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To the brave souls in the world, and to those (like me) who peek between your fingers.
Molly Drake fell in the lake. Tied to a stake. The souls she did take. Molly Drake was filled with dread. Water covered her head. Until she was dead. Molly Drake, your wish come true. A price for two. She’ll come for you. — Children’s Rhyme
IT IS A STRANGE FEELING IN life to watch your ghost hunter of a father live on TV while eating popcorn next to your dead mother.
Guess I’m a curious sort.
They never found my mom’s body.
This won’t cause me to need therapy in the least.
No more Dark and Deadly Things.
How can you save something that is already dead?
I never liked Sadie anyway; she always took my toothbrush when she thought I wasn’t looking.
I shoot them a bird every so often, just so they have something to publish. I’m a humanitarian that way.
Call me Haley Joel Osment; I see dead people.
Well, when he puts it so nicely.
That solidified my plan because if the one person I loved couldn’t handle the fact that I see ghosts, how would someone I didn’t know?
He’ll use it against me some day. I know it.
“No, I’m lying through my teeth, Silas. What do you think?”
“And so were you.”
But how can you prove a ghost killed people?
Southern Tennessee University frowns on drinking in your dorm. Southern Tennessee University can bite me.
I’m a good girl in rebel’s clothes.
No, I’m the idiot at the cemetery at the freakin’ Hale funeral!
Elise Morgan: the girl who tried.
No one should ever be in a casket as little as his sister’s. They shouldn’t ever be made. Such little things, such massive sadness. An entire life in one small, white box.
Strange how my knee just suddenly rose up and hit him in the junk like that.
She smiles and winks at me.
“Miss Morgan, I’m Abel Hale. I need to talk to you.”
I look to my right, and sure enough, there is Naked Girl turning the knob in all her glory.
If Naked Girl weren’t already dead, I’d kill her myself.
Maybe if we could lean on each other, talk to each other, then maybe neither of us would really be so alone.
Once this is over, you don’t hound me or come near me again. Got it?”
“For taking my mind off all this. For being, I don’t know, you.”
“See anything?”
“I don’t mean photographers.”
Strangely, the murder of five people fits that criterion. Who knew? My sarcasm is going to get me in trouble some day.
NINETEEN NINETY-TWO CALLED AND WANTS its décor back.
Abel heads through the Saved by the Bell-inspired carpet and toward the elevators like this isn’t his first time here.
The lady next to the elevator smiles at me. Her teeth are black and rotting. She’s not a ghost… just a visitor like me. Sometimes even the living can look worse than the dead.
Yes, sir. Turn me over and smack my ass.
“Elise, it’s me. Stop. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
This one guy I don’t even know is my only link to humanity because, let’s face it, my only other friend is a naked ghost I can’t even talk to.
He bites his lip, and his eyes narrow.
“You all right?”
He puts his hands on each side of my face. His hand provides much needed warmth to my skin.
“So, tell me about Naked Girl.”
“She’s a girl, and she’s naked.” That about sums her up.
“You took me to the hospital.”
“I took you to the hospital.”
And the other way is… you’ll never see her again. Unless you check the bottom of the Cumberland River.
“Because of Elise? Don’t worry about her. She’s a bit moody.”
“I’m not moody.” I’m so moody.
“If you’re so all-fired sure the house isn’t haunted, then prove it. If you’re right and there aren’t any ghosts there, then I’ll come to your dorm and feed you supper one night.”
