Page 21 of The Silence of Hell

“No. And thank you. I feel like I’m sitting on a time bomb,” I replied.

“Where are we staying, Lavender? Hate to ask, but it’s getting late.”

“I have booked you into a hotel for now until we clear some rooms,” I responded.

“But I’d rather stay here,” Emory announced.

“The bedrooms haven’t been cleared,” I said.

“Can we get cots from somewhere and bed down in the hallway tonight? I must admit, I’m not comfortable leaving this,” Dan suggested.

“You can do that, but you’re not meant to be roughing it,” I stated.

“Heck. I don’t care if I sleep on the floor. Just set me to work!” Kelly announced, and we all laughed.

Chapter Five.

Chatter

Damn dolls. Why? Chatter yearned to explore the house, but with them there, it was impossible. Chatter liked gothic architecture, and this manor had it in spades. He’d grown up locally, and everyone knew of the old Ravenberry Haunted Mansion. Rather guiltily, Chatter remembered coming up here as a teen and poking around. He and his so-called friends back then had taken turns at terrifying each other. Now he realised there’d probably been a scared old lady inside.

It was this guilt that spurred him to help Lavender, even though it was taking all of his self-control to be here. Chatter had happily fled after the other night’s meeting, but at this moment, he was gritting his teeth as he steeled himself to knock. There were other bikes here, Slaughter’s security van, and obviously the workmen’s trucks.

Two days had passed, and Chatter wished to see Lavender.

“Jinx!” someone yelled from inside the house, and Chatter grinned. Everywhere that candidate went, disasters unfolded, and it amused the fuck out of Chatter. Except when it happened to him. Then it wasn’t so damn funny. The door opened, and Harlequin stomped out.

“Chatter,” Harlequin growled as he held his ribs. He leaned against the van and closed his eyes. Chatter watched as he breathed through his nose and gritted his teeth in pain.

“The Jinx effect?” Chatter asked mildly with a grin.

“Dude, I love the man. Jinx is someone I’ve got time for. But fuck me, Jinx’s juju is so bad it affects everyone.”

“How’d he get you?”

“One minute the ladder’s stable, the next I’m on my ass and the ladder and equipment are on top of me,” Harlequin complained, rubbing his back and side.

“The Jinx effect,” he repeated. “Let me guess, he wasn’t even close to you?”

“Hell no!”

Chatter chuckled. The candidate made shit interesting.

“Oi! Ain’t paying you to stand there talking,” Slaughter bellowed at Harlequin.

“You get your ass up a ladder when Jinx is around!” Harlequin retorted.

Slaughter’s eyes narrowed, and he took in how Harlequin was standing and rubbing his back.

“Take ten and have some painkillers,” he ordered and headed back inside. “Ain’t going up no fucking ladder if the Jinx effect is in action.”

“Oh, but I can risk my neck!” Harlequin shouted.

“You are a candidate, you ain’t important, I am!” Slaughter called.

“You’re a raging asshole!” Harlequin roared.

“Is everyone okay?” Lavender asked, appearing.

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