A group of girls strut past us, eyes lingering on Gabe. Alfie squirms, trapped behind his costume. He's not used to being overlooked.
One of the girls is dressed as a sexy princess. She's blonde. Her golden hair tumbles down the back of her shiny blue dress.
Daniel looks at her hair, then straight at Alfie. “You still glad those tickets sold out?”
Alfie rips off his beard to reply, but before he can say anything, another group tromps past. They're wearing goth costumes and their hair is sprayed in mostly red and silver.
One girl lags behind and says, “Hi, Alfie!” I'm not sure what she's supposed to be, maybe a gothic fairy or angel because she has wings. And a black ribbon around her curling blonde hair.
“Hi Alexis,” he croaks. He stares after her, swallowing.
“That makes two,” I say, making a note on my phone.
There's nothing else to do but follow the plan we've made. It's not much of one, but it's something: count and track the blonde girls who show up and make sure they don't go anywhere alone.
Chloe says it shouldn't be that hard because there aren't that many natural blondes, which leads to a whole discussion about natural blondes versus dirty blondes and dyed blondes, and whether the ghost of Edith Wirth could tell the difference. Then Daniel says the fact that all four girls were blonde could just be a coincidence because, maybe, the ghost is just getting started and isn't picky about hair color at all. Which just adds to my anxiety.
When the music starts, there are four blonde girls to worry about. Each one is assigned a minder. Daniel complains he feels like a creeper, especially with his video camera, so Madison agrees to hang out with him to give him cover as the official dance videographer.
Gabe refuses to let me walk around the mansion alone. This means Alfie and Chloe need to split up. We're an hour into our surveillance when we get a text from Raj on our phones.
“Shit!” I can hear Alfie say over Safety Dance, which is blasting.
When I finally dig out my phone and stare down at the screen, my heart feels like it's making a nosedive for my stomach. Even with all the autocorrect typos, his frantic message isn't hard to understand. Destiny found a spell. He didn't want her to go to the dance. They argued. She ditched him. Now he doesn't know where she is.
Madison and Daniel run outside and begin checking the parking lots. They find Destiny's old Volvo parked in the small staff lot. She's nowhere to be seen, but the side door of the mansion is open, the one we took the night of the ghost hunt.
Chapter 49
We know the ghost of Edith Wirth is wandering the mansion when the lights in the main hall begin flickering on and off. In the ballroom the DJ's turntables stop and the music dies.
As we race around looking for Destiny, we can hear the loud moans of frustrated dancers and the DJ cursing up a storm. Daniel runs in to see if he can help. When he returns, panting, he says all the equipment shorted out.
Now we have another problem on our hands. With no music to dance to, everyone is bored, so people are beginning to wander around and explore the mansion. The mansion's two staffers are older ladies in high-necked blouses and long skirts. They scurry after the teenagers, trying to round them up, but a lot of people have had a drink or two and they're not in the mood to listen.
Three of our blonde girls are accounted for, but our goth fairy Alexis is missing.
“Shit!” Alfie says, turning on Madison. “I thought you were supposed to be keeping an eye on her!”
Madison clutches the sleeve of Daniel's red sweater. “We were! But we went looking for Destiny and when we got back, she was gone.”
“Not good,” Alfie snaps. “You two go look for her. Chloe and I will watch the others. Gabe and Sam, you guys look for Destiny and find out what the hell she's up to.”
Daniel looks unhappy about this. It's clear he'd rather look for Destiny, sensing that's where the action is. But he nods and goes off with Madison, who's still gripping his arm.
I try calling and texting Destiny, but she doesn't answer.
Gabe is talking about where we should start our search, but I'm only half listening because a strange noise has caught my attention. It's a scraping sound, like long claws dragging across the wood floor above us.
Gabe is staring at me, eyes wide. “What's wrong?”
I point at the ceiling. “Don't you hear that?” My mouth is so dry it's hard to swallow.
“No,” Gabe says, frowning. “It's messing with us again.”
