1. Adella

1

ADELLA

“ O kay, that renews your books, you have thirty days before you’ll need to return them,” I say, smiling at the older woman.

“Thank you,” she says, sliding the stack of books across the counter.

She carefully puts them into her handcart then, turns and leaves. I watch her until she is out the door, then glance around. She was the last patron, so I can close now. I sigh heavily, grabbing the keys, and going to the door.

I flip the sign to “closed” and lock it, then go about all the end of the night duties. Finishing the vacuuming, straightening the shelves, and making sure the return bin is empty. Outside, beyond the floor to ceiling windows, children in costumes accompanied by their parents wander past with their bags or bright orange buckets.

Halloween. Again. It comes, it goes, and yet it is always the same. Other people having fun. Other people enjoying themselves and me, inside looking out. Watching. Alone.

Wrapping up my duties, I grab my purse, look around one last time, then go to the rear door. As I press the bar to open it, my thoughts give me pause. It’s been ten years. I don’t know why this day still bothers me, but it does. Every year, without fail, it hits me that he never came back, like he promised. That I’m still alone.

It’s not like others haven’t tried. I’ve been asked out a few times. I even went on a couple of dates but none of them were him . None of them were even close. And now what? Have I really given up?

That seems to be the case, I suppose have. If I can’t have him, I guess I’ll have no one. Option two, so to speak.

Shaking my head to clear it of the gloom, I hit the bar with my hip and the door swings open with a soft buzz as the magnetic locks disengage. I walk outside into the growing dark. The parking lot is empty except for my slightly worse-for-wear Kia.

That same old sense of relief comes that it’s still there. The “Kia boys” have been active in town ever since that stupid video started making the rounds of social media. I had figured it was only a matter of time until they stole my car too, but maybe it’s not good enough for them.

There is only one street light that casts its milky pool of light over the car. I dig out my keys as I walk over, pressing the unlock button on my fob. The lights flash in response. I open the door and slide into the driver's seat, setting my purse to one side. I turn the car on, then pull out my phone, waiting for the bluetooth to connect. Once it has, I hit “play” on some music before putting on my seatbelt.

I look over my shoulder, drop the car into gear, and back up. The car dies. Not a sputter or any effort to actually work, it just dies.

“What?” I exclaim, turning around.

There are no lights on the dash. I turn the key off and try to start it again, but nothing happens. Not even a click.

“Son of a?—”

I cut myself off before I fully curse. I grab my phone. It won’t activate. I press the power button several times, but nothing. It’s dead too.

“What is this crap,” I mutter, clicking out of the seatbelt and opening the car door.

Angry at pretty much everything in the world, I climb out of the car and slam the door. I look around the empty parking lot, but there’s no one around. I guess that’s both good and bad. No one around means I have no one to help me, but it also means I’m not in danger. A mixed bag, at the moment.

I look at my phone and try to get it on again, so I can call for help, but the black screen mocks me, not even the battery icon is showing up. It shouldn’t be dead. I’d left it on the charger for my entire shift. I look around the lot again, frustrated and unsure what to do. The library alarm will be armed and I don’t have the codes to turn it off, so going back inside is not an option… unless I want to deal with the sheriff.

Behind the parking area are thick trees. The library is on the edge of town, backed up to Crickett’s Woods. A wide swath of undeveloped land that has been left sallow for years. The trees and brush are so thick that no one goes into it willingly. Besides, everyone in town knows the woods are dangerous. Wild animals rule that area and sometimes people go in, but they never come back out.

I turn my back on the wood and walk towards the library building. Maybe I can stop one of the trick or treating families and borrow a phone? Halfway across the empty, dark parking lot, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end.

What?

Fear crawls up my spine, trailing cold fingers. I slip my hand inside my purse. Where is it? My stomach clenches and a cold sweat forms as my breath speeds up. Damn it, come on. My fingers touch the cool metal and plastic, I take a tight grip on the small canister. Straining my ears and every sense I have for any sign of what the danger is as I pull it out of my purse.

Raising the canister before me I do a spin jump and yell. “Hah!”

The empty parking lot is all there is. My extended arm holding the pepper spray shakes as I look all around, certain that some creeper should be there, but nothing. Not a single soul. Yet the hairs on the back of my neck are still on end. I take an uncertain step backwards.

“All right,” I say to myself as I lower my arm. “Knock it off. Just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean I have to freak myself out.”

I swear to you, Ads, I will return. But I must do this first.

His words echo in my memory. As fresh and as raw as they day he whispered them in my ear. And my heart hurts every bit as much now as it did that night.

Sighing, I turn my back on the empty lot and the dark woods that surround it. The tingling on the back of my neck continues, but I ignore it, mostly. I do lengthen my stride, walking faster, while trying to not appear like I am. As if there is someone I am trying to impress.

The corner of the building is closing in when I definitely hear a sound behind me. It sounds like a pop, as if someone just opened a shaken up can of soda. I jump and turn, landing in a crouch with one hand inside my purse desperately trying to find the pepper spray.

“Ads, run!” Jaxon yells.