The Haunting

by E. M. MacCallum

  The first attempt didn’t work. He trailed the blade and could have shaved hair but not skin.

  Joel swallowed loudly and tried again. Pressing down, he stopped the moment Claire whimpered.

  “I can’t…”

  “No!” Claire barked, her jaw still clamped in Joel’s hand. “Do it!”

  Perhaps it was her approval that did it, but Joel leaned in again. He took a deep breath, and I think we all did with him, craning our necks to see if it would work this time.

  Blood welled to the surface, coating the edge of the knife and marring Claire’s pale skin.

  Claire started to cry. Fat tears glistened down her face, mixing with the blood and making her wince only after Joel let her go.

  Joel wouldn’t meet our eyes; he wouldn’t look at Claire, either. In that moment, I felt terrible for him. I didn’t know if I could have done that, but he did.

  Claire reached up and cupped the cut with her bound hands. But she had to turn her head to do it. In doing so, we all were able to glimpse the long, uneven cut.

  Damien nodded approvingly. “Set the knife on the table,” he instructed Joel.

  Claire let her breath out in a sharp whistle. I glanced at Joel. He was glaring with murder glinting in his eyes.

  “Nora, I think you should go next,” Damien said, not looking away from Joel.

  “Why make me do that?” Joel demanded, stopping me from stepping forward.

  Damien tilted his head to the side. “To mar her beauty. That was the only reason you came to like her in the first place, was it not? This will prove to her otherwise.”

  “So you think this is helping?” Joel growled.

  Damien shook his head. “I’m not trying to help,” he said coldly. “The Challenge is a punishment.” Then to me, though he didn’t look away from Joel, “Nora…”

  Standing straight, I prepared myself for the worst. I had to hope he wasn’t going to ask me to hurt someone.

  “Stop the Ona before it gets to Claire.”

  Before I could ask, one of the Graveyard Ghouls appeared in the back of the room near the bar.

  It had folded flesh and bat-like ears, and it floated a foot off the ground.

  Claire twisted around on the table, using only her torso, her legs still motionless. She saw the Ona and gasped sharply.

  The noise must have alerted the creature. With a haunting shriek that grated my courage, it charged.

  I felt the warmth build already in my stomach. It spread through my chest, and I realized I had no idea how to focus it. Maybe it worked on heightened emotions or maybe my conscious decision could project it where I wanted. Unless I didn’t have control at all and this was going to go whatever way Damien saw fit.

  “Nora!” I heard Claire shriek as the monster bore down on her. It reached out an arm and swept Claire off the table and into its grip.

  “Aren’t you going to do something?” Joel shouted and started to run around the table.

  Focusing all my attentions, I tried not to think about where Joel was.

  Before Joel could reach me, I had built the energy to the breaking point. My fingertips tingled with the effects. It felt as if I were as light as a feather, floating even.

  Taking a deep breath, I willed it to release. Like a balloon, all the energy burst just outside of my flesh. It didn’t target, it just left, sailing like a bullet, but I couldn’t tell where. I felt the hairs on my arms rise and stared in horror as the monster didn’t waver or stop.

  Nothing had happened.

  The Ona dragged Claire backwards to the bar, and I was helpless to stop it.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  The shock must have registered on my face.

  “Fuller?” Phoebe’s voice rose.

  Panic seized my chest, and I had no other option. I started running straight for the creature. Joel nearly knocked me over in the process as he and I scrambled to reach Claire.

  He got to her first, grabbing her outstretched fingers.

  She shrieked in pain when he tried to pull her back with him, her arm stretching. Joel then made to tackle the creature. The power in his charge was electric as he bounced off of the Ona, having no effect. In fact, the Ona wasn’t concerned with him. The sightless eyes focused on me, emotionless and eerie.

  There seemed to be no way that it could see me, but somehow it did. The moment I stepped closer, it followed my movements. I felt the burning sensation inside my chest, but it wasn’t as intense as my first time. It also wasn’t as strong as Neive’s. I could only hope that this new creature was commanded by Neive. If it were Damien, what hope would I have?

