The Haunted - Jessica Verday [48]
“Do you like Coca-Cola, Abbey?” he asked. “Is it one of your favorite things?”
“Um, well, yeah.”
“What about potato chips? Hershey bars? Doritos? Pizza? Those are all typical teenage vices, aren’t they?”
Vices. That was an interesting choice of words. “Yeah, I guess…” Cacey leaned forward. “Cigarettes? Booze? A little gin and tonic after school to help ease the stress of peer pressure?”
What? Ew. “Those are all generally considered vices, but they’re not mine.” Why was I answering them? Why were they here? What did they want?
I opened my mouth to turn the question-asking tables on them, but Cacey intercepted me.
“I know! Sex with boys… in fast cars, and on your parents’ bed. Or with girls. I’m not judging.” I stood up. “Who are you people? Why are you asking me these things?” Cacey looked at Uri and grinned. Her eyes were paler, if that was even possible. There was absolutely no color in them now, not even the tiniest hint of gray. It was like staring into crystal-clear water. “We’re from a local college,” she said. “Just gathering statistics and data.
Can’t you tell by our clothes?”
They were lying. I knew they were lying, but I didn’t call them on it. “Oh, okay.”
“Do you have any plans for your future? College and whatnot?” Uri asked me.
I looked back and forth between them. A sick feeling blossomed in the pit of my stomach, and I desperately wanted them to leave. “Shouldn’t you… I mean, don’t you have someplace else to be?” I glanced at the door.
“You want us to leave?” Cacey said, a delighted tone in her voice. “Oh, I get it. No.”
“Why don’t you just answer our questions?” Uri asked me. His tone was soothing, and I almost closed my eyes for a second to catch that melody. “Don’t you want to answer them?” Yes. No. A migraine was starting to throb in the back of my skull. “I really don’t think it’s any of your business.…”
Cacey and Uri both leveled glares at me. Every single hair on my arms and on the back of my neck stood straight up. The dancing spiders did triple time, and I almost gasped out loud at the shivery sensation.
Putting one hand to my pulsing temples, I didn’t recognize the whispery voice that came out of me. “Please, don’t ask me these things. I can’t… Just please… don’t.” Uri broke his gaze and turned to look at Cacey. She shook her head at him. “No.”
“It’s too much,” he argued. “Later.”
Cacey gave a disgusted sigh and then began to examine her nails. “Fine, whatever.” Uri looked like he wanted to grab her by the arm and haul her to her feet, but she shot him a deadly look. My head was splitting, but I felt that weird sense of calm coming over me again. In one swift movement Cacey stood up and strode to the door. Uri was by her side a heartbeat later.
“See you around, Abbey,” Cacey said, wiggling her fingers in an approximation of a wave.
“Next time.”
Uri reached around her and opened the door. The sunlight streamed in, illuminating both of them in glowing silhouettes of white. “Oh, and try some baking soda for the aftertaste.
Takes away the burn,” she called out before they stepped into the daylight.
I sat on the couch, staring at the door like I could see through it. Like I could see them walking down the street, and away from my house.
All the while tasting burnt ash on my tongue.
Red eyes and dark, leathery things chased me down cramped alleys and dirty side streets. Every time I tried to scream, they’d come swooping toward me, cackling and spitting fire.
I turned blindly, searching for something to fend them off with, but every brick or stone or piece of wood I could find turned to ashes in my hands. Disintegrated at my touch.
Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew this was a nightmare. Knew that I lay on my bed, trapped beneath stifling sheets. Shivering as sweat cooled on my skin.
I opened my mouth again to scream. In my mind, my vocal chords flexed and stretched. I felt the strain as a hoarse cry edged its way past my lips. It was almost there… almost free…
The dark thing flew