Ghosts by Patrick Hodges

Author:Patrick Hodges [Hodges, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Next Chapter
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Instead of going through the drive-in gate, Piper pulls up to Arbor Vista’s main entrance. Trina exits the car, and I’m about to follow when Piper reminds me again to run our theory by Natalie. I promise to do so. She then tells me she may swing by Hill O’ Beans tomorrow to have a chat with Austin about getting back to work. “Details to follow,” she responds to my raised eyebrow.

It’s close to twilight now, and there’s a chill in the air that I feel through my jacket. The stretch of lawn between the two long rows of townhomes is mostly empty, except for a couple of the complex’s smaller children horsing around near their open doorways. There’s no sign of Cheyanne or Crescent.

Neither Trina nor I have gotten any more texts from Gina, so we decide to wait for her at my place. As I unlock my door and let her in, I note the faint odor of unwashed socks, and stick a mental Post-It note on my brain to do my laundry ASAP. If Trina smells it too, she doesn’t say so.

I sit on my usual spot on the sofa. Trina stands in the middle of the room, casting curious glances at every corner. Rather than ask what she’s looking for, I check my cell’s clock. “It’s five-thirty. Your mom said she’d be home by six.” I gesture at my gaming system with a naughty grin. “I got this cool new FPS game your mother would never approve of. Lots of blood and guts and zombie-related mayhem. Wanna play?”

“No,” she says, not meeting my gaze. “Not really into those kinds of games.”

“No prob. Want a snack or something?”

She shakes her head, then resumes her mysterious scan. I watch as she takes a few wary steps toward my hallway, like a cat tracking down an unfamiliar scent. Then she backpedals and turns toward the couch. Her eyes widen.

“Are you all right?” I ask.

She nods.

I’m not convinced. “Trina, look at me.”

She obeys, but quickly lowers her head. “It’s just…well, you know how bright you appear to me, right?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that. If there’s a way for me to turn down the Bax-glow, your mom hasn’t taught me yet.”

“It’s okay.” She looks up, but only briefly. “I only have to concentrate a little harder than normal. I can do it, but…” Her stare falls on the empty side of the sofa, and her breaths quicken. Fear spreads across her face, and she backs up several paces, hugging herself as if hit by a sudden draft, even though she’s still wearing her hoodie.

“Trina?” Alarm creeps through me. My little friend looks as if she’s about to pee herself.

“It’s cold. I’m so cold,” she says in a tiny whisper. “Is your heater off?”

I’m pretty sure it isn’t, since I don’t feel this strange chill that’s affecting her. To put her mind at ease, I walk to the thermostat on the wall near the kitchen and check it. “Seventy-five degrees, same as it’s been for the last month,” I report.

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