Ashes to Ashes by Melissa Walker

Author:Melissa Walker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-03-11T04:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

I BACK UP A STEP. “You’re not supposed to touch me without permission.”

He holds up his palms in a surrender gesture. “Sorry. I just needed a little energy boost.”

Maybe I didn’t repel him because all my defenses were down, or maybe it has something to do with the black mark on his neck. I get the sense that not all the rules of the Prism apply to him. “Are you stalking me?” He was at the graveyard and in Carson’s car. Now here.

“You’re paranoid.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not right.”

Shrugging, he sits on the bench, stretches his arms along the back and his long legs in front of him. “I’m waiting for someone.”

Is it just coincidence that he’s waiting where I happen to be?

“Where’s Thatcher?” he asks.

Guilt swamps me, along with a sense of disloyalty.

Leo chuckles. “He doesn’t know about your little private excursions, does he? He will not be happy.”

Don’t I know that.

“I have to go.” But I’m suddenly self-conscious about him watching me create a portal.

“What’s the rush? You should stay. It’s always more exciting when Thatcher isn’t around. He is such a total downer since he died.”

I’m taken aback. “You knew him when he was alive?”

“Oh, yeah.” He interlaces his fingers together, makes a double fist. “We were close.”

Before I can ask him what happened, Reena appears down the street. When I turn toward her, she waves. “Hey!”

Behind her are Delia and Norris.

“About time,” Leo says, shoving himself off the bench.

“Sorry. We got caught up in something.” She smiles at me. “So glad you’re here, Callie. You can hang with us.”

“I don’t know. I’ve been gone for a while.”

“Are you feeling tired?”

“No, but—”

“Then play with us.”

A thousand alarm bells go off in my head. I know Thatcher wouldn’t like this, but my curiosity has always overwhelmed my caution. Besides, I know these ghosts.

“I guess I could stay a little while longer.” Not to mention I welcome a distraction from my inability to make any progress with Nick. Maybe hanging around with Reena will teach me something that will help.

“Great. So what’s up?” Reena asks, smiling fully now.

So many things.

“Not much,” I say. “Still dead.”

Norris and Delia laugh enthusiastically. “I like you, Callie,” says Delia. “Just being around you, I feel amazing.”

“Callie’s found what Ponce de León never could,” says Norris, and I’m not sure what he means, but he’s smiling, so it must be good.

“How are things going with your haunting?” prods Reena.

Her face is cheerful, curious. The warm glow in her eyes says that I can trust her, that I can talk to her.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I mean, I’m trying. I just feel kind of . . .”

“Down?” asks Reena.

“Yeah. Something like that.”

She reaches into her pocket for a hair tie and pulls her long black locks into a quick ponytail.

“Why don’t we all go have a little fun?” she suggests. “I can show you how to interact a little more. You want to connect with those you love, don’t you?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Thatcher has her brainwashed,” Leo sneers.

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