  Either way, I needed to try.

  Instead of grabbing for Claire, I went for the Ona itself.

  My hand wrapped around its wrist. Its skin was clammy and uncomfortably warm. Cringing, I didn’t let it go and slapped my other hand onto the shoulder. I could feel the sharp bone beneath the loose skin.

  The Ona’s eerie eagle-voice made me hesitate. It dragged me along the floor with it.

  “Do something!” Joel shouted at me again.

  We were nearing the bar. The second that creature hit the wall, I was certain it would take Claire with it.

  Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate in the chaos. I needed to build up the energy again. It was the only thing that I knew how to do, the only thing that could possibly work.

  Biting down, I felt my body tense. The flames inside my gut stirred, rolling together and getting bigger, little by little. It wasn’t until my legs started crumpling beneath me that I felt the concentration start to fray.

  No time like the present. I let the build-up go.

  All the energy I built up thrust outward, piercing the palms of my hands. The burn was intense, warming to the point where I wanted to let go. It grew too hot.

  I felt the muscles beneath my hand tighten beneath loose, shifting flesh.

  I gripped tighter, and the ability rippled up through my arms like shards of glass, making me gasp as I forced it. It vibrated up every muscle in its escape. My elbows ached, my wrists stung, and my fingertips throbbed.

  I felt the Ona’s arm drop.

  Opening my eyes, I saw Claire stumbling away with Joel. She seemed able to move her legs, but she was sluggish, and Joel ended up lifting most of her weight.

  At the same time, Joel reached back and grabbed the back of my shirt. With one powerful tug from Joel, I flew back into Joel and away from the creature.

  Joel helped me regain my balance.

  My palms screamed, and I held them close to my chest, afraid to look.

  The Ona fell back into the wall, disappearing from sight. The only evidence of its presence were two thin tendrils of black smoke steaming from the dark wall.

  Joel didn’t let me go as I staggered, exhausted. I wanted to sink to my knees; every bone in my body shrieked for relief. I stood upright, feeling the flash of nausea rip through my gut.

  Joel released the back of my shirt as I turned around, every movement slow and calculated.

  “Are you going to ralph?” Claire asked me. Joel fumbled with the ropes at her wrists.

  I shook my head but refused to answer. I didn’t want to move my jaw in case I did have to vomit. Stepping away from Joel and Claire, I made a wide circle around the ever-watchful Gretchen. I didn’t have time to react when Damien snagged me by the arm and drew me close, separating me from my friends.

  “Hey!” I heard Joel shout. It was strange to hear him shouting on my behalf. Usually, it was against me, not for me.

  The room spun out of control when one arm wrapped around my waist and plopped me down onto the dining table beside him. The movement was quick, and my brain took several delayed seconds to catch up. His skin was cool to the touch, and I wanted so very much to lean my warming forehead against his skin. In fact, I wanted to sleep. A nice long nap to forget and disappear for a while.

  I became aware that my eyes were closing and my body sagging when I jolted myself awake. My hands were s
tinging but didn’t hurt as much, and I dared a peek.

  The skin was darker, two identical circles a deep red in the center of my hand.

  “Anyone else think they could have done that?” Damien asked his audience. He sounded far away, as if he were down a tunnel instead of right beside me.

  Neive said he’d have to drain me. Was this was it felt like?

  Joel and Claire sidled past Damien, out of his reach. Joel already had the knot loose enough for Claire to wiggle out of the ropes.

  The one good thing about Damien snagging me was not just his cool skin but the fact that I got to sit down. Lying down would be better, but who was I to complain? The bad thing was that the cleaver was now on me.

  He slid his arm away from my waist, dragging fingers along my bowed back. It was a comfort, and I couldn’t help but look at him. He held onto my wrist with one hand and the cleaver in the other. The shiny, metal blade hovered over my thigh. Awesome.

  “What you can do saved me from the ghosts,” Phoebe said.

