The Bridge of Death

by Megan Atwood

  Text copyright © 2012 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

  All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

  Darby Creek

  A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

  241 First Avenue North

  Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.

  Website address: www.lernerbooks.com

  Cover and interior photographs: © Zeb Andrews/Flickr/Getty Images (bridge); © iStockphoto.com/appletat (silhouette).

  Main body text set in Janson Text LT Std 12/17.5.

  Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.

  Library of Congress

  Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Atwood, Megan.

  The bridge of death / by Megan Atwood.

  p. cm. — (The paranormalists ; case #04)

  Summary: Best friends Jinx and Jackson suspect a ghost may be responsible when several popular students decide to harm themselves by jumping off a local bridge.

  ISBN 978–0–7613–8335–2 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)

  [1. Ghosts—Fiction. 2. Supernatural—Fiction. 3. Bullying—Fiction. 4. Best friends—Fiction. 5. Friendship—Fiction.] I. Title.

  PZ7.A8952Br 2012

  [Fic]—dc232011049128

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  1 – PP –7/15/12

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-0041-2 (pdf)

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-7082-8 (ePub)

  eISBN: 978-1-4677-3083-9 (mobi)

  PARANORMALISTS BLOG—

  INVESTIGATION #03: MOHAWK AVENUE

  Guest Blogger: Brian, new assistant investigator

  First off, I want to thank Investigator #1 for hiring me, then giving me this post to write! I’ve wanted to be a paranormal investigator for a long time, so this is a dream come true. I’m sorry that Investigator #2 had to be let go, but such is the tricky business of ghost hunting.

  Anyway, I get to write on the blog not only because I’m the new assistant, but also because the last case was about me. Yep—I’m #03. And I’m a doozy.

  See, I thought I’d been haunted for years. Every time I was alone in the house, things would fly around and smash against the walls. My parents thought I was nuts. Actually, worse than that, they thought I was making it all up for attention and smashing things in the process. Let me tell you, my allowance has taken some hits. The Paranormalists came to my house to investigate the weird happenings.

  And man, did stuff happen.

  We were in mortal danger, for real. But it turns out, NOTHING showed up on their equipment. No lights, no voices, no electromagnetic field disturbances. After that, the two investigators got in a big fight—Jinx says I have to say “because Investigator #2 was a big jerk”—and left before letting me know what happened.

  I was kind of upset.

  But then Investigator #2 told me what happened. Turns out, I wasn’t being haunted by anyone else. I was being haunted by ME. It’s called “poltergeist activity,” and it happens if you’re super upset and a teen.

  Can you believe I have that much power? I’m kind of impressed with myself. Jinx is looking at me funny right now, but I’m just being honest. She said I have to be.

  Anyway, now I get to work for the Paranormalists. I can say without hesitation that I can’t WAIT for the next case. Anyone have something they need investigated? We have one investigator with awesome hair and one who has some pretty fantastic power. What more could you want from a ghost-hunting team?

  The Rundown on Mohawk Avenue (a.k.a. my block):

  Electronic Voice Phenomena: None

  Electromagnetic Field: None

  Video: Nothing on the infrared. (That’s right—Jinx got an infrared camera!) Something knocked it down, so it didn’t show anything being thrown around.

  Temperature: Stayed pleasant

  Verdict: Not haunted at all. POLTERGEIST ACTIVITY!

  Jinx says that I need to say: Comment below, and as always, remember that the Paranormalists SEEK THE TRUTH AND FIND THE CAUSE! (Now that I’m on board, we’ll have to think of a better tagline. Ow! Jinx just hit me.)

  Signing off, Brian,

  Assistant Investigator

  H

  aley snuggled into Jackson. Jackson caught a whiff of her shampoo and breathed in deeply. She smelled so good.

  A familiar pang ran through him as he remembered what he was trying hard to forget.

  He and Jinx weren’t talking. Again.

  But this time it was his fault.

