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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Weston..." a voice whispered.
In between sleep and wakefulness, a light breeze, that felt more like someone's breath, bristled against my hair and tickled the back of my neck."Weston..." the voice whispered again."Go away," I mumbled, snuggling my head into my polyester pillow and sliding further under the covers to break off the sudden unbearable chill. I turned onto my side, finding a comfortable position.Just when I started drifting off to sleep again, the same voice returned."Weston, seriously, wake up.""Shut up and go away," I grumbled and swatted my hand."Don't be like that."I kept my eyes shut and hummed. "Go away," I mumbled again this time with a large yawn as I placed my arm under my head and clapped my chapped lips together."That's it," the voice said. Before I could respond, the blanket was yanked off me and a hand touched my arm.Sudden calm emotions zapped through me causing my eyes to snap open. I shot up and pushed whoever it was away. "What the hell?" I yelled as my gaze locked onto the person.It was Norman."What the hell, Norman? What are you doing in my house? How did you get up here?""That's not important.""What is important?' I asked grumpily as J rubbed the blurriness from my eyes and put on my glasses from my nightstand. I then looked over at the clock. "Are you fricking kidding me? Norman, you seriously couldn't have waited until morning? It's 11:45 at night. That means I've only been asleep for an hour! Are you insane?"Norman put up his hands. "Hey, don't blame me for your lack of sleep. I've been awake. And this idea came to me. Do you remember what Melinda told us about Jerry?""You mean about finding his truck out by that creepy house you were telling me about when I picked you up?""The very same. I was thinking that we should check it out. So, you get ready and I will meet you there. Tonight is the perfect opportunity. I want to find out what is happening." There was something else in his emotions that flickered too fast for me to understand before it was consumed by that ever strange calmness."Is there something else you are up to?" I asked.Norman's gaze furrowed as his lips turned up into a large grin. "That's for me to know and for you to find out. Just meet at the place in fifteen minutes."I got out of bed with a heavy sigh and walked over to my dresser. I turned on the lamp and then rummaged for a shirt which was just a regular gray one. I quickly changed and threw my old one on the floor. I then took off my sweatpants and grabbed a pair of jeans from my closet and put them on. Only in my hastiness, I stumbled multiple times. At one time, I tumbled so much that my elbow collided into my dresser hitting my funny bone. "Son of a... banshee's uncle. Ow!"Getting out of the house was going to be a problem. I had to be vigilant. I eased my bedroom door open halfway and peered out. The whole house was dark and eerily quiet. Using my talent, I tried to detect my grandmother. I could feel her unique emotions, but I couldnt tell if she was awake or asleep.I closed the door and then sauntered over to the window. This would have to do. I would have to be quick and quiet. This window tended to squeak if opened too slowly. And my grandmother didn't have any oil for the hinge. The noise would definitely alert her considering she was a light sleeper. I knew I would have to be smart about this. I unbolted the latch and then shoved the window open as quick as I could, but being careful not to slam it.A warm wave of March air blasted in. I ignored it as I picked up my messenger bag and threw it over my shoulder. I then got out onto the balcony and looked around. This was not going to be fun. I was glad I didn't have a height problem. I looked to the left and saw vines. Being as careful as I could, I used that to get down safely to the ground. I used to escape out windows with Hayden, but never by myself. This felt strange, exhilarating, but I also felt guilty.I made it around to my Jeep and got in. I turned on the ignition and then backed out of the driveway and headed to where Norman said to meet him.
