Chapter 2

Annabeth chewed her lip, trying to fathom just why she had been promoted. Sure, it wasn’t much of a promotion – going from pushing a cart with bedpans and soiled linens to pushing a smaller card with medications and bottled waters. But she had been here less than two weeks, and it hadn’t escaped her attention how some of the male nursing staff and the administrator looked at her. She would never consider herself having a killer body – not anymore, at least – nor was she particularly flirty or even friendly. Common courtesy and keeping her head down were her main goals. She didn’t even wear makeup beyond cheap lipstick and a little blush. Her skin was nearly white, her veins left crooked blue lines across her hands and neck, and she kept her hair in a bun or tight ponytail whenever she was at work. So surely, her promotion couldn’t have been due to ulterior motives, not this time anyway. Unfortunately, it was according to several members of the female staff. Not that there were so many given how the place was both a retirement home and community center. There just wasn’t much need for a full staff with only twelve residents.

“Don’t listen to them,” said Suzy Romanov. She was a bit older, but stood so straight and moved so efficiently that Annabeth pegged her either as a former dancer or soldier. The woman rarely smiled, and appeared quite upset at all times, but that was likely the Russian in her. Annabeth found her quite pleasant, if somewhat curt. “They are simply too ineffective to pay attention to their own jobs, so they look down on others.”

“It comes easy for people. Not that I’m singing, ‘oh, woe is me,’ or anything. Long story.”

Suzy glared at her. “You have had trouble such as this?”

“More than once. And I may have fanned the flames when it comes to bosses trying to woo me, but ... never mind. I’m just bitching, sorry.”

“It has been a tough week. Now, I am going to stand back unless you absolutely need me, for the most part. When we get to Mister Gruber’s room, I will take over.”

She had already been introduced to Gabe Gruber. One of the male staff had referred to him as “Grabby Gruber” for very obvious reasons. Although she had yet to actually speak to him, the old codger had pinched her ass hard on her second day at work. She could at least appreciate an honest man, even if she would have punched him out had there not been witnesses.

Bella Wood Community Center had reserved its back half for the retirement home, able to comfortably hold over two dozen residents. Currently, it had half that, and wasn’t likely to grow anytime soon. From what she had gathered, those with money retired to their own homes with private staff waiting on them, while most of the other elderly citizens either refused retirement, or chose to enjoy it in the houses they had grown up in. These twelve were either too sickly and feeble to take care of themselves, or had no one else to look out for them. The job wasn’t so bad, though even the residents were generally wary of her. She’d overheard a few comments about her Chinese eyes being too dark, her way of talking to men too flirtatious, her expression seeming too criticizing or upset. That last one was a topic she had always been a little sensitive on.

At the end of an hour, they finally dared to enter Mister Gruber’s room, glad to find him with his pants on this time. Although, she had heard the last lady to walk in on him without all of his clothes had left the room both embarrassed and impressed. The wiry, hunched man smiled with cracked lips and a gap in his teeth as the two women arrived. When Suzy proceeded to take the small cup of pills over, the old man waved his hands as if to shoo her back.

“I want the young lady ... to give me my medication.”

“Stop attempting to chase off our new employee, Mister Gruber.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to glare at her. The effect was lost due to the mischievous glint in his sharp blue eyes and pouty lips. The petulant look was unconvincing. “The town meeting starts in twenty minutes. I can wait. Can you?”

Annabeth couldn’t. Her boss, Mister Grier, had made it clear she was going to be helping with the setup, and she was already running a bit behind. Her coworkers had also made it clear they would not be aiding her unless the boss was in the room, so she was really behind schedule. She took the supplies from Suzy and was all set to ram it all – even the cups – down his throat.

“Fine, can’t take a joke, I see.” He relaxed and held out his hands to accept the two cups. When he had swallowed their contents, she took them back and followed Suzy to the door.

She stole a quick glance back and caught him staring. He only offered a shrug, as if checking her out was to be expected. So she mouthed pervert and flipped him off before closing the door.

