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“What?”
Grant allowed himself a moment to close his eyes and breathe, taking stock of the many different energies around him. Huck’s was warm and vibrant like sunshine, Precipitation had a hint of danger like the smell of ozone after a lightning storm, and Rebecca’s reminded him of a bubbling fountain drink that someone had spiked with Everclear. He dragged his hand over the covers until he could reach the headboard, and he grounded himself there.
He tuned back in to the spiritual hum he’d been experiencing ever since coming to the Allan Hotel, and he let it wash over him in a tsunami of buzzing static. He could feel the energies of the spirits here with him, the distant thud of shadows down in the morgue with a few lingering near the kitchen, and there…
The pulse of the Thing.
He knew that’s what he was feeling right now. It was responsible for the pounding in his head and a new chilly tingle pricking his skin. He didn’t dare reach out to it, but he realized he didn’t have to.
The Thing wasawareof him.
It was turning around and looking right at him, but there wasn’t a face. It was a pit filled with nothing but the echoes of strange howling, a black void without end, it was trying to swallow him up, and—
Grant broke the connection.
He must have looked spooked because Huck immediately reached for him.
“I’m okay,” Grant said, squeezing Huck’s hand. “I just, uh… took a peek, and well, it took a peek back at me.”
“Grant!” Huck scolded sharply. “I thought you were gonna leave that damn thing alone!”
“I was! I am!” Grant argued. “I was just, well, I don’t know.” He sighed. “If Janice is involved with the Thing, I thought maybe I’d sense something or hear some kind of clue. But it’s just noise. It didn’t make any sense.”
“Was it sayinghey, I’m a big cunt in a staircase who likes to kill people?” Rebecca asked with a roll of her eyes. “Because otherwise I don’t imagine it had much to say.”
Grant shivered as the memory of that horrible howling replayed in his head. “Yeah, I guess not.”
Huck still looked concerned, and he tugged on Grant’s hand. “Hey, are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m okay.” Grant took a deep breath, and he ignored the pulsing creeping up into his thoughts. “I need to go talk to Finn and Cary. Right now.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Grant waved to Rebecca and Precipitation. “It was very nice to meet you both.”
“Oh, of course it was.” Rebecca batted her thick lashes and took a long drag from her cigarette. “You enjoy yourselves, darlings.”
Precipitation waved back. “Have fun, sweeties.”
“See ya’ later!” Huck gave them a quick salute as he followed Grant to the door.
Grant didn’t know why he was in such a hurry, but he had a rising anxiety that he couldn’t shake. He’d never experienced anything like the moment he realized the Thing was looking back at him. He had been seen by this inhuman entity, and he felt…
Small.
Insignificant.
He’d been a speck of grimy sand staring down a mountain, and his skin was still crawling from the awful sounds he’d heard. Huck was right—he needed to stay the hell away from the Thing no matter what.
Though Grant wished he could keep holding Huck’s hand, he had to let go as they headed downstairs to find Finn and Cary.
Huck instead kept his hand on Grant’s arm, rubbing there as he walked beside him. “If you wanna do this alone, I understand. But I’ll come with you if you wish.”
Grant nodded.
“Okay.” Huck paused. “Wait, is that a yes to doing this alone or a yes to me coming?”
Grant nodded again, mumbling, “Come with me.”
