Crossed Out (14 page)

I climbed down the old oak tree next to my house. On the ground, I darted on tip-toe to some bushes, where I’d left my old ten-speed bike. I was so glad it was dark outside. I’d just die if anyone from school saw me on this antique-excuse-of-a-bike.

I rode down the street to our meeting place. The cold air burned my face, but I didn’t worry because Mark had agreed to pick me up down the block.

Sure enough, not far ahead I heard the roar of a Harley. The noise intensified the excitement that pulsed through my body.

“Hey.” Mark stopped next to me. “Nice bike.”

My face burned with embarrassment. “Uh … can you wait a sec?” I got off and returned the bike to the bushes.

I rushed back to Mark, who handed me a helmet. Through the shadows of his leather jacket, I saw hints of hard muscles sticking out under smooth skin. I could imagine curling up next to Mark, my head right there, just where his should met his pecs, warm and safe. The fuzzy glow from the streetlights intensified the blueness of his eyes.

“You look nice,” he said with a one-dimpled smile.

“Thanks.” My heart skipped a beat. He was even cuter at night.

I got on the back of the bike and wrapped my arms around his waist.

We drove toward Arden Hills Mall. I snuggled close against Mark, his back shielding me from the freezing air. Out-of-control thoughts whirled through my mind. I still couldn’t believe I was this close to a guy. A guy I’d only known for a week. I pushed the feelings aside. Jeez, was I a slut or what?

We drove toward the main entrance to the mall, then down a back alleyway. The coffee house appeared, an air of dejection surrounding it. The posters of Bon Jovi wannabes on the entrance flapped in the sudden breeze.

Mark parked his bike in the deserted parking lot.

“Here we are,” he said.

“Why are we coming here?” When he first told me we were going to be meeting here, it didn’t bug me. Now it did. “Isn’t it closed?”

Mark took my helmet and placed it in on the back of his Harley. He shrugged his shoulders. “Come on, Stephanie, you work in the dark. What’s the big deal?”

The coffee house looked big and ominous. Once more I was a five-year-old trick-or-treater going to the neighborhood haunted house with my brother Ricky. In my imagination I’d pictured witches, goblins, and demons waiting to drive pitch forks through us and roast our bodies over huge fires. I almost wet my pants.

“Um … yeah. But I’ve never visited a place that’s closed for the night.”

“Trust me,” he said. “What I have to show you will make this evening worth while.”

My curiosity piqued, I followed him up to the coffee house.

Mark pushed the door open.

That’s weird. Didn’t the owners lock up?

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Impatience crept into his voice.

“I’m coming.”

I followed him inside. Chairs were on top of the tables. The low ceiling made the room feel crowded and cramped. The pungent scent of coffee, cigarette smoke, and something sharp and bitter filled the dark building.

I found myself glancing at a door in the far corner of the room. Suddenly, Dylan flashed in my mind. I had a strong feeling – his presence permeated my senses.

“Come on.” Mark grabbed my hand. “My room’s upstairs.”

I jumped, dropping Mark’s hand. The image of Dylan faded.

“You live here?”

“You can say that.”

Who lives in an old coffee house? Maybe this meeting isn’t so cool after all.

“Here.” Mark motioned to a spiral staircase tucked away in the corner. “Let’s use the stairs.”

In a daze, I followed him up. I didn’t remember seeing stairs the last time I’d been here.
Strange.
The air seemed more oppressive than it had earlier. Some more faded 1990s rock posters lined the walls. Mark stopped in front of an old, battered door.

He placed his hand on the doorknob. It creaked open and we stepped in. A musty scent made me sneeze. “Jeez, don’t they believe in cleaning?” I brushed my hand on a counter. A residue of dirt coated my finger.

“Leave it,” Mark said. “I’m sure someone will deal with it tomorrow.”

“Sure.” I glanced at the darkened room. I couldn’t resist pulling my hoodie closer. “What do you have to show me?”

“Only this.” Mark walked to the far end of the room and opened a closet.

I took a step backwards. It was now so cold, I thought I’d die of frostbite. Plus my legs itched something fierce.

“Does this look familiar?” Mark pulled out a wooden cross. “I keep a spare around in case—”

“In case a spirit finds you, right?” I finished his sentence, my heart thudding.

“Yeah, you could say that.” His eyebrows rose in annoyance.

