Prowl by Amber Garza

with him for abandoning me but I didn’t want him to be dead.
    Before we could ask another question the planchette moved again. B-Y-E.
    “Wait, don’t leave yet,” I pleaded but I could tell he’d already left. The air was lighter around me; the pointer stayed still.
    “That was awesome!” Rhiannon said.
    “A little freaky too. Do you really think that was a spirit?”
    “Totally. I wasn’t moving the planchette. Were you?”
    I shook my head.
    “And besides that the spirit knew about your dad. How can you explain that?”
    I couldn’t. As skeptical as I’d been there just didn’t seem to be any other explanation. Obviously, Rhiannon wasn’t guiding the pointer and she didn’t know anything about my dad. Nobody did. I’m not even sure my grandma did. Mom kept pretty tightlipped about it. I only found out by accident when I stumbled across a picture of the two of them. His name was scrawled across the back in Mom’s handwriting. She had no choice but to tell me the truth when I confronted her about it.
    “If you need proof, next time we’ll ask him to give us a sign. I’ve seen spirits blow out candles before or knock something over just to prove that they’re really here.”
    I shivered. “You really think he’ll come back?”
    “Oh yeah. He clearly has a message for you. He’ll keep coming back until he can deliver it.”
    “Why didn’t he just tell me now?”
    She shrugged. “The supernatural world is a mystery.”
    Wasn’t that the truth? I was starting to regret this whole experience. My skin crawled. It was time to get out of here.
    “I better go. Thanks for everything.”
    “Sure. Hey, what about your sweater? It’s not done washing.” She opened a nearby drawer and pulled a black cardigan out. “Borrow this for now.” She threw it to me.
    I caught it. It wouldn’t match my floral dress but it was better than showing off my bloodied arms. “Thanks.” I put it on.
    When I got back home Grandma was already there. She sat on the couch, a tattered paperback in her hand. Her legs were stretched out, her feet propped up on the coffee table. She turned to me, a worried look on her face.
    “Where have you been?”
    I contemplated lying and saying that I did in fact go to lunch with Isaac but I figured she’d probably find out the truth sooner or later. “I was at Rhiannon’s.” My gaze landed on a bouquet of flowers and a can of soup that lay on the coffee table near her feet. “What’s this?”
    “Isaac brought it by for you. Said you weren’t feeling well.” Grandma raised an eyebrow, cocked her head to one side. “What’s going on, Kenzie?”
    “I don’t want to talk about it.”
    “Did you and Isaac have a fight?” she pressed.
    I nodded.
    “I’m sorry, honey. You want to talk about it?” She patted the couch next to her, inviting me to sit.
    “Not really.” I stayed standing.
    “Well, I’m sure you two will make up in no time.”
    That night I dreamt of Rhiannon’s Ouija board. A black creature with large, sharp talons emerged from the board. His eyes were dark red like the color of blood and his teeth were sharp like razor blades. He batted at me, chomped his teeth. I screamed and ran. A laugh so sinister it made my blood run cold pierced the air. He was faster than me and before I knew it he was on top of me. He clawed at my flesh, slicing up and down my arms, lines that matched the ones I’d made.
    I woke in a cold sweat, my skin tingling.

7
     
    “W hat are you going to do while I’m at work today?” Grandma asked over breakfast. She wore a sleek black pantsuit and a simple strand of pearls around her neck. Her hair was curled softly around her face. I wore sweats, and my tresses stuck out all over my head in a mess of tangles and knots.
    “I don’t know,” I answered.
    “Maybe you could do something with Isaac.”
    I narrowed my eyes.
    “You’re going to have to talk to him at some point.”
    “Not necessarily.”
    “Whatever he did it