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A rush of nostalgia slams into me as I face the back porch—the porch and the same red door that shone like a beacon for a couple of reckless kids once upon a time.
I couldn’t tell you how often me and Madelaine snuck inside of the Wilkes House to hang out because it was always vacant. For as long as I lived in Acorn Falls, this house was for sale without a single taker.
And that was before the tragedy that took place in the basement.
Something tells me that, despite the work someone obviously put into this house, it’s gonna be on the market for quite some time.
Hmm. That gives me an idea.
I wonder…
Biting down on my bottom lip, I force myself to head toward the porch. For some reason, ever since the first time we had the brilliant idea to sneak inside, the back door was always open. It was kind of like the house was waiting for us.
I climb up the stairs, my heart thumping nervously as I reach for the knob. I can feel the solid metal through the thin leather of my worn glove. I take a deep breath and twist.
The knob turns easily under my hand.
It’s open.
I could push the door in and step inside and the only thing that’s stopping me is the smell of burning flesh in my nose and the cracking snap of Madelaine’s broken neck.
It echoes in my ears. That’s not all, either. At that second, I swear I hear the tinkling music that played when I danced with Rys, followed by a haunted scream.
My throat burns with the urge to join in. I nearly lost my voice that day. Between yelling at the golden fae and screaming for Madelaine to be okay before howling in agony as I burned my hands with Rys’s enchanted fire, I wasn’t able to speak for days after the tragedy.
Then, when I did, I told everyone who would listen about the fae and ended up in Black Pine as a result.
Nope.
Can’t do it.
I scurry down the stairs, nearly losing my left shipper in my hurry to flee. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to get away. This was a bad idea. A stupid fucking idea. I would’ve been better off going back to the cemetery. At least there I could be with Madelaine and not just her ghost.
Trapped in the past with my memories and bad decisions, I make a worse one. I totally forget that the real world exists until I emerge from around the back and hear someone call out to me.
“Riley? Oh my god! Riley? Is that you?”
They know my name.
Wait—
I know that voice.
Against my better judgment, I don’t run. Oh, I’m ready to. Make no mistake, my default state is to book it if she gives me even the slightest sign that I’ve got to go, but I stay standing near the corner of the house, giving her a chance to call out again before I take off.
She’s standing on the sidewalk in front of the Wilkes House, body turned as if she was walking past it when she saw me appearing from the back. She moves slowly, careful not to spook me, and I get a full look at her face.
I was right. I did recognize that voice.
The first thing I notice is the dark brown hair that she’s wearing loose around her shoulders. Next? The oversized burgundy coat that does nothing to conceal her too-small frame; it kind of highlights it instead. Jeans that are way cleaner than mine, plus a pair of expensive fur boots that are way out of season but probably cost an arm and a leg.
I’ve never seen her wearing such nice clothes before. When we were both inside of Black Pine, the patients wore simple sneakers, plain jeans, and a Black Pine tee.
When we were both inside of Black Pine—
Well, we’re not now.
“Carolina?” The name slips out. “What are you doing here?”