“Cool,” I said, trying to act like it was no big deal that someone else used a cross to help spirits. Inside my stomach turned to mush.

I glanced at the cross – similar to the ones I made but also different. While mine were colorful with imagines that represented the victim, his was plain and cold. Nothing decorated the wood.

“Don’t you put stuff on it?” I asked.

He fingered the cross in his hands. I could imagine his hands stroking me, each touch erupting sensations foreign to me, but ones I wanted to experience.

He seemed lost in thought. But then he glanced back at me, his blue eyes icy.

 “Why? Who doesn’t know what a cross,” a grimace crossed his face and his voice dropped, “means?” Then his expression blanked.

“Uh,” I gulped. “I guess you’re right.”

He smiled. His smile lit up the cramped room. I couldn’t believe I’d been stupid enough to doubt him. Still, the thought nagged at me, refusing to leave.

“Tonight we need one for the hunt.”

“A hunt?”

“We’re going to go find a spirit.” He cocked his head and his eyes seemed to darken as he stared through me. “Isn’t that what you do?”

“Whoa, time out.” I stopped and stared at him. “So you are a rescuer?”

His blue eyes darkened. “I like to think I’m on an adventure, and I’m hunting for the lost ones.”

“What?” The warning bells inside my head rang even louder. “That’s a weird way to look at it.”

“Come on, Stephanie.” He stepped closer, until we were face to face. Cupping my chin, he smiled. “Don’t you trust me?”

Even in the dim light, his blue eyes melted my concerns. I felt myself drawn to him. His open jacket revealed his tight stomach and buff chest.

“Sure,” I whispered.

He leaned in. Our faces were only inches apart.
My gosh, he’s gonna to kiss me.
I closed my eyes, waiting.

His lips met mine, soft at first, then more intense. My heart beat so hard, I thought it would jump out.

It ended too soon. He pulled away. “See, you have nothing to worry about.” He lightly touched my lips with his finger. An electrical spark went through me.

No fair. I wanted more. But then a weird thing happened. For a second a stranger’s features flashed over Mark’s face.

“What’s wrong?” He cocked his head.

“Um.” I took a step back. “Nothing.” What did I just see? A sick feeling twisted my stomach into knots. I couldn’t explain all of this; the coffee house, Mark’s ability, and now his face changing. Was I going nuts?

“Come on, then. Let’s go.” He grabbed my hand.

I resisted the urge to pull away. Maybe eating all that junk food had gone to my head. How much weirder could this night get?

We went downstairs, past the empty room.

He opened the back door.

“So we’re going to find a spirit?” I asked, trying to ignore the goose bumps that covered my body.

“Of course,” Mark said. He grabbed a flashlight hidden in a corner. “Let me go first.”

Who was I to argue?

Chapter 22

“You ready?” Mark asked. He shifted the flashlight into his right hand and turned the door knob with the other. Under his arm was his large wooden cross.

“Yeah, let the fun begin,” I said, ignoring the queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The door creaked open. The squeaky sound grated on my already frazzled nerves.

“Here.” Mark handed me the cross. “You help. We’re going to the state fairgrounds.”

“Wait a minute here.” I stared first at the cross then back to Mark. “We need to go where?”

“The empty lot by the fairgrounds,” Mark said with a bit of impatience. “Why are you surprised? You didn’t think the spirit would be here, did you?”

“Uh, no.” I shook my head. Except for maybe the few times I’d felt Dylan close by, the coffee house didn’t seem that much out of the ordinary. “I’m just curious how you knew where to go and all.”

“Since when was that a trade secret?” Mark asked. “Don’t tell me you don’t know the places for your so-called rescues.”

“It depends on the spirit,” I said, ignoring his snide comment.

“Yeah, right,” Mark snickered. “I’ll remember to ask next time.”

Why was he being such a jerk? Right now I’d rather have the comfort of Dylan than this unpredictable behavior of Mark’s. No matter how cute he happened to be.

This definitely wasn’t what I’d consider a date. It was more like work. I vaguely remembered Mark mentioning something earlier in the day about sharing something with me. But I had to admit, I wasn’t really paying attention as I’d been mesmerized by his amazing blue eyes.

“Come on,” Mark said. “We don’t have all day.”

He didn’t wait for my reply. He stormed out of the coffee house.

“Why don’t you eff off,” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t care if he was so hot he’d melt butter. No guy disses me like that.

