Spirits (Spirits Series Book 1) (14 page)

Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t have sent that…


I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Carson is notorious for leaving his cell phone laying around so I waited till he was out of the room. Dae caught me… expect her to be blowing you up later. Blake

Tuesday sounds good, so I guess I won’t see you tomorrow? Journey

Humm… do you want to see me tomorrow? Blake

I’m giving myself a mental kick in the rear right now. Journey

Why? Blake

It should be obvious. Journey

Because you are interested in us both? Blake

Yes, does it bother you? Journey

Honestly? Blake

Please, always the truth. Journey

Yes but I’ll wait it out. I can’t promise I won’t tell him we are talking. I wouldn’t want him doing that to me. He will know you and I are going off but I won’t tell him where. Blake

UGH, darn butterflies! I feel like I’m going to be sick.

Is he going to be mad? Journey

Yes, but not at you. If he does act like a jerk you just let me know. Blake

I feel badly for this. I don’t want to be the reason you two don’t get along and I don’t want either of you to be angry with me. Journey

I’m not worried about him. I’m not mad at you. If I were a better brother I wouldn’t be pursuing you, but sometimes when you see something you want you have to go for it and darn the consequences. Blake

Your parents are going to hate me. Journey

Lol
. Don’t sweat it, Carson and I don’t tell them our business. Blake

*S
igh of relief * Journey


I’ll talk to you tomorrow, goodnight. Blake

Yep. Goodnight. Journey

I start to put my phone up and roll over, not that I’ll get much sleep. I’m to anxious, it buzzes in my hand before I can set it down.

Goodnight
beautiful, can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Carson

Oh torture!

Me either, where are we meeting? Journey

Meeting… Your house, will your parents be home? Carson

Seriously, you want to come here? Why do you want to know about my parents? Journey

Yes seriously. I do believe that I have a bet to win,
gotta meet your parental units in order to do so. :p Carson

What are you wearing tomorrow? Better not be jeans!
Daelynn AKA Sunshine!

I’m wearing a bikini, and stab me, a dress. I’m so freaking nervous! Journey


That was a little off subject but I’m REALLY looking forward to tomorrow now. What color? I like white… Nervous about what? Carson

HELLO!!! I know you are not asleep
already, Blake just passed my door grinning like an idiot! Daelynn AKA Sunshine!

This time I double check to make sure I’m texting the correct person.

Sorry, thought I had text you but it went to Carson. I’m wearing a bikini and a dress. Why does Blake being happy necessarily have to be because of me? Journey

Yeah I guess that was a bit off. I meant to send that to
Daelynn. I’m not telling you the color, you’ll have to wait and see. Journey

Duh, he’s bedazzled by you, they both are. Did you talk to Drew
? Daelynn AKA Sunshine!

Yeah, he’s coming I’ll see you in the am. Journey


YAY!!! I can’t wait! Daelynn AKA Sunshine!

I’m going to start hiding my phone. Did Blake text you? Carson

… Yes… I really don’t want to cause problems between you two. Journey

I don’t really blame you. I should have known better. Guess I’m just
gonna have to bring my A game and make you see I’m the better option. Since you won’t tell me the color will you tell me why you’re so nervous? Carson

It’s sort of embarrassing. Journey

…I won’t judge. Carson

Well, I’ve never had a guy as cute as you interested in me… and the guys that did like me… well it never went far. Journey

I find that hard to believe. Carson

True story. I was not popular, at least not in the sense you want to be well known for. Journey

? Carson

… I’ll tell you about it later, mayb
e
Journey

Mysterious, I
like. So now that you’ve divulged the guy thing I’m curious about something. Carson

What might that be? Journey

Have you ever kissed a guy? Carson

*
turning red * Do I have to answer? Journey

Lol
, I think you just did. You are very unusual, in a good way. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better. I’ll let you sleep now. See you in the morning. Carson

Me too. Goodnight
.
Journey

     Putting my phone on the nightstand I hesitate before rolling over and cut off the lamp.  I’m not feeling freaked out, well not about that anyway.  Now I’m stressing the guy issue.  I have to try and let this run it’s course. I need sleep or I’m going to need extra makeup tomorrow to hide the dark circles under my eyes.

     “Journey.” She spits my name like it’s venom as she glares at me through the mirror.  I turn to run and realize mirrors surround me; floor to ceiling with no door in sight.  “Remember me?” She snarls appearing in each looking glass as I pass. How could I forget that Bloody Mary imposter?! “Leave me alone!”

I scream running through the reflective maze.

She cackles cruelly, “You can’t run or hide from me. I told you I’d be coming back for you gifted one. I abhor the children of light!”

“Go away!” I face a
dead end, she’s there exposing her decaying teeth in the form of a smile that seems to cause her pain.  Turning I slip on something wet but manage to fall on my hands and knees.  I scream as I struggle to my feet, blood, it’s everywhere.

“
Death awaits you Dear, we’re dying for you to join us.” Her demonic laughter fills the air along with the stench of Death.  I gag and attempt not to throw up as I search for a way out.

“I’m coming child and I’m bringing friends.” She says stepping out of the mirror to block my path.  I reflexively reach up for my necklace but it’s gone, a dreadful feeling crawls across me as she slowly jerks walking towards me, darkness creeping up behind her, “Where’s your savior now?”
She laughs closing in on me.  The light grows brighter behind me but I’m to afraid to turn my back to her, taking a few steps back I run into something solid and scream at the top of my lungs.  A hand covers my mouth and I turn my head to see dark eyes with gold rings staring at me.  “Fear is weakness,” he grins, “a delicacy, you’ll be a tasty treat.”

