“You ready to go in?” Jensen’s voice broke my desolate trance.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. He smiled weakly, but it didn’t meet his eyes. I studied the contours of his face, trying to be strong. Without a word, I got out. I pushed open the door to the small building, not caring if I hit someone with it, and went straight to the bar.
“Can I get a shot of the strongest thing you got here?” I asked the girl behind the counter.
Her eyes glided over me with a smirk. “Do you think you can handle that?”
Surprisingly, I held it together. I didn’t jump over the counter to rip the hair clean off her head and hold it up in celebration.
“Give her whatever she wants. Unless you don’t mind being unemployed,” Jensen said, coming up beside me. His eyes blazed, daring her to question the seriousness of his threat.
She didn’t respond. She only tugged a towel off the counter in front of us and threw it over her shoulder as she skirted away to pour my drink. From the angry looks she threw in our direction, Jensen had ruined her night. She deserved it.
I dropped down to a vacant barstool and patted the one next to me. “You getting a drink?” I asked.
“Nah, I’m just here for support. I need to make sure you get back to the motel safe tonight anyway.”
The girl returned with my drink, a fake smile plastered across her face. It was hard to tell how old she was. Her makeup was too heavy. “Anything else?”
I cupped the shot glass, staring at the amber liquid reflecting against the soft overhead light. “Keep them coming.” Before she could say anything, I tossed the glass back, enjoying the burn all the way down. I slammed it onto the bar and used my sleeve to wipe my mouth.
The girl took the empty vessel and disappeared.
“You didn’t have plans tonight? I’d hate to keep you here if you need to go somewhere.” The prospect of him leaving made me feel sick. But I would understand if he used the opportunity to do so. Who would want to be around someone who saw things? Another shot came into view. I wanted to climb into it and drown.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Jensen sighed. “You don’t need to be alone.”
I squinted in his direction to find him staring at me.
He wagged his brows, making me laugh. Laugh! I couldn’t believe it had come from me.
I put the glass to my lips, peering at him over the rim. “Thank you for being here.” I tossed it back, my eyes watering.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
I cleared my throat as my vision began to cloud. I wasn’t much of a drinker. Most of the time, I stuck to drinks that weren’t so strong, and it didn’t take many of those to get me hammered. These two shots were officially kicking my ass, and the girl already had another waiting for me.
“I’m glad because I feel like I’m losing my shit.” My mouth dropped as I slapped a hand across it. Giggles festered in my chest and rippled up my throat. Did I really just say that?
“Hey, well at least you do it gracefully. Except yesterday when you had all the leaves in your hair.” A smooth smile spread across his face.
I slapped his arm and met his gaze, unable to stop myself from smiling. I was glad he hadn’t asked about what had me so shook up. I respected it. Maybe I could call him a friend. Maybe. I still hadn’t decided yet. But the way his face had contorted when I pointed to the twins made me think there was more to it.
“What’s with the look?” he asked, gently poking me in the ribs.
“Nothing. I was just … Jensen, you didn’t see the girls when we left?” I felt embarrassed. What if I was reading too much into all this?
He raised a hand, calling the bartender in our direction. “Give me a shot as well.”
She nodded and returned a moment later with his drink.
He tossed it back then stared at the glass. “They’ve been referred to as BEKs.”
I nearly fell off the barstool. My drunk mind stumbled, trying to play catch up on what he was saying. Was he actually acknowledging that I wasn’t the only one they’d appeared to?
“People around here see them all the time. They don’t bother anyone though, just scare the shit out of you when they show up.”
I downed the shot that had been waiting on me before talking. “What exactly does BEK stand for?”
“Black-eyed kid.” He waved another drink over, which he downed. “I’ve seen them around since I was little. I think most people have, but they won’t admit it. Don’t want to seem like a crazy person, I guess.” His lip curled as he stared at me.
“Oh, my God! Jensen, you have no idea how much better this makes me feel. And to think I totally bought into all the stuff Dr. Brown fed me this morning about how it was connected to my unstable psyche.” I leaned in closer to him. “I’m not completely crazy.”
The door to the bar opened, and in walked Harold. He looked over at both of us and turned toward a booth without acknowledging us.
“Wow. What a dick.” I shook my head.
“Harold stays to himself a lot. He’s not the friendliest person in the world. I should know since I’ve worked for him all these years.” He stopped, lifting his hands. “Guess the cat is out of the bag as to who owns the motel. You should probably refrain from any complaints if you want to continue staying there though.”
“I think I need to say hi to old Harold,” I said, winking at him. “No one ignores me. Especially when I’m drunk.”
Jensen shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Piper. There’s no telling what’s going to come out of your mouth.”
We both turned in Harold’s direction. He handed a menu back to a waitress and glared our way.
I laughed, leaning across Jensen’s shoulder.
“Shhhh … he’ll hear you,” he said so loudly a few people turned our way.
I sat back on my barstool. “Nonsense. We’re friends. He came to my grandfather’s house to fetch me, as he put it … I think. It was something stupid like that. Now I’m stuck here. My car is broken, and now well, I don’t know what else.” I laughed. I wasn’t sure why.
