Just as it turned out, my aunt texted me, saying that she'd be a little late picking me up because she was still out doing her new boyfriend.
Oh, I'm sorry, did I say boyfriend? I meant errands.
No I didn't.
Therefore, Calum and I decided to hang out in his car, hiding from the rain that was pounding on rooftop of the old automobile. Despite it being ancient, I loved it. It had the faint smell of cigarettes and coffee, something I found oddly comforting.
"So, drugs, huh?" I asked, and I watched his cheeks heat up.
"Well, not anymore."
"Then why are you in the group?"
"Exactly why your aunt wants you in this group. My family thinks I'm messed up. Doesn't mean I am."
I smiled widely at his words, and he returned my gesture. He leaned in so that his hand was touching mine, and I tried not to be rude and pull back. I usually hated physical contact with people; even simple things like holding hands and hugging got me ticked off.
"Anyway," Calum cleared his throat, "exactly how much do you know about this place?" He asked, trying to take the topic of of him; I could tell.
I ran a hand through my hair, giving me an excuse to pull away. "Not much. I just moved here and I don't plan on staying for very long."
Calum's eyes widened. "You're going to run away?"
I frowned. "No, I plan on finishing school here early and leave when I'm finally legal. I'm sick of running. It's been something I've doing my whole life," I sighed and internally flinched for telling him that much information.
The things you tell to complete strangers.
"Well I'm glad," he smiles cheekily, "I wouldn't want you to leave."
I roll my eyes, but manage to plaster a small smile on my face.
"But yeah, this town is actually pretty interesting, you know."
I nodded, my face the definition of sarcastic. "Yeah, it must be. Explains the 500 people who live here," I said sardonically, and his expression turned deathly serious.
"Alma, you don't understand. Besides the fact that you're gorgeous..."
I scoffed.
"It's a surprise that you aren't...dead yet."
My stomach dropped at his words, even though I didn't know what they meant. "Shut up, Hood. Quit messing around like that; it isn't funny," I deadpanned, nudging his shoulder.
He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Just listen to me. Some people believe it, and some don't. But the last nine new people that moved in here, either ended up being killed in a horrible murder, or committed suicide."
I shrugged nonchalantly and avoid his eyes. "A murder happens every 10 minutes. In a town this small, it's bound to be the talk. And many people commit suicide. It's just what happens when they think that death is a better choice than life."
A constricting tension seemed to flow in through the cracks of the windows, and I started pulling at my shirt. By the way Calum was shifting uncomfortably, I knew he felt it too.
He shook his head. "You don't understand. Most people who kill themselves overdose, or use something quick and easy. These recent deaths were unreasonable. Drowning? Setting yourself on fire? Hanging? Do any of those seem right to you?"
I stayed quiet for a little, and let his words soak in.
"Say that I should be dead. Why am I not? And why are they instead?"
He let out a breath that he had been holding. "I don't know. They were all different genders, ages, races. The youngest was 8."
My heart tugged, and I wrapped my arms around myself.
"All that anybody really knows is that those people didn't have anyone who really cared for them. The child was an orphan with no friends. The other men and women were old, or didn't have any family left. The only other commonality they had was the fact that they visited the house down the street from here."
I kept a blank face, even though I found that fact disturbing. "A haunted house, then?"
My mind immediately filled with images from the house I saw earlier, but decided to stay quiet.
He chuckled nervously. "I guess so. Sounds crazy when you say it out loud."
"Sound crazy in my own head too," I whispered. After a few moments of silence, I asked, "What about the house? What makes it so significant?"
I shouldn't have been so intrigued, but when someone tells you that you're supposed to be dead, your attention is caught.
"No one has been here long enough to remember exactly when it was first built. Some crap went down in the 1800s and a couple soldiers died or something. So their spirits haunt the house."
I was actually let down by the simplicity of ur story. I didn't know exactly what I was expecting, but it wasn't that PG-13.
"Ok, I'll admit the deaths are strange. But really? Ghosts? Spirits? Yeah ok." I laughed, the intimidation immediately leaving my body. Calum just continued to look at me in concern.
I halted laughing and gave him a defeated look. "Don't tell me you actually believe in that bullshit."
"It's hard not to. Unless the land itself is cursed or something! Coincidences like that don't just happen."
Before he could say anything, I turned the key that was already in the engine, and the car roared to life.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Calum demanded, flinging a hand over his heart in surprise. I pursed my lips in amusement. What a puppy.
"Drive," I stated simply.
"Where?"
I squinted my eyes at his ridiculous question. "Where else, dipshit? The house."
"No! Why in the world would you want to go to the one place you could possibly be killed."
"Because. Rules don't apply to me. Ghost and cursed lands don't either," I said mockingly, and he glared at me.
"Alma, I'm not leading you to your death."
I sighed, leaning over to him so that my face was only a couple inches from his, and put my hand on his thigh.
"Please?" I breathed, tracing a pattern on his leg as I felt his breathing get uneasy. "I'll do whatever you want," I added innocently, like doing homework or something but it was obvious he didn't take it that way.
I watched him agree, nodding ferociously, and I pulled back right away, leaning back into my seat in satisfaction. Calum let out a giant breath as he shifted the car into gear, and started speeding down the road.
I smiled to myself; life by yourself has taught you a couple tricks. Texting my aunt to not worry about me, I told her I'd made a friend and that I'll be home later. I put my phone down as a small grin crept into my face.
Fuck you Reapings, and your haunted house too.
Im so glad a bunch of you are giving this story a shot. Read and vote! Xoxo