She rushed to get things set up in the community gym/meeting hall. Thankfully, a lot of it was already prepared – snack plates just needed arranging, or the tables were too far from the wall, and the folding chairs were already stacked in the corner. She placed thirty into two columns, with a row of four at the front aimed toward the rest. It was going to be her first time seeing the mayor, though she had no plans on actually meeting him. The other three chairs were reserved for the sheriff, the local priest, and another from the mayor’s office who apparently dealt with both the town’s accounting and was head of the school board.

The first guests arrived just as the last chair squeaked into position. Slowly, the rest filed in over the next twenty minutes. Shop owners, lifelong residents, teachers and city workers filled the roster. The mayor was fashionably late, apparently as expected, proving to be a middle-aged man with a charming smile and an air about him that made her not trust the guy. One she did find trustworthy, though, was the sheriff. It was the same man who had helped her and Colin out on their first day. She had thought him just a deputy then. The man did a double-take before recognizing her and offering a pleasant grin. She returned it before resuming her duties.

Once everyone settled down with their coffee and snacks and found a chair, the mayor remained standing. On either side sat the sheriff and an older woman whom Annabeth assumed was the school board director. The priest was a no-show.

“Everyone,” started Mayor Meadows, “thank you for coming on short notice. Now, I am aware of your worries, but let me assure you, Sheriff Holt has been dealing directly with a geological survey crew, and they are doing everything they can to end this situation.”

A man with a bald crown and thick ring of gray hair stood up three rows back. “End the situation? Mayor, if there was any way to end it, we’d have done it ten years ago.” Many loudly agreed with him, while most did so quietly with nods and whispers to their neighbors.

“Now, now, let’s not get excited.”

“What about the dangers?” asked a woman not much older than Annabeth. She wore a plain, formless dress and horn-rimmed glasses. Annabeth guessed she was a librarian. “There are several stories about dizzy spells and strange odors. I’m especially worried about the high school.”

The mayor began to assure her in his patronizing way again when Sheriff Holt stood up. “Kelly, the schools and recreation areas were among our top priorities when assessing the gas levels. The area is very stable, and the air has remained clear. On windy days, yes, people have reported more smell of gas, but nothing strong enough to make them sick.”

He glanced at the woman sitting on the mayor’s other side, who nodded at him before he continued, “On the handouts we gave you, you will find the areas most affected.”

“This says the curfew is being increased to include businesses,” said a man in the back.

“Unfortunately. That is only a temporary measure, though. I’ll work with any of you in the most affected areas to test the gas levels, especially at night.” He paused, his face tightening a bit. He looked at everyone in turn before saying, “And I want you to be aware that we have discussed possible evacuation procedures with the state should the need arise.”

Voices broke out before he was even finished. The panic was palpable. It even got to Annabeth. The very idea of having to leave town already when she had sunk every last dime into getting the house and fixing her truck before the last trip was sickening. The mayor tried to settle them down by playing it off as exaggeration or jumping the gun, but the expression on the sheriff’s face told another story. The man was serious. Once the mayor finally gave up, the sheriff took a step forward.

“They have set up equipment to monitor the situation for the next month. As some of you’ve heard, there was a collapse in the northwestern area. There is no danger to any homes, and the hole is fairly small, so we’ll just need to make sure no kids try to check it out. In four weeks, I will have more info for all of you, and we’ll be better able to decide how to handle the fire from then on.”

From there, they discussed more mundane topics about land permits, the security for the high school’s haunted house, and the elementary school’s problems. The meeting lasted another hour, up until the snacks had all been consumed. Then everyone filed out, none seeming too satisfied with the proceedings.

Annabeth immediately began cleaning up while Suzy remained in the retirement ward. The rest of the faculty was apparently on a smoke break for all she knew. She spotted the sheriff talking with an older couple in the corner. From their smiles, it was likely a friendly chat rather than discussing the potential abandonment of the town. Sheriff Holt caught her gaze and waved before excusing himself from the older couple.

“So, we meet again,” he said as he reached her.

“Considering how this is, what, a three-light town, the odds were pretty good.”