Doors begin slamming so loudly the walls vibrate. It seems to be coming from the second floor and by Gabe's startled reaction, he hears it, too. We have no idea if Destiny is up there, but our first priority is to find her. My neck and hands break out in a cold sweat.
Panic is building, fast, making it hard to think straight.
The students come streaming into the main hall, eyes wide, wondering what all the noise is about. The hall is big, but it fills up with the fast-growing crowd. Guys and girls in costumes stand huddled together, looks of fear and confusion on their upturned faces. The slamming of doors suddenly stops. There are a few moments of silence, then an unleashing of unearthly, terrified screams.
When I search the crowd, there's Alexis, safe and sound in her goth fairy costume, except her wings are slightly bent. Her mouth is open, and she's clutching the girl next to her. I tap out a group text to let everyone know she's okay.
Alfie skids into the hall. He has to shout to be heard over the commotion upstairs. “Everyone! Listen up! This is just part of the show!” He makes a sweeping gesture with his hands. “Pretty great, right?”
The two mansion staffers exchange looks. Madison pulls them aside and whispers into their ears. Whatever she's said works because they're smiling and nodding. The students begin to laugh and clap their hands, relieved.
“Oh my god, that was so scary!” Alexis says, jumping up and down.
Gabe pulls me down a hallway, away from the crowd. Behind us, I can hear Alfie asking everyone to leave because of the power outage, promising a make-up dance later in the school year. When I turn around, I see Madison and Chloe herding people out the front door.
We take out our flashlights and pound up the stairs to the second floor. I'm not sure when the noises stopped, but it's silent now. Every door is closed. We're trying to figure out where to start looking for Destiny when we're joined by the others. The night has already taken its toll. The laces on Chloe's pirate vest have come undone. Alfie's scarf is backwards. Madison's hair is a mess. Sweat glistens on Daniel's forehead.
“Quick thinking back there,” Gabe says to Alfie.
“We had to get rid of them. Hopefully, Alexis and the other girls will be okay. I don't think our ghost can be in two places at once,” he says worriedly, pointing the beam of his flashlight down the long hallway.
Chloe shudders. “I'm sure Old Edith is here. Somewhere. I have that weird feeling again.”
Daniel hoists his camera into position on his shoulder. “Okay. What's the plan? We splitting up again, or what?”
“I'm going with you,” Madison says sharply, moving closer to Daniel.
He sighs and pokes her arm. “Stay with me this time, Madison. I've had enough of that running off on your own bullshit. It freaks me out.”
We quickly make a plan. Madison and Daniel head off to check the fourth floor. Alfie and Chloe take the third, leaving Gabe and me to search the second floor.
The house is eerily quiet. Madison had promised her boss that she'd lock up, so we're the only ones left, except for Destiny, wherever she is, and the ghost of Edith Wirth. I just hope they're not together.
As we're making our rounds, boots clomping on the slick wooden floors, I suddenly think of Marguerite, the young girl who made the fatal mistake of falling in love with Edith Wirth's son. She'd died in this house. Burned to death. But where, exactly? I struggle to remember the details of the letter I'd read. Something about a servant's wing at the back of the house. But it had burned d
own. I'm not sure which rooms belonged to Marguerite when she'd discovered the strange stick with her hair wrapped around it.
Even if we could figure out which room it was, would Destiny or our ghost be there? Where, in this great, sprawling monstrosity of a house, would they most likely go?
Then I remember the first time Gabe and I heard rustling, like someone walking in a long silk skirt. It was in the Grand Parlor, the big formal room with all the family portraits.
I turn to Gabe, my flashlight swinging wildly in my hand. “I think I know where she is.”
Gabe blinks and moves my flashlight so it's not blasting his face. “But we were all just down there and nobody saw Destiny.”
“It's the only place that makes sense. We need to check again.”
Gabe grabs the front of my orange jumpsuit and pulls me to him. “Let's go, but don't get too far ahead, okay? I don't want anything happening to you.” This unexpected display of protectiveness catches me off guard. All I can manage is a nod.
