Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs

by Erin Johnson

  Emi gripped the edge of the table and leaned forward. “This… this was taking things too far, threatening you.” More tears trickled from her wide eyes. “I am so sorry—I’m ashamed of what we’ve done.” Her hands trembled. “But in addition to our own selfish motives, we felt partly justified.”

  Francis arched a brow. “How’s that now?”

  She gulped. “We didn’t want you all to be haunted like we were. We know the words we painted on your walls read like threats—that’s how Yoshi and Yori intended them.” She glanced at Haru, who nodded at her. “But we meant them as warnings. I truly believe that if you stay there, your lives are in danger.”

  She looked desperately from face to face. “We didn’t touch the roof or kill the flowers or anything besides the windows and the words in red.” She gasped in a breath. “That was Daichi’s ghost.”

  Hank frowned. “Or maybe it was Yoshi and Yori. Maybe they didn’t think you’d done enough to drive us off.”

  Haru shook his head. “They’re too lazy for that. Climbing up on a roof? Getting their hands dirty? No way.”

  I bit my lip. “What about the man in the tower? It was Daichi I saw hanging.”

  Emi’s gaze dropped to the table.

  Haru cleared his throat. “That was Yoshi and Yori. They cast the mirage spell before they decided to make us do the scaring.”

  Emi sniffed. “I’m so sorry. How crass of them.”

  “So they clearly would take matters into their own hands.” Hank pushed back from the table and stood. “I appreciate you both being honest with us, but I feel it’s time to report this to Chief Abe. I’m sure once he knows you’re being blackmailed, he’ll see justice is done in regards to Yoshi and Yori and then you can have—”

  “Mom? Haru?”

  We all froze at the sound of the tiny, groggy voice and turned. Mai stood in pink pajama pants and a baggy shirt at the swinging doors to the kitchen. She rubbed one eye with her fist and blinked her glassy eyes. “What’s going on?”

  Emi half rose. “Mai. Go back to bed.”

  The little girl wandered closer, her brows pulled together in a frown at her mother’s tense tone. She shot a side-eyed glance at Francis as she climbed into Haru’s lap. “Why are they here?”

  Tears welled in Emi’s eyes as she silently pleaded with us.

  Hank looked at me, then Francis, his brows low and eyes conflicted. I knew how he felt. I wasn’t even entirely sure Emi and Haru had told us the full truth, but it seemed to make sense. They didn’t have much motive for chasing us out of the house unless Yoshi and Yori were behind it.

  I frowned. Or if they had killed Daichi and didn’t want us to find his body stuffed into the walls, or something. I shuddered. But I didn’t really want to ruin their lives and damage their relationship with Mai if we didn’t have to.

  I pushed back and rose to my feet, and Francis hovered to his. I raised my brows at Hank, then jerked my head at Mai. Little girl here. I pulled my lips to the side and lifted my palms. Maybe we don’t have to say anything… yet?

  Hank let out a deep breath, then looked to the vampire, who shrugged. “We, uh—we were actually just leaving.”

  Haru looked pained.

  Hank cleared his throat. “To go back home and get some sleep.”

  “You’re not… going anywhere else?” Haru rubbed the little girl’s back as she clung to his neck.

  “Not unless we find more compelling reasons to do so.” Hank nodded, and Haru’s shoulders relaxed.

  Mai whipped her head around, sleep lines crisscrossing her cheek. “Why are you here?”

  I bit my lip. “Er… we needed a midnight snack.” I patted my stomach. “Thanks, Emi—that was yummy.”

  Mai blinked. “I want a midnight snack.”

  Haru rose with the little girl in his arms. “You need to go back to bed.” His expression softened as he looked at her. She snuggled against his chest, already half asleep again.

  As Francis, Hank, and I moved toward the front door, Emi followed us. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Francis pulled their wands from his cloak and handed them over to her. “Use these wisely.”

  Emi clutched them to her chest as we stepped back out into the chilly, dark night. “We won’t go back to the house—I promise. No matter what Yoshi and Yori say, we won’t do their dirty work for them again.”

