Haunted Book 2

CADE

I should have known this would happen.

I knew he wasn’t going to die in prison…

I stared at the flat-screen TV in Joey’s living room as the evening news played out.

The bus transporting Willy to the mental hospital was found overturned somewhere in northern Colorado.

Four guards and one bus driver found shot and killed.

No current theories as to how he got out of his restraints or killed four heavily armed prison guards…

“Cade, honey,” said Joey’s mom, “you’re safe.”

Jeff and Monica, Joey’s parents, had always been unbelievably kind to me. I couldn’t say why.

“I’m sure they’ll apprehend him in no time,” Joey’s dad added.

No, they won’t.

He’s not stupid.

He’ll find a way back to me. He needs me.

“He would never come here,” Joey said quietly. “It’s too risky.”

What’s risk to a man with nothing to lose?

The doorbell rang suddenly, causing us all to jump.

Joey’s father rose quickly. “I’ll get it.”

I watched him disappear into the foyer.

Moments later, Jeff rounded the corner followed by Raven.

“Cade!” she exclaimed, rushing over and throwing her arms around me.

Raven brought her lips to my ear. “It’s going to be fine. He can’t get to you. Not unless he wants to be caught.”

I nodded, trying desperately to believe her.

Maybe she was right…

The doorbell rang again and I immediately tensed up.

Who is it now?

Raven answered the door, and Deputy Larsson entered the room. He stared at the hat in his hands with a grim expression.

“Cade,” he grunted.

Larsson moved to sit at the end of the couch beside Raven, glancing momentarily at the muted news.

“In light of…certain events,” he began, “we’ve decided to take some precautionary measures.”

“What kind of measures?” Joey’s mom asked.

“We’re going to have an officer stationed outside of this residence at all times,” said Larsson.

“We’re also going to have one with Miss Zheng,” he continued, “and Cade’s Aunt Lynn.”

“You don’t have to—” I began.

“Cade,” said Larsson, cutting me off. “I don’t know what his game is here, but I want to be ready for anything.”

RAVEN

The next morning, Cade and I walked hand in hand from the parking lot into Elk Springs High, which was half the size of any school I’d ever attended, and looked like it hadn’t been renovated in about a century.

The herd of students around us filed through the halls, all buzzing excitedly.

My last first day.

Thank God.

I recognized a few faces from around town, but the vast majority were new to me.

It was easy to fly under the radar for a while in the big-city schools. But here, I felt like I had a big, neon “New Kid” sign hovering above me.

I could see the usual social groups falling into place—the jocks, the stoners, the nerds, and so on.

Cade tensed as we rounded the corner into the hallway where both of our lockers were located.

A group of athletic-looking guys were crowded in a circle, laughing and roughing each other up.

“Did you see the new chick?” I heard one of them say. “Legs for days on that one. I mean, damn.”

Probably talking about the OTHER “new chick.”

Cade reluctantly led me toward them, keeping his head down. “Your locker’s just over here.”

“Whoa, guys. Incoming,” said another one of the jocks—a blond, short-statured guy with a neck the size of my torso.

“How was your summer, Psycho Boy?”

Cade flinched but said nothing, keeping his back to them.

“I saw that Daddy got out,” the guy persisted. “I bet you can’t wait for a reunion, huh Woods?”

The guy planted himself beside Cade and me. He put a beefy hand on Cade’s shoulder and we both flinched.

“Wynston! What’s going on, man?” came AJ’s voice, and we all turned to see him sauntering toward us.

Wynston turned back to Cade, smirking. “Cade was just introducing me to his lovely girlfriend—um…”

“Raven,” I said.

“Look, man,” said AJ, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “I don’t want you messing with these two, okay? They’re cool.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Wynston replied, winking at Cade.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I!”

“Alright, man,” AJ replied. “I’ll see you guys at practice.”

Wynston saluted and stalked away, followed by his entourage.

AJ dropped his arm from my shoulder and turned to Cade. “Sorry about Wynston. He’s had one too many concussions.”

Cade shook his head. “I’m used to it.”

“Thanks, AJ,” I added, smiling.

I couldn’t imagine how he was coping. Starting senior year without his girlfriend, or his best friend. It couldn’t have been easy…

Caleb and his mom had suddenly moved to Denver the week before school started.

Caleb said he was relieved to go. I could imagine.

“Well…gotta run to homeroom,” said AJ. “See you guys soon?”

I nodded. “Definitely.”

Once AJ was gone, I turned to Cade.

“You don’t have to say it,” he interjected just as I was opening my mouth. “I have bigger things to worry about, anyway.”

CADE

Focus.

It’s not that bad.

I was sitting in fourth-period AP Psychology, trying my best to pay attention as Mr. Ritter read the syllabus.

I needed to focus on something—anything that wasn’t Willy.

But I caught myself wondering where he was at that exact moment.

What he was doing.

If he was trying to figure out how to get to me.

The ancient PA system suddenly came to life.

“Cade Woods and Raven Zheng, please report to Ms. Cooley’s office.”

Twenty pairs of curious eyes turned to stare at me.

Kill me.

***

“I’ve called you two here because I know you’ve had a bit of a tough summer,” Ms. Cooley droned.

My eyes were fixed on the assortment of “Shoot for the Stars!” posters hanging on her office walls.

What would possess someone to want to be a high school guidance counselor? Doesn’t she have a psychology degree?

“Cade,” said Ms. Cooley, “would you like to share with us how you’re feeling about your father’s escape?”

