I hugged my knees in the darkness and sucked in my breath. Footsteps echoed eerily down the empty hall, growing louder and louder. My heart pounded as she approached.
“No! No!” I wanted to scream. I peeked through my fingers. My hands were ready to cover my eyes.
“Don’t do it,” Owen murmured under his breath. “Don’t open that door.”
She didn’t listen.
Her pale hand twisted the doorknob. Owen’s body stiffened next to me. The door creaked on its hinges.
For a moment, there was silence.
And then screams. Shrill, terrified screams. From her. From me. From voices all around me. Tentacles lashed out. A big, bulbous head with one eyeball and teeth. Lots of jagged teeth.
I ripped the paper 3-D glasses off my face. “A sea monster that walks on land? Really?”
“Totally. Oh! Watch out!” Owen called to the girl on the oversize movie screen set up by the lake. Nearly strangled, the girl ripped the attacking tentacle, and green slime squirted out.
“Gross,” Owen murmured.
We shared one of the many plaid blankets scattered across the grass for Teen Scary Movie Night. Creature from the Deep was playing. I wondered about the wisdom of this choice. How many of the kids surrounding me in the chilly night would brave the dark lake water tomorrow, even with the sun shining bright?
Not me.
I glanced to my right to see Lily’s reaction. She was easily freaked out by scary movies.
She wasn’t there.
By the pale moonlight, the blanket that she’d shared with Kayla lay empty.
“Where are they?” I nudged Owen, who still gaped at the struggle on the screen.
“Sneaked off. Before the scene with the mist.”
How’d I miss that?
The girl on the screen screamed again. “Run!” Owen cried, shaking his mop of curls in disbelief. I didn’t bother to follow the horror she’d let herself in for now. My eyes searched the sloping lawn for Lily and Kayla.
I knew I wouldn’t find them outside.
I knew where they’d gone.
Without me.
I debated staying on the blanket and watching the end of the movie. But I didn’t care if the sea monster ate the girl or not.
I did care about Lily.
“Be right back,” I whispered to Owen. Then I made my way up to the hotel.
To the second floor.
To room 22.
The door was ajar. Laura, Lily, and Kayla stood between the two beds. I leaned against the door frame and watched Laura. She dipped her fingertips into a shallow bowl, then scattered liquid onto the carpet. Lily remained motionless, and Kayla rocked on her heels as they watched Laura chant, “Fire, fire burning bright. Leave us, leave us tonight.”
Belinda watched too, from the far corner. The salt water or whatever Laura sprinkled had no effect on her.
Laura looked up and motioned me inside.
“I thought you didn’t—” Kayla began, but Laura shushed her.
Lily said nothing.
The air felt thick and stuffy, even though the door wasn’t closed. I joined them in the center. The temperature grew warmer.
“Can you feel the heat?” Laura whispered.
“No.” Kayla inspected her cuticles.
Lily nodded and so did I.
“Are there . . . are there ghosts here?” Lily asked.
Was she talking to me?
“Yes,” Laura answered. “There is one. I feel the presence of one.”
I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath until I exhaled deeply. Laura knew! She was going to be okay. She could handle this.
“What happens next?” I whispered.
Laura placed the bowl on the night table. “Next, we form the circle of banishment.”
“What’s that?” Kayla asked.
“Hold hands. All of us,” Laura instructed.
I kept my eyes on the shimmery form of Belinda as I grasped Laura’s and Kayla’s hands. Sweat beaded along my hairline.
“I brought a special oil lamp with an extra-long wick. We will set it on a table in the middle of our circle to burn,” Laura continued.
“Burn?” I squeaked.
“Shhh,” Lily warned me.
“Laura, remember what Sofia said? Don’t you think anything with fire is a bad idea?” I didn’t know much about what was going on, but I knew striking a match near Belinda was asking for trouble.
Laura considered this for a moment. “Agreed. No oil lamp.”
“What’d you do when you cleansed other houses?” I asked.
“This is my first. We’ll go with the circle approach.” Laura pursed her lips.
I cringed. Her first time. Laura was making this up as she went along.
Lily watched me react from directly across our circle. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“Let’s sit,” Laura instructed. “Keep a strong grip and close your eyes. Focus on banishing the spirit within these walls.” She began to hum.
Kayla and Lily closed their eyes along with her. There was no way I was going to stop watching Belinda. Already the faintest orange glow had appeared around her.
Their humming was slightly off-key and increased in volume. Belinda glided toward our circle.
Toward Lily.
Sweat snaked down my neck, pooling in the hollow of my collarbone. Belinda hovered behind Lily. Gently, her hand stroked Lily’s hair. Up and down, as if brushing her long waves.
The room grew warmer.
Lily’s eyelids fluttered open. She zeroed in on my horrified expression. Ghost? she mouthed.
I nodded, afraid to anger Belinda with a sudden movement.
Lily stayed eerily calm. Where? she mouthed.
Behind you, I mouthed back, my body rigid with fear. My skin prickled with heat. Hotter and hotter. Don’t move.
Belinda leaned closer, twisting a strand of Lily’s hair around her finger. Lily remained frozen.
Kayla dropped my hand. “Okay, it’s like a thousand degrees in here, and nothing’s happening. This is stupid.” She stood and stepped away. Then she pulled her phone from the pocket of her faded zip-up sweatshirt and scrolled through texts.
Laura opened her eyes and frowned.
Belinda dropped Lily’s hair but stayed where she was.
“Lil, they’re serving ice cream down by the lake. Mint chip.” Kayla was clearly bored. “Let’s get out of here.” She reached down to pull Lily upright.
Belinda’s eyes blazed. The glow around her deepened. She pushed on Lily’s shoulder, holding her down as Kayla tried to pull her up. Lily let out a muffled cry.
“What’s wrong? You coming?” Kayla asked.
“Not now,” Lily managed. She shot me a desperate look. Belinda held her in place.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Belinda’s hand on Lily. My skin seared with the pain of blistering sunburn.
“That cute boy texted me. The one from the waterslide.” Kayla held out her phone.
Lily glanced between me and Kayla. “Later,” she said tightly.
“I’m going to get ice cream with him. Meet us, okay?” Kayla headed out into the hall, all the while typing on her phone.
My throat was so dry I could barely push out the words. “Go,” I croaked. “Go with Kayla.”
Lily shook her head.
“She’s touching you,” I said. “She wants you to be with her. You have to get out now.”
“I know,” Lily whispered. “I can sort of feel her. I wish I could see her like you.”
“See her?” Laura’s head twisted from Lily to me. “What do you mean? Sara, you can see her?”