were the last ones I’d trust.
“Sometimes you do things for people you love that they’re not gonna like all that much, but you do it anyway. Because you know it’s for their own good and they might thank you later.” Ruthie’s expression took on that look again.
Oh no. Not another one. I rolled my eyes and braced myself, silently counting to ten.
“I remember back before I met George, there was this fellow. Seemed like a nice enough guy.” She nodded. “But you never know what you gonna run into by the Crossroads and all.”
“I don’t have time for a story right now.” I snapped. “If you could do one thing for me now. One thing. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. I don’t want another riddle or rhyme. I want to know how to keep Drake out of my head.”
She scowled. Apparently, invasion of my mind by unknown entities ranked low on her list of priorities when strolling down memory lane. “I’m sorry, Hope. You’re the first one I know of that’s happened to.” She put a finger to her chin. “Hmm, hard to ask the other ones with them being dead and all.”
“Dead? Who are you talking about?”
Ruthie waved a hand. “Oh, no worries, that was a long time ago. We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
“That’s your solution? Deal with it as it comes?” I slumped back against the counter where I’d tossed my apron. “I’m tired. I’m going home.” I turned toward the exit. “Do you need a ride?”
“That’s okay, sweetie. George will be along shortly to pick me up.” Ruthie’s voice followed me down the hall. “You go ahead. I’ll tell Chief you left.”
Talking with Ruthie had left me exhausted. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I could deal with reading between the lines of her stories or interpreting her riddles, but right now, I didn’t have the energy.
Gravel crunched under my feet as I headed toward my car. The other car must’ve been Chief’s, but from the amount of liquor he’d been drinking, he might be sleeping it off in the bar tonight. For all I knew, he lived here.
The tombstones clustered on the hill behind me made me uneasy. Fog curled around the stones, as if caressing them. At least the fog was normal looking, not the black stuff accompanying Drake.
The clear night, and the multitude of stars highlighting the waxing moon provided a spectacular backdrop. A rustling in the woods distracted me from the view. I tensed, scanning the trees. The shadow might’ve been an animal. I squinted, but couldn’t tell. It looked like a dog pushing through the underbrush, like one of the hounds Mrs. Shaw had been babbling about. A light illuminated the animal as it moved my way. It didn’t look like any dog I’d ever seen, but I wasn’t waiting to find out what kind of animal it was.
I picked up my pace, resisting the urge to run, yet fear sparked renewed energy within me. Hunching my shoulders as the feeling of being watched grew, and the hairs rose on the back of my neck, I closed in on my car with my keys extended.
A large arm wrapped around my torso binding my arms, and a hand covered my mouth with a cloth, reducing my scream to a muffled protest. My confusion turned to panic as I struggled. The arm tightened around me, like a snake contained its prey, and my attacker lifted me from the ground. I kicked and tried to bite through the cloth, helplessly watching the scenery speed by while being carried to the back of the building.
My struggling slowed and finally ceased as my mind became fuzzy. My head lolled to the side, providing me with a view of the tombstones.
Perhaps I’m on my way to securing my space amongst them.
****
My nose was painfully itchy. I wiggled it back and forth to try to alleviate the irritation without success. Usually there wasn’t much worse than feeling as if nothing could bring greater relief than scratching an elusive itch.
I’d found worse.
My hands were bound behind me. I tugged, managing to shift the sticky tape pulling on
“Sometimes you do things for people you love that they’re not gonna like all that much, but you do it anyway. Because you know it’s for their own good and they might thank you later.” Ruthie’s expression took on that look again.
Oh no. Not another one. I rolled my eyes and braced myself, silently counting to ten.
“I remember back before I met George, there was this fellow. Seemed like a nice enough guy.” She nodded. “But you never know what you gonna run into by the Crossroads and all.”
“I don’t have time for a story right now.” I snapped. “If you could do one thing for me now. One thing. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. I don’t want another riddle or rhyme. I want to know how to keep Drake out of my head.”
She scowled. Apparently, invasion of my mind by unknown entities ranked low on her list of priorities when strolling down memory lane. “I’m sorry, Hope. You’re the first one I know of that’s happened to.” She put a finger to her chin. “Hmm, hard to ask the other ones with them being dead and all.”
“Dead? Who are you talking about?”
Ruthie waved a hand. “Oh, no worries, that was a long time ago. We’ll deal with it as it comes.”
“That’s your solution? Deal with it as it comes?” I slumped back against the counter where I’d tossed my apron. “I’m tired. I’m going home.” I turned toward the exit. “Do you need a ride?”
“That’s okay, sweetie. George will be along shortly to pick me up.” Ruthie’s voice followed me down the hall. “You go ahead. I’ll tell Chief you left.”
Talking with Ruthie had left me exhausted. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I could deal with reading between the lines of her stories or interpreting her riddles, but right now, I didn’t have the energy.
Gravel crunched under my feet as I headed toward my car. The other car must’ve been Chief’s, but from the amount of liquor he’d been drinking, he might be sleeping it off in the bar tonight. For all I knew, he lived here.
The tombstones clustered on the hill behind me made me uneasy. Fog curled around the stones, as if caressing them. At least the fog was normal looking, not the black stuff accompanying Drake.
The clear night, and the multitude of stars highlighting the waxing moon provided a spectacular backdrop. A rustling in the woods distracted me from the view. I tensed, scanning the trees. The shadow might’ve been an animal. I squinted, but couldn’t tell. It looked like a dog pushing through the underbrush, like one of the hounds Mrs. Shaw had been babbling about. A light illuminated the animal as it moved my way. It didn’t look like any dog I’d ever seen, but I wasn’t waiting to find out what kind of animal it was.
I picked up my pace, resisting the urge to run, yet fear sparked renewed energy within me. Hunching my shoulders as the feeling of being watched grew, and the hairs rose on the back of my neck, I closed in on my car with my keys extended.
A large arm wrapped around my torso binding my arms, and a hand covered my mouth with a cloth, reducing my scream to a muffled protest. My confusion turned to panic as I struggled. The arm tightened around me, like a snake contained its prey, and my attacker lifted me from the ground. I kicked and tried to bite through the cloth, helplessly watching the scenery speed by while being carried to the back of the building.
My struggling slowed and finally ceased as my mind became fuzzy. My head lolled to the side, providing me with a view of the tombstones.
Perhaps I’m on my way to securing my space amongst them.
****
My nose was painfully itchy. I wiggled it back and forth to try to alleviate the irritation without success. Usually there wasn’t much worse than feeling as if nothing could bring greater relief than scratching an elusive itch.
I’d found worse.
My hands were bound behind me. I tugged, managing to shift the sticky tape pulling on
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