  I just stared at her, hardly with the energy to explain. My secret was out. No point denying it. “My grandfather was a demon, like him.” I motioned to Damien before he had the pleasure of spilling the truth himself.

  I glanced at the cleaver then to Damien. Would he do it? A small voice in the back of my brain doubted it. He spent so much time and effort protecting me; why would he sever a limb? I didn’t need a limb to be the Neophyte, though.

  He caught my stare and tilted his head to the side in his usual quizzical way. He didn’t smile.

  Joel burst out with, “I knew it!”

  “Whatever, Joel,” I snapped, my voice sounding gritty and hoarse, like I’d just woken up.

  He nearly smiled at that. It wasn’t cruel or sarcastic; it was warm. Like a friend who might have expected I would say as much.

  Rubbing my face with my free hand, I said, “I didn’t know until Neive told me. I can do little things but not a lot. I can’t…” I glanced at Damien and grimaced. “…I can’t hurt him. I’m only a quarter blood.”

  “What about Neive?” Cody asked.

  “Same as me.” I decided to leave out details like how she and I differed in our abilities. It hardly seemed useful at this point.

  “What does this mean?” Claire asked softly.

  Damien’s dark eyes sparked to life. “It means that she has an advantage.”

  Joel scowled instantly.

  Damien continued. “It means that everything you’ve suffered, she could have prevented.”

  I shook my head. “Not true. I didn’t know about any of this ‘til this last Challenge, and I was threatened to not use it.” I glared at him. “He wants to turn you all against me so you’ll hand me over.”

  “What happens if we hand her over?” Joel asked.

  Damien’s lips curved into a triumphant smile. “You can all go home.”

  I stiffened and tried to wrench my wrist free of his grasp. His hand tightened, and my second attempt was just as futile.

  “You can all leave right now,” Damien offered. “All you have to do is collectively give her up. She’s one person,” he added.

  It was a good deal, a very good deal.

  “What about Robin?” Cody asked.

  “And Read and Aidan?” Phoebe piped up.

  Don’t tell me they were willing to give me up so easily. I stared at them, hoping my expression was blank. I didn’t want to beg. If they wanted out, which I knew they did, they could have it.

  I wondered what would happen here. I’d be trapped forever, never to see my parents again, my family, even my friends. Maybe I put too much faith in them. Would friends do this? I came back for them, after all. Then there was the idea of staying here. It didn’t pain me like it did before, but I wasn’t sure why. I peeked at my palm again, curious. I could control things here. Home, I couldn’t.

  “Until they are found, they belong to me,” Damien said regretfully. “But what does it matter? Robin betrayed you.” Damien pointed to Cody. “Read will never want you.” He motioned to Phoebe, who flinched. “And Aidan, if he survives, will return as Keeper.”

  “I can’t leave them behind,” Phoebe said.

  “I can,” Joel snapped. “I think we should vote on this.”

  Cody glared at him. “We can’t just turn Nora over to him.”

  “Why not?” Joel snapped. “She said it herself. She’s like him. It’s not a bad trade off.”

  “If you do not take this offer, one of you could die,” Damien said. “In this room.”

  Let another one of us die? I felt a shiver race down my spine and turned to Damien. “I thought you said they had to sacrifice me. That’s threatening them.”

  “It’s the truth. I’m not threatening,” Damien said.

  I had hit a nerve somehow. Trying to lower my voice, I asked, “You know who might die?”

  He shook his head. “All I know is what the Fates told me.” He looked to me. “The real ones.”

  “Crap,” Phoebe grumbled.

  “Make her better first,” I said to Damien.

  He blinked, astounded.

  I realized I must have sounded demanding and swallowed back my pride to rephrase the question. “That’s part of the deal. They’ll say yes to your deal if—”

  “No, we won’t,” Phoebe snapped.

  “She’s dead and she knows it,” Damien said, glancing at Phoebe. “I cannot bring something back that cannot be returned. She can only be let go.”

  I ignored her. “But you can prevent her from getting sick again. Keep her in this body for now, until something is figured out. Maybe give Joel his finger back if that’s possible. And you’ll let Read, Robin, and Aidan go. If you do that, they’ll say yes.”

