Until Summer Comes Around by Glenn Rolfe

Author:Glenn Rolfe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror fiction; Suspense, supernatural, thriller, fantasy; gothic fantasy; teenage horror; rites of passage;
Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
Published: 2020-05-10T19:01:25+00:00

Chapter Twenty

November met Rocky at the arcade shortly after noon. She’d cried herself to sleep last night. Seeing her brother turning into the devil and her mother living in denial of it was overwhelming. She knew she had to say goodbye to Rocky. Hanging around with him was far too dangerous, especially if Gabriel saw them together. She’d made a promise to herself to make their last day together special. With the awful condition Gabriel had been in when he came home, there was no way he’d be out in the light today. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d even seen him up in the daytime. Despite all her worry that he’d catch the two of them these last couple weeks, he hadn’t bothered her once. Whatever hell he was struggling with, it was taking up all his time.

They moved from the arcade entrance to the water fountain that sat just before the beach.

“So, my mom was pretty worried about you last night,” Rocky said, sitting on the edge of the fountain sipping a soda.

“Yeah, I’m sorry I left the way I did. It’s been a hard week at home.”

“Well, I’m glad you made it out today. I thought you might never talk to me again.”

Whitney Houston’s ‘How Will I Know’ blared from a boombox being carried by a group of teens on their way to the beach.

“We know this is gonna end sooner than either of us wants it to,” November said.

“I know, but….” He let the words die.

Neither of them said anything. It was true and it wasn’t fair. Here she was, sitting with a boy that looked at her like she was the most important thing in his world. And maybe, at the moment, she was. She took his hand.

“Kiss me,” she said.

He did. It was soft and sweet.

“You’re really a great kisser,” she said when their lips parted.

“Thanks.”

“Come on,” she said. “Take me on some rides.”

They went on the Thunderbolt twice, the Tilt-a-Whirl enough to make them both queasy, the bumper cars, and the carrousel. Even though it was mostly a kiddie ride, she still made him go with her on it. They grabbed fried dough, orange sodas, and popcorn. After finishing their lunch, they decided the Gravitron would not be a safe idea, opting for the roller coaster instead. It wasn’t very big, but it was still fun and had one drop that made her stomach jump.

“That was awesome,” she said.

He looked at his watch.

Again with the watch.

“Can I ask you something?” she said.

“Sure.”

“Why do you always check your watch? Do you need to be somewhere else?”

He looked away.

“Am I keeping you from somewhere? I mean, I can go home if you—”

“It’s not that. I just like to know what time it is.”

He was lying.

“I want today to be special,” she said. “But I want you to want to be here with me.”

“I do, I promise,” he said.

“Then prove it.” She crossed her arms.

“How?”

“For starters, put your watch in your pocket.”

“Okay,” he said, undoing the band and tucking the watch away.

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