Page 10 of The Corruption of Hollis Brown

Annie took a deep breath.

“My pa will kill you if I die here.” She laughed dryly.

Hollis reached across her lap and opened her door. “Let’s get this over with.”

Red

By the time they made it to the others, Annie was confident again, walking quick and sure.

Jorge was by the fire, predictably. Surrounded by the rest of the guys Hollis would prefer to avoid: James Miller, Brandon Finnegan—leg healed of course—Liam O’Malley, Alex Stevenson, and Timothy Reid. There were a couple of girls who looked like sophomores too, braving the cold to flirt with seniors.

“Where are the rest of the girls?” Annie called.

Liam pointed at the building next to them.

“Not even a hello?” Jorge yelled.

Annie ignored him. She curled her hand around Hollis’s bicep and tugged him toward the light.

It was a three-story row house, formerly red paint faded pale pink and flaking in the sun. The wood beneath had turned gray from years of rain. Hollis’s heart jolted in his chest the instant his shoe touched the first step, but Annie drove forward, relentless and brave.

The door slammed open against the side of the house and everyone inside screamed, startled.

Hollis closed the door gently behind them as Annie’s other friends rushed up to hug her hello.

“Hey, Hollis,” Lisa Damone said warily.

Hollis smiled.

Lisa grimaced back at him. She turned to Annie and said, “This floor is full unfortunately. There’s a room or two available upstairs, so feel free to set up there if you want. Right now, we’re playing truth or drink until the boys come in.”

“There are some other houses lit. Are people just exploring?” Hollis asked.

Lisa seemed surprised that he was speaking to her, but she answered anyway. “There are a few sophomores and juniors here, and they wanted to do their own thing. Stephanie’s boyfriend is with them. Technically you can go into any house you want, you guys don’t have to stay here with us if you don’t want to.”

Annie nodded up at the stairs and started heading off without him.

“We’ll sleep here,” Hollis said. “I’ll see you later.”

Ode

They walked gently on the wood. Rose Town didn’t stay dry long enough for it to get brittle, or wet long enough for it to rot. But it would be stupid not to be careful.

There was a room upstairs with a bed and dresser, everything set up like the owner would be home any minute. Hollis and Annie shut that door tight and instead chose a room that was completely empty. Judging by the scratches and staining on the floor, it had been a formal dining room at some point. Probably looted decades ago before everyone was too scared to take things.

Hollis unfolded the sleeping bag while Annie tested the windows and the floors for soft spots. She propped up a flashlight and two packs of batteries by the head of their makeshift bed.

Hollis unpacked the candle his ma let him bring. It was the gingerbread-scented one she bought the previous year and hated the smell of, but Hollis didn’t mind.

Annie was doing something by the door.

“What’s that?”

“I’m taping across the lock, so it won’t stick. I’m not getting trapped in this room by anyone, ghosts or otherwise.”

“Smart.”

Annie grinned. “I do my best. Anyway, do you want to play with the girls downstairs or go on a walk? Lisa was kind of a bitch to you.”