VANISHED (#1 in the VANISHED series) #NaNoWriMo2019 ✔

n i n e ✔

"It's a legend, Ari," she sneered, "and vampires don't exist."

"But black masses and blurry girls that pop up in front of red doors do? Things that cause stomachaches and nausea and nightmares without even touching us do?" Arielle groaned. "This area gives me the creeps. More so... than the prison."

Stella scoffed. "No, they didn't touch us, but... we both saw the black masses and the blurry girl. That's visual proof. Well... of the mass, at least."

She told her mom last night she doubted me. What changed?

"And you're getting the creeps because it's chilly today. Nothing's going on here... and I'm not channeling shit."

"Are you... sure?" Everywhere Arielle looked, she swore she saw shadows. Or inexplicable movements. Or branches rustling in ways they shouldn't, and it wasn't breezy out, despite the colder temperature. Every odd noise or weak whistle in the air rubbed her the wrong way, as if she'd walked right into a paranormal movie. And she had no means to debunk any of it. "Because I'm—"

"—it's not some button I can turn on or off." Stella's voice hissed; she was becoming snippy and cruel, which was unlike her.

Why was she so aggressive? Stella could have a temper, but the manner in which she snapped at Arielle didn't make sense.

She paused, inhaled a deep breath, blew out her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's... like I said, this is new to me. I can't control anything, I... have no clue what I'm doing. But I will say this... I have felt nothing off since the red door. And that sensation is what we're after, right? That was a... a ghost. It had to have been."

A ghost, a demon, whatever the fuck you want to call it—

Arielle flashed her a weak smile, still unnerved by her attitude. "It's okay, Stel... you have the medium gene, not me. I'm... paranoid, that's all." She nodded towards the path leading them farther into the Cemetery. "But those nightmares make me on edge or something, because... I'm telling you, this place is negative and has lots of shit going on."

Every stride she took strained her calf muscles and clobbered her with jolts of anxiety and fear. More and more chills undulated down her spine and her fingers trembled. The vision at the Chapel Office, fuzzy and hard to decipher as it was, continued to haunt her.

Maybe it was revenge for yesterday. Maybe Stella wanted her to suffer, in some twisted way; by ignoring Arielle's affliction and urging her to continue their tour.

They ambled past spots that reputed for activity, but Stella dismissed them with a wave of her hand. They passed visitors examining tombstones and entering mausoleums and capturing pictures of the beautiful landscape with the James River in the background; but Stella didn't stop. Her limbs carried them farther; to the farthest portion of the Cemetery.

At a turn in the road, with tombs on one side and dense trees on the other, Stella stopped, and Arielle slammed into her.

"Ouch!" She pinched the bridge of her nose as pain shot to her forehead. "Dude, say something before you do that!"

"I warned you I can't control this!" Stella stiffened, lifted her chin, sucked in a breath. "Here. Something's here."

They'd walked for an hour. Stella stormed, determined and dazed; but Arielle trailed behind, nauseated by fear at anything in the vicinity, unable to understand why she was so petrified. And in their distraction, they'd reached the lowest point of the Cemetery.

"Into the trees, come on," said the blonde, scurrying onto the grass. Arielle wasn't sure if they were allowed to, but she hastened after her. "Help me set up."