Page 26 of The Curse of Redwood
His thumb smoothed across my jaw as a shadow passed over his face. “I think you know the answer to that question.”
I did. All of my research had pointed me in that direction, but I didn’t want to believe it. Because if the mansion was cursed, that meant Z was too.
“Why is it cursed?”
His hand fell away, and he put a small distance between us. “Goodnight, Carter.”
“Why won’t you answer—”
“Go home,” he snapped, then his voice softened. “Please.”
A clock sounded from the other room, the haunting melody traveling throughout the mansion.
“You need to leave. Now.” Z grabbed my arm and led me toward the door.
Then, the bells began to chime. As eachbongreached my ears, I started to see them—the ghosts. William, the boy who liked to play games, appeared on the bottom step of the stairs. A little girl with dark curls stood beside him.
They both raised a finger to their lips. “Shh.”
The two of them then turned to run up the stairs.
I stared in horror as others materialized. Children ran into the entrance hall, their bodies see-thru as they spun each other around in circles. I didn’t hear their steps, but I heard their voices. Their laughs.
Then… I heard their screams.
“Father, no!” one girl screamed, throwing her hands up to cover her face. Her head flew from her body, hitting the bottom of the stairwell with a heavy thump.
Shaking with fear, I couldn’t move. A woman in a vintage cocktail dress then drifted past me. Blond hair fell into her face, and black eyeliner ran down her wet cheeks. Her feet dragged along the floor as she wept. Her anguished moans echoed all around me, sounding distorted.
“Lovely night, isn’t it?” a man asked, walking out from the hall. He was dressed in a black dinner suit, and his brown hair was slicked back. He carried an axe over his shoulder. “Are you staying for dinner? I heard it’s todiefor.”
Z shoved me onto the front porch and slammed the door in my face.
My heart hammered against my ribs, and my breaths were short as my head spun round and round. Losing my footing, I stumbled down the porch steps and to the grass. As I landed on the ground, I looked up to see ghosts standing on the lawn. Watching me. It was just like my nightmares. Scarier, even.
I needed to run, but I was frozen in fear.
The ghosts drifted toward me.
“Z,” I said, as tears pooled in my eyes.Help me, I tried to say, but the words died in my throat.
Something lifted me off the grass and rushed me away from the mansion. I didn’t see Z, but I knew it was him. I recognized the feeling of being in his arms. He placed me on the other side of the large gates, and before the pressure of his arms around me faded, I could’ve sworn I felt lips press to my temple.
Once released, I staggered back a step before running to my car, nearly falling down several times on my way there. I started the engine once inside and put the car in reverse, my hands shaking on the steering wheel.
The dashboard clock said it was just after midnight.
When I got home, I dashed to my room and jumped into bed without even undressing or taking off my shoes. I pulled the covers over my head and squeezed my eyes shut, scared out of my wits. How had such an amazing evening with Z turned into something so horrifying?
He’d tried to warn me, but I’d been too stubborn to listen.
I ended up sleeping with the TV on that night. Because in the silence, I could still hear that woman’s ghostly sobs.
Chapter Six
I didn’t return to Redwood the following day. Or the day after that. Each time I considered going back, I’d remember what happened and chicken out.
Looks like Z finally got his wish.
