me. Now I had inadvertently given them something interesting to focus on, and here I was dismissing it like it was nothing. The conversation with my mom echoed in my head. She told me to reach out, and I had, but I was so afraid that I’d lose them again.
I fidgeted with my hands and swallowed my nerves. “Hey, why don’t you all come over tonight for dinner?”
Everyone perked up. Court looked at Liv, and he smiled. “If I come over then I want all of it. Every little detail about them and him.”
“Him?” I asked which I shouldn’t have. I knew, but if I show any interest at all then they’ll pounce. I just knew it.
Liv nodded. “The hottie.”
I rolled my eyes, trying to play it off like it was nothing.
GG clapped her hands. “I love your mom’s food.”
I smiled. “Okay—well, dinner is always on the table at six.” It was true. It was like clockwork — dinner at six. The clock always chimed when I sat down, so it wasn’t hard to remember.
I began to walk backward and offered a wave as they did the same. I turned and smiled. I couldn’t help it. I missed them more than I could explain, but I would never tell them.
Maybe.
Chapter Six
Innis bumped into one side of me while Gunn rammed into the other. They jostled me back and forth, like a pinball. The giggles rose. I was not amused. This was just the sort of thing that annoyed me about them, and they knew it.
I was tired of them being nine, but ten probably wouldn’t be any better. I feel like they’ve been this age forever. Yelling and breaking things.
And they’re sticky.
Why are they sticky all the time?! Is that a boy thing? I don’t remember being sticky, ever. I was quiet, creepy even. Ask my dad. He still thinks I’m creepy.
They began to circle me with a rope, and before I knew it, I was tied up, with my arms pressed against my sides. I don’t know why or how I become entangled in their ridiculous games. It’s never on purpose. They always ambush me. It’s two against one, which is entirely unfair odds. I felt sorry for my parents, knowing they had to deal with this mess from morning till night, but they never let it show. I’d be exhausted and bitter, but no, my parents do it like they enjoy it. I know I was a dream, or had to be. I’ve always been quiet and loved books since I was little. Heck, they probably didn’t even know they had a kid for the majority of my childhood.
Maybe Innis and Gunn are payback for me. A cosmic equalizer.
“We’ll defeat you!” Innis yelled. I grimaced. He has no inside voice to speak of. Everything is a roar, burp, or other unmentionable thing.
Boys. They’re quite disgusting.
“Suwender now!” Gunn yelled, equally as loud, but it made me smirk. Most words have a misplaced W in it with him.
Suwender, wabbit, weally.
It would be endearing if he weren’t so—OH!
They had me down. I hit the floor with a thud just as my dad appeared and began to wrangle them like feral cats. Carrying one under each arm. My mom untied me and helped me to my feet. She adjusted my hair, fidgeting with a curl or two. I brushed off the back of my dress.
So annoying.
“Mom,” I spoke, half whining.
She winked at me. “They won’t bother you and your friends tonight. I promise.” She looked at my dad. “Take them on a walk, Evan.”
“Should I grab the leashes?” he asked as they slapped at each other from under his arms.
Mom hid a smile and shook her head. “They’re not dogs!”
“I disagree,” I muttered with the roll of my eyes.
I looked at my dad, and he offered a cheesy grin until my mom glared at him.
“How about we get the bikes out?” he asked.
My brothers squealed. I flinched. They’re banshees. I’m never ever having kids. I just can’t do it. I’ll be the cool aunt who lives vicariously through my siblings as they’re chasing around their own kids. I know that my brothers will be paid back in full when they start families of their own—it’s either that or there’s no justice in the world.
Mom had made a huge pot of beef stew, and it had the whole house smelling awesome. My parents had eaten already and fed the heathens, too. It was kind of them. My brothers eat like they’ve never seen food—slurping and grunting. It’s embarrassing. I didn’t want my friends to come over and deal with that. I had just won them back, or so it seemed. Plus, I had something I wanted to discuss with them.
Serious business.
Book business.
I opened the front door as my dad exited. A small hand snatched one of my curls and tugged on it as I hissed, but my mom unwound Gunn’s fingers. He cackled, baring his teeth. Honestly—I’m so annoyed that they took Halloween! That day should’ve been mine. I’m more Halloween than anyone I know! I dress the part—act the p
art. I love everything about it and respect it as a holiday.
My mom called after them, “Take them to see a movie, too.”