     “
Shh, it’s alright.” Comforting hands caressing my cheeks wakes me from the nightmare.  “Drew?” I ask reaching for the lamp, his voice sounding different.  Not Drew. Scooting away quickly I look at the blue eyed stranger. “Who are you? How’d you,”

“Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m Noah.”

“You left me a letter.”

“Yes, I’ve been making sure the others do not frigh
ten you. They haven’t scared you have they?”

“Who is Emily?”
He glances around, takes a bit longer to pass the closet, “Emily?”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“She’s harmless. I’m surprised she introduced herself, she’s rather shy.”

“We haven’t officially met,” I smirk, “I dreamed about her last night.”

“Odd. Is that what had you so upset?”

“That was you in the kitchen?”

“Yes, I apologize if I startled you. I couldn’t help myself.”

I cover my face embarrassed and groan.

“What is the matter?” He asks scooting closer.

“I was hoping no one saw my moment of weakness.”

He pulls my hand away, “It’s alright to be afraid, you can’t be strong all the time.”

“I shouldn’t be fearful, this is something I’ve dealt with my whole life. Sometimes it doesn’t bother me and sometimes it does. However I was talking about crying into the pint of ice cream I shouldn’t have been eating.”

“Yes your father seemed rather upset about it going to waste. What is afternoon delight, is it like a dessert?”

I giggle, “I guess some call it that, just depends… You don’t get out much do you?”

“What’s funny? It was a serious question and no I don’t get out much. I don’t like to leave this land, it makes me tired.”

“Sorry, it’s a code word for a three letter word that ends with x and it’s not a number.”

“Oh… well, um…” he looks flustered but not angry flustered. It’s like he doesn’t know what to say next.  Wow I thought I was the only teenager left that got like that from the mention of that word, but he’s worse than I am.

“So you stay here all the time? Don’t you get bored?”

“Sometimes it get’s rather dull,
same thing day in and day out until new families come. Then we catch up with what’s going on around the world. Technology, it’s a fascinating thing. All the new inventions are mind-boggling. I remember the first television I saw.”

“That sounds so strange coming from you.”

“Why?”

“Minus the clothes you look like a regular kid my age who shouldn’t be surprised by all the advances man kind has made. We’re spoiled by it.”

“Young man,” he smiles, “I am far from a child dear.”

“I am aware. I can’t imagine growing up in your era, having to do everything the hard way, no Internet or cell phones. That had to suck.”

He shrugs, “We were happy, hard work is good for you, it never hurt anyone. We didn’t have all these high-tech things, you can’t miss something you know nothing of.”

“True,” I say lying back down, “do you like all the new stuff?”

“Some of them, though I do think some have replaced a sense of formality. When I was younger, if you liked a girl you would go to her house, meet her parents and ask for their permission to court their daughter. Now adays no one does that. It’s to easy to call or text, meet up some where and parents are none the wiser as to what their children are doing because everyone minds their own business or are to caught up in their own lives to care about anyone else’s. It was nothing like that in my day, of course there weren’t nearly as many people around either.”

I chuckle softly and close my eyes waiting for him to continue.

“Am I boring you?”

“No it’s interesting listening to your opinion.”

“Was that sarcasm?”

“Not at all, continue, what do you like?”

“Cars, movies,”

“Really, what kind of movies?”

“All different kinds, though I’m not fond of the newer horror, to much gore if you ask me.”

“I’d have to agree with you.” I say fighting a yawn.

“I won’t keep you up, I just couldn’t stand seeing you look so terrified.” He says standing.

“You don’t have to go.”

“I probably shouldn’t be in your room anyway, it’s improper.”

“You are truly a southern gentleman. It’s alright if you stay though, I’d sleep better knowing I’m not alone.”  I’ve totally gone off the deep end!  He looks at me uncertain. “I promise no one will ever know and you don’t have to stay all night, just until I fall asleep.”

He nods and sits down at the foot of my bed, “One question before you go to sleep.”

“Alright.”

“What were you dreaming about that had you so afraid?”

“Bloody Mary’s demonic wench of a twin and some dude with strange eyes.”  I’m not positive but it looks like he might not be unfamiliar with them… “Do you know who I’m talking about?”

He shakes his head, “No but it sounds scary.”

“It was, well goodnight.”

“Goodnight, I hope you sleep well.”

     “Did you sleep alright?” Noah asks turning from the computer as I kick the covers off.

“Yes, thanks. I didn’t expect you’d still be here. Have you been on the computer all night?”

He smiles guiltily, “It is one of my favorite advances. Did I forget to mention that?”

“I believe you did, I don’t mind though. Have you seen Kadence?”

He turns back to the screen, “No, but your brother peeked in here a little while ago.”

“Did he see you?”

“Absolutely not. What are your plans for the day?”

“Drew and I are going to the beach with some kids I met yesterday.”

“Sounds swell.”

“Swell,” I giggle, “I hope it will be.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Hey, what happened to the bags of clothes?” I ask looking around.

“I hope you don’t mind, I took the liberty of putting them up for you.”

“You must have been bored. Do you ever sleep?”

“Sleep, why would I do that?”