The Haunting

by Natasha Preston

Nash never returned to school after five of our classmates were slaughtered by his dad, a man who made me hot chocolate with a mountain of marshmallows whenever I came over.

Jackson Whitmore was two people: the welcoming dad and the cold-blooded killer.

I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to trap my emotions inside.

I’m sorry your dad is a killer but here’s a GIF of Tom Hanks waving on a boat.

I see nothing wrong with this

I’m not hungry. That seems to be a theme recently. Can’t eat properly because of the big ball of anxiety.

Lol me asf

Usually I can convince almost anyone of anything—you’ve just got to say whatever the lie is with conviction—but

but we never got to wear them because trick-or-treating was canceled, and his dad was arrested. We were going to be prisoners. Ironic.

Adi only likes drama that she’s not involved in.

It used to be my favorite holiday.

But he was kind to me, and you can hardly hold it against someone for being a private person. That is, until they start murdering kids.

But I was always met with a smile and a hot chocolate.

“Cool, so you can start dating again,”

Right thats the sane answer

the alarm not being on and how her son, Karter, must’ve forgotten again.

Foreshadowing. Karter is not long for this world.

Her bad for trusting him, really. I wouldn’t trust him to babysit an egg.

Noah.

Oh not Karter well then Karter will either be next or hes the one who did it.

“No,” I breathe. Straightening my back, I say, “No. Jackson’s serving a life sentence in a federal prison in Pennsylvania. He’s locked up and two states away.”

“Yeah…but his kids aren’t.”

Thats fucking stupid

That’s when I see him. Between the little bookstore and the pharmacy, facing Party Town and staring straight at me. Nash.

Karter had been seen in the area.

Ok either Karter did it or nash did it and is framing Karter

Or maybe I’m being paranoid and reading too much into it.

As soon as I manage to ditch Adi, I’m heading straight out to Nash’s farm.

As soon as we’re allowed to leave, I think I’ll go home and take a shower.”

Grace can’t stand me anymore. The last time I spoke to Nash on the phone, she was in the background telling him to hang up because I was trash and had no loyalty.

Thats a bit dramatic Maybe she'll frame her

How do you go from watering sunflowers to stabbing high school seniors?

I’m left with my imagination, which seems to always veer to the negative side.

I want to be gentle with him, but I also want to whack him with something hard.

Last year, there were two more murders in the week leading to Halloween: a double murder on Devil’s Night and, finally, an arrest in the early hours of Halloween.

“you do know he has children,”

That is so unbelievably stupid.

Her back stiffens,

Stiffins out of concern or guilt ?

He’s lying to me. Someone who isn’t Grace was driving that car. Why would he hide that?

Mmmmhmmmm Jackson has a twin?

“Midnight or don’t bother. Lose the attitude too. You’re not the one on trial here.”

Wtfffff

just disappearing around the side of the launderette, is a hooded figure with a white mask.

“Find My is still on, Penny.” “So you randomly decided at midnight to trace me?”

Okay a bit weird a bit concerned friend

No. It couldn’t have been Nash.

dude we dont get ourselves killed over a male

Zayn and I cleared the air, and today I feel weirder. I’ve hugged the guy hundreds of times and never thought anything of it.

Boys cant handle rejection. ooooo what if its Zayn framing Nash so he gets penny

“What happened to your sense of adventure?”

sketchy ... is he leading them to a crime scene?

He was talking to Nash at the same time he told me he liked me.

Ew

but don’t expect the rest of us to ignore him because of that.”

Whoa 180

He’s spent at least the last four months thinking he’s alone.”

Me

“I wanted a normal moment.”

Poor Nash