  The vampire nodded. “Good. Or I shall have to do some dirty work of my own.” He flashed his sharp canines. Emi hurried to lock the door behind us.

  I linked my arm through Hank’s and we walked down the silent, deserted streets of town back to the guest house. “I’m glad we went a little easy on them.”

  Hank nodded. “They were misguided, but I don’t think badly intentioned.”

  Francis lifted his sharp nose. “They reeked of fear. I don’t think they’ll be bothering us again.”

  Hank grunted, his features shadowed as we passed through a narrow alleyway. “I don’t think so either.” His voice grew gruff. “But I doubt that’s the last we’ll hear from Yoshi and Yori.”

  34

  New Friends

  The next morning, my head ached as I dragged myself out of bed. I grabbed a jar of beans instead of my coffee and put my pants on backwards. My brain no function good on three hours of sleep.

  By the time we reached the house though, I’d perked up. As the early morning mist parted, I grinned. The red paint and threatening message that Emi had started to write was gone, and the broken window repaired.

  I jogged up the porch steps and plucked a little folded card from the doorjamb.

  Sorry again. We fixed it as best we could. —E & H

  I passed the note to Maple. “See. Like we said, it was Emi and Haru this whole time.”

  “With a little help from the twins,” Hank grumbled as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

  I patted Maple’s shoulder as she looked up. “No ghost.”

  My blonde friend let out a little sigh and smiled. “I have to admit, I’m relieved.”

  “Psh. Not me.” Wiley winked. “I didn’t care either way.”

  I grinned. He’d seemed even more freaked out than Maple. They slid past me into the house, but I lingered on the porch. Things were definitely looking up. Except for my flock of black bird stalkers. I curled my lip as grating caws sounded from the trees on the border of the property.

  Sam slid up beside me. I planted my hands on my hips as I watched a black raven wing across the pale gray sky. “Sam, you and Maple helped me bury their friend—why aren’t you on their hit list?”

  Iggy piped up from his lantern. “Maybe they’re not attacking. Maybe they’re just trying to nest in your messy hairdo.”

  I ignored him.

  Sam blinked at me in surprise. “I’ve been making friendsss with them.”

  I frowned. “How?”

  He grinned, his chin receding. “By giving them presssentsss.”

  I lifted a brow.

  “They love ssshiny round thingsss.” He shoved a hand in his pocket and fished out a marble. “Sssee? I jussst leave it near the treesss. And I make sssure they sssee me do it.” He nodded. “It’sss taken a few daysss, but they don’t ssswoop my head and try to peck out my hair anymore.”

  “Oh, well how civilized of them.” I frowned. So first I had a ghost to tangle with, and now I had to woo some birds with gifts. This house was turning out to be #notworthit.

  “It’sss kind of fun.” Sam pushed his glasses up his nose. “Here.” He dropped the marble into my hand. “You can have thisss one.”

  He looked so excited about it, I didn’t have the heart to tell him no, though I felt pretty certain that leaving some birds random trinkets wouldn’t win me any raven popularity contests. I tromped down the porch steps and headed for the tree line, my shoulders hunched in my ears. I glanced right and left, tensed for the birds to dive bomb me at any moment.

  One circled high over my head, staying with me as I marched across th
e property. I stopped at the base of the nearest tree, not daring to enter the dense little forest that neighbored our home.

  I cleared my throat, held the marble high overhead. See, little birds? Auntie Imogen has brought you a present. I frowned. Why did I just make myself a super creepy bird lady in my head?

  I bent over, dropped the marble on the ground, and retreated. I stood a few feet away, watching and waiting for a bird to swoop down and grab it. Nothing happened.

  I turned toward Sam, and he waved me back to the house. With a sigh, I headed back across the dirt path we’d cleared through the brambles the day before.

  “Imogen!”

  I looked up and found Sam pointing behind me. Well, he had both arms outstretched and was jabbing with his thumbs, but I got the gist. I spun on my heel in time to see a few birds gathered on the ground.

  It looked as though they were checking out the offering I’d left them. One bird took flight, the other two following, and as they winged overhead, the pale light glinted off something in the lead one’s mouth—the marble!

