Chapter 13 #3
Through the next doorway, there’s a stove set between scuffed and faded white cabinets and drawers, and a big island in the center. Otherwise, it’s empty. I was hoping to find some goodies. Maybe old newspapers or toys from the ’90s, something, but nah.
“This doesn’t look all that old,” Zachary says.
“Well it isn’t from the 1800s,” I remind him.
“But the ’90s were forever ago,” he says.
He has a point, but I guess the basics are about the same.
Then again, they haven’t left much to gauge it by.
I step through the kitchen and the floor groans.
I wonder, is there a basement? I bet there is, but I don’t think ten minutes is enough time to find out.
Honestly, I’m not sure I’m that brave anyway.
It’d be like going into a dungeon on purpose. You don’t do that.
“Let’s keep going.” I aim at the only door.
A creak spikes through the silence, and without warning, Zachary’s hand wraps around my forearm. I look back and his eyes squint from the glare of my flashlight.
“Sorry!” I yelp, and lower the beam.
He grins, but his lips are thin and tight. It’s not a smile. “It’s fine.”
I smile back, trying not to giggle. This is going to be great.
I go to turn back around, and he lets go of my arm but immediately grabs my hand and threads his fingers between mine.
“Nothing weird, just scared shitless.” Zach nods.
If I couldn’t feel his entire hand shaking, I’d think it was weird, but damn, he’s horrified. Now I feel sort of bad. Part of me finds it funny, but I also know I’d hate Kaitlynn if she dragged me into something I didn’t want to do. Why the hell did he even come? Oh yeah, that’s my fault.
I nod and squeeze his hand. It’s the only thing that seems acceptable, and I’m not going to lie, having his hand is easing a little of the tension in my chest, plus they… No. Just less tense. That’s it.
“We can stop,” I say, looking at the door setting ajar in front of us, with who knows what waiting to be discovered. I’m not expecting much anymore, not after how empty it’s been so far, but maybe.
“You said ten minutes,” Zach says and taps the face of his smartwatch. “We’ve got six left.”
“You sure?” I skew my lips.
“Don’t make me second-guess it.” He feigns a smile.
“Okay,” I say, and pull open the door.
Behind the door is a long hallway. I can see where photos once hung, at least where the wallpaper is still up, because it’s not as dusty in those spots.
There is hardwood running up the wall from the floor to about waist height.
It’s hideous, and even with my light I can’t see the end of the hall.
Despite the void at the end, I already count two doors, one on each side.
“Right or left.” I give our options.
“Does it matter?” Zach asks.
“Left,” I say, and guide us around the doorframe.
The first sign of anyone ever living here sets in front of us. It’s an old metal bedframe shoved in the corner. No mattress, no box spring, no leftover pillows, just the frame.
“Why’d they leave that?” Zach asks.
“Not like they needed it.” I shrug and earn an elbow to my side.
“You know what I mean,” he says, tugging me back into the hallway.
I let him lead, trying not to squeeze his hand.
It’s soft, but I can feel the roughness from his work.
Something about it makes me want to hold on.
It’s…I don’t know. It’s calming? I like haunted houses, but it’s usually because they scare the shit out of me.
I like the thrill, but I also like this odd calm in the middle of it all.
“Come on.” Zachary tugs again, and I realize I zoned out for a moment.
“Sorry, yeah,” I say, and take the lead again.
Why am I feeling like this? In the afterglow of my flashlight, I can just make out Zach’s silhouette and a few faint features, but I refuse to look him in the eyes. His jaw is clenched tight, and his lips quiver. Having his hand makes me feel…not safe, but strong, and I never feel strong.
“You go first,” Zachary says when we get to the next door.
“So much for my knight in shining armor,” I giggle.
“Ha,” he huffs. The sarcasm dripping.
I step around the open doorframe and find much of the same. Another bedframe, but this time there’s a crinkled-up piece of plastic lying next to the bed. I inch closer to inspect it. An empty pack of crackers.