  He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, and Haley sat up. “Hey, wiggle bug. What’s going on? Don’t you like the movie?”

  Jackson, in fact, did not like the movie. It was the kind of romantic comedy that he normally never had to watch. His mom didn’t really like those movies, and his buddies would never watch something like it. Jinx would rather die than watch one. He was used to watching movies with a little more blood and a little less kissing.

  “Oh, it’s great,” Jackson said, smiling at Haley. “I’m just getting comfortable.” She seemed satisfied and lay back down on his chest. He was glad to have the shampoo smell back, but he couldn’t believe it—Jinx would never have bought that explanation. She would have called him out on his “fake smile.”

  He wiggled around again, and Haley sat up and paused the movie. “All right, what’s up?”

  She raised her eyebrow at him, reminding him of Jinx. He sighed.

  “The same,” he said.

  Haley sighed too. Jackson could see irritation skitter across her face. “I don’t know how to make you feel any better—there’s nothing you can do.”

  Jackson just wished his best friend and his girlfriend didn’t hate each other so much.

  He nodded. “I know. It’s just...when you know someone for as long as I’ve known Jinx, if you’ve been best friends...it’s like you lose an arm when they go away.”

  Haley crossed her arms. “Yeah. You said that. You and Janx are amazing friends.”

  Now Jackson was irritated. “Her name is Jinx.”

  Haley huffed. “Her name is Jane. She just tries to get attention with that name and with her stupid website.”

  “Our website. And she wouldn’t need attention if you and people like you were nicer to her.”

  “People like me? You mean, people like you?”

  Jackson closed his eyes. She was right. He was popular too. He reached out to Haley. “Let’s not fight. I’m sorry I said anything.”

  But Haley wasn’t appeased. “You know, you talk about Jinx an awful lot. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have her as your girlfriend?”

  Jackson snorted. The thought of cuddling with Jinx was like the thought of cuddling with a mountain lion. “No. You’re my girlfriend. And that’s just how I’d want it.”

  Haley’s face softened. She scooted closer to him. “Are you sure?”

  He smiled back at her and grabbed the belt around her waist. He pulled her even closer, thoughts of Jinx fading to the background. “Promise,” he said. Then he leaned in to kiss her.

  Suddenly both Jackson’s and Haley’s phones made noise. Jackson’s vibrated on the coffee table in front of them. The noise meant he’d gotten a text. He and Haley looked at each other and laughed.

  Jackson said, “Nothing like a text to ruin a mood.”

  He leaned forward and grabbed his phone from the coffee table. Haley reached into her pocket and grabbed hers.

  Jackson flipped his phone open and caught Haley smirking at him. �
�What?” he asked.

  She laughed. “Your phone is from the nineties.”

  He didn’t say it, but that’s exactly what Jinx would say about his phone.

  Haley and he read their texts at the same time. And at the same time, they both said, “Oh my god.”

  H

  aley’s face was pale as Jackson drove toward the hospital.

  “I just can’t believe it,” she repeated for the tenth time. Jackson didn’t say anything.

  She went on. “I mean, Ruby! She had everything to live for!”

  Jackson shook his head. Having dealt with death in his family, he truly didn’t understand why anyone would try to kill him- or herself.

  He pulled into the hospital parking lot. Then he and Haley walked to the front desk for information.

  “We’re here to see Ruby Murphy,” Haley said.

  The front desk attendant looked at her computer screen and typed away. “She’s on the fifth floor—the psychiatric ward. Room 504.”

  Jackson thought the attendant gave them an extra special look. He glared at her and put his hand on Haley’s back to guide her away from the desk. They took the elevator without saying anything to each other. Jackson wove his fingers through hers, and she squeezed his hand.

  When the doors opened, Haley and Jackson walked out hesitantly. Jackson had never been to a psychiatric ward. He half-expected to see cold linoleum floors, bars on the windows, and patients walking around drooling. Instead he saw a nicely carpeted room and large windows, unbarred. Two people sat at a table in the corner, playing chess. The ward was incredibly quiet.

