Page 37 of The Curse of Redwood
“Really? You’re not going to convince me that it’s a bad idea to come back?”
“You wouldn’t heed my warning even if I tried.” He grabbed the door handle once I stepped away from it. “And as I said earlier, I’m much too selfish now. I desire your company too greatly.”
I hesitated in the room once he opened the door. At his questioning eyebrow raise, I said, “You sure we can’t find somewhere private to fool around before I go?”
His eyes closed, briefly, before opening again. “If I wasn’t already dead, I’d say you’d be the death of me. Why must you test my self-control like this, little dove?”
I smiled. Before I could form a witty response, footsteps came down the hall, loud and quick, and stopped directly in front of the study door.
“Boo!” William shouted, materializing in the doorway.
My soul left my body as I screamed and clutched onto Z’s arm.
The boy giggled before running off again.
Laughing, Z kissed the side of my head and led me into the corridor. I looped my arm through his and glanced around, waiting for the mischievous little brat to pop out and scare me again.
“He likes you,” Z said, patting my hand. “He can be awfully shy, though he’s comfortable in your presence.”
“Lucky me,” I muttered. But despite my grumbling, I actually felt happy that William liked me. Him being a ghost at Redwood meant he’d suffered before his death… and he was so little. It wasn’t fair. If he wanted a friend, I didn’t mind it.
As long as he doesn’t cockblock me again.
When we reached the back patio, Z came outside with me and released my arm. Days were shorter now, the sun setting much earlier than before. The entire backyard was shaded, but sunlight peeked through the bare branches of the tall trees. I wondered what kind they were. It was too early in the year for trees to have lost all their leaves, but these looked like they were stuck in winter.
“Dawn redwood,” Z said.
“Huh?”
“They’re dawn redwoods.” He nodded to the trees. “It’s how the mansion got its name. They surround the estate.”
“What’s that one?” I asked, pointing to one with long, cascading branches. The bare branches reminded me of bony witch fingers. It looked eerie when combined with the surrounding overgrown shrubs and snaking vines and thorns.
“A weeping dawn redwood,” Z answered. “At one time, this mansion was a place of beauty and light. You should’ve seen it back then, Carter. What you see now is only a shell of its former glory.” His body turned more transparent for a moment as he stared at the trees. “What I wouldn’t give to see their leaves again.”
“Why won’t they grow?”
“Not much grows here anymore,” he said, our hands touching between us. His fingers slid through mine. “That’s why I told you this is no place for the living. It’s a graveyard for dead things.”
It was dark by the time I got home. I’d stayed as long as I could with Z. He was finally letting me into his world, if only a little, and it had been hard to leave him, knowing he was lonely in that mansion with only other tortured souls to keep him company.
Not in the mood to cook, I ordered a pizza and drank a beer as I waited for it to be delivered. I tipped the delivery guy before stuffing my face, eating half the pizza in record time. My phone vibrated with a text, and I wiped my greasy fingers on a napkin before checking it.
Taylor:You home?
Me:Yep. What’s up?
Taylor:Wanna hop on the xbox for a bit?
Me:Sure!
I turned on the console and grabbed my headset before inviting him to my party.
“Is Rich gonna join us?” I asked, after he accepted the invite.
“He’s on a date with Danielle,” Taylor answered, before munching on something, probably chips. “It’s just you and me tonight. Hope that’s okay.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
