Summer's End

by Joel A. Sutherland

  “I’m going to hammer a rod into the wall above the initials and hang the necklace from it so Tresa won’t ever be able to come out,” he said. “But, Colton, is there any way we can get the other kids out first?”

  Colton considered the question for a long time before shaking his head morosely. “No. They don’t stray anywhere near the wall. They’re too afraid of Mother. I could go in after them … but I might never make it back out. Or she could get back out.” He looked hopefully at Jacob. “We could stay together, the five of us, here.”

  Jacob shook his head. “We can’t stay, Colton. We need to return to our families.” He picked up the hammer and a rod from Dr. Stockwell’s table of surgical tools.

  “But you can’t leave me. Please, don’t. You have to protect me from … her.”

  Jacob approached the wall to hammer the rod into the top of it, just below where it met the ceiling, but Hannah stopped him wordlessly and took the tools from his hands. Her meaning was clear: I’ll do the hammering; you talk to Colton.

  “And we did protect you. Once we get this necklace up, you’ll be free from her. I wish we could’ve done the same for the others.” He thought he knew the answer, but he asked the question anyway: “Can you leave?”

  “I tried once,” Colton said. “There’s chalcedony in those rocks that surround the island. It threw me back when I got too close.” He began to cry quietly. “I can’t leave the island. I won’t go back in the Black Sea. And I don’t want to stay here in this awful house. I just want … I just want to move on.”

  That reminded Jacob of the last thing Mrs. Cannington had said to him before being whisked away in the ambulance. If you find my son, if his soul is trapped here, promise me you’ll help him.

  When he asked her how he could do that, she had tried to tell him about the necklace. Not in her hall, but in the hall at Summer’s End.

  “I think there’s a way,” Jacob told Colton, “and I know what we need to do.”

  I know what I need to do.

  He held up the necklace. “If I hold this stone as close to you as I can, I think you’ll …” Die? Jacob thought. Is that the word? Can someone who is already dead die a second death? Then he realized that they had already hit the nail on the head. “I think you’ll move on.”

  “How can you be sure?” Colton asked, part doubt, part hope.

  “I can’t be. We just have to try.”

  “I’ll fly away. It happened before.”

  With a frown on his face, Ichiro appeared to be trying to work something out. “Sometimes we passed straight through you and the other ghosts, and sometimes you were able to touch us. Can you … control that?”

  Colton nodded.

  “Then we’ll hold you, if you’ll allow us,” Ichiro said. “Right, guys?”

  Hannah and Hayden nodded solemnly.

  “Okay,” Colton said. “Let’s try.”

  Jacob nodded. “Before we do, I have to tell you something. I’m sorry, Colton, for telling you to prove you weren’t scared of the Kalapik. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for what happened to you.”

  “It’s all right, Jacob. I had pedalled my paddleboat to this island before, and I would have done it again. It’s not your fault.”

  Jacob dug his nails into his palms and bit the insides of his cheeks. “I’m still sorry. I always will be.”

  Hannah stood behind Colton, while Ichiro and Hayden took up positions to the boy’s sides. All three hesitated before placing their hands on the dead boy’s body.

  Colton shook with fear. “If this works, I wonder where I’m going?”

  “I don’t know,” Jacob said, “but wherever it is, I hope your—” He was about to say father, but Colton didn’t know that his father was dead, and Jacob had no desire to be the bearer of such tragic news. “I hope you have family waiting for you.”

  He raised the chalcedony.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, I’m ready,” Colton said, in choked rush.

  Am I? Jacob asked himself.

  By way of answering, he swung the stone at Colton. His hand plunged into the boy’s chest, right where his heart should have been. Jacob saw his friends squat and dig in their heels to stop from falling over.

  A burst of red light flared within Colton’s chest. His red hat fell off as he threw his head back and yelled in pain. He thrashed and fought, but Jacob refused to remove his hand. He wanted to — he wanted nothing more at that moment than to run far, far away — but he held on. It was, he knew, the right thing to do.

  The red light spread through Colton’s body and filled the basement as if the room had been set on fire. The necklace grew uncomfortably hot in Jacob’s hand but he didn’t let go.

  And then, suddenly, Colton stopped struggling, stopped screaming. He looked straight up at the ceiling as if he was staring at something beyond and whispered, “It’s beautiful.”

  His body turned to mist that held his shape for a second before dissipating. There was an odd fractured moment when Jacob was plunging his hand and the necklace into thin air and his friends were holding nothing, but then they looked at each other and their tense bodies relaxed. No one moved for a long, long time.

  NINETEEN

  “Did it work?” Ichiro asked.

