The Spirit Who Loved Me: Spirit Whispers Book One (21 page)

Chapter 27

“Holy crap, look
at all the cars,” Malcom whispered.

I peered from my seat in the back, and my stomach fell. “This is so not good,” I lamented. “I bet it’s going to be so much harder to get our hands on the damn book now.” I wasn’t comfortable saying satanic bible out loud. I got chills every time.

“Well, no shit Sherlock,” mocked Tammy. “Did Jett mention how many people he was inviting?”

“Nope. I barely even saw him all week, and the couple times I did, Tara had her arm around him like they were back together. I ‘spect he doesn’t even remember inviting us to begin with.”

Tammy pulled over onto the side of the road a couple hundred yards down from the pathway to the Grounds.

“Girl, hope you got a flashlight in here.”

“Check the glove box, Malcom. Might be one in there.”

Malcom opened the box and out popped tissues, papers and other unmentionables. He puckered his lips together as if he had tasted a sour lemon. “You expect me to dig through all your junk?”

Tammy answered with a sigh, leaning over to rummage into the unseen mess, and pulled out a flashlight the length of my hand, triumph on her face. “See, told ya I had one.”

“I think we might need two. Think your parents would have stocked one in the trunk for ya?” I asked.

She answered by popping open the trunk and started to look while Malcom and I filed out of her Civic. The air was brisk but only added to my jitters, my teeth chattering away. I wrapped my flannel around me tighter and rubbed at my arms. Michael Jackson’s
Thriller
was pumping through the air, Malcom bounced to the beat.

“I don’t see one. We’ll have to make do with the small flashlight.”

“Thanks for checking, Tammy.” I cursed myself silently for not bringing an extra light. “Why don’t you lead the way?”

As we walked along the white painted line on the dark stretch of road, I started a mental check.
Hey, are ya’ll with me?

We’re here, Krystal.
Ah, that was Abel.

Abel, when you say “we” you are referring to…

Legion.
He paused.
Spiral Spider is with us, as is Abigail and you saw Bernie in the visions at the Akashic Records. Cynthia Mae is standing by as are Malcom and Tammy’s Guides. You should be aware that of the individuals here-- the teens, their guides are present as well, and will help if able and if needed. Saraphina as well as the other Angelic Guardians of all are present. A Legion at your service. Remember, we are unable to impose on free will—we cannot force actions. We can try and inspire and manipulate events—but only to a point.

Then what good are you?
I asked.

If we were able to impose on will, the point of you being present would have been moot.

If only that were the case
. I shot back.

Our trio paused at the head of the path leading down to the peculiar circle known as the Devil’s Tramping Grounds, or Stomping Grounds, depending on who you asked, still serenaded by belated Mr. Jackson, may God bless his soul.

“Man, this song is epic,” I muttered breaking the tension of the moment. You could see flickering from the bonfire even from where we stood, and I knew the fire must be huge. I could hear voices occasionally over the music. I looked to Malcom, then to Tammy. “Still in ya’ll?” I wanted to give them one more chance to change their minds, but they nodded.

“Well, let’s do this.”

The path was just wide enough for the three of us. Tammy pointed her pencil thin flashlight towards the ground so we could check our footing, but halfway down, we didn’t need it anymore so bright was the fire’s light.

As we neared the end of the path, we held back a few feet to take it all in before joining the crowd—and it was a crowd. I recognized many other kids from school, and dozens of others of whom I hadn’t had an opportunity to make acquaintances with, but given many of their athletic builds, figured Jett knew them from his sports pursuits.

“So, Krystal, do you and your, um, “little friends” have a plan?” Tammy asked.

“Not really.” But that would have been a great idea, I added to myself. “Whoever gets a hold of that book, try to toss it into the fire.”

“Gotcha. I guess we should mingle and try to figure out where it is.”

“Yeah,” Malcom added. “Looks like we’re late to the party. If the book’s here, they’ve probably got it out already.”

“I always did like to make an entrance,” I joked wryly.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out into the circle of light with my friends right behind me, meeting an invisible wall of heat being thrown from the fire. I took my flannel off and tied it haphazardly around my waist as I tried to take note of my surroundings. The earth was pale in the circle, supposedly a side effect of the Devil walking and pondering his next move all hours of the night. Tale also claimed anything or anyone left in the circle overnight would be mysteriously moved elsewhere, but so far, no one was disappearing before my eyes.

“Here comes Jett,” whispered Tammy. We watched him stride over, all confidence and charm, Tara sauntering and simpering in his wake. Malcom snorted behind me. He wasn’t a fan of either of them.

“Hey, Krystal, I see ya’ll made it,” Jett said, flashing me a brilliant smile. Tara grabbed onto Jett’s arm, smirking at me all the while. Jett took a look down at her, a frown passing over his features as quickly as it came, but I wasn’t here to play games with Tara. I didn’t give a damn about their relationship, and I wasn’t after Jett.

In desperation, I grabbed onto Malcom’s arm and hugged onto him and pasted a fake smile on my face. Shock, then understanding washed over Malcom’s features. He stood up taller as if he were proud and pulled me in closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. The confusion on Jett’s face would have been absolutely hysterical if the situation wasn’t so serious.

“Thanks for having us. Sure looks like an awesome party.” I smiled wide.

