by Ellen Oh
Olivia looked rebellious at first and then resigned. “I have to go,” she said. “My mom is very strict about my being home at sunset. It’s like she’s afraid of the dark or something.” Olivia gave a weak smile. “But would you like to meet me for breakfast? I can take you snorkeling at a private beach!”
“That would be awesome!” Dayo said as Harper nodded.
“Brilliant!” Olivia said. “I’ll send a hotel van to get you at eight a.m.”
“Um, well, huh,” Harper started to fuss, which made Olivia’s smile fade a little.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to . . .”
Dayo busted out laughing. “It’s not that at all. Harper can’t get up that early. She is not a morning person.”
Dayo gave Harper a nudge as Harper smiled sheepishly.
“I could be ready by nine! Is that okay?”
Olivia beamed. “Yes, that would be excellent! I’ll see you in the morning!”
“Hey, what about me and Leo?” Michael pouted.
“Oh, you both can definitely come,” Olivia said. “There’s plenty of fun stuff to do, and there’s even an instructor who can teach you how to snorkel!”
With a happy wave, Olivia quickly left with the waiting hotel staff.
As the kids walked back inside to join the grown-ups, Dayo whispered in Harper’s ear. “Weird how her mom insists she’s home at sunset, right?”
“Maybe she’s a werewolf,” Harper whispered.
“Or maybe rich people are just weird,” Dayo said.
The girls laughed, as Leo glared at them.
“Okay, Leo, what do you want?”
“I want you to come and get rid of that ghost girl for me,” he said.
Dayo and Harper exchanged glances and then nodded. “Okay, we’ll do it.”
“Tonight?” he asked hopefully.
“Tonight.”
Michael clapped his hands. “Can I help, too?”
“Of course,” Harper said. “You know a lot more about ghosts than Leo does.”
Her dig didn’t seem to bother Leo, who finally looked happy for the first time since they’d seen him. “She always appears at three a.m.”
Harper groaned loudly, but Dayo gave her a look.
“Fine, but you have to come and wake us, okay?”
THE LITTLE GHOST
Saturday, October 28—Early morning
That night it wasn’t Leo who woke them. It was Michael.
Harper opened her eyes as she felt small hands shaking her and giggling.
“Wake up, Harper!” Michael said.
She scowled at him and looked over to the clock. It was three in the morning.
“Where’s Leo?” she asked.
“He’s probably still asleep,” Dayo replied as she came over to sit next to Harper.
“I thought he was supposed to come get us when that ghost appeared.”
Michael jumped on the bed. “That’s what I’m tryna tell you! The ghost is here! She came to see us instead of Leo.”
He pointed toward the window, where a shimmering figure could be seen wavering in and out of the moonlight. Harper squinted her eyes and beckoned to the figure. She reached over and grabbed Dayo’s arm so that Dayo could see the ghost, too.
“Come on out where we can see you,” she said.
Dayo jumped when she caught sight of the ghost, and a little eek squeaked out of her before she slapped a hand over her mouth.
Michael scrambled down to meet the materializing form of a little blond girl. She smiled shyly as Michael held out his hand for her. The two little ones came over to the bed together, hand in hand. Harper and Dayo stared in fascination.
“This is Holly. She’s the one who was trying to talk to Leo. But she wasn’t trying to scare him, she was trying to warn him,” Michael explained
“Warn him about what?” Dayo asked.
“About the monsters,” Holly replied, her big blue ghost eyes wide with fright. “They’re coming.”
“Who’s coming?” Harper asked.
“Monsters,” Holly whispered, looking quite terrified for a ghost. “They are the scariest monsters I’ve ever seen. They killed my parents.”
“Oh, you poor thing,” Dayo cried out. She reached over to hug the ghost, breaking contact with Harper. Dayo froze as the ghost disappeared from view. Sheepishly, she grabbed Harper’s arm. “I forgot I can’t see her unless I’m touching you.”
Harper was staring at Holly. “How long have you been here?”