Jensen waved the girl back over. “Two more shots.”
“Hell yes!”
The shots slid toward us. She glanced at Jensen then back to me. “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Her question had a vindictive nature to it. She was definitely threatening me.
“No, that’s all,” he said.
I stared at her as she left us alone. She’d be back and I’d be ready for her.
“Are you planning on killing the bartender?”
I shook my head, becoming aware that I was blatantly obvious. “Huh? What?” Words poured out of my mouth, but none made any sense. I opened it to speak again, then shut it when nothing logical would form for me to say.
“You’re drunk.”
“Nah.” I was in denial. I was totally drunk — like, so drunk I probably couldn’t even tell someone my name. What was it? Piper. Yeah, that was it. I clapped, praising myself for remembering.
His brows knitted together as his head cocked.
“Sorry. It’s this whole internal dialogue thing I got going on right now. I just proved a point to myself. Ain’t that ever happened to you?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t take these shots.” He pushed them away.
I jerked his arm, causing one of them to splash across his hand.
“We’re taking them. But it’ll be my last one.”
“Deal.”
We raised the glasses into the air.
“To not being completely crazy!”
We clinked them together before downing them.
“You ready to get out of here? Your face is really red.”
I touched my flaming cheeks. It was so hot in here. “Yeah, but I’m going to say something to Harold before we go.” Instead of Jensen stopping me, he waved me away.
He threw some bills down on the counter. I stumbled against his barstool and caught myself on his chest.
He gripped my arms, steadying me.
“I’ll be back,” I said, making the Terminator voice. I swayed over to Harold’s table and dropped across from him. “Hey, Harold! You too good to speak?”
His head leaned back, not blinking. A cigar hung from his mouth as smoke curled around his face. “Piper…”
Jensen appeared at my side and yanked me from the cushioned chair. “Sorry, Harold. We were leaving.”
Harold’s eyes continued to bore into mine. “Yes, I think that’s probably the best thing.”
Together, we left the bar. Jensen opened my door and ushered me inside. I laid my head back. Everything was swirling. I closed my eyes, trying to focus. Why was the truck rocking? I thought a door had maybe shut. I wasn’t sure. Everything sounded muffled. I fought to peel my eyes open, but they were heavy. I sank farther back into the seat. Something tapped my cheek.
“Do you want to stay in the room with me again?”
“Yes!” How loud was that? I sat up, blinking. I forced my brain to work. “But I think I’m going to be sick.” Bile raged as my stomach churned violently. I leaned forward, cupping my mouth. Vomit sprayed through my fingers and hit the windshield then covered my body. I convulsed, heaving again. I lay back, closing my eyes. The smell of puke burned my nose.
The car stopped, but I didn’t budge. All I wanted to do was sleep. Sleep forever… that sounded good. That sounded like the best plan I had ever come up with.
“Piper…”
I didn’t answer.
“Piper … wake up. We’re here.”
I opened my eyes, finding him leaned over toward me.
“Can you walk? You kind of ruined my truck. And yourself. Do you want to get a shower while I clean this out?”
I nodded.
He put my arm over his shoulder and carted me into the room. After flicking on the light, he sat me on the toilet lid and turned the water on. “You okay to get undressed?”
“Mmm-hmm.” The door clicked shut, and I leaned back, wrestling with my pants. I kicked them to the side and stood. The shirt got stuck over my head, and I plummeted into the shower wall. I managed to climb in and close the curtain, and then rocked in the refreshing steam. My head dropped. The water rolled down my forehead and along the bridge of my nose before dripping off into the puddle at my feet. The alcohol still poisoned my veins, making me feel slightly loopy. I reached for the soap with a loose hand. It sailed to the drain, bouncing around a few times. I wobbled back but managed to grip it tight enough to secure it between my curled fingers. I put it to my nose, inhaling the sweet aroma of the fragranced bar.
My stomach churned followed by a few deep coughs. My midsection contracted. I folded my arms over my chest, trying to calm my nausea as the pounding water hit my scalp. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. My throat was already raw from earlier. It burned all the way down, feeling like thick mucus.
I swallowed a second time, causing a fit of coughs to slice through my chest. I bent forward, gagging. My mouth opened excreting an odor that was unbearable. A slimy substance slid up into my mouth. It rolled about my tongue before dropping between my feet. The water pushed it forward, but its congealed texture clogged the drain. I crouched low, picked it up, and held it eye-level. I rocked back, dropping the burnt fatty flesh. I heaved again, earning a mouthful of the same substance. I grabbed the shower curtain, trying to pull myself up. The rings snapped, and I was covered with clear plastic. I cried out, heaving. My chest tightened, and my throat burned so bad I was sure it was bleeding.
The door burst open. I wasn’t sure who’d entered. My eyes were sealed, not wanting to look at what was coming from my body. The water stopped, and a towel covered me.
“Can you stand?” Jensen asked. He hoisted me up and wrapped the towel around my midsection. My legs buckled, making me reach out for the support of the vanity. The constant slamming of my heart pounded in my ears. I ran a hand through my tangled hair, looking up at myself in the mirror. I looked like hell.
