Legend of Witchtrot Road

by E.J. Stevens

  “Soon,” Cal said. “I only just changed back and some of the younger members of the pack are stil in wolf form. I’l come straight to the hospital as soon as I can.”

  “I love you,” I said.

  “I love you more,” Cal said, hanging up.

  Taking a deep calming breath, I dialed Emma’s parents.

  *****

  Simon walked back to our seats, getting smiles and leers from the female staff as he strut his stuff across the carpet. That guy could real y work a room. I was holding two coffees and passed the second cup to Simon as he sat down.

  “Oh not another one,” Simon said.

  “Trust me, you’l need it,” I said.

  “And why would I possibly want another caffeine concoction at this hour?” Simon asked.

  “You’l want to be alert as possible,” I said. “Emma’s parents are on their way.”

  Simon shut up and drank his coffee.

  *****

  Emma’s parents, and my own, were back behind closed doors consulting with the doctors. Fortunately for me, I was hanging out with two werewolves who could hear everything that was being said. Simon was leaning against the wal across the hal from the meeting and Cal and I were sitting together in the waiting area nearby.

  I cal ed my parents when I realized that Emma’s condition was indeed serious enough to warrant an overnight stay…even though the night was nearly over. I didn’t want them to freak out, so I covered the worst of my bruises with concealer and heavy, white face powder.

  Thank goodness for dramatic goth makeup—it worked wonders.

  I had no idea what to tel any of our parents, but Cal arrived just before the adults and suggested I tel the truth. I made sure to omit anything to do with ghosts or werewolves, but I did include the rain of toads. They would find toads on and around Emma’s car anyway and according to Simon there were reports of the sky raining toads during micro-burst tornados. It was weird, but not necessarily supernatural weird.

  The doctors were explaining Emma’s medical status to our parents. According to my eavesdropping wolves, Emma’s prognosis was iffy. She had multiple broken ribs, but the primary concern was head injury. The MRI didn’t show any damage, but Emma stil hadn’t regained consciousness. We were al supposed to just wait and see.

  Waiting for news was hard, but pretending to ignore the ghosts in the room was even more difficult. My head hurt so badly when I first arrived in the emergency room that I hadn’t recognized the signs of an emerging smel impression headache. It was only when the adrenaline wore off and I was sitting in the lobby smel ing the coffee and baked goods that I realized something was amiss.

  Baked goods didn’t usual y smel like feet.

  Even then, I just assumed it was Simon. What? Wel , he did look rumpled, for Simon, so I figured he was wearing old socks or something. As the smel impression intensified with my growing headache, I realized that it was more of a sweaty gauze odor than dirty socks. That was my first sign to worry.

  I had always tried to avoid hospitals, and anywhere else spirits of the dead had a tendency to gather, for good reason. Ghosts seemed to sense that I could feel their presence and sought me out. Lucky me.

  Currently I was being fol owed closely by ghosts that smel ed like curry, sweaty gauze, asphalt, cotton candy, and sawdust. A rose scented ghost was also flitting in and out of the waiting room at the top of every hour. It was distracting, to say the least.

  My nose twitched and Cal squeezed my hand. He flashed a toothy grin, maybe a little too toothy, and bumped his hip against mine.

  “Come on,” Cal said. “Let’s grab some snacks.”

  “We already have snacks,” I said.

  We had raided the vending machines and the Starbucks less than an hour ago.

  “But it may be less crowded at the vending machine,” Cal said pointedly.

  Ahhh…it would be nice to escape my stinky ghost stalkers, if even for a few minutes, and I wasn’t quite ready to face Emma’s mom and her sad makeup smudged face.

  “Oh, right, I’m starving,” I said, winking.

  In reality there was no freaking way I could eat a single pretzel, cheese puff, or peanut. My nervous stomach was fil ed with vampire bats and the multitude of smel impressions was making my head pound.

  Cal pul ed me to my feet and signaled to Simon that we would be right back. Cal walked slowly, giving me time to limp down the hal without looking too injured.

  “How are you real y?” Cal asked in a low voice.