  I gaped at Sam. He’d been right! They did like marbles. Who knew?

  I dove into clearing the brambles that day with enthusiasm. I’d taken a first step toward befriending the creepy black birds that had me surrounded, and I felt confident that no one would be messing with the house that night.

  By the time dusk fell, I could really start to see a difference. Wiley, Annie, Hank, and Yann had finished not only repairing the wood siding, but had also applied one coat of bright white paint to the exterior. The whole house brightened up, looking fresh and clean. And Sam and Maple and I had cleared the entire property of the thorny brambles, leaving us a clean slate on which to landscape or grow a garden.

  Before we left for the evening, Annie snapped her fingers. “Oh, dear. Almost forgot.” With a wave of her wand, two new potted rosebushes appeared at the base of the porch steps.

  The pink flowers smelled fragrant and sweet. I slid an arm around Hank’s waist. The roses made it look like a home.

  Back at the guesthouse, we gathered around the big wooden table, seated on our usual cushions on the floor. As Misaki told a story about a prank she’d pulled on Fumi (who didn’t look amused) I caught Hank glaring at his bowl of pork and rice.

  “Has the rice been talking smack again?”

  He blinked, then glanced up at me, confusion in his eyes.

  I grinned and elbowed him. “You looked angry at it.”

  “Oh.” He shook himself and chuckled. “The rice and I are on good terms. I was just thinking about the house. I want to make sure Emi and Haru keep their word… and that Yoshi and Yori don’t step in and take over the vandalizing themselves.”

  I picked at my nearly empty bowl. I always ate so much faster than Hank. I leaned over and plucked a chunk of meat out of his with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth.

  He flashed his eyes at me. “Hey.”

  I grinned. “Payment.”

  “For?” He lifted a thick brow.

  I chewed and swallowed. “For me keeping you company on the roof for a second night in a row.”

  “You don’t have to.” He said that, but his face lit up.

  “I know.” I smiled up at him.

  Iggy, sitting on the table in his lantern, huffed. “Oh. I suppose that means another night here for me, all alone.”

  Maple tilted her head to the side, her chopsticks poised midair. “Alone? But Iggy, we played cards with you all night and—”

  He shot her a look, and she stopped short.

  “Oh.” I leaned forward and narrowed my eyes at my flame, though I couldn’t stifle my smile. “All alone, huh?”

  He rolled his eyes.

  35

  Haunted

  Hank, Francis, and I took up our spots on the roof behind the chimney again, though this time I doubled up on my socks and brought a thermos of hot cocoa and bags of snacks. I mean, no one said a stakeout couldn’t be tasty.

  We chatted for a while, but then my full stomach and lack of sleep must’ve caught up with me. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against Hank’s shoulder. My limbs grew heavier and heavier….

  Crack! Snap!

  “Huh?” I jerked my head up, blinking my bleary eyes. The cold stung my cheeks and with a dizzying twist of my stomach, I realized I must’ve fallen asleep perched on the peak of the roof. A wave of nausea rolled over me as I glanced down. I could’ve plummeted to my death!

  “Listen.”

  I looked to my right. Hank still hugged an arm tight around my shoulders and I relaxed a little. He had my back—he wouldn’t let me tumble over the edge. Plus, Francis would’ve saved me if— I froze as I glanced at my vampire friend. He crouched, silhouetted against the moon like a gargoyle.

  Glass shattered. A ripping, cracking sound cut through the quiet night air from inside the house. It sounded like the floorboards were snapping.

  “Who’s there?” I whispered.

  Francis turned his pale face and glanced over his shoulder at us. “No one.”

  Icy fear swept over me and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. What did that mean? I disentangled myself from Hank, though I kept a tight grip on his hand, and slowly rose to my cold, numb feet. I edged closer toward Francis so I could get a view of the yard and the street. Hank rose behind me.

  “Ah!” I shrieked as my footing gave way and I fell fast, straight down. “Uh!” A sharp pain shot through my shoulder as Hank clung tightly to my arm, stopping my fall.