  Jacob shook his head. “I have no idea.” He walked to the Black Sea, feeling like he had been through a battle, and slipped the necklace’s silver chain over the rod Hannah had hammered into the wall. The chalcedony pendant hung down, blocking the first of the initials carved into the wall’s surface.

  The other three stood and joined him. They regarded the pendant in silence for a while.

  Whether or not Colton had moved on after he’d disappeared and whether or not the necklace hanging on the wall would be enough to keep Tresa in the Black Sea, Jacob couldn’t say. But it was the best he could do. And he’d never return to the island to double-check. He was done with this place. It was time to move on.

  Each of them seemed to realize that there was nothing else to say. Without looking back, Jacob walked up the stairs. His friends followed.

  They moved quickly through the house as if they were living in a dream that had begun as a nightmare. Jacob peered into the parlour as he walked through the front hall. His eyes fell heavily upon the old phonograph. He worried it might start playing its siren song again and wondered if he should destroy it. But he doubted Tresa would be able to control it — or anything else — from the Black Sea. Plus, he didn’t want to spend a second longer in the house than necessary. Mostly, he just wanted to go home and see his mom.

  With a great sense of relief, they stepped outside and saw that the storm had passed. Light rain misted their faces, but that was passing too. The dark cloud that lingered over the island was blowing away. To the east, an early morning sunrise was breaking across the horizon, golden, bright and warm.

  As they walked along the path, insects chirped and buzzed and flitted through the cool air.

  “I’m sorry,” Jacob said. “I put you all in danger by bringing you here, trying to make things right with Colton.”

  “I believe I speak for all of us when I say you couldn’t have kept us away,” Ichiro said.

  “Absolutely,” Hannah agreed.

  “Actually, I was opposed to coming from the start,” Hayden said. He smiled, then laughed.

  “I wanted one final summer together that we’d never forget,” Jacob continued.

  “I think you got what you wanted,” Ichiro said.

  “You can say that again,” Hayden said.

  “I think you got what you wanted,” Ichiro repeated.

  * * *

  The heat of the sun mingled with a cool wisp of wind that hinted of autumn’s approach. The sunlight warmed Jacob’s skin and lifted his spirits.

  “Woo-hoo!” Hannah shouted. “I just found an Aero bar in my back pocket. It’s completely squished and totally melted, but it’s still chocolate.” She opened the wrapper and passed it to Hayden, then Ichiro
. They scooped some out and licked their fingers clean.

  “So good,” they said in unison.

  Jacob savoured the moment and enjoyed watching his friends joke around, even after what they’d been through. Especially after what they’d been through.

  He’d entered summer dreading the breakup that was destined to come at its close, but now that it was here he found he had made peace with it. Things will be different, but that’s okay. That’s life.

  They reached the shoreline. Their canoe was nowhere to be seen. Jacob wasn’t surprised. “I guess we either wait for a boat to pass or swim.”

  “I’m not waiting,” Hannah said.

  “Me neither,” Ichiro agreed.

  “Oh, sure,” Hayden said. “I suggested swimming last night and everyone looked at me like I was nuts …”

  Jacob removed his shoes and shirt, then stepped into the water. He walked a little farther and dived under, then set his mind on the task ahead. The shore of the mainland was far away, but as long as they didn’t panic and focused on one stroke at a time, they would make it.

  He knew there was no Kalapik beneath them, waiting to pull them down.

  At least, not anymore.

  The water felt great. It soothed his tired muscles and washed the dirt and sweat off his skin. It lightened his mind as well, and his head felt clearer than it had all summer.

  In that euphoric moment Jacob made a decision.

  He would try not to hold on to the past. He would cherish every moment with his family and his friends. He would live freely. All his regrets, his fears, his anxieties … They had all come to an end.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Writing and editing this book — with all its twists and turns and horrible deaths to keep track of — was hard and exhausting, and I loved every second of the process. It would have been far more challenging without the tireless, good-humoured and insightful guidance of my editor, Tamara Sztainbok. I can’t thank her enough for all that she has done to make this book a reality.

  Writing for Scholastic Canada is like being part of a large, warm and welcoming family, and I’m so happy to have been adopted into it. I have nothing but respect and gratitude for everyone who works there, particularly Andrea Casault for designing the breathtakingly creepy cover for Summer’s End, copy editor Erin Haggett for her eagle eyes and Diane Kerner, who not only published my first children’s book nearly seven years ago, but also suggested I write a young adult novel after I wrote a few volumes of Haunted Canada.

  Writing wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of my real family, all of whom are incredibly understanding when I retreat into my writing cave for hours at a time to stare off into space. (Side note: I wish I had a cave. I’m more of a writing nomad, writing wherever I can find a chair and a table or just a chair and my lap or just a tree to lean against or … you get the idea.) My wife and kids, in particular, have all the patience in the world and I couldn’t love and appreciate them more than I do.