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Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter sixteen
Skidding to a stop in the gravel, I turned off the engine. I then leaned over and popped open the glove compartment and pulled out the spare flashlight I had hidden.The second I stepped out of my vehicle and closed the door, a bitter chill crisped over my face. I shivered. This was too cool for March air. Hestitatedly, I reopened the door and grabbed my hoodie from the passenger seat, and put it on before I walked. My footsteps chomping into the rocks made it sound like I was stepping on glass which made me even more uneasy.I then stopped at a huge, creepy gate and took in everything about it. It wasn't odd. The old iron was so badly rusted that some of the bars were bent at weird angles and becoming so dismantled that a small child could squeeze through them if they were careful. Even the words at the top were falling apart. Only the M and C were still intact. Because of its looming appearance, it prevented me from seeing beyond the gate and tree lines. But looking up, I could make
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter seventeen
The black cat suddenly turned and sat in front of me with glowing yellow and green eyes.Hello, Weston, an eerily familiar voice whispered in my mind.What the hell was this? Since when do cats talk with their minds? And what kind of cat knows my name?Not all cats can. I am one of a kind. You may call me Mel. And I know you because I have been keeping a close eye on you without you noticing."Mel?" I asked, surprised. "Do you know Melinda? Are you her cat? Is that how you know me because she talks to you?"Something like that. But I don't have time to get into that. You must listen to me very closely. This house isn't safe. The spirits that dwell in here have sensed your presence. It won't be long now before they come to you. You must leave now."What are you talking about? You mean that man who showed up a minute ago?"Mel nodded her head and then scratched her ear with her paw. People who were killed in strange ways are left on earth seeking someone who can help them. That person j
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter eighteen
Present And that's what led me here. I knew investigating that door was a big mistake.And not knowing where Norman was, was bugging me. Was he even here with me? How did we get separated?Suddenly, pounding footsteps were right outside the mouth of the cave. I curled up. What could I do against the dragon?The dragon lowered its body until its head was right in front of me. I could see the slit in its golden eyes as he peered at me. He then bowed his head to me like I was some kind of important person."Master Azure," spoke the dragon in a deep voice.Great. First, a mind-talking cat, then a talking snake, and now a talking dragon. I had to be dreaming. There was no way this was real."I-I'm not..."The dragon's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see now. Master Azure's spirit and powers reside inside you."A sense of sadness came from the dragon. I couldn't stop myself from taking a small step forward and hesitatingly placing my hand on his snout. It was rough to the touch.The dragon flinched
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter nineteen
In the morning, after deliberately delaying the inevitable talk that I wasn't going to like, I stepped into the kitchen where Norman was cradling a cup of what smelled like chamomile tea while my grandmother sat there with a stern look on her face. There was nothing in her emotions that I could detect and that worried me even more.Suddenly, her eyes glared at me. "Weston, dear, there you are."As I sat down, none of us spoke a word and the intense awkwardness was causing me to shift in my seat until I couldn't take it anymore."Grandma, you said we needed to talk. Can you do it now? This atmosphere is making me uneasy."Norman glanced between us. "You know what, I think I am going to leave. This seems like a family matter. I want to thank you, Ms. Ruth, for letting me stay. It meant a lot. I'm much better.""But, Norman, your bike...""Don't worry. Thanks for the help last night, Weston." He then stood up and ran out the front door before we could stop him."That's great. I think you
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter twenty
I headed towards town. I should have headed to work, but I was too caught up in my thoughts and needed some time to calm down. So, after parking, I decided to take a short walk. As I started walking down the sidewalk to clear my head, I bumped into my cousin.Not wanting to trip, I grabbed a hold of his arm. A mistake on my part. The same whiteness invaded my sight, but my hearing was as sharp as ever. I could hear my cousin's voice and a female getting into a heated argument. Their voices were mentioning things that I couldn't process properly. And if that wasn't enough, strong emotions of concern and rage flooded into me."Weston, hey, you okay?" I heard my cousin ask as concern filtered in.I pulled my hand away.The pounding in my head grew worse than ever. I placed my hands on my temples, but it didn't alleviate the pain. It was stupid to think it would."Weston, cousin, talk to me."Once the buzzing in my head quieted, I lifted my head to stare into my cousin's brown eyes. "I'm.
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter twenty-one
When I got to the building, a sense of nostalgia overcame me. I did miss this place a bit. I think I even missed my mom. I wish she would call or something that way I knew she was okay. But it was hopeless. I was, after all, a disappointment. As I walked in, a black-and-white photo from the 1960s caught my attention. I was shocked to see that it was the same people I had seen on the elevator on my birthday. The young man with the little girl and the woman, but there was no elderly woman."Ah, I see you're fascinated with that photo.""Who are they?""The man used to be a big-time businessman with his four-year-old beautiful girl. And that woman, well, she was really popular. She was a movie star.""I see." I turned and found Jessica holding a box. "Is that mine?""Oh. Yes." She handed it to me and smiled. "We miss you around here, Weston.""I'm... I miss it here a little as well. But it is what it is.""True. I hope to see you around at least.""I'll try." After walking back out to my
