The Demon's Grave

by E. M. MacCallum

  Phoebe plopped down opposite me and put her bare feet on my knees. Curling her toes she stretched back like a cat, arms above her head. “Cody’s picking Robin up. They won’t be long.”

  Aidan offered them something to drink, but like me, they refused. I think we were all eager to begin. Phoebe and Aidan made polite conversation while Read wandered off to study some of the artifacts in the living room. Robin didn’t bother knocking. She rushed inside announcing their arrival with a booming, “hello!”

  Striding into the kitchen, she wore a clinging, green, sundress and high-heeled boots that were laced to her knees to make her seem a little taller. I don’t know why she bothered. Next to Cody, she’d always be short‌—‌even in heels.

  Cody stood in the living room, not bothering to join us in the kitchen. He looked tired even in the dim light. His baggy cargo pants, made his butt look as droopy as the bags under his eyes. Even his t-shirt was rumpled, like he’d slept in it.

  Aidan craned his neck to see Cody and Cody nodded his greeting. Ever the tall mute.

  Standing at six-foot-eleven, Cody could intimidate any tough-guy. Though he was primarily skinny, he was all lean muscle.

  I’d seen him play basketball‌—‌the sport that was paying his way through college‌—‌and the moment he hit the court, he was the badass his physique threatened he was. Once in Robin’s presence, he was quiet and reserved. Phoebe once called him the modern day Jekyll and Hyde.

  “Where’s my schnapps?” Phoebe demanded with a grin.

  “It’s in Cody’s car,” Robin sang. “And we got beer and…‌” she walked briskly across the kitchen floor, heels clicking loud and in charge, “…‌vodka and whiskey.” She opened the cupboard doors as if she owned the place. Though she seemed to know what she was looking for and despite the heels she had to go on tippy-toes to pluck a glass from the cupboard.

  “You been here before?” I asked Robin.

  Filling her glass from the cooler, Robin’s chin-length chestnut hair swayed in her nod. “Yeah, the party two months ago. Weren’t you?”

  Double ouch.

  Phoebe changed the subject and jutted her chin toward Aidan. “So, where are we headed?”

  “You’ll see. Now that we’re all here, I’m glad you could all make it,” his eyes paused on me.

  I realized I was blushing again and looked over to Cody. His light brown eyes were glazed behind golden, long lashes and I was certain he had no idea someone was talking.

  Phoebe pulled her feet off my legs, leaving pink impressions above my knees. “No problem,” she said to Aidan. “Shall we head out then?”

  “Alright!” Robin finished her glass of water and put it in the dishwasher.

  Phoebe was the first to head for the front door, while the rest of us gathered our things before following.

  Venturing outside and down the narrow walk, Aidan locked up the house while Robin talked of shopping adventures and bowling with a few of Cody’s teammates and their girlfriends.

  I helped Cody and Read with the large quantity of alcohol that should never be consumed in one night. Read’s bottled beer, which he bragged to Cody about, looked expensive and possibly German. There wasn’t a lick of English on the case.

  Aidan opened his station-wagon and helped pack it with duffel-bags and Robin’s suitcase. I grabbed the last case of beer and shoved it beside Robin’s suitcase on top of a blue plastic tarp. There was something underneath it, but I couldn’t tell what. Shutting the back, I realized I got last pick for seats. The usual third seat in the back had been removed so we could stuff the car full of our junk, leaving the two bench seats.

  Cody, Read and Robin crammed into the back while Phoebe waited for me to hop into the front seat. “I called shotgun,” she announced. I glowered at her and she returned it with a playful tilt of her golden head.

  With everyone waiting, I caved first. Starting an argument with Phoebe was often futile. Ducking into the car I scooted next to Aidan, careful not to touch.

  We exchanged an uncomfortable glance before facing ahead.

  Phoebe slammed her door shut, the hinges shrieking their protest.

  Robin’s high-pitched giggles bounced around the car as she initiated some type of poking contest that had Cody grumbling his irritation.

  Aidan backed out of the driveway, somehow able to see around Robin’s bobbing head. The girl might only be five-foot-one, but she was a bouncy one.