Good. I slammed the door, and the wind caught my hair and blew it back. Soon, my curls settled down on my shoulders. I usually don’t leave my hair down. I prefer pigtails, two of them. I think it looks best, but the day had been weird, and I felt like one more change wouldn’t disrupt things any more than they had already been.
My mom wrapped a thick white sweater around her shoulders, and I noticed the book in her hand. I got my love for reading from her. It was the greatest gift she could’ve given me.
I was jealous—sort of. I want to see my friends, but reading is something that I can’t live without. I promised myself that I’d grab a book when I crawled into bed tonight. Maybe that would help me get Killian off my mind. Something had to. I can’t spend every waking moment thinking about him. Fantasizing. It was ridiculous, and I knew it.
“The stew is hot, and the table’s set.” She stepped up and placed a hand to my cheek. Her eyes searched mine. “Have fun, make sure the stove is turned off, and they need to leave by nine, okay?”
I nodded. “I promise.”
She leaned in and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes. She always smells like sweet and savory lavender. She grows a ton of it in the atrium. Every time she opens the glass doors that separate it from the kitchen, the sweet scent fills the house. I love the atrium. Sometimes I like to read in there. It soothes me. I hope to be a good witch, like my mother someday. I watch her mix things, filling bags with herbs and bottles with oil. She places them around the house. We probably had one on every windowsill and under every bed. She likes to protect us, from what I’m not sure, but I appreciate it and her.
Maybe someday I’d ask. But not now. Right now, I want to focus on my friends, who should be here any—
A knock came to the door, and then the doorbell followed. It’s nice. Chimes. It reminds me of a church off in the distance. We don’t hear it very often. People don’t visit in Juniper Hollow. We run into each other at school, plays, downtown. The harvest festival, too—which is coming up fast. Come to think of it. My parents don’t have any friends to speak of. I mean, we all know of each other, but everyone pretty much keeps to themselves.
Is that normal? Who knows? It’s normal for us.
My mom disappeared up the stairs, and I opened the door with a smile.
GG stood there with a dish in her hand. Court was behind her, studying our porch, which needs another coat of paint, and Liv was heading up the path behind them. He had a dish in his hands, too. He shook it with a wink. “My mom insisted that I bring brownies.”
“Yum!” GG chirped while turning to stare at him. She held her dish up like an offering. “Cookies,” she cooed. “Chocolate chip, the best, actually.”
Liv stepped up next to her. “The best, huh?”
The line between her brows deepened. “Yes—my mom makes the best ones in town.”
He laughed. “I’m just kidding, Grace. I know she does. I remember. She wins every year at the harvest festival, and then you talk about it for weeks.”
“I’m proud,” she retorted.
He winked. “You should be.”
She relaxed. Court walked over to the porch swing and grabbed a tin pan covered in foil. She turned to face us. “Pie—some type of berry, I don’t know.”
I laughed. “Well, I guess we have enough snacks.”
GG nodded, and I invited them all in.
I walked backward while they stood there, surveying the entryway. It’s larger than you would expect, with an old crystal chandelier hanging high overhead. The lights flickered a couple of times and then burned bright, followed by a hiss then pop. All three of them flinched, I didn’t. I’m used to everything in this house. I was born here, and I had no intention of ever leaving. I mean, it’s big enough that I could live upstairs and not bother my parents if that’s what they wanted. But I’m only fifteen, so I’m not going to worry about it yet. I have plenty of time, right?
My heart raced, just thinking about it.
“I love this place. LOVE it. It’s so spooky.” Liv whispered while wiggling his fingers.
A thump sounded off to the left like someone bumped into the wall, then footsteps. My eyes followed them, but I couldn’t see anything. A grin curved my lips. We do have the most active house in town. Maybe it’s because we sit so close to my favorite graveyard—who knows. I like it.
“That’s creepy,” GG whispered.
I shook my head. “Don’t be creeped out. I hear things all the time, and nothing ever happens. It’s just noises, is all.”
“Ghosts,” Liv added as his eyes soaked in the scene.
“Don’t you have any?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “I mean, we get the occasional cold spot, but nothing like this.”
Court sniffed the air. She wasn’t interested. “Is that beef stew?” she asked.