“Has someone been here lately?” I ask more to myself than Zach.
“I’m sorry, what?” He steps back, unintentionally pulling me back with him.
“Oh nothing, just odd seeing food wrappers around,” I tell him. Then again, it makes sense. “Probably others like us coming up here and messing around.”
“Messing around?”
“Yeah, you know.” I shrug, but he’s eyeing me down like he doesn’t. I roll my eyes and huff. “You know. They come up here and…yeah. Some people get off on that.”
“O-kay.” He doesn’t seem convinced, and suddenly I feel like I crossed a weird comfort boundary. I just talked about sex…to Zachary…while he’s holding my hand…all alone. Dammit. It’s everything I can do not to yank my hand away.
“Yeah, but it could be anything,” I start to ramble. “Maybe they came up for a little picnic, or a scary haunted tour. Maybe they were just stopping by. Oh! Maybe it was a homeless person and they stayed here a few nights. You know? And left their trash.”
“Stayed a few nights?” Zachary’s eyes light up in the dim glow of our phones’ flashlights. “Like…like they could still be here?”
“Oh no! That’s not what I meant!” I yelp. But oh gods, what if they are? No! That’s just a random thing my head said. There is no one else here. Except Kaitlynn, and she’s outside waiting on us. “I meant like a while back or something.”
“But…” Zachary doesn’t complete the sentence, and all I manage is a weak hopeful grin and shrug. He looks down at his watch and then back up at me. “New plan. Let’s cut this two minutes short.”
“Are you sure?” I say, even though part of me is starting to freak my own self out.
“Yeah, I’m all haunted out.” He backs up.
“Okay.” I nod. There’s no way I’m pushing him to stay if he’s scared. Something about the little empty wrapper just threw my mind for a loop anyway. My nerves are on edge now. “Let’s go.”
I pull him along, back out into the hallway, and start off before realizing I’m headed the wrong way. The door we come to is closed, and our lights paint it in a blaze of gray splinters. I slump and turn around.
“Sorry, wrong way.” I smile unconvincingly and crinkle my nose. “My bad.”
“Yep, your bad,” he says back, and I’m about to giggle when a quiet knock echoes behind me.
I freeze. My eyes widen. What was that?
“What—” Zachary starts, but I shush him. Another knock, and Zachary hears it this time. “What was—”
I shush him again, and flinch around to see the shut door again.
“Stop shushing me,” he whispers.
I spring my lids open so he can see my eyes yelling at him to shut up so I can hear.
I don’t know what the noise is, but it’s there.
A soft knocking noise, and I swear it’s coming from behind the last door.
My heart starts to race. What is it? Is someone squatting here?
What if they see us? I mean, they’re just another person, right? They wouldn’t hurt us. Right?
Another bump, and another. But what if it’s the Harrels’ son’s ghost? Knock, knock! It’s getting louder and quicker. There’s no rhythm, no clever tune, just random knocks. Knock! It’s closer! Then—
The door creaks and moves.
“Uh…” I gulp, stepping back.
With a crash, the wooden door swings out, and screeching squeals burst from the dark.
The wood claps against the wall. Chirps echo from the opening and wash over me just as my arm is yanked in the opposite direction.
I trip over my own feet but catch my step before I tumble forward.
It takes a moment to realize I’m being dragged down the hall by a horrified Zachary, but I’m not resisting.
The squalling and squeaking intensifies, but suddenly the sounds start to make sense.
My pounding heart settles for a single second at the understanding, and then jumps into overdrive again.
Bats.
Their tiny dark bodies swoop into the hallway. There are so many of them. Maybe hundreds. Vampiric mouths, pointed wings, all swarming at us like a black death. I throw my eyes forward as they wrap around us, flying about as if we’re nothing.
“Go, go, go, go!” I yell, ducking as we run.
Their squalls chase us into the kitchen.
The only thing louder than the chirps is the beating in my chest as my shoes skid across the splintered floor in time with Zach’s to make the next turn.