  “So, where are you taking us?” Phoebe pried, twisting in her seat to stare at Aidan’s profile.

  He didn’t remove his eyes from the road. “Learn some patience,” he chuckled when he popped the old car into drive. The whole vehicle thunked before lurching forward.

  “Aw, come on Aidan, you can tell us now.”

  Aidan fell silent and serious, staring straight ahead.

  “Give me a hint,” Phoebe said, not phased. She butted out her bottom lip in a pout.

  Aidan took one look at her and laughed, actually laughed. I could hear something genuine behind it this time. It wasn’t something to be polite or a social requirement. It surprised me what a nice sound it was.

  “Okay,” he said with a quirked smile that showed some teeth, “it’s on my family’s property, outside of town.”

  I had to look, he had very nice teeth. The real smile made him look kind of cute.

  “Is it an old barn?” Phoebe asked casually, her attention partially focused on wrapping her fingers around the loose stitching along the back of her seat.

  “Nuh uh!” Robin squealed in the back, “I’m not sleeping in a barn!”

  My head was turned enough to see Read’s hand dart out and swatted Robin’s knee and she broke out into hysterical giggles that flashed smiles all through the car. Robin had a high-pitched, vibrating laugh. It reminded me a lot of Mona’s, which had me a little homesick already.

  Robin hit both boys’ thighs before they could block her. Cody’s lips stretched in what may have been a smile, but he didn’t participate.

  Twisting her body, Phoebe dropped her elbow on the other side of the seat. “So, is it a barn?”

  Aidan chuckled. “It’s not a barn.”

  “Another hint,” Phoebe urged. Her hand snaked, out slapping Robin’s bare thigh; the sound cracked like a whip. Aidan and I winced just before Robin’s shriek filled the car.

  I twisted, to see Robin flop forward gripping her legs, laughing. “No fair, I can’t get you.”

  Cody, despite Robin being his girlfriend, looked relieved that the game was over. He leaned his spiky bleached hair on the window and closed his eyes.

  Read reached behind him, opened his German beer and cracked the top with a bottle opener.

  “It was re-built in 1906,” Aidan offered, his tone was low compared to Robin’s boisterous voice but it still snagged Phoebe’s attention. “Hey, Read,” he said, eyes on the rearview, “keep the beer below the window, will you?”

  “A farmhouse?” Phoebe asked.

  Aidan offered a noncommittal shrug.

  “An Indian burial ground?” Robin offered, still babying her legs. The slapping game had ceased without retaliation, for now.

  Phoebe snorted. “Are you kidding me?” She asked Robin.

  Emerging from the small city we were on the open highway. It wasn’t long before we took an exit onto a narrow, paved road. It had been repaired several times; each bump evident under the car’s poor shocks.

  Sometimes, I wanted to be as carefree as Robin. Not having to worry about anything bad and just enjoying the moment. Robin was a pro when it came to keeping things entertaining, for herself and others. I could join the bustling conversation but I didn’t want to, not just yet. There was a nagging at the back of my mind, an apprehension that kept me frozen in my seat.

  Rolling my eyes up to the rearview mirror I caught sight of Cody. He could have been sleeping the way his head jostled each time the car hit a bump. Robin sat up straight again, nudging his shoulder.

  Brown eyes snapp
ed wide, glassy and forlorn.

  “Did you get any sleep?” I asked him.

  His head didn’t detach from the window as he muttered, his lips hardly moving. “No, I don’t think I did.”

  Phoebe motioned to Robin, but said to Cody. “What kept you up?”

  I wanted to ask about nightmares but didn’t want to ruin the mood either.

  “How much longer? I’m getting hungry,” Robin’s loud voice demanded in the back seat before Cody could answer. She stuck her pierced tongue out at Phoebe who returned the gesture.

  “Not long,” Aidan said.

  “Get something from one of the bags if you can reach it,” I said. “There’s lots of food.”

  “Ha!” Robin barked. “Phoebe will be tempted and look up my skirt.”

  Phoebe’s lips curled. “No. Aidan will.”

  Cody’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. Aidan’s pale face flushed before sputtering, “I would not.” He glared at Phoebe.

