The Haunted

by J. A. Templeton

  “No, you need to go to school.”

  I would never be able to focus on my classes.

  “Plus, Anne Marie’s daughter Gretchen asked me to drop in if I was able. I think I might do just that. It’s a forty-five minute drive, but it might do me good.”

  “I think that’s a great idea.” I knew how close Miss Akin and Anne Marie had been.

  I wished there was something I could do or say to make her feel better.

  “You sure you’ll be okay for the day?”

  She nodded, and as I walked out of the room, a wave of guilt assailed me. Had Anne Marie died because of me? She hadn’t been acting like herself since the séance with Laria, and now she was dead. It was tough to ignore all the signs.

  ***

  “You’re all the talk of the school today,” Cassandra said, appearing beside my locker the second I walked into school. I’d had calls from her and Meg last night, but I didn’t have the chance to call back with the drama that was my life.

  “School hasn’t even started.”

  Her brows lifted. “Exactly. You should hear Dana. She’s so jealous, she can hardly stand it.” Cassandra giggled. “I love it.”

  Dana was the least of my worries. Megan joined us in the hall, and she was grinning from ear to ear. “Congratulations are in order, I hear.” She whistled softly. “Kade MacKinnon. Someone has finally got to that boy. Leave it to the American to snag him. Kudos to you, my friend.”

  “Thanks,” I said glumly, Anne Marie and Miss Akin still heavy on my mind.

  “Why so down?” Cassandra asked.

  “Miss A’s best friend died last night.”

  “Sorry,” they said in unison.

  The double doors at the end of the locker bay opened and Kade walked in, flanked by Johan and Tom. Seeing me, he smiled, and I felt the familiar butterflies flutter in my belly whenever I was around him.

  Cassandra laughed. “Look at you, you’re beaming.”

  I doubted that I was beaming, but I was happy to see him. I wanted to run into his arms and have him tell me everything would be fine.

  Megan watched Kade’s approach with a smug smile. “I knew it,” she said mostly to Cassandra. “Didn’t I tell you he was totally into her?”

  Cassandra nodded, her gaze shifting to Johan. By the hot look they shared, I had little doubt they were hooking up again.

  Kade walked right up to me and pulled me in for a kiss. “Good morning.”

  “Morning,” I said, wanting to tell him about Anne Marie, but not when we had an audience.

  Johan and Tom both looked surprised about the PDA. Not so for Milo who came up from behind the boys and put an arm around Megan’s neck. “Morning, love,” he whispered against the side of her head.

  “Mornin’, Megan replied.”

  Milo glanced at me. “Ri.” His gaze shifted to Kade and he winked.

  “Milo,” I said.

  At least Megan seemed to be back to her old self. I still found it odd she had never mentioned a word about the ride home from Aberdeen.

  Cassandra’s gaze lingered on Johan. “See you at lunch,” she said absently.

  Kade’s fingers slid through mine. “Walk you to class?”

  “Sure.” My heart squeezed as I looked into his blue eyes. I was falling hard.

  “I have practice after school. Can I drop by the inn after?”

  “Sure, but just for a little while. Miss A’s best friend died last night.”

  He shot me a concerned look. “I’m so sorry. Who was her friend?”

  “Anne Marie.”

  His brow furrowed. “Older lady with the purple tint to her hair?”

  I nodded.

  “Well, maybe I’ll just drop by for a few minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  We parted ways at my classroom.

  I took my seat and noticed immediately that people were talking. No big surprise. The new girl had snagged the football star. I’m sure I would have a bull’s-eye on my forehead.

  Speaking of—Dana straightened when she saw me, her gaze shifting over me, taking in every detail while shaking her head.

  “He just wants to take her virginity before anyone else does,” she said to the friend next to her.

  I bit the inside of my lip.

  Is that what everyone thought? That Kade wanted me only because of my virginity? It couldn’t be that he actually liked me or that we had a connection.