I nodded then glanced behind me. “Yep. My mom made a huge—”
They all rushed past me, piling their pans in my arms, while I stood there with my lips parted. I turned and followed only to find them digging into the pot with the large spoon. I guess ghosts had taken a backseat to their appetites. GG had decided to serve. She filled Court’s bowl first, then Liv’s. I found a spot on the counter for all of their desserts and then grabbed my oversized white bowl and stepped up, ready to get my share. GG filled it with a smile and then prepared her own. I took my regular seat at the table. It faces the atrium. Our table is old, with long legs and high chairs. My dad had made it for us, well—for my mom. It was a gift to her. We had one old tree that was struck by lightning when I was seven, breaking the trunk nearly in half. My mom was devastated. I guess it had their names carved into it. Something romantic from when they were young. He salvaged what he could and made the table and chairs. Their names are on the bottom of it. I still remember when he showed her, and she cried. She doesn’t cry very often. I wish I didn’t.
I shoved my spoon into the bowl of stew and filled it with a chunk of meat and half a potato. My stomach growled before it made it to my mouth. The flavors exploded on my tongue. Her stew is addictive. We ate in silence as spoons clanked, and glasses were emptied of lemonade—strawberry, my favorite. My mom grows them, too. They have a little corner in the atrium. It’s a terrible temptation when they plump up all full of juice.
Liv leaned back and rubbed his stomach. “Man, I missed that.”
“Mmhmm,” GG added as she chewed.
Court stood up and decided to get a second bowl. We all watched her. “What? I burn a lot of calories.”
But no one was judging her. We all rushed back to the pot and got a second helping. I didn’t need it, but need and want are two different things and want usually wins.
Chapter Seven
We finally decided to beach ourselves in the living room. It’s another one of my favorite places in this house. It has the largest of our fireplaces, big enough for me and my two brothers to step inside. I think I mentioned it before, but that’s what I do when I like something. I mention it a lot, think about it—even obsess. It’s a book lover’s trait.
My gaze skirted along the room.
The ceilings are high, and the windows long. They flank the fireplace on either side. We do have a television mounted on the wall, but it’s hardly ever on. We utilize the radio more. It’s old, vintage, with big knobs and a lit face that resembles a frown, filled with numbers. My parents love old things, and so do I. I’m glad I inherited that from them.
I walked over to it and turned it on. At first, all I could hear was static, then ghostly voices, but finally I found something—music, violin strings. I let it play low to provide a little bit of background noise.
I sat down on the overstuffed black couch and settled in next to GG. Liv and Court sat opposite us, on a matching couch. They had refilled their glasses with strawberry lemonade. I was stuffed, so I skipped it.
Court eyed me. “Who were those guys in the car?” she asked without allowing me to expand on my mom’s idea.
I sighed. She wasn’t ready to let it go, so I decided to spill it all so that we could be done.
“Arc Angel and his cameraman, Max. I don’t know his last name, and Angel’s real name is David. David Dryer.”
Liv leaned in. “That cute goth guy?”
My eyebrow cocked. “He wasn’t goth at all. His hair is short, he had no makeup on, and he was dressed like Killian, minus the hoodie.”
GG looked intrigued. “Who’s that?”
Liv sighed and rolled his hand. “Killian was the guy in the library today.”
She shot him a look. “No—Arc Angel. I know who Killian is, well sort of.” She looked at me.
I felt it necessary to start providing some much-needed information. “Everyone knows about as much about Killian as I do, and Arc Angel had a show on television about ghost hunting.”
“Oh,” she cooed. “Wait, they aren’t allowed to be here, right?”
I leaned forward and fidgeted with my hands. She was right. We had never had ghost hunters in town that I could remember. The people of Juniper Hollow are very protective of the environment. That includes the living and the dead. I suddenly felt a heavy guilt wash through me. “I should’ve never brought them here, and my dad put them in the attic.” I glanced at the ceiling.
Court narrowed her eyes. “With all your books?”
I nodded.
“Well, we better check and make sure they didn’t take anything.”
My nose wrinkled. “Take anything? Why would they—”
Liv stood up and grabbed Court’s hand. He pulled her up to his side. “Yep, we better look.”
They rushed out of the room and hit the stairs before I could stand. GG looked at me, but we said nothing before we started to run after them. They had me in a panic. What if they had messed with my books? I’d die, and then I’d hunt them down, I swear I would. I should’ve checked when I snuck upstairs and found they had gone, but I’m not thinking clearly. Killian made everything upside down.