  “I’m oka…actual y I hurt al over,” I said sighing. I might as wel be honest with Cal. With him I had nothing to hide.

  “I think I cracked a few ribs, but the rest are just pul ed muscles and bruises. Oh, and a nasty welt from the seat belt.”

  Cal pul ed me over to a secluded corner and gently wrapped his arms around me. I sank into his arms, but didn’t squeeze. My ribs were too sore.

  “Does this hurt?” Cal asked.

  “No,” I said, a little breathless.

  Cal raised my hand and the bel sleeve of my blouse fel back to reveal a bruised forearm. He bent down and brushed his lips over the purpling skin.

  “And this?” Cal asked.

  I sucked in a breath, but not because it hurt. Cal left a trail of kisses up each arm and on my bruised cheek and brought his lips to mine.

  “I thought I lost you,” Cal said.

  “I’m not that easy to lose,” I said. Electric tingles were running across my skin as his lips grazed mine with every word.

  “Come with me next time,” Cal said.

  “Next time?” I asked.

  “On the next ful moon,” Cal said. “Come with me? At least that way I’l know that you’re safe.” Oh, right, safe with a camp overflowing with werewolves…during the full moon.

  “Maybe,” I said.

  “Maybe is better than no,” Cal said.

  He pressed closer and kissed me until my legs started shaking.

  “We should be getting back,” Cal said, eyes sparkling.

  I felt a little guilty about being happy while Emma lay unconscious in a hospital bed, but I was glad to share that moment with Cal. Every experience was al the more precious when death lingered nearby.

  *****

  My parents were waiting for me when we returned with our snacks. Dad was leaving with Emma’s father to make arrangements for towing, and possibly repairing, her car.

  He gave me a quick hug and I tried not to wince.

  “You sure you’re okay?” Mom asked, as they left.

  “Yeah, I’m fine, just worried about Emma,” I said. “I’m so sorry this happened. You know she was driving real y safe and everything. We weren’t horsing around or partying or anything.”

  “I know, sweetie,” Mom said. “You are both good girls and Emma is a safer driver than I am.”

  My mom patted me on the shoulder, letting me know that we were okay, then fluffed her hair.

  “Wel , I better be off if I want to make it to work this morning,” Mom said. Was it really morning already? “Cal me if anything changes. And Yuki? I left our insurance information with Simon. Get yourself examined by one of the doctors before you leave.”

  I guess I wasn’t pul ing the wool over my mom’s eyes.

  She must have seen my bruises, or possibly my limp.

  “Okay, Mom,” I said.

  I didn’t want to admit it, but I was pretty sure I needed to be checked out too. The ghosts that were hanging out al around me were starting to glow, just a little. I can’t normal y see ghosts, just smel them, unless I’m wearing Nera’s amulet…and I wasn’t wearing the amulet. I went back to our seats where Cal was waiting.

  “Where’s Simon?” I asked.

  “In with Emma,” Cal said. “They just moved her into her own room.”

  “Is she awake?” I asked excitedly.

  “No,” Cal said. He shook his head and his shaggy hair fel into his eyes. “They said we just have to wait and see.

  The fi
rst twenty-four hours are the most crucial, at least that’s what the doctors were saying to Emma’s mom.”

  “Is her mom in the room too?” I asked.

  I know it was chicken of me, but I didn’t want to face Emma’s mother. I was worried that she’d blame the evil goth girl for her daughter’s accident. That wasn’t real y a fair assessment, I knew her mom actual y liked me, but I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

  “Yes,” said Cal.

  “Okay, let’s go see Emma,” I said with a sigh.

  Hand in hand, we walked toward Emma’s hospital room. It was a corner room nearest the nursing station and had doors opening onto both hal ways.

  “Sounds like her mom is about to leave the room and go to the cafeteria,” Cal said, smiling.

  Werewolf hearing was definitely coming in handy today. I paused to see which exit Emma’s mother would use, then steered us toward the other door. Yes, I’m a coward. At the door I hesitated. Cal raised an eyebrow as I held a finger to my lips, but he didn’t speak.

