The human who, for some reason, liked Scout took us across two state lines to Indiana. I paid for his gas and tipped him very well for his help.
“Seriously, it’s nothing. I’ve always wanted to see this place anyway. This is kind of my thing. Ghost towns.” Jeremy had driven past miles and miles of fields before stopping in front of a tall, green-painted brick building. All of the windows had been broken, and it was clear no one had been here in a long time.
“Ghost towns?” Scout asked, looking up at the building being reclaimed by nature. She looked nervous.
Jeremy nodded and smiled. “Abandoned places. Indiana has a bunch of them. I find them fascinating. This one was just a worker's town. This is the only thing left.”
“This one building?” I raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
“Yep. There’s a sign for the town a little ways back.”
The sun was starting to rise. While it didn’t look like the most comfortable place to stay the day, I was confident that we’d be safe here. I reached for Scout’s hand and looked down at her. “You ready?”
She was biting her lower lip. She looked at me, then hurried to give Jeremy a hug. “Thank you. Seriously. Consider yourself free.” She giggled.
He chuckled too. “I figured getting you out of state would do the trick. I don’t know what’s going on, but I wish you guys the best.” He dipped back into his car and waited for us to start toward the decrepit building before he started away.
I insisted on going first, brushing cobwebs away as I went. The grass went as high as my hips in some places, and for Scout, it was to her chest. The door had once been locked, but someone that shared an interest with Jeremy most likely had taken a bolt cutter to it. The door was rusty, and I had to throw my whole body against it to get in, but I managed. We got in with only a bit to spare before the sun touched our skin.
It was dark inside. Which was to be expected. It was filthy and smelled of cement, mold, and animal decay. Scout reached for me, and I led her through the building.
It was a three-story building, but considering its state, I thought it safer to stay on the ground floor. We just needed to make it to nightfall. “Try to get some sleep.” I urged her.
“I don’t know if I can. I’m too stressed.”
“Stressed or disgusted?” I chuckled. We had found some large wooden panels that weren’t entirely mold-riddled, put them on the floor, and attempted to relax on them.
“Two things can be true.” She laughed. She put her backpack behind her head and snuggled into it, rolling on her side to look at me. I was currently shuffling my cards and placing them on my board. The sunlight coming from the broken windows was enough to make it, so we weren’t blind, but we could still hide safely.
“When did you get into Tarot?” she asked suddenly.
“I don’t remember,” I answered honestly. “I’ve always had cards.”
“Those ones specifically?”
“Nah. I replace them every few years. Sometimes I lose a card, or they get damaged beyond use. Although I have had these ones for a few years now.”
“Are they part of your sin?” she asked.
I laughed. “I don’t even know what that means.”
“Like, is it a hint? Although I haven't met her, I would have never guessed Pride for Corrine. I’m wondering how off I am about you guys.”
A lot.
I eyed her carefully but continued to shuffle my cards. “I do use my Tarot cards while doing Sin things. But it’s not a part of my sin.”
She cocked her head and raised her eyebrows. “How do you use them? Like throwing stars?” She made the motion of flicking a card. “Or do you like- read their cards, and it tells you if they are supposed to die or not?”
“If I tell you, will you stop guessing?” I asked. She nodded triumphantly. I scooped up the cards and fanned them out. I scooted forward and offered them to her. “Pick a card.”
She scrunched up her nose and gingerly grabbed one out.
The Three of Swords.
She looked at it for a long time before handing it back to me. I grinned as I placed it back with the others. “See, if you were one of my marks and I wanted to be quick, I’d take out my pocketknife roll and take three knives to your chest. Boom-boom-boom.” I made a stabbing motion three times in the center of my chest. She watched me with wide eyes.
“And if you’re going slow?” she asked in a whisper. I tilted my head from side to side, trying to recall a time when that card had been drawn.