  “Your other arm,” Francis hissed.

  I threw my hand up and he caught it. The two of them hauled me up through the hole in the roof, and Hank hugged me tight to him.

  I could feel his heart thundering below his jacket—it beat as fast as mine. My chest heaved. “What’s going on?” I glanced down through the hole into the attic. No one and nothing moved inside.

  “We need to get down.” Francis changed into a bat in a whirlwind of black smoke.

  Hank looked down at me, his thumb caressing my cheek. “Are you okay?” His chest heaved.

  I gulped and nodded, still out of breath.

  “Can you transform?”

  I nodded again and Hank waited for me to whisk myself into a moth before he magically changed into an owl. We followed Francis down off the roof and into the street, chased by loud snaps and cracks and groans emanating from the house.

  We changed back to human form and stood on the curb facing the house. I hugged close to Hank’s side as more holes in the roof dropped open, windows shattered in front of our eyes, and the roses wilted, seemingly of their own accord.

  After a couple of minutes, the noises slowed, then stopped. With a final creak, one of the porch steps snapped in half. And then all grew quiet again.

  I looked wide-eyed from Francis to Hank. “I fell asleep. Did you see anyone?”

  Hank looked to the vampire. “No. And I was awake. Did you?”

  Francis lifted his aquiline nose. “No one stepped foot on the property. I’m certain of it.”

  We didn’t speak. No one wanted to say what I was sure we were all thinking. An invisible force terrorizing the house at night? Just like Emi had described?

  I let out a shaky breath. “I hate to say it but… I think it’s time we called on that necromancer. I think the house might actually be haunted.”

  I bit my lip. Maple was not going to be happy when she heard about this.

  36

  Into the Woods

  We gathered around the table for breakfast, and I tried to eat my porridge with the wrong end of the spoon.

  Iggy shot me a suspicious glare. “Did Hank drop you on your head or something?”

  I was too tired for anything more than a half-hearted, “Har har.” I sighed when I thought of Francis tucked snugly in his bed… or rather, hanging upside down from the rafters. Maybe there was something to this sleeping all day thing.

  Though my head swam, I tried to follow along as Hank, who sat to my right, f
illed everyone in on what had happened the night before.

  Fumi’s mouth fell open. “Whoa. So Daichi really is haunting the house?” She blinked at her older sister, who sat beside her near the head of the table.

  Misaki rolled her eyes. “Nah. There has to be some other explanation.”

  Hank let out a weary sigh and blinked his bloodshot eyes. “I’m sure there is.” He gulped. “I just can’t think of any.”

  Maple, who sat across from me, whimpered. “It sounds like a ghost. What else could it be?” Her face grew pinched.

  “Hey.” Iggy lifted his little flame arms. “It could be a selling point. Who wants haunted hot cross buns? A boo-berry pie? A—”

  I shook my head at my flame. Normally, I’d be all over the puns—but not on a total of five hours of sleep in the last two days.

  Jiji, who sat at the head of the table with both her cat and Cat sitting in her lap, looked up. “You should go see the necromancer. She’ll know what to do.”

  I frowned. “The same one Emi and Haru called on before? They said she wasn’t able to make the spirit go away.”

  Jiji shrugged. “Well, she could at least talk to it again, see what it wants.”

  I tipped my swimming head to the side. It wasn’t a bad idea.

  Rhonda traipsed down the stairs in a pair of overalls with a green silk kimono jacket over it and her braids swept off her shoulders into a silk wrap wound around her head. “Necromancer?”

  I glanced up. “Surprised to see you up so late. I mean early.” What time is it? Who am I?

  She frowned at me, then waved to the others. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “We staked out the house last night with Francis.” Hank swayed slightly. Or was that just the room spinning?

  “Ah.” Rhonda leaned over my shoulder and plucked a slice of toast off my plate.

  “Hey.”

  She took a bite from it. “Yeah. I slept in last night since Francis was busy and I didn’t have anyone to go out with.” She grinned. “So I’m hanging with you lot today. What’s on the agenda?” She waggled her brows. “Raising the dead?”