  I knew Cal couldn’t see what I was seeing, but Simon was glowing. I tilted my head, curious, and realized that a ghost was hovering around Simon making him appear to shimmer. The smel of lavender and honey fil ed the room.

  I was trying to make sense of al this when Emma twitched and opened her eyes. A look of pure relief flashed across Simon’s face, but he hid it wel .

  “What are you looking at?” Emma asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “I was pondering the fact that you are almost tolerable when you are unconscious,” Simon said. “Almost.”

  “Almost?” Emma asked.

  “Yes,” Simon said. “Unfortunately, you snore.”

  “I do not,” Emma said.

  “Actual y, darling, you not only snore…you drool too,” Simon said, giving an exaggerated shudder.

  “Um, guys?” I said, final y interrupting. “Epic friend moment here.”

  I looked at each of my friends in turn and their faces split into massive grins.

  “You okay?” Cal asked, walking over and taking Emma’s hand.

  “I think so…” Emma said. “My head hurts and I’m starving, but I’m sure there’s nothing in this place that I can eat.

  “I found some vegan potato chips,” I said. “We just, um, got back from the vending machines.”

  I could feel my face burning and knew that I was blushing.

  “Okay, help me up,” Emma said.

  Cal reached over and helped Emma into a sitting position and I handed over the bag of chips. Simon stood there with his hands in his pockets looking uncomfortable.

  He was stil glowing, and smel ing of lavender and honey, but I didn’t say anything.

  “We should get the doctors,” Cal said. “They need to know that you’re awake.”

  “Good idea,” I said. “I’l go with you. We’l be right back, Emma.”

  She looked tired and her eyelids were starting to droop.

  “Okay,” Emma said.

  With one last glance at Simon’s glowing form, I waved and fol owed Cal into the hal .

  ****

  Cal spoke with someone at the nurses’ station about Emma and they sent staff into her room. He was about to fol ow them when I put a hand on his arm.

  “I think I might need to get checked out,” I said.

  Cal raised an eyebrow, but let me explain.

  “I mean, I probably need to get my head examined,” I said. That made us both chuckle. “Ever since the accident, I’ve been seeing the glowing shapes of ghosts.”

  “You’re not wearing the amulet?” Cal asked.

  “No, I don’t even have the amulet with me,” I said. “It’s back at home. Do you think something is wrong with me?”

  “How about we tel the doctors that you also hit your head in the accident and would like to get things looked at,” Cal said. “But leave out the part about seeing ghosts—for now.”

  “Good idea,” I said.

  We were standing beside the directory sign for the nearby elevator which let visitors know that the inpatient psychiatric wing could be accessed on the fourth floor. I shivered and bit my lip.

  Cal reached out and slid his warm hand into mine. He was here with me and that gave me courage. We walked down to the Emergency Room to find a doctor. I just hoped that I was alright. Fingers crossed, toes too.

  *****

  “I can’t believe they made me take my boots off,” I said, complaining to Cal.

  It had taken me forever to buckle my boots. Plus, bending over with a headache was not fun. I crossed my arms and stomped my foot, which only made Cal laugh.

  “I’m sure it’s just standard procedure,” Cal said.

  “But I was in the ER to get my head checked out, not my feet!” I said.

  “Wel , just be thankful they didn’t make you parade up and down the hal s in your Johnny,” Cal said.

  “What?” I squeaked. “They’d do that?”

  “Yes, so you see, you got off easy,” Cal said.

  “I am so never coming here again,” I said. “Plus, I passed one of The Grays back there by radiology.” I rubbed my arms and tried not to think about why an evil spirit would be lurking around a hospital. Ghosts were hard enough to get used to, but The Grays were flat out creepy. They looked as if they sucked the light from the room, leaving only a dark, gray stinky splotch against the brightly lit interior.

  “Did it notice you?” Cal asked.

  He seemed to be taking my new ability to see the dead in stride. That was Cal through and through. He real y was made of awesome.

  “Nope,” I said, smiling. “But I know one place that I’l never go on Samhain.”

  We took the elevator up to Emma’s floor and walked to her room. Not knowing if she was sleeping, we approached quietly.