“Hey now, don’t go dissing my small town. There are four stoplights, thank you.” He glanced over his shoulder. The older woman was nudging her husband and grinning at them. “Great, hopefully whatever she’s thinking won’t be on the air tonight.”

“How do you mean?”

“Her husband runs a local radio show. The Seven Truths at Seven. Kind of our town conspiracy nut, but he’s a good guy. He may be convinced that bigfoot ate my father, but anyway...”

She wasn’t certain he was joking, or if that was an actual theory. His face didn’t show much emotion. Not until he thought of something else, then he smiled. “So, are you and your son adjusting okay?”

She shrugged, struggling against complaints that were fighting up her throat. “Doing our best. This place ain’t so bad. Slow and quiet, at least.”

“There’s actually a lot more to it, and there’s good access to the neighboring towns, which have a bit more to do. If you want, I can show you around sometime. Maybe grab a bite to eat.”

Shit, she thought, although she was a bit confused as to whether she disliked being hit on by a guy she practically just met, or that she was interested. Besides, a part of her was still caught in that moment with Colin, on her bed. She had played it off well, but she’d spent quite some time learning how to lie. Forcing herself to appear calm, she said, “Perhaps. Sometime. Right now, my work schedule basically takes up my day hours, and I doubt Colin would be happy if I stayed out too late.”

She had used that line more than once. It had become her test, for if the guy was pushy – which proved to be the case more often than not – he would brush aside her concerns for her son, or make a crack about the parent not needing her kid’s permission. However, the sheriff leaned back on his heels, not looking at all disappointed.

“I understand completely. So how about this. We head to Bernadette’s Diner for a quick lunch on Saturday, and you can ask me anything about the town you are curious about. Say, noon?”

He knows my schedule, dammit, she thought. That, or he could just as easily have it changed on a whim. It was a lot harder to say no this time, and she did like the sound of a free lunch. Besides, having the sheriff as a friend could prove a great benefit for them, especially if Colin were to start having problems in school again. Without a word, she acquiesced with a heavy sigh and nod, as if he’d worn her down.

“Excellent. See you Saturday, ma’am.” He mimed tipping a nonexistent cowboy hat and headed after the mayor, who had just left after speaking with her boss.

Mister Grier shot her a glare, as did a couple other coworkers who had shown up just because of the boss’ presence. She ignored them all. It wasn’t as if her love life had any bearing on her job, and this certainly did not qualify as part of her love life. She was going for a meal and a friendly chat. Nothing more. Probably. Now that she thought about it, however, a good romp with a random guy may prove a good reset, considering her recent behavior. But that’ll be for Saturday to decide. For now, she kept her head down as she continued working, speaking only to Suzy when given a chance, and dealing with Grabby Gruber one more time before her shift ended. The old asshole never once glanced away from her chest while she was in his room. Sadly, she didn’t mind the attention.

Colin sat alone under the only tree on school grounds. It stood vigil atop a hill that dropped off suddenly on the side facing the woods, forming a sinkhole that never filled with water, apparently. There was just a dark sludge that any rainfall simply sank into. Due to the stench wafting from it, and its appearance, it was obvious why the spot was called the Shithole. However, when the weather was cloudy and the breeze directed toward the woods, this spot beneath the tree was rather nice. He couldn’t smell it, nor could he see it from his vantage point. He was able to eat his lunch without gagging.

Behind him, closer to the school, more seniors and juniors lounged in the outdoor café. The two oldest grades were allowed outside, but not to leave the school for lunch – though there were exceptions. Not that there was anyplace to go in the small town. He didn’t care, anyway, since his mom had learned how to make sushi, and this place had a surprising amount of seafood despite being nowhere near the ocean. He had heard the nearby river and large lake were great for fishing. However, another reason that guaranteed he should eat alone was hiding inside the lunchbox. He dared to open the box and saw the note.

Enjoy the salmon, sweetie! Try to make lots of friends today (and maybe ask a girl out already!)

