I sighed. My sister. Shes dead.
He paled a little. Oh, shit. The stories about you are true?
Roxi patted him on the arm. Its okay.
Mace and Sarah exchanged glances, then looked at Gage, Roxi, Ben and Kevin. None of them wanted this to be true. In fact, I expected them to protest a little harder, but they werent stupid. They knew something was off.
Can you help us get rid of it? Roxi asked, her hand over her stomach.
Yeah, added Gage. What do we do?
Okay, so they were ready to admit that something was wrong. That meant that they were open to believing in ghosts, and that for the first time in my life I was with people who just might believe me.
I didnt know everything about ghosts, but I knew more than they did. I knew more than most people did. And Wren knew way more than me. Still, she and I just sort of figured things out as we went along. We werent exactly experts.
Were all theyve got, my sister whispered. Kevins gaze jerked in her direction. Just how sensitive was he to her presence?
Where did you find it? I asked. Cool fingers curled around mine and squeezed. My sister, giving her approval. I had an awful feeling that this was going to bite me on the ass.
Fairfield Cemetery, Sarah replied.
I shook my head. And closed the Beetles door. I wasnt going anywhere just then.
Lark, thats not right, Wren insisted. Do you hear me? I said its not
I shot her a glare. I know. Did she think Id forgotten about Kevin and his little song during this drama?
Are you talking to your sister again? Sarah asked hesitantly.
I tried to smile. It didnt work. Yes.
Her names Wren, Kevin said, stepping into the circle. He shot me a glance. I gave him the finger. Hed flapped his lips about my sister enough already.
Ghosts dont haunt cemeteries, I informed them. Cemeteries are sanctuaries. Theres nothing there but bones and peace. Ghosts need something to hold on toa person, place or thing. When ghosts need to feed they go back to a place they knew in life where they might find the living. Your ghost is from somewhere else. Where else have you been thats close to there?
They all looked around, shaking their heads.
At least one of you has been somewhere else. Maybe you walked across property near the graveyard? Trespassed somewhere?
That shared glance was all the answer I needed. Where? I demanded.
Haven Crest, Gage said, voice hoarse and face white. The old...hospital. We cut across the grounds one night.
I made a face at his choice of term, which I knew had been for my benefit. Haven Crest had been an asylum in the most horror-movie sense of the word. Every kid in town knew about it by the time he or she was ten. Some even dared to brave its rusted gates. I knew better. I saw what was there. Those memories kicked my heart into overdrive and brought back other memories, of pills being forced down my throat as the ghosts of Bell Hill looked on, some of them eager for a chance to play when my senses were dulled and I couldnt fight back.
Youre on your own, I told them and pivoted on my heel. Good luck.
Wait! Roxi cried. Youre not going to help us?
I cant, I told her. Im sorry. And I really was.
Lark, we have to help them, Wren insisted, but I turned away.
Someone grabbed my arm, but it wasnt Wren. It was Mace, and he looked angry. And afraid. Of all the people to grab me, to make me look them in the eye, why did it have to be the one who had saved my sorry life? Yes, theyd locked me up after he did it, but I was here because of him. I owed him.
You cant tell us we need your help and then walk away, he said.
I shook my head as though hed been the one to remind me of that fact. I wont do it. You cant make me go there. Do you know what that place is? Do you know what its like to be surrounded by ghosts that dont have any sense of right and wrong? To be strapped to a bed and unable to fight when creatures who get off on pain come to play? Tears filled my eyes and I refused to be ashamed of them. You dont know, and I cant do that again.
Youre right, he said. I just know this. And then he shoved my hand under his shirt, flat against the smooth, muscled wall of his chest. I gasped at the heat therethe burning ridges that scorched my palm. He had the scratches, too.
Heat raced up my arm. No, it was like my arm was on fire. I cried out. Wren reached for me... My head snapped backeyes, too.
Pain. Blood. Suffering. Terrible images filled my brain, each moving too fast to be sure of what I was seeing. I heard screams and laughter, tasted blood and tears. And I burned.