Holly shook her head. “I don’t know. But it’s been a long time, I think.”
“Are your parents still with you?” Harper asked.
Holly looked like she was going to cry. “No,” her little voice wavered. “The monsters ate their souls.”
“Ate their souls?” Harper gasped as she immediately flashed back to the soul eater. “Can you describe the monsters to me?”
“They’re really big, and really tall,” she whispered. “Pale skin and claws, long claws. They have large mouths with lots of sharp teeth. But the scariest part is that they have no eyes.”
That sounded exactly like the soul eater, but bigger. Yet the soul eater didn’t kill anyone. At least, Harper didn’t think so.
“Holly, can you tell me what happened to you and your family?”
The little ghost was silent for a long moment. “I remember we came for a vacation,” she said. “Papa wanted to take me to Disney World, but Mama said it was too busy. She just wanted to relax on the beach. I was real excited because I had never been to the beach before.”
Holly went quiet again. It was as if she was lost in memories.
“At first it was really nice here,” she continued. “We were all so happy. But then I heard the drums.”
Holly shuddered and shook her head. She flickered in and out as she began to wail. “It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have followed the drums! It’s all my fault!”
“Don’t cry,” Michael said, putting his arm around her. “It’s not your fault.”
Harper sighed. Holly looked like she was the same age as Michael. What a tragedy.
Both Dayo and Michael helped console the little ghost as Harper pondered Holly’s story. Something was bothering her, and she needed to figure out what it was.
“Holly,” Harper said gently, “can you tell us more about the monsters?”
Holly nodded. “They need human sacrifices. They go after people with bright auras, just like you and Michael.”
“What about Leo?” Harper asked.
“Him, too, but his aura isn’t quite as bright as yours or Michael’s,” she said.
“Do I have a bright aura, too?” Dayo asked.
Holly cocked her head and looked at Dayo closely. “You have a pretty glow, but it isn’t bright enough for the monsters.”
Dayo looked both relieved and disappointed at once.
“Harper,” Dayo said. “Didn’t Rose say your aura was dimmed during the time you couldn’t remember her?”
“Yeah, she did,” Harper replied, saddened at the thought of her lost friend. After her horrible stay at Briarly, Harper had blocked out her abilities and forgotten Rose. During the year she lost her memory, Harper’s usually bright aura had dimmed to almost nothing. “But I don’t know how to do that myself.”
“I think you need to try,” Dayo said. “It’s the only way for you and Michael to be safe.”
“And you mustn’t go out the night of Halloween!” Holly broke in. “That’s when they’re going hunting. And I think this year is special.”
“Special? How?”
“The monsters—they’re really excited. They’re trying to break free of whatever holds them to this island.”
“Do you know what that is, Holly?”
She shook her head. “But that’s why they only want people with strong auras. It’s supposed to help them escape.”
“How do you know this?”
“I can hear the monsters talking to the person who is helping the
m.”
“A live person?” Harper was stunned as Holly nodded.
“Do you know who it is?”
Holly shook her head. “I’ve been too scared to look. But it sounds like a woman.”
“Why would anybody want to help these monsters escape?” Dayo asked.
“Maybe they were promised money or power,” Harper said. “Or maybe they’re just evil.”
“But to let these terrible monsters out into the world?” Dayo shook her head. “Who can be that horrible?”
“We need to find out,” Harper replied grimly. “Holly, do you know where you overheard them?”
“On the beach—there’s a small cove that’s close to Gorgon Grove. I heard them by accident once. I’ve been listening ever since.”
“What were you doing at Gorgon Grove?” Dayo asked. “That place is horrible.”
Holly was quiet. “It was where I died.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Dayo said, her eyes filled with tears.
Harper really wanted to ask how it happened, but she knew it would be insensitive. Yet how could she know how to protect her brother if she didn’t understand what the monsters had done before?
“Holly, is there anything you can tell us that would help?” Harper asked. “I’m worried about my brother, about what could happen to all of us.”
