Chapter 20

The tomb is silent.I'm sitting on top of a gravestone nearby.

There's no glow surrounding it. No noises coming out of it.

"Do you like people being here?"

I don't really expect an answer. The only time Churchill Bradley acknowledges me is to howl, scream threats and chase me away. He's got the whole old person ‘get off my land' attitude down perfect.

And like any proper teenager, it just makes me want to antagonize him more. Much to Zoey's disgust.

Focusing my energy, I lift a stone from the ground and send it hurtling toward the doors. It smashes against them and drops to the ground.

Nothing. Not a single response.

I do it again, this time with a handful of rocks.

"Go away." His voice is a low rumble.

"I really want to, but I can't."

His sigh is like a breeze, making the leaves on the trees flutter.

"You're young and impatient." A fog forms in front of the doors and I sit up straight.

This is new.

The fog coalesces into the shape of a man. Heavyset, wearing dark gray pants and a white shirt.

The shock of seeing him makes me lose my grip on my thoughts and I sink halfway through the gravestone before I regain control. I step out and move toward him.

"To what do I owe the honor?"

Steely gray eyes pin me in place. "You think I can't hear your sarcasm, boy?"

"Oh, I know you can." I fold my arms and lift my chin. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Do? His laugh echoes around the cemetery. "Boy, I don't need to do anything." He walks closer, and circles me. "You think you know everything. You come here and make demands. You think you can just go back and everything will be as it was before your death."

"There has to be a way."

"And you think you're the first to believe it? Or do you think you'll be the first to succeed where millions have already failed? Are you so egotistical that you think you're the special one?"

"I am special." I smirk. "Far too special to be stuck here for eternity."

He laughs again, the sound sending a chill through me. "You have no idea, boy. No idea at all." His head turns toward the moon. "You don't have the time you think you have."

"What does that—"

The cemetery fades away, to be replaced by a room.

"What the fuck?" I turn, just as someone claps their hands.

Eli is strapped to a chair, his face a bloodied mess. A woman, blonde … Linda … stands in front of him and beside her …

"What the actual fuck?"

It's like watching a movie.

Evan lifts a gun, aims it at Eli. I launch myself forward, my only thought to put myself between Eli and the bullet hurtling toward him. Of course, it goes straight through me, and hits him. Blood soaks the front of his shirt. The impact sends him backward, tipping over on the chair and he hits the ground, his head connecting solidly with the floor.

I dive forward ... and then I'm falling … falling … and land outside the cafeteria.

Shaking my head, I look around.

Eli is sprawled on the ground in front of me, eyes dazed as he blinks up at me.

"You're such a fucking hot mess," I snap, fear that he's dead too strong for me to control my anger. I reach down to help him up. "Why can't you do anything without me needing to save your ass?"

"I was doing fine until you died."

"Which proves my point." I nod toward the door. "Want to grab a seat, and I'll get our food?" I need a moment to figure out if he's dead or if I can send him back. I fucking hope he can go back. He can't be dead, too. I won't allow it.

"Sure."

I push open the door of the cafeteria and lead him inside. It's packed, as usual, but everyone seems quiet and upset. I split away to pick up our lunch and meet him at our usual table.

Placing a mug of coffee in front of him, I sit down.

"We should probably talk about what happens next."

"And what's that?"

His body fades in and out.

"Fuck. Hold on. I think you're going back."

"Kellan?" His eyes widen and he reaches out to grasp my hand, only for it to go right through. "Kell?"

"You're not dead." But he doesn't hear me, because he's gone. "Fuck!"

I narrow my eyes, focus my thoughts on where I want to be. The room where Eli was shot appears around me. It's chaos inside. Arabella is on her knees beside Eli. Evan is behind her.

"Fuck. No! Arabella, look!" I shout as loud as I can, knowing in my heart that she can't hear me. But she looks up, just as Evan turns to face her.

He raises his gun.

In my head I see a repeat of what just happened to Eli. Having them both together in the afterlife is not what I had in mind. I'm trying to build up enough energy to throw things, when Linda attacks Arabella from the side. They fight, with Arabella getting the upper hand. She shoves Linda into Evan, knocking the gun from his hand.