  And finally, my readers rock. What good would a book be without someone to read it? I hope you enjoyed reading this little slice of madness as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don’t worry, it won’t be my last book. It won’t be the end.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Joel A. Sutherland is the author of Be a Writing Superstar, numerous volumes of the Haunted Canada series (which have received the Silver Birch Award and the Hackmatack Award) and Frozen Blood, a horror novel that was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. His short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and magazines, including Blood Lite II & III and Cemetery Dance magazine, alongside the likes of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. He has been a juror for the John Spray Mystery Award and the Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy.

  He is a Children’s & Youth Services Librarian and appeared as “The Barbarian Librarian” on the Canadian edition of the hit television show Wipeout, making it all the way to the third round and proving that librarians can be just as tough and crazy as anyone else.

  Joel lives with his family in southeastern Ontario, where he is always on the lookout for ghosts.

  READ TRUE STORIES OF CANADIAN HAUNTINGS

  Haunted Canada: True Ghost Stories

  By Pat Hancock

  ISBN 978-0-7791-1410-8

  Paperback, 112 pages

  A collection of chilling true ghost stories, from all across Canada, to send shivers down your spine: from poltergeists who terrorize hunters in a remote cabin, to a man who gets frightened to death in a graveyard.

  Prepare yourself to be haunted!

  Haunted Canada 2: True Tales of Terror

  By Pat Hancock

  ISBN 978-0-439-96122-6

  Paperback, 120 pages

  These true tales of terror from all parts of Canada will chill you to the bone. Strange fires break out, serpents rise from the waves, and giant beasts lumber through the trees. Ghostly forms drift by and eerie discs lower silently from the sky.

  Prepare yourself to be haunted!

  Haunted Canada 3: More True Ghost Stories

  By Pat Hancock

  ISBN 978-0-439-93777-1

  Paperback, 128 pages

  Ready for more true ghost stories? Somewhere in Canada, a strange light glows near the water, a chain rattles in an abandoned cell, and footsteps scurry across an empty room. Somewhere a headless woman wanders the streets, a blood-covered face appears in a mirror, and the eyes of a statue flutter open.

  Prepare yourself to be haunted!

  Haunted Canada 4: More True Tales of Terror

  By Joel A. Sutherland

  ISBN 978-1-4431-2893-3

  Paperback, 128 pages

  E-book ISBN 978-1-4431-3377-7

  These chilling true tales of terror from across Canada will have you sleeping with the lights on. A phantom dog leaps out from the darkness of an abandoned hospital, red eyes glow through a misty graveyard and unseen hands push, grab and trip visitors to a museum.

  Prepare yourself to be haunted!

  Haunted Canada 5: Terrifying True Stories

  By Joel A. Sutherland

  ISBN 978-1-4431-3929-8

  Paperback, 128 pages

  E-book ISBN 978-1-4431-3930-4

  These terrifying true tales from across Canada will make your blood run cold. Televisions and radios turn on and off on their own at a remote inn, disembodied legs descend the elegant staircase of a castle home and a phantom ship emerges from the fog off the coast of Newfoundland.

  Prepare yourself to be haunted!

  Haunted Canada 6: More Terrifying True Stories

  By Joel A. Sutherland

  ISBN 978-1-4431-4878-8

  Paperback, 128 pages

  E-book ISBN 978-1-4431-4879-5

  These terrifying true tales from across Canada will keep you up at night. A supernatural sea hag haunts an eerie marsh, a used book conjures up a ghostly figure, phantom hands terrorize children in a school playground … Prepare to be haunted!

  Scholastic Canada Ltd.

  604 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1E1, Canada

  Scholastic Inc.

  557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, USA

  Scholastic Australia Pty Limited

  PO Box 579, Gosford, NSW 2250, Australia

  Scholastic New Zealand Limited

  Private Bag 94407, Botany, Manukau 2163, New Zealand

  Scholastic Children’s Books

  Euston House, 24 Eversholt Street, London NW1 1DB, UK

  www.scholastic.ca

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Sutherland, Joel A., 1980-, author

  Summer’s end / Joel A. Sutherland.

  Issued in print and electronic formats.

  ISBN 978-1-4431-3931-1 (paperback).--ISBN 978-1-4431-3932-8 (html)

  I. Title.

  PS8637.U845S88 2017 jC813’.6 C2016-906225-2

  C2016-906226-0

  Cover photos © Shutterstock, Inc: main (Kimberly Palmer), clouds (Jill Battaglia).


  Copyright © 2017 by Joel A. Sutherland.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read this e-book on-screen. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher, Scholastic Canada Ltd., 604 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1E1, Canada.

  First e-book edition: March 2017