  Phoebe couldn’t resist her smug smile. “Watch the road, stud.”

  Read rummaged around in the back for a bag of chips for Robin, which kept her quiet for at least a few more minutes. Small talk was exchanged as Robin seemed to be flirting with Read while Cody slept, though I tuned most of it out.

  The trees on either side of the vehicle were thickening. Fewer houses could be seen through them and the shoulder of the road became nonexistent; replaced by a steep drop off.

  Watching the forest zip past Phoebe’s face I didn’t look forward until I felt the brakes. Aidan rolled the station wagon off onto an overgrown dirt road. Despite the slow speed, the car rocked hard, sloshing everyone inside from side to side.

  “Hey, we must be close now,” Robin said between jujube bites.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  Aidan took his eyes off of the road, moving slower along the dirt path. The dust fluttered up behind us, blocking out the entire back window. “You’ll see.” Those blue eyes penetrated mine making my insides squirm and I looked away.

  The vehicle fell quiet. Even Robin was hushed as we all watched the thick brush lining the road. If another vehicle happened along one of the sharp bends there would be no room for both.

  Outside the side window I ducked my head to see the tops of the coniferous trees as they whizzed by. The orange sunlight made them appear to be glowing. The sun wouldn’t be around much longer, which wouldn’t give us a lot of time to set up.

  The car was slowing to a crawl and it was Phoebe’s sharp intake of breath that snapped my gaze forward.

  We had finally arrived at our destination and I could see it. I wasn’t sure if I even liked it.

  “Whoa,” Read said from the back.

  “I never expected this,” Phoebe whispered to me.

  Neither did I.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Wooooow.” Robin’s breath warmed the back of my neck.

  Slumping in my seat, I realized my mouth was hanging open and clamped my jaw shut with a snap. We’re spending the night here?

  It was a Victorian-style house. The sun bleached brick siding was pitted with scars and scratches. A wooden front porch had faded to a sickly grey and tilted to the right. There were modern shingles on most of the roof, except for the rounded tower that was suctioned to the side. My eyes were drawn to the tower immediately. The roof bowed at a harsh angle and was littered with rotten shingles and last year’s dead leaves. The tower hovered several feet over the new roof, looking like something out of a children’s fairytale.

  The windows on the first floor were mostly boarded up with plywood and two by fours while the second floor’s were new and crystal-smooth, reflecting the orange sun.

  Rank, bare vines entwined the porch railing and clawed its way up the side of the chipped bricks, claiming the house as its own.

  A draft chilled my right arm and I realized Phoebe had stepped out of the car without me noticing.

  Aidan and I were the only ones left in the vehicle. “I know it doesn’t look like much,” he said, “but we’ve been trying to make little improvements over the years.”

  I tried to smile at him, avoiding his haunting eyes and crawled out the passenger’s side.

  Trailing behind the group, we stared up at the monstrous house, inching our way closer.

  A cracked picket fence attempted to secure a front yard, yet it was overgrown with weeds and bushes.

  “Have you been inside?” Phoebe asked Aidan. They were in the lead and the first to touch the splintering porch railing.

  Aidan nodded and explained about the improvements he and his dad had done lately. “I used to live out here during the summers with my grandpa when I was a kid.” He said.

  “Aw,” Phoebe grinned, “a Leland boy at heart.”

  Aidan didn’t return the smile and wiggled the rickety railing instead. “You could say that. Always wanted to come back, maybe even live here one day.”

  Read sauntered up behind them. “That part looks the worst though,” he motioned with his beer bottle to the tower section of the house.

  Tilting his chin up, Aidan squinted through the twilight. “Yeah, that part was off limits. Grandpa used to go up there sometimes, but I was never allowed.”

  Robin latched onto Cody’s arm and asked. “Is it dangerous inside? Like could we fall through the floor?”

  As if it had been staged, a wooden shingle from the tower scraped off the roof and landed a few feet from Phoebe and Aidan. Dried dirt sprayed up on impact.