  Walking to the desk attendant on that floor, Haley and Jackson said they were there to see Ruby. The attendant—much nicer than the first—smiled at them and said, “She can meet you out here. For many patients it’s nice to get out of the rooms.” She called a number, spoke quietly, and then placed the phone back on the cradle.

  “She’ll be out in a minute. You can wait over there,” the attendant said. She pointed to a cluster of comfortable-looking couches and chairs. Haley and Jackson sat down. Jackson’s knee bounced, and Haley fidgeted with her hair.

  After what seemed like forever, Ruby walked out. She wore sweatpants and a long T-shirt, and her face was ashen. A sling held her arm, which was in a cast, and when she brushed her black bangs back she revealed a butterfly bandage stuck over her eyebrow. Before Ruby could sit down next to them, Haley gave her a big, long hug. Then Jackson did too. Haley’s eyes were streaming when they finished hugging.

  Jackson put his hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “How are you?” he said. He felt a little ridiculous asking—she was, after all, in a psych ward. But he didn’t know what else to say.

  Ruby looked at the floor for a minute and then answered, “Scared.”

  Jackson and Haley nodded but didn’t speak. Finally, Haley said, “But you’re OK now. Are you seeing someone? A psychiatrist or someone to talk to?”

  She nodded, “Yes, but honestly, I don’t need to.”

  Jackson cleared his throat. He said gently, “But Ruby...”

  She wiped away a stray tear and looked at Haley and Jackson with defiance. “I know what they’re saying, but I didn’t try to kill myself.”

  “But why are they saying that, then?” Haley asked. Jackson admired how she absolutely believed her friend right away and didn’t question her motives. Jinx would have never done that.

  Ruby seemed to come alive with the question. “Well, I mean, I didn’t mean to try to kill myself.”

  Haley’s face froze in confusion, stuck in a look that Jackson was sure mirrored his own.

  “What do you mean?” Haley asked.

  Ruby scooted in closer. “I mean, something was on that bridge with me. And it was evil.”

  “W

  hoa.” Jackson sat back.

  Haley, though, leaned even closer. “Evil?” she whispered.

  Ruby nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “Definitely.”

  Jackson began to whisper too. “What do you mean? Did someone try to push you?”

  “Not someone. Something. And it didn’t try to push me, exactly . . . It’s hard to explain.”

  “Tell us what happened from the beginning,” Haley said.

  Ruby looked around. “It’s funny, but if I tell them what really happened, they’ll think I’m crazy and I’ll be stuck here for longer.” She laughed bitterly, then continued.

  “So, last night, Robert and I got in this huge fight and we broke up.” Jackson couldn’t help himself—he looked at Haley. This wasn’t starting well—that sounded like a motive for jumping.

  Ruby saw the look and said impatiently, “I know how it sounds, but no way would I try to hurt myself over a guy. Especially a guy from high school.” She rolled her brown eyes, and Jackson got a glimpse of the old Ruby: the Ruby who was full of life and liked to date college guys.

  “Anyway, I needed to get out of the house and take a walk, so I walked a way I normally don’t. I was arguing with Robert in my head, and I didn’t really pay attention to where I was going. All of a sudden I found myself on the St. Johns Bridge. It was so beautiful out. The river right below me, the lights twinkling. I don’t know if I’d ever noticed it before.” She shivered as if to shake herself out of it. “Anyway, that’s when I felt it.”

  “Felt what?” Haley asked.

  “It.” Ruby looked into Jackson’s eyes. “I felt It. There was another presence there, I know it. And I know you believe in that stuff too. I’ve seen you hanging around that weird girl...”

  Automatically, Jackson said, “Her name is Jinx.”

  Haley added, much too quickly and with irritation in her voice, “I believe in that stuff too.”

  Ruby looked at Haley with surprise. “I didn’t know.”

