platforms.”
She laughed. “Serves her right.” She tugged on my sleeve, pulling me in a different direction. “C’mon, let’s check out the summer job listings.”
“Okay.” I straightened my spine. “You’re right, and the most practical person I know.”
“Damn straight. Come on.” Ariana dragged me by the arm to the school bulletin board littered with announcements, employment flyers, and volunteer opportunities. A flyer advertising a summer job as the assistant to a restoration specialist grabbed my attention. I read the list of requirements. Then my blood froze in my veins. The intern position would be for the reconstruction of the elephantine historical mansion, Ravenhurst. The house rumored to be haunted by spirits.
Just my luck. Not only am I a supernatural magnet, but I happen to be crushing on a guy who lives in the local haunted house. A house offering me the chance to learn more about my dream job—architecture. Not a good combination. Not good at all. Life is not without its ironies. But that’s destiny for ya.
“Hey. This would be perfect for you.” Ariana stabbed the flyer with a finger. “You love architecture and you’ll get to hang with Trent all summer.” She nudged me in the side, her smile full of life.
I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “I—I don’t know.”
“What’s to know? School’s almost out, and it’ll look excellent on your college apps.”
True, on all accounts. But… “That place is haunted, remember?”
She snorted. “C’mon, those are just rumors. Be adventurous. If there are hidden creatures of darkness there or the house is haunted—you let me know.” She winked and gave me a goofy grin.
My response was a groan. Sometimes, I wanted to tell Ariana about the shadowfolk running amok and menacing me, but I realized how super crazy that would sound.
“Ow.” I rubbed my arm. “You pinched me.”
“You’re spacing out again. What’s with you lately?”
“No, I wasn’t.” I ignored her second question.
A gust rushed through the paper-strewn hallway, lifting our hair and chilling my skin. Above our heads, the fluorescent lights blinked. They grew brighter, then dimmed and made a loud buzzing noise that ricocheted off the metal lockers. Loose papers skittered past us, sticking to the lockers. Air cold, damp—wintry.
“Thought you wanted to be an architect?”
The dingy walls heaved and breathed, closing in on me. Shades swooshed overhead.
“Yeah, I do,” I said, fighting to appear calm. “More than anything, Ari.”
Shadows darkened the taupe walls, gliding over the lockers. Everything they touched turned black like tar on virgin snow. The disgusting stench of sulfur assailed my sinuses, so overpowering that I guessed it was brimstone. It choked me and clogged my lungs. I turned my head and coughed into my shoulder.
Ariana wrinkled her nose. “What is that odd smell?”
I shrugged and fiddled with the strap on my pink backpack. How to explain? Um, yeah, that’s the smell of Hell. Like that would go over real well.
“Did you…see that?” She stared at the shadows. The darkened hallway. An odd expression passed over her face. Her gaze found mine. She looked spooked.
My heart sped into a chaotic rhythm. Ariana, scared? Seeing things? The shades had better not be coming after my best friend. The rage that had come before, when Ashley had made the racial slur, came back. I looked around, glaring at the darkness. “See what?”
A black nebulous veil hung above us.
“I thought...” Ariana shook her head and smiled. “Never mind.” She tipped her palms up and down like a scale. “So what would ya rather do? Hang out in the sun with Trent this summer. Or be stuck working long hours with crappy pay at the Pizza Palace with me?” She waggled her brows. “I vote for hanging with Trent. Ooh-la-la .”
At her goofy grin, I couldn’t help it—I cracked up. The rage still simmered, but on low, not a roiling boil.
She laughed. “Serves her right.” She tugged on my sleeve, pulling me in a different direction. “C’mon, let’s check out the summer job listings.”
“Okay.” I straightened my spine. “You’re right, and the most practical person I know.”
“Damn straight. Come on.” Ariana dragged me by the arm to the school bulletin board littered with announcements, employment flyers, and volunteer opportunities. A flyer advertising a summer job as the assistant to a restoration specialist grabbed my attention. I read the list of requirements. Then my blood froze in my veins. The intern position would be for the reconstruction of the elephantine historical mansion, Ravenhurst. The house rumored to be haunted by spirits.
Just my luck. Not only am I a supernatural magnet, but I happen to be crushing on a guy who lives in the local haunted house. A house offering me the chance to learn more about my dream job—architecture. Not a good combination. Not good at all. Life is not without its ironies. But that’s destiny for ya.
“Hey. This would be perfect for you.” Ariana stabbed the flyer with a finger. “You love architecture and you’ll get to hang with Trent all summer.” She nudged me in the side, her smile full of life.
I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “I—I don’t know.”
“What’s to know? School’s almost out, and it’ll look excellent on your college apps.”
True, on all accounts. But… “That place is haunted, remember?”
She snorted. “C’mon, those are just rumors. Be adventurous. If there are hidden creatures of darkness there or the house is haunted—you let me know.” She winked and gave me a goofy grin.
My response was a groan. Sometimes, I wanted to tell Ariana about the shadowfolk running amok and menacing me, but I realized how super crazy that would sound.
“Ow.” I rubbed my arm. “You pinched me.”
“You’re spacing out again. What’s with you lately?”
“No, I wasn’t.” I ignored her second question.
A gust rushed through the paper-strewn hallway, lifting our hair and chilling my skin. Above our heads, the fluorescent lights blinked. They grew brighter, then dimmed and made a loud buzzing noise that ricocheted off the metal lockers. Loose papers skittered past us, sticking to the lockers. Air cold, damp—wintry.
“Thought you wanted to be an architect?”
The dingy walls heaved and breathed, closing in on me. Shades swooshed overhead.
“Yeah, I do,” I said, fighting to appear calm. “More than anything, Ari.”
Shadows darkened the taupe walls, gliding over the lockers. Everything they touched turned black like tar on virgin snow. The disgusting stench of sulfur assailed my sinuses, so overpowering that I guessed it was brimstone. It choked me and clogged my lungs. I turned my head and coughed into my shoulder.
Ariana wrinkled her nose. “What is that odd smell?”
I shrugged and fiddled with the strap on my pink backpack. How to explain? Um, yeah, that’s the smell of Hell. Like that would go over real well.
“Did you…see that?” She stared at the shadows. The darkened hallway. An odd expression passed over her face. Her gaze found mine. She looked spooked.
My heart sped into a chaotic rhythm. Ariana, scared? Seeing things? The shades had better not be coming after my best friend. The rage that had come before, when Ashley had made the racial slur, came back. I looked around, glaring at the darkness. “See what?”
A black nebulous veil hung above us.
“I thought...” Ariana shook her head and smiled. “Never mind.” She tipped her palms up and down like a scale. “So what would ya rather do? Hang out in the sun with Trent this summer. Or be stuck working long hours with crappy pay at the Pizza Palace with me?” She waggled her brows. “I vote for hanging with Trent. Ooh-la-la .”
At her goofy grin, I couldn’t help it—I cracked up. The rage still simmered, but on low, not a roiling boil.
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