  The teacher wrote our assignment on the board, and I was glad that we would have forty-five minutes to read to ourselves. It would be tough to focus on what I was reading, and not think about anything but the assignment.

  I cracked my book open and started reading the first page. The text was boring, but I forced myself to focus and even took notes.

  A loud screeching sound made me jump.

  Standing at the chalkboard stood the man I had seen with Laria. The same man who had been in the visions; the man who had come to get her at the castle. Randall Cummins, the servant who Hanway said had introduced black magic to Laria.

  I sat up straighter. He carried a sickle and tossed it from hand to hand, a sinister expression on his ugly face.

  I looked around to see if anyone else noticed him. Everyone else was reading. Mr. Monahan glanced at me, frowned, and tapped his textbook.

  I dropped my gaze to the book in front of me. The man with the sickle started walking toward me, the sickle falling on every desk along the way, making a horrible screeching sound. How could no one else hear that?

  Cold chills raced up my arms and the closer he came to me, the more scared I became. I wanted to run, but was I really in danger in a classroom with twenty-five other students?

  I set my pencil down on my notebook and gripped the edges of my book.

  The ghost’s fingers brushed against my hand, moving slowly up my arm. He leaned down, his lips inches from my ear. “So lovely. What a shame you must die.”

  I cringed as the backs of his fingers moved up along the inside of my elbow, my upper arm, my shoulder, his fingers brushing over my hair. “So sweet.” He leaned down, his face next to the top of my head. He inhaled deeply. “Like fresh fruit.”

  “Stop, witch!”

  The ghost vanished, as fast as he had come. My heartbeat was a roar in my ears. Anne Marie stood two feet away, so faint I could barely see her. But she was here, and she had managed to scare the other spirit away. I had a million questions to ask her, but she disappeared before I could blink.

  Chapter 18

  An intense heaviness seemed to fall over the house the moment my dad walked through the door on Thursday afternoon.

  “Shane,” he yelled, and I braced myself for the worst. I had little doubt he’d received the less-than-good news about the trouble Shane had gotten himself into.

  “He’s at practice,” I said, walking out of the parlor where I’d been watching television.

  He frowned. “I thought he was suspended.”

  I wasn’t touching this one with a ten-foot pole, but I had little choice but to say something since he was waiting for my answer. “Just for a few days.”

  “Just for a few days,” he said, brows shooting to his hairline.

  Miss Akin walked into the entry. “Welcome home, Mr. Williams.”

  “Thank you, Miss Akin.” Setting his briefcase down, he gave her a hug. “I am so sorry about your friend.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Taking a step away, he glanced at me. “You look tired.”

  I didn’t doubt it. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and my constant fear of Laria showing up when I least expected it. “I am.”

  “Get to bed early tonight,” he said absently. “And let me know the second Shane gets home.” Grabbing his briefcase, he headed upstairs to his room.

  “Dinner is at six, my dear,” Miss A said. “Why don’t you take a nap before then.”

  I didn’t argue with her, though I knew I wouldn’t be able to nap.

  I was in my room when Sh
ane walked through the door. I heard him taking the steps two at a time, his room door opening and closing.

  Seconds later Dad’s footsteps sounded in the hallway.

  The two were in a full-on yelling match by the time the doorbell rang. I hated to even answer it, but I wasn’t about to leave Kade standing at the door. Every night this week he had dropped by after practice to see me. He’d brought Miss Akin flowers the other day after learning about Anne Marie’s death.

  “Is this a bad time?” he asked, his eyes widening upon hearing the yelling coming from the second floor.

  I stepped outside and shut the door behind me. “Dad’s home and he’s heard about Shane’s suspension.”

  “You okay?” he asked, pulling me in for a hug.

  Sinking into him, I immediately relaxed, my arms sliding around his waist, my cheek on his chest. What I wouldn’t give to go home with him and get away from the doom and gloom that had overtaken my home. I was beginning to hate it here.

  “I’m fine. Maybe we can make it another night.”