Our feet beat against the old wood. It shakes beneath us, creaking and cracking as we blunder into the next room.
I slide to a halt. I don’t hear them anymore except for a tiny distant chatter.
“I think we’re good,” I say, and start to bend over and rest my hands on my knees to get my breath back.
Hands grab my shoulders and I jerk to attention.
“Are you okay?” Zachary’s eyes dig into me. He’s horrified, but he’s asking if I’m all right. “Mack?”
“I’m good, yeah,” I huff. My phone is pointed toward the ground, so the light is dim, and I can just make out his long face and sharp jaw, that cute nose, but my eyes land on his lips.
I intentionally hadn’t noticed them before.
They’re parted, and he’s looking at me. Worried.
He seems worried about me. I can’t see his eyes in this light, so I let my gaze slump back down to his lips.
Either my eyes are playing tricks on me or his lips are beginning to part.
My chest tightens and my heart flutters.
I’ve never been this close to a boy’s mouth.
I suck my lips in and clamp my jaw. What’s happening?
He leans in closer, and his eyes close and yes, his lips part.
Suddenly the tightness in my chest lifts and my jaw loosens.
I lean to meet him. My nose caresses his, and then the most insane thing ever happens. Our lips touch.
Reflexively I take in a deep breath and exhale through my nose as the warmth of his skin meets mine and radiates across my cheeks.
My eyes slide shut, like keeping them open would be a sin.
I allow my lips to part around his. I can taste him.
Oh my gods, I can taste him! It’s sweet, like vanilla, maybe a little mint.
They’re wet and soft. A tiny sliver of doubt tries to wedge its way between us, and I wonder if I deserve the way this feels, but I push it back.
I press into him, and a rush shoots from my mouth all the way down to my toes, lifting me off my heels. It’s better than I dreamt it could be.
Oh gods! My eyes flutter open and my mouth opens wide as our lips separate and I’m looking at him.
Zachary. I’m facing Zachary. His mouth is still open, his eyes gazing softly and longingly back at me.
Oh my gods, I just kissed Zachary. My breath stutters.
What the hell did I just…but I… Shit. I want to kiss him again, I need to kiss him again, but I can’t.
He’s Hay… But before I can think, he’s moving in again.
I should stop him, but I can’t. I won’t!
As I lean in, the silence is shattered with a song screaming into existence.
I jump back and throw my hands behind me.
“What the—” Zach yelps, and I grasp at my pocket. It's my phone. He stumbles back, and I fumble around my pocket. Everything is happening so fast, but the taste of his lips keeps blossoming on my tongue. Vanilla. Mint.
“Sorry, hold—” I pick it from my pocket and check the screen. It’s Kaitlynn.
“Uh…I’m sorry! I didn’t…uh…I…” Zachary spews as the nervous grin on my face morphs into an O of realization. His eyes dart to the old dusty floors around my feet while he clears his throat, but he refuses to look at me. “I’m—”
For a second I wonder what he’s sorry for. It was amazing. It was an amazing first kiss for me. Please don’t be sorry, but then a switch flips and I realize why his eyes are filled with guilt.
“Me too.” I jump into the cacophony of apologies. “I didn’t either. I don’t know what…uh…yeah. I, uh, didn’t mean to.”
But I did mean to. I wanted it. The thought rolls from the back of my brain to the forefront as he finally looks at me again. For a second, I forget I’m not supposed to be into Hayden’s brother, but then it rushes back in.
Zach huffs. His smile returns, but there’s a nervousness behind it, and a dose of guilt. I’m the one who should feel guilty. I’m supposed to be dating his brother, but I kissed him too. And I wanted it. I didn’t even know I wanted it, but I did.
Oh gods! Oh gods! What is my problem?!
“Maybe we should just go,” I suggest, and start walking.
“Yeah, that never happened.” Zachary nods spastically and follows after me.
“Right. Not a clue what you’re talking about,” I say.