Then out of the blue a completely irrational urge hit. I wanted to be with him. His tight blue jeans emphasized his slim waist and cute butt. His gorgeous full lips and blue eyes were seared in my memory.

I shook my head.
What’s the matter with me?
Maybe Mom was right when she said all that junk food would turn my mind into Jell-O.

I followed Mark to his Harley. The back lot of the Arden Fair Mall seemed even larger without any cars in the parking lot. A full moon hung from the sky like an overripe pomegranate. The fog hadn’t rolled in yet.

The wooden cross slipped through my fingers so I slowed down.

“How much farther do we have to go?” I finally reached his motorcycle, out of breath. It’d been awhile since I’d exercised, and running and tight jeans so didn’t go together.

“It shouldn’t be much longer.” Mark tossed me a helmet. “What’s the big deal? I thought you were used to doing this.”

“Yeah, but I usually don’t have to go far. And I usually have a warning.”

“What, you don’t see anything?” Mark tilted his head. “Your ability to see the dead only happens when you work alone?” He snorted. “What kind of rescuer are you anyway?”

“Jeez.” I glared back at him. “I didn’t ask to come out here with you. And if you don’t want to hang, I’d like to go back home.”

Mark’s face crinkled in confusion. Then he smiled.

Hello, maybe the lights finally came on.

Mark made his way to me. “Come on, Stephanie. Don’t be so sensitive. I didn’t mean to snap at you. But you know the rule. Forty-eight hours or spirit is gone.” He snapped his fingers to emphasize the word gone.

This guy was a rescuer? I couldn’t believe how insensitive he was toward the plight of the dead.

“Whatever.” I shrugged. “Let’s get this over with.”

After ten minutes of holding onto Mark – with a wooden cross chafing my back – we arrived at the deserted fair grounds, a great sweep of parking lot and the twin cinema domes in the distance. During the summer this area was usually packed with an assortment of cars, RV’s, and people. Not tonight. A perfect night for a rescue.

“Let’s go.” Mark parked his bike next to a back alley.

“Like where?” Since I hadn’t seen the spirit, I was clueless where to go.

“It shouldn’t be that far.” He pointed to a patch of oak trees to the left. So far no developers had built on that site. Just open fields and nothing else – except maybe dead bodies.

What was it with dumping people in isolated creepy areas? I got goose bumps just thinking about how easy one could get killed out here. I just hoped the scene wouldn’t be too gruesome.

“Here, I’ll take that.” Mark reached for the cross and took it out of my hands.

We hurried through an opening in the trees. In silence, we trekked up a slope. I started to worry. What would happen if Dylan was right, if something wasn’t right with Mark?

I pushed the thought out of my mind. I resisted the urge to grab Mark’s hand and be close to him. He might have an attitude, but he wouldn’t hurt me.

“How much further?” I asked.

“Not far,” Mark replied.

Then it happened. A rumble broke us apart. The ground rolled under my feet like some frickin’ earth escalator. I almost lost my footing but Mark caught me. That sound could only mean one thing –a spirit was wandering close by.

“Here.” Mark grabbed the cross off the ground and shoved it in my hands. “You do it.”

“No.” I pushed it back to him. “Since you brought me here, why don’t you do the honors?”

“Fine.” A shadow crossed his face. “Maybe after this is done, you’ll believe that I also help the dead.”

A boom sounded overhead. I glanced up. The sky cracked open, shooting out one humongous light beam.

The lot lit up like Sutter High’s stadium during a football game. I shielded my eyes from the intense glare.

I heard the lost spirit before I saw her stumble in our direction.

She had to be about my age – sixteen. A torn and tattered sweatshirt hung from her skinny body. Her long blond hair was a tangled mess. She was coated with a mixture of mud, twigs, and leaves. I winced when I saw her bare feet. A bloody trail followed behind her.

“Who are you?” Her voice surprised me, reminding me of a little girl, not a teenager.

“Come closer,” Mark said, ignoring her question. “We’re here to help you.”

“No.” She shook her head violently. “I know what you want to do.”

Mark’s face darkened.

Another chill went through me. A feeling of
déjà vu
hit me. Mark looked different again. He sure wasn’t the hottie I’d been fantasizing about for the last few days. He even smelled different. The sour scent made me wrinkle my nose in disgust. I took a step backwards, suddenly afraid.