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Authors: P.J. Night
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stairs, she stopped.
The smell.
The bracing scent hung thickly in the air. She stood startled, as if slapped in the face. Every nerve tingled as she inhaled.
Peppermint. Again.
No one was in the hallway. The stairs were empty. She couldnât explain where the mysterious odor was coming from. Suddenly, more than ever, it felt urgent that Spencer be at the door. She needed him to smell the smell. To tell her she wasnât going crazy. To explain everything.
She hurried down the steps.
The temperature change was obvious as she reached the foyer. The heat was still on down here. The murmur of the TV reached her ears from the family room. She could still smell the peppermint, although perhaps more faintly than before.
Twisting the lock on the front door, she reached for the brass handle. She pulled hard. An enormous gust of frigid air swept through the house as she opened the door onto the storm. Her hair flew about her face, and she leaned into the wind.
The front step was empty.
No Spencer or Gavin.
The outside lights on either side of the door cast a faint glow on the inky darkness of the night. Snow swirled aboutâthe fat flakes carried in circles by the incredible wind.
She peered down the deserted walkway. It was covered by an untouched layer of fresh whiteness. No boot prints. They hadnât tried to come up to the door.
Still inside the house, she tried to see across the desolate street. The neighborhood was quiet, except for the howls of the wind. Everyone was inside, protected from the oncoming storm. She stared at the outline of Spencerâs house. A shiver ran along the base of her neck.
The house was dark. Completely dark.
Twisting her head, she tried for a different angle. Her eyes teared from the icy gusts. But no matter how hard she squinted, the Stonesâ house continued to blend in with the blackness of the sky. No lights were on. No lights inside. No lights outside.
It was as if no one was home.
As if no one had ever been there.
The house was totally abandoned.
CHAPTER 11
Kelly slowly shut the front door. She stood motionless on the woven mat, trying to piece together the puzzle.
Spencer and Gavin had been in their house a few minutes ago. She was sure of it. And Spencerâs little brother Charlie had been home too. And Spencerâs mom. They wouldnât all leave suddenly in the night, would they?
As hard as she tried, she couldnât come up with a reasonable explanation. At this point, she was even willing to take sort-of reasonable. Maybe they all decided to go to sleep and shut every lightâeven the outside ones? Doubtful. Especially since Spencer had promised to run right over.
She hooked her mind around the promise. Of all her friends, Spencer was the one she could count on most tokeep a promise. If he said he was coming, then heâd be here. He always came through. She would wait.
The hum of the television penetrated her muddled thoughts.
Ryan. Sheâd go hang out with Ryan until Spencer showed up, she decided.
She entered the family room from the foyer. The overhead light blazed brightly in here, and the heat seeped through the vents. Her mother had a passion for Americana crafts. A painting of an American flag done on a large, weathered, wooden plank hung over the sofa. The other walls held needlepoint reproductions of colonial samplers. Carved, narrow benches and corn-husk dolls decorated the area near the stone fireplace. On most other nights, Kelly felt as if she were living in a museum. She often teased her mom about it, calling it âYe Olde Family Room.â But tonight being surrounded by all her motherâs trinkets felt soothing.
Ryan sat on the sofa, exactly in the same position as before.
âHey,â she said.
He continued to stare at the TV.
She was about to make a sarcastic remark aboutwhatever alien sci-fi movie he was captivated by when she stoppedâand took a second look at the screen.
Three women in shorts
The smell.
The bracing scent hung thickly in the air. She stood startled, as if slapped in the face. Every nerve tingled as she inhaled.
Peppermint. Again.
No one was in the hallway. The stairs were empty. She couldnât explain where the mysterious odor was coming from. Suddenly, more than ever, it felt urgent that Spencer be at the door. She needed him to smell the smell. To tell her she wasnât going crazy. To explain everything.
She hurried down the steps.
The temperature change was obvious as she reached the foyer. The heat was still on down here. The murmur of the TV reached her ears from the family room. She could still smell the peppermint, although perhaps more faintly than before.
Twisting the lock on the front door, she reached for the brass handle. She pulled hard. An enormous gust of frigid air swept through the house as she opened the door onto the storm. Her hair flew about her face, and she leaned into the wind.
The front step was empty.
No Spencer or Gavin.
The outside lights on either side of the door cast a faint glow on the inky darkness of the night. Snow swirled aboutâthe fat flakes carried in circles by the incredible wind.
She peered down the deserted walkway. It was covered by an untouched layer of fresh whiteness. No boot prints. They hadnât tried to come up to the door.
Still inside the house, she tried to see across the desolate street. The neighborhood was quiet, except for the howls of the wind. Everyone was inside, protected from the oncoming storm. She stared at the outline of Spencerâs house. A shiver ran along the base of her neck.
The house was dark. Completely dark.
Twisting her head, she tried for a different angle. Her eyes teared from the icy gusts. But no matter how hard she squinted, the Stonesâ house continued to blend in with the blackness of the sky. No lights were on. No lights inside. No lights outside.
It was as if no one was home.
As if no one had ever been there.
The house was totally abandoned.
CHAPTER 11
Kelly slowly shut the front door. She stood motionless on the woven mat, trying to piece together the puzzle.
Spencer and Gavin had been in their house a few minutes ago. She was sure of it. And Spencerâs little brother Charlie had been home too. And Spencerâs mom. They wouldnât all leave suddenly in the night, would they?
As hard as she tried, she couldnât come up with a reasonable explanation. At this point, she was even willing to take sort-of reasonable. Maybe they all decided to go to sleep and shut every lightâeven the outside ones? Doubtful. Especially since Spencer had promised to run right over.
She hooked her mind around the promise. Of all her friends, Spencer was the one she could count on most tokeep a promise. If he said he was coming, then heâd be here. He always came through. She would wait.
The hum of the television penetrated her muddled thoughts.
Ryan. Sheâd go hang out with Ryan until Spencer showed up, she decided.
She entered the family room from the foyer. The overhead light blazed brightly in here, and the heat seeped through the vents. Her mother had a passion for Americana crafts. A painting of an American flag done on a large, weathered, wooden plank hung over the sofa. The other walls held needlepoint reproductions of colonial samplers. Carved, narrow benches and corn-husk dolls decorated the area near the stone fireplace. On most other nights, Kelly felt as if she were living in a museum. She often teased her mom about it, calling it âYe Olde Family Room.â But tonight being surrounded by all her motherâs trinkets felt soothing.
Ryan sat on the sofa, exactly in the same position as before.
âHey,â she said.
He continued to stare at the TV.
She was about to make a sarcastic remark aboutwhatever alien sci-fi movie he was captivated by when she stoppedâand took a second look at the screen.
Three women in shorts
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