It would’ve been quite dangerous if anybody saw the letter. Especially these xenophobic small town teens. His first couple weeks of school were already on par with his last at his previous high school, although he had made sure not to get himself expelled this time. There also hadn’t been any direct violence other than being shoulder-checked in the hall or accidently knocked in the back of the head by a passerby in class. They had made it very clear that outsiders weren’t welcome here. Since he knew his mom wasn’t having the easiest time at her new job, either, he never told her. He also did his damnedest to think of anything other than her naked body pressed up against his. That was getting harder everyday, more so when they watched movies together at night, and she insisted on wearing the oversized t-shirt and yoga shirts she usually slept in. He felt a slight erection just at that image, so he focused on the meal and the occasional whiffs of the sludge pit.

He chose the ordinary mayo-drenched ham sandwich first and took a bite as he leaned against the tree, finding something to hone in on. There was laughter and cursing from behind, a bird chirping above in the rustling leaves, a dog barking in the distance. He couldn’t hear any traffic from the town, but given how people seemed somewhat averse to using any vehicles requiring gas, that was to be expected.

Then he found it – a violin from the school. Closing his eyes, he focused on this sound, grasping for the lilting and spiking notes as the player created an oddity that was simultaneously forlorn and jovial. Like someone laughing at a funeral. It was a strange taste, for sure, but after a few minutes, he fell in love with it. The melody was impossible to predict, and not just because the violinist seemed to hesitate or correct themselves at times. It was too different. He began to fantasize about a fellow outsider, tucked away in an unused classroom, not caring a whit about not conforming to the town’s standards. Naturally, he pictured a beautiful girl whisking the stick across the strings, almost dancing when the song became more vigorous.

“You’re not dead, are you?”

He peeked at this intruder upon his quiet fantasy. A fairly attractive girl with black hair and green eyes, which were outlined in that Egyptian style that had become popular as of late, though this one used so much mascara as to appear Goth. Her blood-red lips curved into a disappointed smirk as she went from bending over much too close – and in a shirt much too large for her – to standing up straight.

“Just making sure you didn’t slip some cyanide in that mayonnaise you have dripping down your chin.”

He made himself look more annoyed to cover his embarrassment as he wiped his chin. He recognized the girl from his homeroom class, though had yet to speak to her. Next to her stood a tall, rust-haired boy in gym clothes, also seeming a bit disappointed in his continued survival.

“You two here to beat me up?” he asked.

“If that’s what you’re into,” said the guy. “Then we can toss you into the Shithole.”

“Shut it, Danny,” said the girl. “Just checking on you is all. The others have been giving you a lot of shit. It’s not fair.”

“Life rarely is. And I’m not suicidal, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Oh, we’re not worried. We’re curious.”

He eyed them with more suspicion now. Danny either didn’t notice or care, for he asked, “So, your dad’s dead, right?”

The girl punched him in the gut, then smiled at Colin. One of her front teeth was chipped, making the canine look like a fang. “To be more tactful, you have a single mom, right? Don’t worry, that’s one more parent than either of us have.”

“Y-yeah,” Danny said as he tried to straighten up. “Long story. Wanna hear it?”

“Should I play a violin for you?”

The girl snickered and shook her head. “No need. Seems we got one already going in the background. Though she sounds like she’s having a seizure.”

Colin stood and looked toward the school. Before he could ask, the girl answered, “No idea who she is. Nobody’s got a good look at her. Always ducking out when somebody comes looking.”

“Most thinks she’s a ghost,” said Danny. “Never seen her myself, though.”

Mel nodded, perhaps never having met the stranger, either. “Just some girl with issues, or a prankster crackpot, so best stay away. Granted, the rumor mill is spinning like crazy for you, and some are convinced that you’re the culprit. If you want, we can help you squash the rumors, fit in better.”

“Does it look like I want to fit in here? I don’t give much a crap for rumors or petty bullying.”

They shared a look, then a grin. Danny held out his hand and said, “You pass, Mister Williams. The name’s Danny Ortega. And this here is Mel.” She offered a half-salute as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Colin hesitated, but took the guy’s hand, expecting only to shake it. Instead, he was yanked to his feet. Mel glanced around, then, satisfied by what she saw – or lack of it – she said, “Let’s get going.”

“Where, exactly?”