My eyes snapped back to her. Ms. Cooley. Sitting there, trying to convince me that she was my friend.

I just sat there, returning her gaze.

Ms. Cooley sighed, looking from me to Raven. “I don’t suppose you have anything you’d like to air out? Maybe about Emily?”

Raven glanced over at me before responding: “No. Not really.”

Ms. Cooley leaned back in her chair in resignation. “Alright. Well, you know where to find me. This office is open anytime.”

“Thank you,” Raven said, standing up. I followed her out of the office, thankful that we’d gotten out so easily.

Usually Ms. Cooley made me sit there for half a period while she tried to get me to talk.

“Does that happen a lot?” Raven asked, weaving her fingers through mine.

“A few times a semester. I’m like…a project of hers.”

“I’m sorry.”

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it. “It’s fine.”

“How are you holding up?” Raven asked. “With…you know.”

“I’m…I’m okay,” I lied. “But I’d be a lot better with some food in me. When’s your lunch?”

Raven glanced at the clock on the wall. “Now, I think.”

“Mine too.” I grinned. “Wanna see what horrors the cafeteria is serving up today?”

***

I watched Raven poke at her slice of square-cut pizza, which I had tried to convince her was inedible.

“Trust me, you really don’t want to eat that,” Gretchen said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Gretchen’s hair, which had previously been dyed a light purple, was newly pastel green.

“What’s all that about?” Joey asked, staring across the cafeteria, where a crowd of students was gathered around a table talking excitedly.

“That’s the other new girl,” Gretchen replied. “Cassandra. I have English Lit with her.”

“What’s she doing?” Raven asked.

Cassandra sat cross-legged on the bench, a large stack of cards in her hands.

She began to lay the cards out on the table in a pattern, closing her eyes.

“I think she’s reading tarot cards,” I said.

Raven rolled her eyes.

“What?” I smirked, nudging her. “You don’t believe in the power of tarot?”

“Not when someone’s charging twenty bucks for it!” Raven pointed to a small, framed sign that was positioned at the end of the table.

Fortune Readings

$20 Donation

No Refunds

Namaste

RAVEN

“Wanna get your fortune read?” Gretchen asked, her eyes glued to Cassandra.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Come on,” Gretchen replied, looking from me to Joey, then to Cade. “It’s been a shit summer. Why not have a little fun?”

“Not me,” Joey said. “I wanna get to the computer lab early. Get one without a broken keyboard.” Waving goodbye, Joey left the table.

I begrudgingly followed Gretchen across the cafeteria, pulling Cade behind me.

As we approached the table, I finally got a good look at Cassandra. She was wearing a flowery halter-top dress with Doc Martens, her dark hair falling in messy waves down her shoulders.

Just as we approached, the girl sitting across from her rose, and Cassandra looked up for her next customer.

She locked eyes on Gretchen, smiling. “Do you want me to read your cards?”

“Sure,” Gretchen replied, taking a seat across from her. “You’re Cassandra, right?”

“Cassie,” she corrected Gretchen. “Cassie Ramirez. Shuffle the deck for me, chica, and focus on the area in your life where you need guidance.”

Do people actually believe in this stuff?

“Now cut the deck.”

Gretchen did as she was told, then handed the cards back to Cassie.

I watched as Cassie made a show of laying the cards in a cross, her eyes scanning them quickly before jumping up to stare at Gretchen.

And then the bell rang, signaling that we had five minutes to get to our next classes.

Cassie smiled. “Looks like I don’t have time for a full reading now…but I can tell you something that jumps out to me in your immediate future. For free.”

“Okay.”

“Submit the photo. The one you took of her,” she said slyly. “You’ll get the internship—if you’re brave enough.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gretchen replied, shooting a look at me.

“What about them?” Gretchen asked, turning around to point at Cade and me. “Really quickly?”

“That’s okay—” Cade said softly, pulling me toward the cafeteria’s exit.

“A quick one,” Cassie said, gathering the cards and shuffling them before handing the deck to Cade. “Pick a card,” she instructed, smiling.

There was something demanding about her tone—a grating arrogance.

To my disbelief, I watched Cade’s shoulders slump in resignation.

“Whatever.” His fingers hovered slightly over the deck before he finally drew a card from the middle and set it on the table—a creepy picture of an angel looking down at three naked people.

“Judgment,” it read.

Cassie stared at Cade for a moment, her face scrunching in concentration. Slowly, a smile spread across it.

“You’re a hard one to read, aren’t you?” she asked mischievously.

Unbelievable.

She was flirting with him.

Her eyes flickered over to me, her smile dropping suddenly.

“Sorry, I don’t think I have time after all…,” Cassie said. She stuffed her tarot cards back into her bag and rose.

“Maybe another time, though,” she added. Her gaze drifted from me to Cade for a moment.

And then she was gone.

***

The final bell rang as I stumbled into AP Chemistry and dropped into the first available seat before my teacher, Mr. Laupner, noticed.

It was the only seat open.

All of the other students already had their notebooks open and were jotting down something from the board. I reached into my bag, searching for a pencil.

“Sweetie, are you following me?” came a voice to my left, and I slowly raised my head, feeling my stomach sink.

Cassie sat beside me, chewing on the cap of her pen. She winked.

Call me “sweetie” again…

“Alright, folks,” Mr. Laupner called. “I want you all to look at the person seated next to you at your lab table.”

Already doing that.

“And get used to them. They’re your lab partner for the rest of the year.”

Cassie smiled. “This is going to be so much fun.”