  “You could always come over to my house, you know.” His voice sounded hopeful.

  “I wish I could come over, but I can’t being my Dad just got home. Plus, I need to help Miss Akin with stuff for Anne Marie’s memorial tomorrow.”

  “I understand,” he said, kissing me softly.

  I looked up into his handsome face. I wanted to be with him more than anything, but I needed to be here for Shane.

  I heard a crash come from inside. “I should go.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  I shook my head. “Trust me, you don’t want to get involved.”

  When another crash sounded, and I heard Shane call Dad an asshole, I stepped away from Kade. “I have to go.”

  “Call me later, okay?”

  “I will.” I watched until he got into his car before I walked back inside. Miss A stood in the hallway, looking hesitant to go upstairs.

  “Why don’t you go back to Edinburgh, or London, or wherever the hell it is you go every single week!” Shane yelled.

  The door to Shane’s room opened. He emerged, his eyes full of rage as he stormed downstairs.

  Dad was right on his heels, but he stopped at the top of the stairs. “Get back here right now, young man. I’m not finished talking to you.”

  “I’m finished talking to you,” Shane said under his breath, marching right past me like I wasn’t there.

  “Don’t you dare walk out that door.” Dad marched down the stairs.

  Shane stopped for all of two seconds, his hand on the door handle.

  “Don’t do it, Shane.” I hadn’t realized I’d said the words aloud until he turned and glanced at me. I looked for signs of my brother in that stare.

  He stared right through me and he walked out the door.

  ***

  I was on the phone with Kade when Shane returned at midnight. Sitting on my bed, I could hear his footsteps as he climbed the steps, then the door to his room open and close. His music turned on low.

  “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I told Kade, and set my phone on my nightstand.

  Taking a deep breath, I walked to Shane’s room.

  I knocked.

  “Come in.”

  At least he was answering me. A good sign.

  He sat at the edge of his bed, face in hands.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “I don’t know. I feel like I’m losing my mind.” He glanced up at me, and I breathed a sigh of relief seeing those familiar blue eyes.

  Encouraged that he wanted to talk, I sat down beside him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Milo and Richie tell me things I’ve been saying and doing…and I don’t remember anything.” He raked his hands through his blonde hair, his fingers twisting in the strands. “I mean nada. Nothing. It’s like I’m blacking out and forgetting long periods of time. You should hear some of the shit they’ve told me that I’ve done.”

  “When did it start?”

  He shrugged. “Around the time school started. There are some days I don’t remember at all.”

  “And you’re not smoking pot?”

  “Not twenty-four/seven,” he said, sounding exhausted. “Granted, I’ve binged here and there, but for the most part I haven’t smoked. I don’t get it. I feel like I’m losing it.”

  “I’ve noticed the change in you, too.”

  He glanced up. “Like what?”

  I told him about all the times I’d seen him where he didn’t seem like he’d been there, like the other night in the kitchen when he’d been sitting in the dark and the mean things he’d said to me. As expected, he didn’t remember anything. I debated telling him about the levitation incident, and yet I needed to lay it on the line.

  At first I could see disbelief in his eyes…which suddenly turned to something else.

  “You will never be able to get rid of me.” The deep voice wasn’t Shane’s.

  The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I went to stand up, but he caught my wrist.

  I swallowed hard.

  “No one can save you. No one.”

  I knew that voice.

  Even though I stared at my brother, I knew this was Laria. I sat up straight and tried to keep calm, which wasn’t easy when Shane’s nails were digging into my wrist. “Leave my brother alone, Laria.”

  “Leave my brother alone,” he mimicked, his lips twisting into a cruel grin, before his head fell back on his shoulders and he laughed, a horrible sound that made my blood run cold. “You have no idea who you are up against. No idea…”

  “You’re wrong—I do know who I’m up against.” I yanked my arm out of his grasp and stood. “I want my brother back.”

  Tears clogged my throat. With a calm that surprised me, I rushed for the door.

