AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes!”
“Mr. Baus would like a word with you,” Mrs. Charles said, holding out her hand to Grant. “If you’d be so kind as to join us, I believe I can facilitate a special form of translation to ease our communication.”
“Uh, hold up just a sec.” Huck didn’t let Grant go. “Still not totally sold that the Thing in the Staircase isn’t gonna try to steal your body.”
“I don’t think he is,” Grant said gently. “I think it’s all right.”
“The fuck it is.” Huck huffed. He cupped Grant’s cheek. “I thought I was going to lose you like ten minutes ago!” His stomach twisted, and he pressed his brow against Grant’s. “I don’t want you to end up like me. Okay?”
“I know.” Grant’s cheeks pinked up, and he leaned in close. “Trust me, baby. I got this.”
Huck frowned, and he still didn’t want to let go.
“If you’d like, your companion may come as well,” Mrs. Charles offered.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Grant urged, squeezing Huck’s hand.
Huck trusted Grant’s judgment, and he tried to shake the feeling of dread churning away inside of him as he walked with Grant over to Mrs. Charles and Janice-Baus. Being so close to the creature who he’d blamed for his death for four years was uncomfortable to say the least, and he had his own doubts about whether or not it had truly been an accident.
He took Mrs. Charles’s hand while Grant took Janice-Baus’s, who was holding Mrs. Charles’s other hand. Their joined hands created a circle, and Huck shivered when a jolt of energy ran right through him. He didn’t know if it was from Grant or Janice-Baus, but he could understand Baus when he spoke now.
“I am sorry,” Baus said in Janice’s voice. “I only ever wanted to help, and I’m afraid I did more harm than good. Please forgive me.” Janice’s eyes were wet with tears. “I knew not what Janice was trying to do, and I would have never accepted her help had I known.”
“It’s okay.” Grant smiled warmly. “We forgive you.”
“We do?” Huck mumbled.
Grant yanked on his hand.
“Fine, yes, we do.” Huck managed to meet Baus’s eyes—Janice’s eyes, whatever— and he nodded. “I get it. You were trying to help and killed me. I guess…” He glanced over at Grant. “I guess I’m not even that mad about it now. If I hadn’t died, I might not have ever met Grant.” He managed a little smile. “So, I think everything worked out pretty damn well.”
Grant blushed. “Uh, thank you. That’s… that’s honestly really sweet.”
“I am going to leave now.” Baus smiled. “I appreciate your kindness and understanding. I will be taking Janice on a journey to help her repent and see the error of her ways.”
“You’re… kidnapping our producer?” Grant asked carefully.
“I will return her when she is better,” Baus promised. He smiled and broke the circle, folding his hands together. He talked again, but it was back in that weird Latin and Huck could not understand him.
“Oh!” Mrs. Charles smiled, and she tilted her head as she listened. “There’s just one more thing.”
“What?” Huck asked.
“His powers are great, even greater now that he is free, and there are still some wrongs that need to be righted. He wants to help by giving you a very special gift.” Mrs. Charles beamed at Grant. “Ah, and he already knows what it’s going to be. Just as he shared his heart with you, he’s seen yours.”
“He did?” Grant’s cheeks turned a brighter shade of red. “What, uh, what exactly did he see?”
“What you desire most in the world.”
The door of the morgue screeched open, and the crew led by Aurora came tumbling out in a huge pile. Aurora hit the ground first, and Bachata and Mack landed right on top of her. Whatever power Baus had been using to hold the door must have been released, and the crew quickly scrambled to their feet.
“What the fucking fuck?” Bachata demanded. “What was all that noise? Why did you guys lock us in the fucking creepy damn morgue?”
“Oof.” Aurora was clearly still recovering from being squished, wheezing, “Wait, why are… the stairs… brown?”
Cary came over to check on them, patting Aurora’s back and squeezing Bachata and Mack’s shoulders. “You guys are not gonna fucking believe this shit.” He turned them so they were looking in the general direction of Precipitation and Rebecca.
“Is that… Rebecca Flynn?” Aurora squeaked.