“The roof, dunce. This spot ain’t much for having a quiet meal, what with the smell and the fact that there’s a corpse buried in the mud.”

“Bullshit.”

“So the stories say, but who trusts rumors, anyway? The roof, though, that is the best place. You can see damn near the whole town.”

“And throw your leftovers on the assholes walking underneath,” Danny interjected. He glanced at Mel, who made a point not to meet his gaze. Colin could easily surmise what that meant.

“But isn’t that off limits?”

They both smirked. Their movements were so synchronized, he wondered if they were twins. Then she said, “I thought you don’t give much a shit about fitting in. So why would you care about breaking a few rules? The teachers sure don’t. If they did, they’d lock the damn door to the roof.”

They grabbed his lunch box and took their share, Mel also snatching the letter from his mom. Rather than mocking him, she smiled a little before handing it back and proceeded to chow down on the salmon sushi role. The two troublemakers led the way around the building and back inside, heading for the southern stairwell. Colin kept a lookout, certain a teacher or security guard was going to come chasing after them any minute. Nobody noticed their ascent onto the forbidden roof.

“Don’t worry, new kid,” said Mel. She waved her arms as she headed straight for the edge along the front of the building. “You’ll learn to like this place, more or less.”

Colin gazed over the town that sprawled out before him. The place really was too damn small. Danny slapped him on the shoulder, jolting him from his bored reverie. “Or we’ll find out the church is heralding the apocalypse. In which case, things will get real interesting.”

Five hours after the town meeting, and after a second shift where she was forced to fill in for somebody claiming to be sick, Annabeth was driving while yawning as wide as she could manage, wishing she had grabbed another cup of the town hall’s shitty coffee. At some point – or several – she had passed the street she needed to reach her neighborhood. Even after two weeks, she could not remember how to get anywhere, at least not the most direct routes. Her memory really was becoming a struggle. Ah, well, she thought. Not like I can afford a checkup. She was about to cross onto Lone Road again when she caught something white on the edge of the headlights. Slowing down, the silhouette took on more details. The truck was right along side the young woman by the time Annabeth could make out that it was even a person.

The stranger was clothed in a sleek, layered pale dress. The girl showed no sign of apprehension, only a bit of curiosity as Annabeth rolled down the passenger window and leaned over the seat. “Is everything okay, kiddo?”

The girl stepped closer and leaned against the door to peer inside. Her eyes were so blue that they almost shined in the darkness. She proffered a polite smile as she said, “On my way home from a party. My friend dropped me off a bit far, though.”

“Seriously? Why the hell would they dump you all the way out here? This is practically the edge of town.”

She shrugged as if this were a normal thing to do. “They were in a hurry. It’s okay. I know the way home.”

“Nonsense. It’s nine o’clock at night, and way past curfew. Let me take you home.”

She opened to door for the girl, who only hesitated for a moment before sliding in. Annabeth held her hand out and offered her name. The girl gave her a delicate handshake in return.

“Sara.”

Her bare arms were extremely thin, covered in goosebumps. The dress wasn’t of a particularly heavy material, and slid up her legs when she settled in.

“Are you cold, Sara?” The girl only shrugged, then rubbed her arms. Annabeth reached before her head and pulled free a cotton hoodie jacket that Colin had forced her to take. He had figured the night might be cold, so she would need it more than him whenever she worked late. “Gotcha covered,” she said as she handed over the jacket.

“Thank you,” she said in a much softer tone. She slipped it over her shoulders and zipped it up. The girl directed her further into town as Annabeth became a bit incessant with the questions about the party. If there were plenty of parties with cute ladies like her in attendance, Colin might have some good opportunities. The girl, however, remained coy about her evening, giving short, polite answers without any details.

She did, however, begin breathing heavily. As Annabeth tried to remain focused on the road, she kept taking sidelong glances at the girl, who shifted and occasionally let slip a soft moan. At the next stop sign, she finally looked directly at Sara, who was watching her through half-closed eyes. Her skirt was hiked up along one pale, creamy thigh, her hand slipped underneath.

“What are you doing?”