“Let’s get you to bed. Hopefully, you’ll feel better in the morning.”
I lay on my stomach and closed my eyes, feeling as if I floated. Something soft hit my back a moment later.
“Good night, Piper. Things will get better.” Jensen kissed my forehead and left me alone.
I curled into a ball on my side and cried into my pillow. Better seemed like so far away.
I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. The alcohol had taken a toll on me, making me regret drinking so much. My head pounded as I tried to remember what had happened. Apparently, sleeping it off wouldn’t do the trick. It only seemed to make it worse. I lifted the covers, suddenly aware that I was naked underneath. Glancing around, I found I was alone. Frantically, I searched through my memories, wondering if something sexual had happened between Jensen and me.
No. He’d helped to bed, but that was it. He had left right after that. A thought struck me like lightning. BEK. He’d told me people in the town had seen those kids. He’d told me he had seen them. I was right about them. And I would be right about the man and the cemetery. Not wasting any time, I sat up, found my clothes, and dressed. I darted through the office, making sure Jensen still snored as I escaped into the early morning. I was going into the woods… in the dark. Determination took precedence over my fears. Nothing would stop me from finding what I knew was there.
I jumped off the sidewalk and into the pile of leaves. The marks from my fall were still there. Slowly I passed through the trees, trying my best to remember the way I had run. After several feet, I stopped, listening. The only sound was my breathing. I continued, the trees becoming thinner the deeper I went. Their bare trunks lacked leaves, their dark shapes looming over me. I stopped again, looked over my shoulder, and saw a significant difference in the way the woods looked not even ten feet behind me.
There was an invisible line. One side was full of life and vibrant greens, but the side where I stood had nothing but dead wood. I pressed on, finally seeing an opening. I stopped near a tree when movement caught my attention. I remained still, my eyes focusing to make out the features of the figure. It exited the mausoleum and descended the steps slowly. At the bottom, the figure stopped, and a faint orange glow ignited before it. The moment of clarity dawned on me. Harold.
He pulled the cigar he’d just lit from his mouth and stared ahead.
I turned, curious to see what had claimed his attention. A group of children stood in the midst of the headstones.
His laugh broke through the silence, a sound that was out of place for the sinister scene in front of me. He limped toward them, waving a hand wildly in their direction. They parted, allowing him to continue.
I backed away, wanting to get out of there before they noticed me. I retraced my steps and found the back of the motel just as the sun broke across the horizon.
Jensen sat up as I opened the door to the office. “Piper?” He wiped his eyes and squinted in my direction. “What are you doing out so early?”
I leaned against the counter, racking my brain as to what to say. There was no way I could tell him what I had seen. I didn’t want him knowing that I had gone back out to the graveyard — a graveyard full of children who weren’t buried there. They still walked the earth, only in a different form from human.
“I wanted to get some fresh air. The room was getting stuffy. I guess from the way I felt after last night.”
He sat up, putting a shirt on. “You should’ve said something. I could’ve turned down the heat.”
“No. It’s fine. By the way, I’m really sorry about your truck. I totally ruined it, huh? Vomit is a tough smell to get rid of. Can I help you clean it today?”
“Nah, I’ll get one of the teenagers to do it. They’re always looking to make a few dollars. You hungry?”
“Starving.”
We walked to the diner and sat at a table close to the back.
“People really get an early start around here, don’t they?” I asked, sur
veying the crowd.
“We have some town events to get ready for, so today and tomorrow will be pretty hectic.”
Annie, from the funeral home, walked past and did a double take before coming back to our table. “Piper! I didn’t know you were still in town. I heard about your little accident.”
I opened my mouth to reply but was cut short when she continued in a rush.
“Sorry you missed the services. That place up there in Summerland had it fixed up real nice. Couldn’t ask for them to do a better job,” she said, reaching down to touch my arm.
“So I’ve heard,” I said through gritted teeth. My blood boiled. She knew I had wanted to be there. They could have waited. But I didn’t say anything. Nothing could be done about it now so what was the point? No need to start a scene for everyone in the diner to watch.
Annie looked between Jensen and me with her brows raised. “Have you found a reason to stay with us?”
Jensen sat back, rolled his eyes, and acted as if the couple in the corner had suddenly done something so interesting it needed all his attention.
“Uh, no. Jensen has been nice enough to put up with me. He’s been helping me find out about my grandfather, since he never told me anything about this place.”
Her eyes darted to Jensen as if waiting for confirmation. When he gave her none, her gaze shifted back to me. “Have you tried the school? They have old pictures hanging on the walls of all the students who attended there. Some are really old.”
“I haven’t. I’ll have to try.”
“It isn’t far from here. Just a couple of minutes’ walk,” she said.
“Thanks, Annie.”
She reached and touched my arm again. “Not a problem. By the way, Jensen, looks like you’re needed in the kitchen.” She nodded toward the front.
The cook stood in the doorframe, waving.
Jensen sighed and strode with Annie to the front. They stopped with their backs to me at the counter. Annie’s arm cut the air harshly as her finger darted in and out of his face. She stole a glance over her shoulder at me.
Chosen (The Urban Legends Series Book 1) Page 16