On the first floor, we can hear the others calling to each other overhead. No sign of Destiny. As we approach the Grand Parlor, a loud banging off to our left makes both of us jump. It's coming from behind a closed door. “Isn't that the library?”
“I think so,” Gabe says. Then he lunges for the door, throws it open and disappears into the darkness.
“Wait!” I scream, but it's too late because the door flies shut.
I pull on the handle, but it's locked. I bang on the door with my fists, while Gabe pounds on it from the inside. The door is made of solid wood. His voice is muffled, and I can't quite hear what he's saying, but the fear in his voice is unmistakable. No amount of pulling and tugging gets it open.
I text Alfie, asking for help. Seconds later, I can hear footsteps in the distance and at the same time, someone moving around in the Grand Parlor. Heart pounding, I peer inside the parlor. A camping lantern is the only light, casting shadows on the walls.
Destiny is in the middle of the room.
She's holding something in her hands, staring up at the portrait of Edith and David Wirth. The room is freezing, much colder than the hallway. Smoke swirls up from a small bowl. The air smells like burning herbs.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
Destiny looks over her shoulder. Her long blonde hair is tucked inside a dark beanie. “A cleansing,” she says quietly. “I've already asked her to leave. Nicely. But that didn't work. Then I ordered her to leave, and that just seemed to piss her off because she had that big tantrum I'm sure you heard.” Destiny pauses and waves her hands in the air. “She's tried to make me spark, I'm pretty sure, but my spell seems to be holding.” Destiny smiles and pats the small fire extinguisher. It's dangling from a carabiner clipped to a belt loop of her jeans. “But just in case, I came prepared.”
“You're not supposed to be here!” I cry.
From the sound of it, Alfie and Chloe have almost reached Gabe, who's taken to kicking the library door. I shift my attention to Destiny, who's now walking to the windows.
“Yes, I am,” she replies with a strange calmness. “I got lucky. I emailed a popular witch-magician in the Wiccan forum. He emailed me back tonight, and we talked on the phone. He told me what to do. He said I had to do it. To put an end to it. Nicole summoned the spirit, but she didn't do the other part. The important part. I think she didn't bother learning how to constrain it so it would quit doing evil stuff. So now I have to do it. Banish Edith Wirth.” Destiny turns and tilts her head to the side, frowning. “I think you should leave, Sam.”
My heart is threatening to explode in my chest. Her eerie calm is scaring the hell out of me. “No! No way. What are you going to do?”
“I told you, I'm going to banish the bitch.”
The door to the parlor slams shut. When I run over to it, it won't open. Moments later, I can hear Gabe and Alfie on the other side, smashing their shoulders against the door.
“We're going around on the outside,” Gabe shouts. “We'll break in through a window.”
Destiny whirls around. “No! Tell them to stay away from the windows.”
I follow her instructions. Gabe tries to argue. “We need to trust Destiny,” I shout back. At any other time, me saying something like that would have sent Alfie into hysterics, but there's nothing funny now. We haven't laughed in a long time.
I can hear them back away from the door. Gabe begins texting, asking what's going on, but I'm too mesmerized watching Destiny to reply. It's as if she's in a trance, but she's so full of quiet determination that I say nothing.
Destiny is holding what looks like a king-sized Sharpie. Red. She grabs hold of a long, heavy drape made of a light-colored velvet and pulls it taut. Then she begins scrawling something in big letters, over and over again. When she's done, she moves to the second panel and continues writing: Edith Wirth Edith Wirth Edith Wirth.
The stain of the red ink bleeds and blurs in spots, but there's no mistaking the name.
Destiny reaches into a pocket and takes out a lighter. Then she crouches down and sets fire to the bottom of the curtain. There's a whooshing sound, and the air seems to crackle with an unseen energy. The fire starts off as a black patch. Then flames lick upward. As the fire spreads to the other drape, a vague shape emerges. It's as if a human form is struggling there, a pale apparition twisting and turning in the flames.
Destiny rises to her full height and staggers back, a hand flung over her face against the heat of the fire. “Edith Wirth, I banish your soul,” she shouts. “Now return to your grave.”