Holly looked somberly at Michael and then looked back at Harper. “Whatever you do, don’t go to Gorgon Grove.”
It was a little past four a.m. when Michael finally went back to bed. Holly curled into a rocking chair next to him and seemed to fall asleep.
Dayo and Harper decided to talk in the morning.
Even after everyone else was fast asleep, Harper remained awake. She was agitated and distressed by all that she’d heard. When she finally closed her eyes, she found herself in the middle of a disturbing dream.
MONTGOMERY BENNINGTON’S ISLAND
April 28, 1912—Florida Keys
Harper knew she was dreaming because she was in the main cabin of a fancy yacht, staring at a group of people dressed like characters from the cast of an old period movie. The two men were wearing blazers and ties, and the three women were dressed in long flowy dresses and large brimmed hats, which struck her as ridiculous for a boat ride.
A tall handsome man wearing a captain’s hat and a blue blazer with a funny-looking scarf tied to his neck shouted, “Land ho!” as he entered the cabin.
“Montgomery Bennington, you gave me a fright, I declare!” a pretty brunette woman said with a slight frown.
“I do beg your pardon, my dear Penelope,” Montgomery said with a dashing bow. “I was just overcome with excitement to share my new discovery with my friends.”
“Oh, have we arrived already?” Penelope asked.
“Almost,” he answered. “My crew will let us know as soon as we are ready to disembark.”
He crossed the room to join the two men standing by the bar area. His friends were a study in contrasts—tall and short, thin and chubby, dark and blond—but both were relieved to see Montgomery.
“Excellent timing, Monty,” the dark-haired man drawled. “Roly and I have been dying for a cigar, but the ladies have been thoroughly cruel. Won’t let us smoke in here, and won’t let us leave them unattended. What’s a bloke to do?”
“That was not well done of you to blame the ladies, Charles,” the blond one named Roly said. He tried to smile at the women, but they ignored him.
“You can have your smoke when we land,” Monty said. “And I’ll entertain the ladies.”
The women laughed. They were all very pretty.
“We are all so curious about your mystery island,” Penelope said.
Before he could respond, there was a knock on the cabin door.
“Mr. Bennington, we’ve come into the lagoon as close as we can, and are ready to drop anchor,” the crewman said as he stood outside the companionway door.
“You may proceed,” Montgomery said with a languid wave.
“I say, Monty, how did you find this remote island of yours anyway?” Charles said as he peered out the cabin window. “It looks quite Robinson Crusoe.”
“I drove by it a week ago when I was exploring. Didn’t stop then. I figured that when you are discovering new islands, you might as well make a party out of it,” Monty replied.
The women giggled again. “It’s so funny to hear you say ‘drove’ instead of ‘sailed,’ as if you were driving a motorcar,” Penelope said with a flirty smile. Meanwhile, her two redheaded friends batted their eyelashes at Charles, who looked uncomfortable.
Monty smiled. “Well, what else would you call it, my dear? This is a power yacht. It runs on petrol, just like that brand-new Mercer Raceabout your daddy bought you for your birthday.”
“That’s a mighty fine car, Miss Penelope, but not as fine as Monty’s Endeavor here,” Roly said with an ingratiating smile.
The women rolled their eyes at his pronouncement, and Penelope raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
“Monty, will we be able to watch the eclipse from your island?” she asked. “It’s supposed to be around six thirty tonight.”
“Of course! We’ll have the best view of anyone!” Monty replied.
“Perfect party-time activity,” Charles cut in.
“But don’t stare at the sun until the moon blocks it completely,” Roly said. “Otherwise you’ll damage your pretty eyes.”
The women ignored him, instead giggling at Charles.
“Hey, Roly, I’m not sure the ladies know about your family’s news,” Monty said with a sly grin. “Apparently, Roly’s parents have this property that they thought for years was worthless out in Ventura, California. And it just struck oil, and now they’re richer than Croesus.”
