“My name is Adeana Ramada. This is my parents’ place,” she explains. “What brings you to town?” she asks, as she searches through a drawer behind the counter.
Nina, Lanie, and I share a look, each likely trying to determine what to tell her.
“Just a visit,” I say.
The woman looks up at me, expression pinched as though she knows I’m not being honest.
“We do have an extra room, but only for the night,” she says to Lanie.
“That’s fine. I’ll take it.” She turns to Nina. “Is it okay if I bunk up with you come tomorrow?”
Nina nods her head. “Of course.”
“Perfect,” Adeana says. “Follow me,” she requests, walking out from behind the desk toward a large set of winding stairs.
As she shows us to our rooms, she points out various things about the place. Where the bathrooms are located. Where to find extra towels and linens if we should need them. Basic things typical of a bed-and-breakfast.
Each room is uniquely decorated with plush furnishings and luxurious wallpaper, adding to the character of the place.
“Your room will be right this way,” she says, leading me to the end of the hall.
My room overlooks the lush gardens below, the moonlight casting a soft glow through the lace curtains. The overhead lights flicker, and I turn to see Adeana’s eyes trained on the light.
Her head lowers, and she smiles. “It’s something old houses do. Nothing to be concerned about.” There’s something in her tone and in the way her eyes crease at the corners that leads me to believe there’s something she isn’t saying. “Well…good night.” She bows slightly, closing the door behind her, leaving me to turn in circles, inspecting the incredible room.
I practically throw myself onto the bed, sighing at how comfortable it is. Mentally ticking off my to-do list before I can finally relax leaves me fidgety. First order of business: return Ava’s missed call,and tackle the dreaded conversation with my mother. She doesn’t call often, but when she does, there’s typically bad news to be shared.
An hour later, I’ve managed to complete everything on my list. My call to Ava went unanswered but was quickly followed up with a text letting me know she’s at the library studying for a quiz. We said our good nights because she wasn’t sure how long she’d be there.
My chat with my mother was brief. She called to express her regrets about missing Ava’s showcase. I reassured her that the important people would be in attendance and urged her to reach out to Ava. That landed like a lead balloon, but I don’t care.
I’m done with the nonsense that family is defined by blood. Ava and I found our family in Lanie and Nina, and we’re happier for it.
I’ve just finished removing my makeup and brushing my teeth when a sudden chill fills the air, accompanied by a ghostly breeze that seems to swirl around me with an otherworldly presence.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as the cool air brushes against my skin. It’s as if the very atmosphere of the room has shifted, filled with an eerie energy that I’ve experienced before.
A spirit is here.
My heart pounds in my chest as I prepare to uncover the ghostly entity and what it wants with me.
“Who are you?” I say, moving in a circle, inspecting my surroundings.
My question goes unanswered, nothing materializing or making its presence known outside of the shifted air. It’s an old bed-and-breakfast with drafts, to be sure. Maybe I’m imagining it?
Suddenly, Lanie bursts into my room, her eyes wide with terror.
“Something is in that room,” she says, jabbing a finger in the direction of where she just came from. “I’m not sleeping in there.”
I smother a smile, recognizing that I was just having my own moment and shouldn’t tease her.
“Come on in. You can sleep with me,” I say, pulling back the covers and patting the mattress.
Without hesitation, she crawls into bed.
“I refuse to spend another moment alone in that haunted-ass room,” she barks, yanking the covers up to her chin. “My closet door kept creeping open. I even put a damn chair against it.” She shakes her head, shoulders shivering. “It flew across the room.”
My eyes widen. “Seriously?”