  I don’t know how he moved so fast without me hearing him. He yanked me back against his chest, his breath freezing cold against my ear. “I will kill everyone you love.”

  My gaze fastened on the bookcase where I saw a can of spray paint, red cap signaling Shane had been the one who had written CUTTER on my wall.

  I elbowed him as hard as I could. He grunted and released me.

  I ran for my room. Slamming my door shut, I grabbed a chair and slid it beneath my door handle. I wouldn’t lie—I was more terrified than I’d ever been. Laria was slowly picking away at my resolve, and I was beginning to crumble.

  “Mom, I need you…please,” I whispered. I sat cross-legged on my bed facing the door, closed my eyes and did deep breathing. It took longer than usual, but I slowly calmed down. Although I hadn’t prayed for a very long time, I did that as well. I even did a protection prayer I had found on the Internet, imagining a golden white light all around me.

  At three in the morning I woke to the sound of footsteps outside my door. I had kept my light on, and I didn’t move a muscle as I watched the knob slowly turn, and the chair budge a little. If it were Miss A or even my dad, they would say something.

  Terrified, I hugged my pillow tight.

  The knob moved a few more times, and I heard Shane say my name, but I couldn’t bring myself to open it. I cried, horrified at what our lives had become—and all because of a vengeful spirit.

  The bed squeaked when he got into bed. I waited fifteen minutes for anything to happen, for the creepiness to ensue. I didn’t know if I expected to hear voices…but I heard nothing.

  Chapter 19

  I noticed a change in Shane the next day. During Anne Marie’s memorial service, he seemed more like his regular self. And at the potluck at Anne Marie’s home afterward, he even chatted up one of Harry’s granddaughters, a cute fourteen-year-old who blushed every time Shane walked by.

  Karen had been at the service, and she dabbed at her eyes. Kade stayed by my side and held my hand. I appreciated him taking the time to attend the service, and when he asked me to take a drive with him after the potluck, I jumped at t
he chance.

  Since Dad and Shane’s fight, the house had been painfully quiet. Shane, who was grounded, spent his days in front of the television watching old karate movies and texting his friends. Dad would try to talk to him at dinner, but Shane didn’t have much to say.

  We said goodbye to everyone at Anne Marie’s and Shane asked to catch a ride to the inn. I changed from the black dress into jeans, a tank and a plaid shirt that I rolled up to the elbow.

  Kade rang the doorbell. I told Shane goodbye and opened the door. He’d changed into a well-worn T-shirt that did wonders for his eyes, and acid-washed jeans that hugged him in all the right places.

  He reached out and took me by the hand. “You ready?”

  ***

  We’d been driving for twenty minutes, and he’d just pulled off onto a long, tree-lined gravel drive. Kade glanced at me. “So…do you fish?”

  “You’re taking me fishing?” I asked, trying to hide my surprise. “Are you trying to impress me?”

  “My dad did talk me up, didn’t he?”

  “Just a bit.”

  I’d been fishing a few times with my grandpa when I was little and remembered the thrill of catching a sturgeon on the Columbia River. Shane had said it was a baby shark that had swam from the Pacific Ocean into the river, and I’d been so terrified, I’d refused to go fishing again.

  Exiting the car, I met Kade at the back of the Range Rover, where he took out the fishing poles and tackle box.

  “It’s a nice swimming hole, too,” Kade said, placing the beat-up tackle box on the well-worn wood planks. “This is where both Cait and I learned to swim. My dad showed us the tough love method.”

  “Tough love method?” I asked.

  “He tossed us in and we had to sink or swim.”

  “Isn’t that called child abuse?”

  He laughed. “I suppose, but the technique worked. We both dog-paddled our way back to the dock. We swallowed a ton of water but we survived.”

  Kicking off his shoes, he then rolled up his pants. I did the same, sliding my feet into the cool water. Kade had a small container, and when he popped the lid, worms squiggled about. I wrinkled my nose and he laughed under his breath.