The Devil's Tree by Susan McCauley

Author:Susan McCauley [McCauley, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Celtic Sea Publishing via Indie Author Project
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

I opened my eyes and stared at the yellowing floral wallpaper peeling from my bedroom walls. It’d been the best night of sleep I’d had since the accident. If there had been an accident. Maybe it’d all been a terrible dream. A nightmare. Wouldn’t that be nice? I’d get up, get dressed, and get ready for Hunter to take me to work. Then, after work, Hunter would pick me up and we’d grab dinner and do homework together or dream about our future. As tedious as the Food Mart was sometimes, I missed that life. I missed the rhythm and certainty of it.

I rolled over and saw Dylan sound asleep on the tattered Care Bear sleeping bag I’d had since second grade, his legs stretched way past the bag’s ratty end. I nearly laughed, but didn’t. It would’ve been better if it had been a dream. Then Hunter would be in bed curled up beside me and Dylan wouldn’t be here sprawled out on my bedroom floor in his place.

Dylan hadn’t gone home. He’d told his parents he was staying with some friend visiting from college. I’m not sure if they believed him, but he didn’t seem too worried. I’d taken the bed. He’d taken the floor. Mama didn’t come home last night, so we didn’t have to worry about her calling me names and accusing Dylan of betraying his best friend. And whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was glad he’d stayed.

With a sigh, I flopped on my back and wondered how I could’ve slept at all when we knew some witch or demon was responsible for keeping Hunter and Keisha and probably many other poor souls trapped at that tree. Maybe it was because Dylan had been here. Or maybe it was the crucifix I had wrapped around my wrist.

Dylan stretched with a cute little groan. No, darn it. I was not gonna think of his groans or anything else about him as cute. Especially not after seeing Hunter so sad last night. Or after Dylan telling Keisha he’d only kissed me to lure her here. What a jerk. Still, neither of us should have enjoyed it.

Propping himself up on his elbows, Dylan peered over the edge of my bed, his hair poking up at odd angles. “Morning.” He smiled, that ultra-cute strong-jawed smile I’d seen the other day.

There was that word again. Cute. Nothing was supposed to be cute to me except for Hunter and kittens and little kids with chocolate smeared all over their faces. It was too soon to be into another guy. Especially when that guy was my dead boyfriend’s best friend. “Morning,” I scowled and pulled my sheet to my chin.

“What’s the matter?” He plopped himself on the edge of my bed and my pulse sped up like a jackrabbit on steroids.

“Aside from ghosts and maybe a witch-ghost or demon keeping our exes here and you kissing me as bait?” I snapped. “Not much.”

“Come on, Kaitlyn. Do you think

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.