  Haley flipped her hair back. “Well, I don’t need the attention that some people with websites need.”

  Jackson’s face burned, and he started to stand up. Ruby’s face went ashen again, and she said, “I’m sorry, really. It’s just, like, a kneejerk reaction is all. I kind of want to talk to Jinx about this stuff.”

  Haley said quietly, “I’m sorry, too.”

  Jackson sat down again, but his jaw still felt tense. Ruby went on without any more prodding. “Anyway,” she said quickly, “all of a sudden, I felt sad. I mean, sadder than I’ve ever felt before. I wasn’t mad anymore. I just felt heavy, like this huge weight had settled on me and I’d never get it off.”

  “That sounds like depression to me,” Jackson said. His voice sounded hard to his own ears.

  Ruby went on, “I know. It’s hard to explain, though. The feelings didn’t come from me. I mean, my first reaction to things is to be mad, not sad. I hardly ever get sad!”

  This sounded true to Jackson—Ruby was a lot of things, but he’d never seen her depressed. She could be mean, hyper, angry...but not once had he seen her down.

  “So you’re saying someone—or something—made you feel sad. Pushed emotions onto you?”

  Ruby nodded furiously. “Exactly,” she said. “Look, I’m not the type to try to harm myself.” She smiled, and Jackson saw the old Ruby again. “I mean, look at me!” She made a sweeping gesture along her body. Haley laughed, and so did Jackson.

  He rubbed his chin. “So then what happened?”

  “Well, then the thoughts started happening,” Ruby said. “Like, I would never be happy again, I would never find anybody, I might as well just end it. And then the river suddenly looked so inviting. It looked so inviting I....I just jumped.”

  She shuddered once again. “It’s like I came to in the middle of the jump, you guys. Can you imagine? I felt so foggy when those thoughts happened, but then, as I’m flying through the air, everything became so clear. And I’ve never been so scared in my life!”

  Tears coursed down her face, and Haley put an arm around her. Jackson shivered—he couldn’t imagine. If what Ruby was saying was true—to not have control of your own thoughts and actions...

  H
e sat back. “This sounds paranormal.”

  “It’s not from this world, that’s for sure,” Ruby said. She sighed. “My parents are never going to trust me again. And no one will believe me. I’m so embarrassed. How am I going to face anyone at school?” Ruby paused, then looked up at Jackson. “Do you think that your friend, uh...Jinx, right? Do you think she would look into this? You can talk to your friend about it, right?”

  Jackson let out a breath. “Well, that’s easier said than done.”

  O

  ne of the things about being notorious but not popular, Jinx found out, was that news didn’t reach you until the last possible moment. She didn’t hear about what happened until the news had traveled around the school. Twice, probably, she thought. And she only heard it through Brian.

  Jinx was standing at her locker, staring thoughtfully at the Fringe poster in the door, when Brian came bounding up to her. She sighed. Though she was glad to have him on the team—she thought—he could be so hyper sometimes. Every time she went to her locker, he was somehow there. She wondered if he actually went to any classes...

  “Guess what,” he said. He stood so close that Jinx had to back up.

  “You have mono,” she said, searching for books in her locker.

  Brian snorted. “No, you have to kiss someone for that, I thought.” He blushed so red Jinx thought his head might explode. He kept looking at her funny, so she bit: “What?”

  “What?”

  Jinx huffed. “You said, ‘Guess what,’ so I’m asking...what?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Brian leaned in, and Jinx tried to back up again, but her back had already hit the wall of lockers, so she endured him.

  “So, get this. You know Ruby Murphy?”

  “I’m already bored. Who cares about her?” She slammed her locker door, making Brian jump.

  He grabbed her arm as she started to walk. “No, wait, this is awesome!”

  She scowled and shook her arm out of his grip. Then she plastered the most bored look she could muster on her face. “Well?” she asked.

  Brian whispered, “She tried to kill herself over the weekend.”