Harper didn’t know what a Croesus was, but she could see that the women’s reactions had now changed from contempt to fawning adoration. But she was also terribly bored with the dream. She wondered why she was stuck watching these awful people. She tried to wake herself up, but nothing was working. She peered out the port windows and saw that there was an island nearby. It had white-sand beaches, but it wasn’t a lush, flower-laden paradise. Far from it. The island had a twenty-foot bluff along a shore covered with the skeletal remains of white-bleached cedars and oak trees. But beyond the desolate beaches lay the thick jungle wilderness at the core of the island.
The boating party was now heading off, and Harper found herself pulled along as if by a large magnet.
The women complained as a chilly breeze blew their perfect hair into wild disarray.
“It’s not very pretty, is it?” Penelope said. “I mean, it looks like a boneyard of trees.”
For some reason, her words sent a shiver of fear down Harper’s spine. This dream must be a memory of how the island was discovered.
Two crewmen had lowered a dinghy to take the party over to the island. The captain and first mate remained on board the yacht. Harper watched as the man named Monty helped Penelope and then her two friends onto the dinghy. The ladies shrieked as Charles jumped in, sending the dinghy rocking.
Instead of getting into the little boat, Monty rolled up his pants, took off his shoes and socks, and jumped into the lagoon. The water only came up to his knees. Monty waded past the slow-moving dinghy, ignoring the cries of his other friend, Roly. Harper realized that she must be tied to Monty’s memories, as she was suddenly pulled along with his form through the crystal-blue waters.
Suddenly a loud splash and cursing filled the air. Harper looked back to see Roly almost waist-deep in water.
“Curse you for being so tall!” Roland cried out as he waded forward.
Monty laughed and continued on. “You should have waited for the dinghy, Roly.”
Monty was the first to reach the pure white sand. The beach stretched wide, framed on both sides by rock formations and skeletal trees. Large pieces of driftwood were strewn about like nature’s art structures.
Monty’s crewmen had already come to s
hore and set up an early picnic dinner on the beach. They prepared a simple spread of meats, cheeses, bread, and salads on a long wooden table and six folding chairs. Next to the table, several large blankets had been laid out.
“I do declare, this is the softest sand I’ve ever set foot on!” said one of the redheads.
“Oh, how lovely,” Penelope said. “Why Monty, your little island just might be a marvelous tourist attraction, with this soft, powdery sand. Key Largo doesn’t even have any natural sand beaches.”
“But we can go to Key West now, what with Henry Flagler’s new railroad. They’ve got beaches there,” her friend replied.
“I’ve been to Key West, and the beaches are not as nice as this,” Penelope said. “They’re all rocky and hard. This is like walking on powdered sugar. Monty, you said you always wanted to open up a top vacation resort. Why, you should open up a hotel right here.”
Monty nodded, but Harper could see he was distracted. As the others sat down to eat, she followed Monty as he wandered into the thicket. For a moment she thought she could hear a faint drumming, and she felt a surge of panic. She wanted to warn him not to leave the beach, but he pushed his way through a tangle of overhanging tree limbs and walked farther into the jungle. The beach was shades of white and black, but the jungle was a rich visual feast. Colors here were brighter and the sounds clearer, but the air was muggy and thick.
Harper could hear the drums again. Staring at Monty, she knew he had to have heard them this time. He was standing still, listening intensely before finally moving again.
The dense jungle canopy above was alive with the sounds of life. The air buzzed with winged insects taking flight, and the ground moved with creepy-crawlies. Harper could see the remains of a dead bird completely covered with ants and other insects of the jungle. The only part uncovered was its yellow beak, which gaped open, a millipede crawling in as if heading home. Harper shuddered in disgust. All around them, the leaves trembled, as if there were invisible inhabitants watching and waiting.
Sweeping aside some protruding vines, Monty’s hand caught within the sticky tendrils of a large cobweb. Pulling away, he shrank back from large spiders the size of his fists that crawled farther up their silky threads. Harper swallowed back a scream and then wondered if anyone would have even heard her.
