17. Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Polly
“Hey, Pollypoo. Are you okay?” Sierra asks. “You’re as white as a sheet and you haven’t moved from that spot in, like, hours.”
Polly gives her head a shake and pushes off the counter, grabbing a dishcloth to wipe it down.
“Sorry. My stomach’s upset and I haven’t been sleeping very well.
I keep having bad dreams.” She doesn’t share with Sierra that she thinks the magic mushrooms she did nearly two weeks ago may have poisoned her. She’s felt nauseous ever since.
“Not surprised you have bad dreams and don’t sleep well.
” Sierra picks at her nose ring. “You live in the murder house. Very bad vibes.” She snaps her fingers.
“Speaking of, what would you say about a séance at your place on Halloween?” Sierra squeals like she’s proposing a shopping spree or spa visit.
“Umm, I don’t know. I have no idea what you’d even do at one of those.”
“I’ll take care of everything. You’d just have to let us in and be part of the circle.”
Polly wishes a customer would come to the counter to interrupt the conversation but it’s their slow time of the day. “I don’t know. Isn’t it bad to play around with that stuff?”
Sierra puts a hand to her chest dramatically.
“Polly! Spirits want to be seen and heard. They want to tell their story. We would be helping those lost souls trapped in your house. We can free them.” Polly’s not sure, but she thinks she sees the shine of tears in Sierra’s eyes.
“Plus, I’m going to document it all and use it for my application, so you’d be majorly helping me out. ”
Polly shrugs. “Yeah, sure. I guess so.”
“Amazing! Now, we’re gonna need four people. We’ve got three with me, you, and Ethan. Can you find a fourth?”
“I can see if my boyfriend can come,” she offers.
“Boyfriend?” Sierra shrieks. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. I can’t wait to meet him.” A customer comes through the door, and she moves toward the cash register still talking. “I’m surprised he never shows up here asking for free coffee or anything.”
Polly moves things around in the bakery case to make it look fuller. “He’s kind of shy.”
“Well, can’t wait to meet him on Halloween at our murder-house séance,” Sierra says, pumping a fist in the air before turning to help the customer.
Polly doesn’t mention that she hasn’t seen Gray in over a week. The longest he’s gone without coming to her window. Or that she is still traumatized by the night in the cave.