There, writhing in the burning drapes, I see the Edith Wirth from the portrait: a hard-looking woman with dark, piercing eyes.
The image is fleeting. It's just long enough for my eyes to take it in, then in one last violent spin, it crumples. What remains slithers downward, merging with the burning fabric that drops in heaps to the floor.
Destiny sinks to her knees and lets out a sob.
Neither of us move. I feel numb all over as I watch her. When she finally turns around, tears of stunned joy are sliding down her face. She slowly takes off her beanie. Her long blonde hair tumbles down her back.
I lurch toward her and unclip the fire extinguisher. Then I move forward, yank out the pin, point and squeeze. My hand is shaking, but enough of the foam reaches its target and blankets the last of the flames. We stare at the blackened mess on the shiny wood floor.
“You did it,” I finally say.
Destiny lets out a long, wobbly breath. “Yeah,” she finally says, gazing at the fire extinguisher still in my hands. “Glad you grabbed that. We could have burned the whole place down.”
I crouch next to her and lean my head against hers. “No way. Madison would have killed us.”
Chapter 50
Four months later
We've waited four months to celebrate.
Just in case. In case we're wrong. In case the ghost of Edith Wirth had nothing to do with the burning deaths of four girls in Hillside. But four months after Destiny sent her evil soul back to wherever it came from, not one more pretty seventeen-year-old blonde has lost her life. The appliance fires have stopped too.
The Hillside Police Department and the FBI continue to investigate, but by the time late February rolls around, they still haven't solved the cases.
For the latest edition of The Clarion, we have a lot to write about: Chief Legaspi is fired, the new haunted tours at the Wirth Mansion are a wild success, and there are three documentaries in the works about the unsolved mystery of the girls, including a crew from the BBC. Chloe is crazy about anything British. She surprises us by suggesting we give them the video from the ghost hunt. She's all for sharing our story.
Daniel can't believe it. “That, Miss Yang, is insanity. Except for Samantha, we're all waiting to hear back on our college applications. Do we really want to be known as the idiots who tried to deep fake ghosts?”
Chloe gets it. Immediately. “You're right. It's not worth the risk. For a
ny of us.”
Destiny raises her hand. “Except for me. It showcases my magic skills.”
Destiny continues with her interest in witchcraft, but she's going to major in pre-med. Alfie says witchcraft and science are a weird combination, but to Destiny it makes perfect sense, and no one argues with her. Not after she pulled off banishing Edith Wirth.
Daniel deep six's the video. We have no idea what he's done with it and we don't ask.
Graduation looms. It's a tense time, waiting for colleges to get back to us. Madison is so on edge she's taken to biting her nails. Chloe is going crazy on a redesign of The Clarion. Alfie, Raj and I are spending all our spare time working on the news site. Destiny is hitting the gym every day.
If I didn't know better, I'd suspect Destiny cast a magic spell just for me because my wish comes true.
I'm going away to college.
Thank you, Principal Buskin.
If it weren't for him shutting down the site, I wouldn't have written about the First Amendment. If it weren't for Daniel helping me get over my fear of public speaking, I wouldn't have pleaded our case in front of the school board. I wouldn't have ended up in newspapers and on TV. I wouldn't have been invited on radio programs to talk about beating the system and getting The Clarion reinstated. The people at the private college in Southern California would never have heard of me. But they did. And they offered me a journalism scholarship that includes tuition and living expenses.
When I break the news to my parents, my father smiles and kisses me on the forehead, but my mother bursts into tears. She surprises me by begging me not to go. We sit down and talk it out. She doesn't want me to go because she doesn't want me to be a journalist. And she'll miss me. We're still working out the details, but I can feel her letting go, bit by bit. On Sundays, we get a pedicure and watch movies late into the night. She invites Gabe over to dinner and she pats his shoulder as he shows her his artwork. We look at the classes offered at the college that's sent me a lifeline, and she points out a class called, “Introduction to Public Relations,” and smiles.
The Box in The Cuts: A Supernatural Mystery Page 20