It's Only Skin Deep

Chapter 8: Are You Coming To The Tree?

November 3rd, 10:17 p.m.

I sighed as I finally pulled the envelope out of my sweater. I had been dying to know what was in it all evening. Grabbing the letter opener, I took it with me to my room. Mom would be home any minute and I wanted total privacy. I slipped the cold piece of metal through the slightly crinkled white paper, ripping it open for my eyes to feast on the contents within. A folded white piece of paper was the only thing inside. Unfolding the paper, I read what was scrawled across the page.

Karina,

    I have found some information regarding Georgia. Meet me underneath the willow at 3:00. I will be waiting.

                                            -S

Short and sweet. Could this 'S' be Salem? I assumed so. He wanted to meet underneath the willow. The old twisted willow that stood alone behind my house? It was the only willow tree I knew of.

The front door opened and closed. Mom was home. A few seconds later I heard her soft footsteps padding down the hall. She opened my door. "Hey," her voice was soft and a small smile graced her face, "Why are you still up?" I didn't have an official bedtime, but I was usually in bed by ten.

"I had some work to finish," I answered. More like I had only managed to kick Hannah and Charlie out of the house fifteen minutes ago, but it wasn't a total lie. Only partial. "How was your ladies' night?" I asked even though I could tell that she had had a good time.

She smile again. "Your dad will be home in a little bit," she said before walking out of my room. She called from the kitchen, "Do you want anything to eat?" I could hear her digging around in the refrigerator looking for leftovers to feed Dad when he got home.

A few minutes later Dad's car pulled into the driveway. The door opened and closed. The sounds of him greeting Mom drifted to my ears. I fell asleep with a contented smile on my face.

***

November 4th, 3:04 a.m.

The chilly November air nipped at my skin, finding the weak spots in my old sweater. A round of shivers ran through me. I should have brought a blanket.

The willow's branches whispered in a midnight breeze as I stood beneath it. Violently shivering, I hugged myself to preserve the little warmth I had. I felt like I was straight out of a romance novel, waiting for my forbidden lover.

I was debating whether or not I should get a blanket from my room when a shadow shifted beside the house. The shadow shifted again and a person manifested out of the darkness. I forgot about the blanket as the person, S, approached.

S wore dark clothes that better helped him blend into the night. His face was shrouded in shadows but I still had an idea of who it was. Moonlight revealed his face as it passed through clouds to reach us.

Salem.

His coffee hair was messier than the last time I saw him and the collar of his black coat was turned up against the wind. He looked every part the mysterious bad boy.

"I haven't located Essex, but I know where your friend is." Salem said getting straight to the point without a syllable of greeting.

My hopes perked up. He'd found her!

He explained, "She is somewhere in the Chambers family home." Chambers? As in Lauren Chambers, the school psychologist's daughter?

"I know that name," I stated, "I go to school with their daughter."  I was already plotting a way to get inside. "Her birthday is in a few days and she always has a huge party. We could probably search the house then?" I was spitting ideas. We were 'going' to find Georgia. We had to.