“Uh, yeah, well.” Jett looked me over as if he were trying to figure me out, I could see his wheels turning and the surrender when he finally gave up. Some people are so easy to read. “There’s drinks over in the coolers on the far side of the fire. Help yourselves.” Pulling Tara behind him, Jett turned around and walked away.

“That took some balls, Krystal,” muttered Tammy. “You’re going to get a bad rep.” Inter-racial relationships were still taboo in our neck of the woods. They weren’t unheard of—if you were in one you needed to be prepared for some hazing or an impromptu ass kicking, but that was about it. Even down the street a piece in Siler City, they were more common, but then again those were town folks. I took a closer look around at those assembled, and sure enough, I could count the Hispanics and African-Americans on one hand, including Malcom.

“Well, it worked for now didn’t it? Last thing we need right now is Jett trailing me like I’m a bitch in heat and Tara trying to kick my ass to boot.”

Malcom gave me a squeeze. “You can be my pretend girlfriend anytime.”

“Thanks.” I tapped my fingers to my lips. “Why don’t we take a walk around the perimeter? Maybe we’ll see the book?”

Slowly, we started to make our way around the circular clearing. The bonfire was surrounded with logs pulled from the woods, and there wasn’t a free seat in sight. Most kids had beers in their hands or Mason jars filled with a clear liquid that I hoped was water, but I doubted it. Without Jett and Tara watching us, I didn’t feel like there was a reason to continue the charade with Malcom, and I relaxed my guard a little.

“Hey, look over there,” Tammy’s whisper, sounding much like a hiss, stopped us in our tracks. “See Missy Anne over there?”

I craned my neck trying to see. “Nope. Where is she is?”

“She’s over around the fire a piece. Looks like she’s reading from a book. When you ever known her to be a reader?”

“I see her,” said Malcom.
 

Tammy looked at me. “So, what do we do?”

“Hold on.” I closed my eyes and held my hands out in front of me as if I were savoring the insane heat from the flames.
There’s young girl name of Missy Anne reading from a book. Is that the book we’re looking for?
My skin prickled and tingled up and down the side of my right arm, a reminder I wasn’t in this alone.

It is, Krystal,
Spiral answered.
Be careful, the young lady isn’t mentally stable.

“Great.”

Tammy cleared her throat, “Um, Krystal, remember we’re in public?”

I opened my eyes and faced my friends. “Sorry, sometimes I forget when I’m talking to them, how it must look to an outsider. So do ya’ll want the good news or the bad news first?”

“Just hit us with it,” said Malcom.

“Okay, so the good news is, this is the book we’re looking for. The bad news is Missy isn’t mentally stable right now. I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean exactly, but we should probably proceed with caution.”

“Probably that damn book she’s been reading. My mama always said you mess with fire too much, eventually you’re gonna get burned.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I agreed with Malcom. This was the first time I’d been in a leadership role of any kind, and I had no idea what to do. I knew my friends were looking to me to come up with a plan. “Let’s continue on around, maybe get a drink? Scope things out a bit closer?” Give me a chance to think this over, I added.

You’re doing fine, Krystal, no worries.

“Thanks, Abel,” I whispered.

We skirted around the edge of the clearing as we continued our way around to the coolers. We passed by a random couple or two who must’ve snuck away from the bonfire to make out hidden among the shadows of the trees. They ignored us, and we ignored them. We were able to a better vantage point of the crowd. The boys sat sprawled on the logs drinking and watching as several of the girls danced along to the thumping beat of a song I didn’t recognize. Watching them dance before flames licking towards the sky felt surreal, and I guess it felt that way for Malcom and Tammy too, as we paused, entranced for a moment.

“White girls sure can’t dance,” Malcom noted, breaking the silence, and I let out a weak laugh.

“Hey,” Tammy gave Malcom a gentle elbowing. “I can dance.”

“Girl, have you ever seen yourself? I don’t know if I’d call that dancing.” Malcom grinned at me, his teeth flashing in the near dark of the woods. “Kris is a pretty good dancer though.”

“Okay, enough you two.” I had a much better vantage point of Missy Anne. She was holding the book in one hand, as she pointed with a finger from her other as she read from the book. I felt a chill lick up my spine as I finally put together the strange occurrence that happened in the restroom on my birthday when Missy had come in. Two other girls, one I recognized from school, the other I didn’t, stood on either side of her. I watched the trio’s lips moving as they read along. They were dressed head to toe in black. “When did Missy go all Goth on us?”

“Maybe she’s dressed in black ‘cause its Halloween?” offered Malcom.

“Could be. She’s been looking normal at school,” said Tammy, and she’d know since Missy was in Tammy’s homeroom. “Today even.”

“Guess she just dons it for special occasions.” As if she knew I was talking about her, Missy turned around just enough to make eye contact with me, her eyes filled with darkness. A trick of the fire, it has to be, I thought, as I stumbled back a step, and she smirked before turning back around.

“Well, that was creepy,” Tammy stated.

“You saw it too?” Tammy and Malcom both nodded, and I wondered what the heck I’d gotten us into. Missy didn’t look normal. Missy almost looked like…she wasn’t Missy at all. Weird.

She is under influence. Not much time left.

Thanks for the heads up,
I thought sarcastically. “Okay. We’re running out of time. Any ideas?”
That goes for all of you out there too.

“Uh,” Tammy started. “Maybe, we could nonchalantly walk over and bump into her, causing the book to fall into the fire?”