  Emma’s mom was asleep in the one chair to the left of the room. Someone had been thoughtful enough to drape a blanket over her as she slept.

  Simon hovered over Emma’s bed and we stopped at their low voices. I didn’t want to intrude, but I couldn’t help but listen.

  “Don’t ever do that again,” Simon said. “Don’t make me think I’ve lost you.”

  Emma reached for Simon’s hand hanging by his side.

  “Simon I…” Emma said.

  “So how is my little woman?” Gabriel shouted from the other doorway.

  Simon flinched and the scar at the corner of his lip twisted as he grimaced. Pul ing away from Emma, he stormed past Gabriel, who was holding an enormous bouquet of flowers, and out the door.

  The room reeked of lavender and honey and I knew it had nothing to do with Gabriel’s bouquet. One of the ancestor spirits, a former pack member, was reacting to Simon’s strong emotions. It was something that I thought was important, but I couldn’t figure it out right now. Emma needed my help.

  “Do you like them?” Gabriel asked. “Of course you do.

  They’re flowers and you’re a girl.” He walked over and set them on the table beside Emma’s bed. “I wil give you flowers every day when you are my mate.” I thought Emma’s head was going to explode. She turned bright red, then purple, with anger and her eyes took on a steely glint. I knew that look and wondered if I should run for cover. No, Emma just woke up out of a coma. She might be tough, but she stil may need my help.

  “Mate?” Emma asked. Her voice was low as she nearly choked on the word.

  “Mate, wife, mistress…cal it what you like,” Gabriel said smugly.

  Gabriel was a spoiled brat who obviously was used to getting what he wanted. Flashing money and gifts around must have worked with girls back where he came from, but it wouldn’t work here. Not with Emma.

  “What I would like is for you to leave and never mention this again,” Emma said.

  Gabriel looked confused and offended. He puffed his chest out and grabbed the flowers.

  “Wel , I wil just give these to a woman who can appreciate what I have to offer,” Gabriel said.

  He looked around
the room and his eyes settled on Emma’s mother who was just starting to wake up.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Emma seethed. “That. Is.

  My. Mother.”

  With one last snotty look, Gabriel and his flowers left the room. I walked closer to Emma’s bed, but had no idea what to say.

  “Who was that strange boy?” Emma’s mother asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

  “Flower deliver guy,” I said, shrugging. “Wrong room.” Emma snorted and let out a snarky sarcastic laugh.

  “Oh yeah, definitely the wrong room,” Emma said.

  Gabriel had definitely gone after the wrong girl. Emma was one of the strongest, most sure of herself, girls I’d ever known and wasn’t the type to put up with a bossy-pants boy like Gabriel. A certain roguish werewolf was starting to look more like her type, but I wasn’t going to bring that topic up. No freaking way.

  Chapter 13

  A few hours, and a gazil ion forms to fil out, later, we were al released from the hospital. Emma’s mom was given instructions to make sure that Emma got lots of rest and to bring her back to the emergency room if there were any problems. I received a clean bil of health and since I hadn’t been able to share my secret about seeing glowy dead people, they had no reason to make me stay.

  Cal texted Simon, but he never returned to the hospital. I had kind of expected Simon to come see us off

  —it had been a big deal being injured, but apparently he was stil perturbed over his run-in with Gabriel. The Brat could get under anyone’s skin, but I was a little surprised that Simon seemed so upset. Of course, I stil didn’t know the details of his relationship with Emma. If there even was a relationship. I was probably just overtired and imagining things.

  The sun was coming up over Wakefield as Cal drove me home. I cal ed my mom and dad to let them know that I was fine, just tired, and that Emma was awake and going home with her mother. My parents were relieved, and sent their love, but decided to put in a ful day each of work. A little part of me felt hurt by that, but I tried not to let it get me down. So the rents have to work? Get over yourself. At least they had cal ed school to say I was taking a sick day.

  Cal slid on a pair of dark sunglasses against the glare as we drove toward the rising sun. He looked like a total rock star. Okay, maybe having the day alone with Cal wasn’t such a bad thing. Yum.