Then I saw themMace, Roxi, Gage, Sarah, Ben and Kevinall of them. They were deadripped apart by something with huge claws. Their blood covered the floor of what looked like an old medical ward. Rats scurried along the edge of the growing crimson pool.
Maces facewhat was left of itturned toward me. Something had ripped out his eyes, but I knew he could see me. You, he rasped.
And there was Wren, clacking like a vulture, squatting among all the gore. Black clots of blood matted her hair, stained the skin around her mouth. I watched in horror as she lifted unnaturally long, bloody hands. Each finger had become a wicked razor-sharp claw, and from those claws dangled a cluster of eyeballslike an upside down bunch of small, macabre balloons. I saw Roxis eyes and Maces eyes, and Sarahs. They all turned to stare at me accusingly.
My sister grinned at me before popping one of them into her mouth.
I screamed.
WREN
Lark slumped against Mason at exactly the same moment a police officer got out of his car on the other side of the parking lot.
Crap, Ben muttered. Is that Olgilvie?
Someone else swore.
I barely glanced at the tall, heavyset man in uniform walking toward us. I was more concerned about my sister. What had happened when shed touched Masons wounds? Lark?
Mason held her up. He couldnt see me, however. To his friends he said, Stay calm. Let me do the talking.
Sarah looked panicked. How are we going to explain her? She gestured at Lark. She looks drunk.
It was obvious that everyone thought we were in trouble, so I did the only thing I could think of. I stepped into my sister and took over her body for the time being. People called it possession, but I didnt like to use that term in regards to Lark. Thankfully, she was just asleep. I opened my eyesLarks eyes.
Mason looked down at me. He frowned. Youre not her, he whispered.
I managed a small smile, impressed that he could tell the difference between usmost people couldnt. You can let her...me, go now. Thanks.
He dropped his arms like I was on fire. I stumbled, but managed to catch myself. Wearing Lark was fairly comfortable, but I wasnt used to having substance in this realm. Limbs were heavy, clumsy. I braced my hand against the roof of Nans car.
By that time the police officerOlgilviehad reached us. Evening, kids. Had a report of a girl accosting another with a cup of hot tea. Then I heard a scream. Everything all right up here?
Yeah, Mason replied. Just messing around.
Olgilvie ignored him and came straight toward me. Did I know him? He looked familiar. Had he been there the night Lark had hurt herself?
He peered at me with narrow dark eyes. Youre that Noble girl, arent you? Charlottes granddaughter.
I nodded. God, even Larks head was heavy. How did the living walk around like this all day?
His shoulders straightened, like a rooster trying to make itself taller. He tucked his thumbs into his belt. Are we going to have trouble again, Miss Noble?
Again. I wanted to explain to him that we had never had any trouble, but that we certainly could if he wanted. I wanted to make the little hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end. I wanted to make his bladder quiver. A girl screams and he shows up talking like shed done something wrong? Shouldnt he be asking if sheIwas all right?
A skinny young man with a lot of hair and jeans that were too tight stood beside the officer. It was obvious he was one of my kindnot just because he looked out of place, but because he looked right at me and winked.
No, I said, looking away from the ghost. Were not going to have trouble.
The policeman nodded, rocked back on his heels. Thats good, because I have friends at Bell Hill. If I think for a minute that youre a danger to anyone in this town I wont hesitate to give them a call.
Lark would say something snarkymy sister got defiant when threatenedbut I couldnt think of anything. I was too angry. How dare he bring up that awful place. Lark hadnt done anything and this man talked about sending her back there? He looked at her as though he thought she was a criminal. Trouble. Just what did he think she was going to do? Shed hurt herself, not anyone else.
She didnt do anything, Mason said, with a frown. Why dont you back off?
The officer obviously didnt like his tone. You watch your tone, Mace.
No. The boy who had rescued my sister, and earned my eternal gratitude, folded his arms over his chest. Theres nothing going on here, so maybe you should go find some real trouble, because I wont hesitate to call my fatheryou know, your bossand let him know that one of his officers is bullying a teenage girl for no reason.
The older man stared at Mason, who stared back. Oh, I wished Lark could have seen it! If I liked Mason Ryan before, I adored him now for standing up for my sister.