  Dirt? With the overgrown grass I didn’t expect to hear it make a sound. Edging inside the gate, I hopped up on my tippy-toes to see paled dirt around the tower section. Not a single plant grew; no grass, shrubs or weeds, just dirt spanning a foot from the brick.

  Robin let out a breath, puffing her cheeks and looking at the rest of us wide-eyed as if to ask, really?

  Peering over her shoulder, Phoebe raised eyebrow. “Scared, Robin?”

  Robin bit down on her glossy lip and straightened her posture. “No, of course not.” I was close enough to see her fingernails dig into Cody’s arm. His tired eyes winced, but otherwise remained uninterested.

  I couldn’t blame Robin. My insides felt like mashed potatoes but if I showed any anxiety Phoebe would spend the rest of the night plotting to scare the crap out of me.

  “Nah,” Aidan said, “the inside has had a lot of work done. Hopefully, this summer the porch will be done.” He wiggled the railing again, a disapproving line stretching between his brows.

  “Hope someone brought candles and flashlights,” Read said, flashing extraordinarily white teeth.

  “I brought lots and there should be a bunch in here still,” Aidan stepped onto the creaking porch steps. He wobbled once he reached the slant, stretching his arms for balance. The grey boards creaked and groaned as he shuffled to the antique front door. Producing a key from his jeans he unlocked it and pushed it open. The hinges shrieked their protest, imitating every cliché haunted house.

  Aidan hopped through the threshold and motioned for us to follow.

  Read stepped up beside Phoebe. She glared at him and without warning he shoved her to the side and launched himself onto the porch. Spitting flames, Phoebe stumbled before darting after him. She came close to pulling his pants down as she fought to beat him into the house.

  They slid on the slanted surface like Bambi on ice, entertaining the rest of us. The worthy struggle ended with Read winning the match. Phoebe was quick to complain about the false start as they clambered into the house, their voices carrying into a renewed argument.

  Cody helped Robin along the porch. Her high heels weren’t equipped for the dramatic arch. She cracked jokes about breaking a leg while swaying like a weeble-wobble doll. Reaching the front door, she caught Aidan’s outstretched hand.

  I could hear Robin’s “ooos” and “awws” as I grabbed the shifting railing.

  Aidan waited at the door as I climbed onto the slant. It seemed my sneakers would come in handy after a
ll. Sliding a little, I made it to the doorframe. Aidan had offered his hand after a hesitation, but I didn’t take it. “I’m fine,” I told him as I landed on a solid wood floor, leaving the rickety porch behind.

  Dusting off my hands, I could see that he was right about it looking better inside.

  Unmarred drywall had been painted an off-white. The real hardwood floors held a thick film of dust, and now it had footprints. Read inspected the wood framing around every archway. It had been painted so many times there had to be a half-an-inch of dark brown paint on them.

  Robin was inspecting a clawed-foot dining table in the room ahead of me while Cody stared at the wall.

  It was like stepping back into history. The furniture was sparse, but little details like glass doorknobs and brass light-switch coverings were indicators of its time.

  To my left, Read was talking to Aidan about firewood and I followed them into what could have been a quaint living room. Devoid of furniture it housed a brick fireplace and a window that wasn’t covered with plywood. The window’s glass was thick, almost making the world outside look a little off.

  Behind me, Read blew at the mantel before coughing and sputtering. Looking over my shoulder I saw the swirling dust fill the faded sunlit room like a fog. Read waved his hand from side to side in front of his face before plucking the dusty lantern from the mantel.

  “We could totally have a fire,” Aidan pointed out, serious. “Dad told me the chimney was cleaned last weekend and flue still works, so…‌”

  The dust was starting to tickle the back of my throat.

  Read looked back at me. “Nora you want to help me get wood?”

  Robin started to laugh and I almost choked. “Uuuhhh…‌”

  “What’s upstairs?” Phoebe’s voice echoed.

  Aidan brushed past me into the entrance. I turned to see Phoebe standing on the stairs, creaking them under her shifting weight for entertainment. The stairs turned behind her and disappeared from sight. The wood railing was cracked and some of the spindles were missing.

  “It’s kind of messy. I don’t know if you want to go up there,” Aidan warned as she reached the first landing.