Page 7 of Halloween Haunting
Caroline gingerly touched her arm. “Take my card, won’t you?” She extended a pearly white business card, already pressing it into Grace’s palm. “We’ll get together soon.”
“I would love that,” Grace murmured as she pocketed it. “Drive safe, alright?”
With all her tools back in the trunk, Grace swiveled away from her new acquaintances and returned to the road, following her directions to the Lantern House. Excitement and nervousness bubbled up in her chest. While she was grateful to have already met a friendly face like Caroline, who made it all feel rather effortless, Grace couldn’t help but get goosebumps at the thought of the Sheriff’s Deputy. She was trekking into a new beginning she did not quite fully understand, but maybe that was the charm of it. Not knowing where the road led, what would be around the approaching corner.
And as she turned onto the gravel road, she stole a look through her rearview mirror to see the mysterious Bryant watching her drive till she disappeared.
4
The convertible grumbled as it made the way down the gravel path, not entirely used to such rugged terrain. Luckily for Grace, the Lantern House wasn’t too far out of town, only stretching into the wilderness for a mile or two. As she drove through the neighborhood, the houses each having a bit of space to call their own without being too isolated, Grace couldn’t help but gawk at all the Halloween decorations. The voice on the static-y radio mentioned a few minutes ago that it was only four days till Halloween, but there was no doubt that Holiday Hollow took the celebratory season a little farther than any other town.
Jack-o-lanterns with carved expressions and glowing candles stowed within their cores loomed in the shadows of the forest. They peered out at her as she drove by, some with orange glowing eyes deep within the darkness. Skeletons sat in the trees, their legs hanging down from the branches as they clung onto it for dear life. Thin lights were strung through the treetops, giving off a haunted glow long before darkness ever reached the town. The front porches were just as adorned with momentos of the holiday as well. Walkways were lined with the pumpkins, armed with odd-looking scarecrows, haunted by hanging ghosts that swayed against the constant breeze.
Holiday Hollow was more beautiful than any other town Grace had ever seen, even if some of the beauty was a bit on the odder side. In fact, she preferred things that way. Where was the fun in a usual life, with boring colors and identical houses? Where was the excitement in a boring town, one that didn’t bother to pride itself in having personality? Out of all the places Grace could’ve ended up in after her divorce, she could hardly believe that Holiday Hollow was there for her, just waiting. As though she was always meant to be there, always meant to follow that road, always meant to be at the Lantern House.
A hazy glow came from the wide windows of the Lantern House as Grace pulled her convertible into the long, dusty driveway. Tall dark trees adorned the sides of the house, not blocking her from the close neighbors but providing ample shade from the summer sun. Bats hung from the trees, decorating the branches as though they were caught in mid-flight. There was even a stuffed black cat hanging out there, sharp green eyes that instantly reminded her of Bryant staring out at her.
Grace clung to the wheel long after she put the car in park. “You can do this,” she murmured to herself. “You deserve a new beginning, just as much as Chuck.” Her brow furrowed as she imagined her ex-husband and his much younger – and annoyingly pregnant – mistress. “Let’s be honest: you deserve a better beginning than Chuck.”
Before doing anything else, she retrieved the business card Caroline left her with and shot her a quick text. It was a short greeting, giving her new friend her number. It was exciting to connect with someone so effortlessly, but Grace was quick to ignore the growing sense of confidence. Now that she was staring up at her new house, she was briefly overcome with the realization that she was looking an unrecognizable life in the face.
As Grace lingered in her car, trying to give herself the courage to let go of the wheel, a sharply dressed woman stepped out of the Lantern House’s tall front doors, a beige folder securely held in her hands. She dressed in a delicate pink three-piece suit, minus a constricting tie. With a slender face and pointed features, dark short hair neatly framed the woman’s cheekbones, granting the woman an ageless air. She raised her hand and waved, a wide smile stretching across her face.
Grace waved back with the biggest smile she could muster. “Get out the car now,” she said behind her smile. “Comeon,Gracie! Get out of the –”
She shoved open the door before she could even finish.
“Are you Grace?”
“I am,” she responded nervously.
“I ambeyondthrilled to meet you!” The woman called out as she followed the rest of the walkway to meet her halfway. She let out a puff of air as she reached her, her smile unmoving. “Honestly, I’m a hugger! Can I give you a hug?”
Grace barely managed to nod her head and the short woman was engulfing her in a tight squeeze.
“Holiday Hollow is so excited to have you here!” She pulled away and sheepishly shrugged one shoulder. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve had someone move to our small community, if you couldn’t tell. My name’s Anna, by the way. Anna Louise Harper. I work for the lawyer you spoke to on the phone.” Her thin brow furrowed tightly. “You did talk to the lawyer on the phone, right?”
“Oh, I did.”
Anna released a loud sigh, one hand over her chest. “The man is a sweetheart but his memory is hardly what it used to be.” She flashed a stunning smile before extending the folder she carried forward. “Well, Grace Baker, I hope you’re ready to become a homeowner.”
Grace stared down at the folder with wide eyes. Though she knew it was far too late to turn back, she couldn’t stop the panicked nerves from igniting at the sound of those words. A small nagging voice burst to life in the back of her mind, sounding oddly familiar to Chuck’s demanding tone.
How do you know this isn’t a mistake? How can you tell that you haven’t already ruined it, already flushed your entire life down the toilet? How can you tell, Gracie?
Above her, a pair of doves were spooked by something and hooted as they flew away together. They shot over their heads, and a singular feather fell from their wings, drifting along the breeze till it noiselessly landed on the middle of the folder. The silver feather remained there till the wind forced it to brush away, carried high over them once more, before being pulled elsewhere, to be a sign for someone far away from Grace Baker.
The answer to her questions came forward in the same breath, echoing through her mind with the strength of her own voice, as though she said it aloud:I can’t tell, but isn’t that simply part of the ride?
Grace beamed as she took the folder. “More than ready.”
“Splendid!” Anna clapped her hands together. “Inside is all the paperwork you’ll need regarding the house and utilities. Anything you’ll need in the town is tucked in there as well. And here –” she pulled a wide key from her pocket, the silver ring small and obviously much younger than the key itself, “ – is the most important thing of it all.”
Surprisingly, the large key was as light as a regular one.
“Are you ready for a tour?”
Grace met the woman’s eyes and grinned. “I’ve seen all the pictures available but I’m sure they don’t live up to the real thing.”