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter twenty-two
Dreaming. I was dreaming. I knew because I was laying on the blanket with Hayden and holding his hand as we watched the stars together.And then it ended when I slowly opened my eyes. My vision was blurry, but the bed under me felt off and the room seemed different even if I couldn't see properly.I leaned over to get my glasses only for my hand to slide through the air and cause me to tumble out of bed. Instead of hitting a hardwood floor, there was carpet under me. What was going on?Something told me I wasn't at home. I was somewhere else. But where?I tried to wrap my head around what happened. I remembered being with Norman and following Mr. Newman and then something to do with ghosts or something like that.Suddenly, I could hear loud voices. It sounded like yelling. I got up and used the wall since without my glasses I was blind. Feeling a cold knob, I leaned against the door.I didn't mean to eavesdrop on a conversation between Norman and his dad, but I wants to find out what w
Murder Out By Caster Bridge Chapter twenty-three
After spending time with Norman, I headed to work. As usual, Melinda wasn't pleased by my lateness. However, like always, she joked about docking my pay. Ray, who was still new, kept going out on errands for Melinda which surprised me.While I was on my break, I pulled the file that Norman loaned me out of my messenger bag and placed it on the counter, and leaned over. Studying it didn't help anything. The men were all different. Their ages were different, too. Their race was also different. It didn't matter. Aside from them having the pattern of initials, nothing else stood out. So, then, what was this woman doing with these men?"What are you looking at so intently?" asked Melinda."Just some research.""Does it have to do with the mysterious deaths?"I nodded. "I shouldn't be involved in this, but there is something off about this whole mess. I know I am missing something. My gut tells me that. And whoever the woman is behind all of this seems to be going after men only."Melinda ju
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Epilogue
It's been a week. A week since the murders stopped. A week since Angela was killed by Kayla and Kayla was killed by Christina who became a vengeful ghost. A week since Hayden got hurt.And here I was, walking up the steps of Hayden's house. Nervously, I wiped my hands on my jeans before ringing the doorbell.The door opened and two kids about eight opened the door. They both had turquoise blue eyes and ginger hair. The girl had her hair up in a ponytail and wearing a sundress while the boy was in shorts."Hello," the girl said."Lulu, we don't speak to strangers," the boy said with anger in his eyes.The girl, Lulu, placed her hands on her hips as she glared at her brother. "He's not a stranger. He's Weston. Hayden talks about him all the time."The boy crossed his arms. "Hayden gets into too much trouble. He could be lying and saying he is a friend, but really, he's just waiting to take us away or hurt us."Hayden's mother suddenly appeared. "All right you two. Break it up. Let Westo
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Chapter thirty-two
Orange, red, blue, and white lights flashed around the forest as I stood by my Jeep. It was awful. Kayla had stabbed Angela. It had been tragic. It all happened so fast.Hayden's mother and I had both been stunned before a feeling in my chest hit me. It was pain. Crippling pain that had me curling up into a ball almost. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I could feel Hayden's mother trying to comfort me strangely, but everything felt surreal.As soon as the pain stopped, I uncurled myself. Tears had damped my cheeks because they were wet. And it wasn't from the rain because water still hadn't touched me. I must have been crying. But I wasn't sure if it was from the pain or sadness or both.Just before any of us could do anything, I watched confused and frightened as a black oily cloud slithered and then swirled through the trees until it stopped directly at Kayla. I tried reaching out with my empathy to get a sense of what it was, but all could feel was a strange sense of static.I wante
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Chapter thirty-one
As Norman held Angela with the vines that I still had no idea how he was doing it, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kayla get to her feet. However, the anger emitting from her had me faltering and gritting my teeth. I'd hope with some training that I could stop anger from hurting me."How dare you go after my daughter!" Kayla sneered and advanced toward us."ENOUGH!" a feminine voice bellowed and a wave of what I can only describe as pure magic washed over the entire forest.Confused, I looked up.Hayden's mother stood before us. She was different. Instead of her being in a white flowing gown and barefooted like the last time I saw her, this time, she was dressed in a black and green dress. Her turquoise eyes narrowed as an air of authority surrounded her. "Kayla, you are hereby under the judgment of the Rivenia Kingdom. We are here to return Angela to her rightful place."Kayla's eyes narrowed as confusion swirled around her. "Rivenia Kingdom? Ha! Everglade is no more. You can't po
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Chapter thirty