“I enjoy the scent,” she breathed. She then inhaled the jacket, and grinned at Annabeth. “You enjoy it, too.”

Annabeth wanted to tell the freak to stop. It was what she was supposed to do. But she knew what Sara was talking about. That very morning, she had done the exact same thing. While holding Colin’s jacket close, she had breathed his scent as she pleasured herself, albeit more quickly and forcefully than this strange girl was doing. Watching her was also too alluring. She shook her head clear of the memory and the fantasy.

Driving on, she kept quiet as Sara continued, until the girl hissed and trembled briefly. She then wiped her hands dry on the jacket sleeve.

After a moment of very uncomfortable silence, she risked asking, “Did you see me earlier? In the parking lot at the center?”

Sara giggled, letting that be her reply. It took only a few minutes to reach a place she declared was her stop. As the truck pulled into the drive of a fairly large two-story house, Sara said her thanks before departing the cab.

“Anytime, Sara,” said Annabeth without a hint of sincerety. “See you around.”

She walked quickly and silently, vanishing into the enshrouded front porch. The truck’s headlights were aimed away, just out of reach, making the shadows seem thicker. Annabeth never heard the door open or close, nor did she see any light spill out from the house. The girl was likely sneaking in so that her parents didn’t catch her out so late.

As she backed up the truck, she caught a light turning on in an upstairs bedroom window. There was someone silhouetted behind the glass. Only this one was shorter than Sara had been. Probably a sister or her mother, or Sara just leaning down to peek out one last time.

“Mister Williams, please come up and finish this phrase.”

Colin looked up from his notebook, not even realizing what he had been doing for the last fifteen minutes. Within the scribbled patch of darkness he could just discern a staircase and a faint silhouette where he had grinded the pencil against the paper. There were two spots where the silhouette’s eyes would be. He turned the page before looking up at the teacher. It was some poem, probably a line from Shakespeare.

“Is there a problem, Mister Williams?” asked Professor Cranston. “Or do you need a camera crew before you’re able to perform?”

Several students snickered while the gangly, bespectacled teacher watched him, as if hoping he’d lash out. Colin, knowing what was expected, decided to play dumb. “What do you mean, sir?”

“And here is poor Colin trying to pretend everything is normal,” said someone from the left. Kirk, Clark, Kent, something like that. The guy was a walking stereotype, a jock that often flirted with Mel without receiving any attention in return. Others began following up his joke, narrating some unseen documentary. Apparently, it was quite riotous, for people were laughing, and even the teacher smiled while almost glaring at Colin.

Mel, who sat a couple of desks away, was watching him with obvious sympathy, though the heavy purple mascara made her appearance almost as sinister as that silhouette in his notebook. It finally dawned on him that they all knew why he had left his hometown. It pissed him off less than expected. He tried to read the whiteboard, but as his eyesight was starting to weaken during the last few years, he barely made out the old English phrase. “Sorry, I don’t remember how the rest goes.” He couldn’t even recall what play the line was from.

“Then perhaps you need to actually read Hamlet.” Professor Cranston called on someone else, who happily showed up Colin.

The rest of the class was fairly awkward, with the occasional jab at his past. He was used to this treatment - whether that was good or bad - but he was also still in the dark as to how these people knew about it. The crime had been a local sensation, not a national one, at least he had assumed so. When he got out of class, he asked Mel about it.

“I was trying to keep quiet about it,” she admitted.

“Then you shouldn’t have greeted me by asking if I was the guy with the dead dad.”

“Yeah, sorry. In Danny’s defense, I thought it a great opener at first, too.” She shied away from his not-so-humored smirk. “I’m a bitch, I admit.”

They skirted a crowd of girls that almost blocked the hallway, gossiping loudly about some boys on the swim team. He asked her again how his backstory had gotten around.

“There was a show about unusual murders a month back. Those crime shows are popular here. Your dad was the star of that one. Enigmas and Mysterious Deaths, it’s called.”

Is that even legal? he thought. Normally, shows like that would have to get permission from people featured, at least he had assumed so. He made a note to ask Annabeth about it later.