Nightfall (Grim Gate 1)

I nudge him with my arm. “I knew you’d come around.”

A few minutes later, Harrison gets his food, and we head out to his car. There’s a weird feeling in the air again, and the heaviness that usually sits on my chest is gone. It’s an odd feeling, made even weirder by my lack of ability to hold my mental shields up at the moment. I always thought the ghosts were the reason for the oppression, but I’m sensing them left and right as we drive to my house.

I change into PJs as soon as I’m home and go into the kitchen to steal a couple of fries from Harrison. I should have ordered something, dammit. Hunter is waiting by the back door.

“Need to go out, buddy?” I ask him and unlock the door. Hunter bolts forward as soon as the door is open, growling. My heart skips a beat and fear prickles down my spine. It’s the dog-creature. It has to be.

“Oh shit,” I say out loud and sprint out the door. “Hunter!” I call, but there’s no way he can hear me over his own barking. “Hunter!” I call again, but then the energy shifts, hitting me hard and making me dizzy. I shake my head, trying to force the mental shields up, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t block it out.

Red-hot fear shoots through me, and my eyes widen in terror. A shadow moves through the alley, visible through the chain-link fence. Hunter runs to me, standing guard as he growls at whatever is moving toward us. The shadow takes on a more human form. Energy buzzes in my ears.

I’m frozen, rooted in the same spot, as I watch the dark shape step through the fence as if it’s not even there. It reaches out, taking electromagnetic energy from my body. The darkness melts away as the ghost shifts into a human appearance. He’s a teenage boy, with scraggly blonde hair that ends above his shoulders.

He looks at me, his eyes pleading. Then he holds his arms out to the side and opens his mouth, trying to speak. His dead eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head. A chill goes through me, and I suddenly feel the ghost’s emotions. He’s giving me a warning…but I don’t know why. He looks behind him, fear crinkling his young face, and then disappears into the night without a trace.

What the fuck? First Bob, then that dog-creature-thing, and now this cryptic spectral visit? Shaking myself, I reach down and slip my fingers under Hunter’s collar. “Come on,” I tell him and turn, going back into the house.

Harrison is standing on the little patio, blue eyes wide.

“You’ll never believe what was out there.”

“I think I will,” he says, voice a little breathy. “Because I saw it too.”

Chapter Six

“What exactly did you see?” I usher Hunter inside and close the door behind us. Harrison either had the ability to see spirits all along or—more realistically—the spirit manifested strong enough for anyone to see.

“Some kid…walking in the alley.” Harrison’s eyes go to the little window at the top of the door. “And then he just disappeared.” He closes his eyes. “He, um, just run away really fast, right?”

“Come on, Har. It was a ghost and you know it. He walked through the fence. Did you feel the air?”

“Feel the air?”

“Yeah,” I say, still too drunk to do a good job explaining anything. “It felt different, didn’t it?”

Harrison slowly shakes his head. “It didn’t feel any different to me.” He steps back, rubbing his temple. “That was really a ghost?”

“It was.”

“Do they always look like that?”

“No. Most are just gray shadows or maybe a quick glimpse of how they used to look. It takes a lot of energy to manifest in that way.” I let out a breath, feeling dizzy, and I don’t know if it’s from the alcohol or the ghost. I get a drink of water and join Harrison at my little kitchen table. Four people can technically fit around it, if I slide it out from against the wall that is. But then there’s hardly any room to walk about the kitchen. Laney and Leslie are the only friends I ever invite over, and most of the time we sit in the living room with the TV on while we eat.

“How often do you see them like that?” Harrison’s still looking at the back door as he opens his takeout bag.

I shrug. “Depends on how often I leave my house. I know the rent is a little high on this place for what it is, but it’s not haunted.”

“We just fucking saw a ghost.” He sweeps his hand out.

“That doesn’t make this place haunted.” I fill up my cup again and take a big drink. “He was passing through or something.” I set the glass down and run a hand over my face, remembering I have makeup on. I weave my way into the bathroom and do a half-assed job taking my makeup off, and then plop down on the couch.