Once I parked my car at the edge of the woods, I turned to Mel. "Stay here, Mel," I ordered as I opened the glove box and pulled out the flashlight I had in there.Mel turned her head to me. "No way. I'm here to not only protect you but make sure you also don't get into trouble.""I know, but I don't want you hurt. Besides, you can keep an eye out. If anything happens, you can go get help."Mel sighed. "Fine, but you better be safe and you owe me some food."I laughed and petted her gently. "Duly noted," I said before I got out of my Jeep. When I pushed the button on my flashlight, it didn't turn on. Stupid thing. I hit it a couple of times with my palm before it came on. Using the light, I cautiously made my way to the only place that I could think Hayden was. The meadow. As soon as I crawled through the small space, I was shocked. The once beautifully luscious meadow that was circled with a wide variety of flowers was now nothing more than just dirt and sticks.Through, Hayden was he
- Murder Out By Caster Bridge
Chapter twenty-nine
The second I got home and stepped through the door, my grandmother pulled me into a quick hug which startled me."Uh, grandma, is everything okay?"My grandmother pulled away and cupped my face as she looked at me with narrowed eyes. Her emotions were a mystery to me, but I could feel some pain from her. Her eyes softened and she ran a hand through my dark hair that I was sure was sticking up and even greasy."I am fine, sweetheart. I was just worried about you. We haven't exactly talked much since what happened. I know you still have tons of questions about things. And I am willing to tell you. No more secrets."I nodded. As I went to take a step, a wave of dizziness hit me so suddenly that I gasped and placed my hand on the door to keep myself steady as I blinked rapidly, hoping it would disperse the feeling away."Weston?"Swallowing, I looked at my grandmother. "Sorry. I just feel woozy."My grandmother's eyes narrowed. "When was the last time you ate?""Uh, this morning. I skipped
- Murder Out By Caster Bridge
Chapter twenty-eight
As soon as I left my cousin's house, I drove to work. Of course, as soon as I walked inside the magic shop, Norman and even Maxwell were standing in front of the counter. Norman had his arms crossed while Maxwell was standing there like a statue."I thought I'd find you here," said Norman.I couldn't help but notice that Melinda was glaring at Maxwell but did not comment as to why. Most of the time, I couldn't detect her emotions. Norman was calm, but Maxwell, while not expressing it, had an air of anxiety swirling around him.I rubbed the back of my neck. "What did you need? Did something happen?"Norman shook his head. "Not much. I did find out that Maxwell's power of divination only works with the person in front of him. He can't see the future. Only read it in tea cups or tarot cards." He sighed as a wave of disappointment hit me. "I was hoping for more."Maxwell glared at him. "Sorry for the disappointment. It's not like I can do much about it. Why did you bring me here, to begin
- Murder Out By Caster Bridge
Chapter twenty-seven
The next morning, Norman and I sat at the kitchen table. He had stayed the night considering the rain was pouring last night."I can't believe I was off with the names. I was almost positive there was something there. But your hunch was spot on," Norman said as he ate a spoonful of cereal.I looked at him as I sipped on some tea. After last night, I felt better, but still a little jittery. "Sometimes coincidences happen.""I know that, Wes. I was just hoping for once I was right.""Well, in a way you were. The names were important just not what we thought. We both assumed the killer was going after a person with the same first and last initials, but it wasn't like what we assumed. It was deeper.""You got a point. I just hope we can figure out why and how to stop all this. Maybe it will bring justice to those we lost and help them find peace. Do you think Maxwell will help?""Maybe he could provide us with a clue," I said. "We need something to help us figure this out."After breakfast
- Murder Out By Caster Bridge
Chapter twenty-six
Norman and I both looked over at my grandmother. While her emotions were closed off to me, I could see the pain crinkling around the edges of her eyes and also the sadness shining. "Dear heavens," she whispered.I was out of my chair in a blink of an eye and strolled over to her side being mindful of the broken pieces of porcelain all over the floor. "Grandma." Without hesitation, I placed my hand on her shoulder gently to comfort her.The second my hand landed on her shoulder, I became overwhelmed with intense emotions ranging first from excited and anxious to scared and terror. From within the whiteness, I could hear distant voices but they were too muffled to make sense of.Before it could go any further, something or someone shoved back. Instinct took over and I went to catch myself only I was so dizzy that my vision blurred and I slipped or tripped and landed heavily on the floor. I vaguely registered pain radiating from my hand, but I was too focused on getting my breathing unde
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Chapter twenty-five
As soon as my eyelids fluttered open briefly, a blurry humanoid person was looming over me with their nimble fingers cascading through my black locks. I didn't need perfect vision to know exactly who this was. The glob of orange and the scent of salt water was pretty much a giveaway not to mention the peaceful emotions."Hayden?" I asked, but my voice came out a bit hoarse and dry."Sh. Don't talk. Just rest," he said. "Save your strength."With a groan, I turned over. My cheek bumped against something broad. The fabric felt like a pair of jeans. Before I could say anything, my eyes started sliding shut on their own accord and I instantly fell back into darkness.The second time I woke, after finding my glasses on top of my head and putting them on, I was surprised to discover that I was in my bedroom.At first, I was confused. I mean, how did I get here? The last thing I remembered was being with Mel outside of the museum and touching the gooey substance that came out of the muffin.
