Read Online Among You by Jack Wallen - Free Book Online Page B

heart lunged forward until it nearly broke free from my chest.
    The girl smiled and her face melted downward. The perfect skin drooped and finally let go its mortal coil and sloughed off completely to reveal the sickly flesh beneath.
    Again, the lights blinked out. When the room was, once again, visible, the specters were gone. The audience gasped, some even applauded.
    “ Sally,’” I whispered, “she was right in front of me. Her face…I could see everything. What they did was impossible.”
    “ Then how did they pull it off,” begged Sally.
    “ I have no idea, but I intend to find out.”
    The remainder of the Gaultier House was as elegant and frightening as the first few encounters. The rooms ranged from morbid to graceful. Throughout, it seemed the redhead angel followed me…made a point to always be at my side when the lights shooed the darkness away. For whatever reason, I found some comfort in her presence. Even the sight of her mask thrilled me. I knew the delight that lay beneath the facade and wanted to dive deep into the pool of her existence.
    Whatever it was, she held powerful sway over me.
    Sally and I stepped out into the chilled night air. My face felt frozen, not by temperature, but astonishment. Shock and awe flooded my system.
    Sally waved a hand in front of my face. “Scott,” she said, “you okay?”
    I nodded. I wasn’t ready to speak; there was so much yet to process.
    “ Come back to me, Spooky.”
    A flood of emotion washed through my system. Tension poured from my muscles to drown the brick walkway below me in emotion and stress.
    “ Oh my God,” I whispered. “Sally, that was…I can’t…how is it possible that…”
    I couldn’t do it; conjure the words necessary to describe what I had just witnessed. In all of my years as a fan of horror and haunts, I had never before experienced such perfection.
    There was something else, something drifting in and out of my conscience that I couldn’t explain away…didn’t want to explain away.
    “ Sally, I have to go through again. I’ll pay for us both. Can you…”
    Concern lined Sally’s face. “I’m sorry, Scott. I have so much homework.”
    Disappointment threatened to break my spirit. I nearly insisted Sally drive home without me. Surely, I could find a cab or bus home. That scenario would play out with me grounded for thirteen lifetimes. Plus, there was no way I’d lay that kind of guilt on my best friend.
    “ I understand. Maybe we can come back this weekend?”
    Sally smiled. ”I’d love to.”
    As we walked away from the Gaultier House, I felt a tug beckon me back. I wanted to give in, turn, and run back into the comfort and wonder of the haunt. I wanted to search out the red-headed angel and fall completely under her spell.
    Against the will of my soul, I allowed Sally to drive me home.
     

seven | discoveries
     
    Babette stood at the hidden exit of the house, the angelic mask hiding her true self from the crowd. She watched the young human boy walk away from the mansion as her heart shattered against her ribcage and fell into the pit of her stomach.
    She didn’t hear Timely step up beside her.
    “ Look at all of them; so utterly devoid of truth,” whispered Timely.
    Babette jumped at the sound of her best friend’s voice.
    “ Oh that’s too rich,” Timely laughed, “I scared you, the great Babette? Wow, this is a banner night.”
    “ No, you didn’t…okay, maybe a little. But I was preoccupied.”
    Timely stared off, in the direction of Babbette’s gaze. “ Oh, the human boy. I saw you fawning over him in the house.”
    Babbette turned to Timely and placed her hands on her hips. “I did not. No fawning happened. I did no such thing.”
    Timely’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped. “You cannot lie to me, Babbett Gaultier. Do not forget who you are speaking to. I know you nearly as well as I know myself. You’re smitten with that human boy…and smitten bad.”
    Babbette opened her mouth to speak,