  “Letting them all go is against the Rules,” Damien said. “And you took Joel’s finger, not me.”

  “Screw your Rules,” I snapped before Joel could ask.

  “I can’t,” he said firmly.

  “Then let me free them. I’m still playing, right?” I said.

  Phoebe’s voice whipped the air so sharp I shut up. “We’re not negotiating!”

  “Someone could die,” I said through my teeth. “You want someone to die? What if it’s you?”

  “Like he said, I’m already dead. What if it’s you?” Phoebe countered, anger sprouting.

  “It won’t be. He needs me.”

  “For what?” Joel demanded.

  “Yeah, Damien,” I snarled, “for what?”

  His eyes narrowed. “This is not an offer that I’m going to keep on the table forever. Take it or Phoebe can do her dare.”

  Gretchen, who had been silent up to this point, began to snicker.

  “Which is it?” Damien asked. “Sacrifice Nora and leave, or stay?”

  We all stared, unblinking.

  It was a tough decision, I’d give them that. Leave four friends behind, maybe three, and you’re set free. No more pain, no more exhaustion, no more horror.

  “This has to be unanimous, right?” Phoebe asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then I say no. Decision made,” she snapped.

  I cringed. “Phoebe, don’t,” I pleaded. “I can try and set the other’s free on my own.”

  Phoebe shook her head at me. “I don’t want to die again, Nora.”

  “We’re not leaving them behind,” Cody said, brushing Phoebe’s statement aside. “You guys could have left people behind in the last Challenge, but you didn’t.”

  “But,” Claire said meekly, “one of us is going to die.”

  “He said could. That’s not a definite,” Phoebe pointed out.

  Claire’s eyes beamed with hope. “Then me either. I don’t agree.”

  Joel hissed at her. “We could get out of here.”

  “They could have left me, Joel,” she said heatedly, still gripping her bloodied cheek. “You guys could have all left. But you didn’t. You stayed and found me.”

  I smiled weakly at him, then to the cle
aver.

  “Fine,” Damien said, obviously annoyed. “Phoebe, your dare.”

  I tried to wiggle free of his grip only to find resistance.

  “You have ten seconds to get to the far wall behind the bar and back,” he said. “Without the use of your legs.”

  As if hung from strings, Phoebe collapsed to the floor. She shouted, but I wasn’t sure if it was in pain or in fear.

  The tiredness was receding, just enough of make me sit straighter. “You can’t do this.”

  “She’s part of this place,” Damien corrected coldly. “I can do what I want.”

  I shook my head. “That’s not fair,” I protested.

  “Ten,” Damien started the count down before Phoebe was even able to catch her bearings.

  I gasped in a breath and started to jump off the table after her.

  Damien pulled me back into place with hardly any effort. The motion made my already dizzying head swim in confusion. For the briefest second, I couldn’t tell which way was up.

  “Nine,” Damien said, and I saw Phoebe crawling with her arms passed us. Muscles quivering in her triceps, she dragged limp, useless legs behind her.

  “Keeping going!” Claire encouraged.

  “Go, go!” I heard Cody shout.

  “Eight, seven, six, five,” Damien said. I think I was the only one who could hear him over the cacophony of the other’s voices.

  I twisted on the table, away from Damien, to see Phoebe touch the far wall. Turning around was the harder part.

  “Four, three.”

  She wasn’t going to make it, I realized.

  The hope drained out of me as I reached my free hand back to her, beckoning her forward.

  “Two.”

  “No!” was all I heard from in front of me. It sounded like Cody.

  “One.” Damien’s smooth calm voice rippled fear down my spine.

  I didn’t turn around. I didn’t want to look.

  What I didn’t expect was to be pushed.

  He released my wrist so quickly I hardly had time to react. One swat into my shoulder and I was slammed down onto the table.

  My shoulder blades hit first, taking the brunt of the impact. The claw marks in my back were a dull ache compared to the shot of adrenaline that pumped anew.