"Oh my fucking god. Get the fucking gun!" I'm shouting like it's a fucking movie and I'm watching it on television, knowing she can't hear me but unable to stop myself.

Arabella scrambles forward, wraps her fingers around the gun and lifts it.

"Fucking shoot him!"

She does. The fucking idiot taunts her. Goads her into shooting him again. She doesn't falter.

I'm so fucking proud of her. I want to hug her and spin her around and kiss her—not in a tongue-down-her-throat kind of way because Eli would kill me, but in a brotherly ‘you're fucking amazing' kind of way. But I can't do any of it.

And then the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

Whispers, scratches, followed by shadows detaching themselves from the walls and floor. They float toward Evan, who is standing there looking down at his body. At the sounds, his head lifts and his eyes meet mine. A smile pulls his lips up and he steps forward, then frowns.

The shadows weave around him, tangle around his legs, wrap around his arms. The smile drops from his face, and his lips part.

"Stop them!" He throws the plea toward me.

I shake my head. "Fuck you."

The shadows tighten their grip, the whispers grow louder, as they smother his body and spirit and slowly, so fucking slowly, drag him down. He shouts, screams, fights, but to no avail, and eventually there is only silence.

I stare at the spot on the floor, and then take a slow look around the room. It's empty. It looks like it's been empty for a while. How long have I been standing here?

How much time has passed?

I gather my thoughts, visualize where I want to be, and disappear.

When I reappear inside the tomb, I throw myself at the man whose back is to me.

"Tell me how to fucking go back!" I snarl, shoving at him. "I need to make sure he's okay. I need to go fucking back. You have answers. Fucking tell me. I need to know."

A bolt of energy knocks me back and through the doors. I scramble up and dart forward again, only to find the way blocked by Churchill Bradley, his eyes burning like fire.

"Know your place, boy," he roars.

"My place is not here. It's back there. With my friends. I won't rest. Not until I can make it back there. I'll destroy this place. I'll terrify everyone until no one wants to come here. I will make sure you're alone forever. Tell me how to fucking leave."

Instead of the expected blow, he throws back his head and laughs. "You're so busy fighting and shouting, you're not paying attention to what's happening around you. Do you really want to know, Kellan Fraser? Do you really want the answers you demand?"

"Of course I fucking do."

"Then start paying attention to your surroundings. The answer is in front of you."

"Stop talking in riddles. For once, just tell me!"

"Then stop talking and listen!"

A bolt of energy hits me in the stomach, sends me across the tomb and pins me to the wall. When I open my mouth to shout, another bolt of energy gags me.

"Finally, blessed silence." Churchill Bradley stalks toward me. "Eleven years you've been here, throwing tantrums and demanding answers. But not once did you ever stop and listen. Not once did you bother to learn about your surroundings. You're so full of your own self-importance, you missed the obvious."

I glare at him.

"This isn't heaven, boy. Nor is it hell. It's where you come to wait. But you lack patience or understanding. Thankfully, your time is coming to an end."

An end? What does he mean?

"Listen!"

I don't have much choice since he's got something blocking me from talking, and I tilt my head and listen, not really expecting to hear anything.

But then I do hear something. I frown.

"There you are. Do you hear it now?"

I nod.

"But you still have no idea what it means, do you?"

I narrow my eyes.

Churchill Bradley smiles. "What it means, boy, is that I'll finally get my peace back. It's time for you and your sister to leave this place."

Whatever was holding me in place drops away, and I fall to the ground.

"Leave?"

"Look at your hands, boy."

I look down, and my eyes widen as my hands fade in and out.

"What's happening?"

"You've gotten your wish. It's time for you to return. You have just enough time to say your goodbyes." He throws out a hand. "Now collect your sister and leave my home."

I'm thrown backward, tumbling over and over. Sounds rush past my ears. Lights blind me. And then my hand curls around someone else's.

Warmth surrounds me.

And then I'm floating …