Dead Endings: Chapter 8

Four months later, New York was a different place. Although still chilly, patches of green had returned and Cailen didn’t need gloves to keep her fingers attached. She could smell a hint of freshness on the air, mingled with the scent of cold oil left over from winter’s thaw; the pleasant mixture had yet to be overrun by the heady odor of the Bradford Pear trees lining the streets. It was the calm before the stench, by Manhattan reckoning.

Under the yellow glare of a street lamp, Cailen crossed her arms and counted the twinkling lights of planes overhead. They dotted the night sky and provided a diversion while she waited for Gabriella. She’d identified five planes bound for JFK when a voice said, “It smells like gunpowder…and rum?”

Cailen looked Everett up and down without enthusiasm as he approached. “What the hell are you doing here?”

A leather satchel bounced against his hip as he settled against the wall next to her. He lifted his chin. “I’m writing a book.”

“You’re…what?”

“You heard me.” He sniffed. “This is a supernatural event, and I’m going to record it.”

Cailen blinked repeatedly.

Everett dug around in his bag and handed her several sheets of paper. Bemused, she accepted the papers and gave them a cursory read. They were consent forms.

She raised her eyes to the heavens. “Oh, for the love of…”

Gabriella jogged up just as Everett waved a pen under Cailen’s nose. “It’s just a formality,” he said. “I’m just going to observe and take notes. I won’t use your picture, I swear!”

Cailen ducked under the bobbing pen and eyeballed her friend accusatorially. “I just wanted to tidy up something that’s been bothering me and you invite Scooby Doo?”

Gabriella spread her hands. A few stray curls from her ponytail bobbed as she shook her head. “Whoa, whoa. I just said he could stand in the back and watch if he wanted. No questions, no interference. I also told him to talk to you first…”

Everett looked affronted. “That’s what I’m doing!” He waved the papers around in an officious manner.

Cailen made her worst face. Gabriella burst out laughing.

“Come on,” Gabriella offered. “It doesn’t sound like a bad idea. The book, I mean. Didn’t you used to moan about how there was nothing authentic on the subject to read?”

Cailen narrowed her eyes. “Well, yeah, but…”

Everett’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Think about it! Real, documented cases and information about hauntings and the people who can see them!”

“I’m not sure I want…”

“Very clinical! Facts! Pure facts!” he pleaded.

“But why does it…”

“I took a knife for you,” he sulked. He held up his elbow, pointed at it with the pen in case Cailen had forgotten exactly where he’d been scratched by Elizabeth’s slash. It had needed two whole Band-Aids to cover.

Cailen relented with a sigh. “Fine. Gods, this is embarrassing enough already. I don’t know why I’m bothering.”

Gabriella grinned. “Because you don’t have to take shit from ghosts anymore, and you know where they’re coming from now?”

“Shut your face, Benitez,” Cailen said as she scrawled her signature. “Let’s just get this over with.”

They crossed the street together, leaving Everett by the lamppost to scribble furiously as he looked on. When they were out of earshot, Cailen whispered, “I’m counting on you to keep him out if I can’t.”

“Of course,” Gabriella said.

“I mean, what if he just takes control again and I…”

“It’ll be fine,” Gabriella assured her. “You’ll do fine. Remember what we practiced, and all the shit you’ve already done. He can’t come in unless you let him now.” She hummed. “And if he steps over the line, we’ll give him the same handshake we gave Ethan, okay?”

They reached the large glass front of the shop. The presence inside throbbed like a heartbeat.

Cailen took a deep breath. She put a hand against the gold vinyl “W” of the words Schellar & Weibeir’s Market.

“Hello, Carl,” she said.

End.

The final ebook release of Dead Endings contains two additional stories: The Art…of LOVE and a brand-new short story about Everett not available online. Click “Next Chapter” below to learn more!

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