Someday, youre not going to be able to hide behind your daddy the chief anymore. Olgilvie pointed a thick finger at him. Im going to be there when that happens.
Mason shrugged. Then I guess you and I will have trouble. Someday.
The officer stepped forward, jaw tight. That was when I put myself, or rather Lark, between the two of them. I probably shouldnt have done anything, but it was the only way I could think of to end this situation before it became any more out of control.
And the only way to get the ghost to go away.
You hid behind your father when he was chief, Opie.
The color drained from Olgilvies face. What did you call me?
That was what they called you, wasnt it? The kids who liked to tease you? Sometimes I knew things about the living, but in this case, the name had come from the ghost with him.
I smiled a little, moved closer to him, so only he could hear what I said nextthe secret his companion shared. He staggered backward after I spoke to him, looking at me like I was something unnatural, which I was, of course. I was glad Lark wasnt awake to see it, because too many people had given her that same look over the course of her life.
The officer turned and walked away. He looked unsteady. The younger mans ghost walked beside him.
What did you say to him? Mason asked when it was just the group of us again.
Something only he and a dead man knew, I answered. And that was all I was going to say. Things taken to the grave were taken there for a reason. By revealing it, and scaring the officer away, Id basically indebted myself to the ghost haunting him. If the ghost ever needed a favor, I was obliged to reciprocate. No need to bring anyone else into that bargain.
I had bigger things to worry about. Can someone help me? I need to wake up Lark.
With the exception of Mason, they all looked at me in...well, it wasnt quite horror. Surprise? That was when I finally let myself look at Kevin. My heart skipped a beat.
Wren? His voice was hoarse.
I nodded. His eyes were so blue, even in the dark parking lot. The breeze blew dark curls around his face. Such wild hair. It didnt occur to me to speak. I just wanted to look at him. God, I could touch him if I wanted.
After that first connection when Lark had hurt herself, I didnt expect to talk to Kevin again, but he reached out to me a day or two later. And when my sister had shut me out, he was the one person I could talk to about it. It took some time, and it wasnt easy, but we got so that we could communicate fairly easily. He couldnt see me, couldnt touch me, but he could hear me.
Oh, shit, Gage said, staring at me. Thats a ghost in there? Dude, thats...fucked up.
I blinked. There were other people with us. I hadnt exactly forgotten them, they just hadnt mattered all that much to me. Sometimes the living faded into the background, there were just so many of them.
Where do you need to go? Mace asked.
Someplace private. Quiet. Not here, I replied.
Kevin came forward. My place. My parents are away for a long weekend.
His house! Oh, no. Lark was going to kill me when she woke up. I didnt care. I wanted to see his house. I wanted to touch the light switches he touched. Walk the floors he walked. I wanted to smell his toothbrush. Maybe try on his clothes. I didnt care if it was weirdI spent 99.9 percent of my time incorporeal, damn it.
I need someone to drive, I said with a wince, gesturing to my grandmothers hideous car. I cant.
Ill drive you, Kevin offered.
Oh, Lark, please stay asleep. Just for a little while longer. Please, please.
Are you sure? Its an ugly car.
He smiled, and it was like watching the moon rise from behind the veil. So bright. I dont mind.
Mason clapped him on the shoulder. Well meet you there, man.
The keys were already in the...thing. What was that called? The ignition? I managed to clomp around the back to the passenger side. Kevin opened the door for me. I smiled. Thanks.
I pulled the seat belt across Larks body and buckled it. No need for both of us to be ghosts. Kevin climbed in, fastened his belt and then started the engine. He glanced around at the interior.
Wow, he said. It really is hideous.
I laughed. Isnt it?
He grinned, adjusted the stick thing and then made the vehicle move. Its weird, being able to actually talk to you, and have you be more than a voice in my head.
I know. I sneaked a glance at him. Its nice. There were so many things I wanted to say to him, but they all seemed so foolish now that I had the chance. Wed talked a few times over the past year and a bit, but this seemed much more...intimate. I could touch him if I wanted. Smell him. Feel his warmth.