All Hallows’ Eve Silent Night
by S. Peters-Davis
“I gotta make a
quick trip to the restroom. Can I use the flashlight?” I asked, glancing at
Rory as he tilted his head. “Oops.” We’d made a pact not to talk, experience
the night of stargazing with each other in silence.
Rory handed me
the flashlight. “Remember, no talking when you come out. Sasha, confirm.”
“Got it.” I
nodded and then rushed into the dimly lit park restroom. Rory and I had come to
the Haggerset Lake Park for the last four years to stargaze on Halloween, ever
since we’d graduated high school. We loved our creep-night, the one night we
dropped whatever we were doing and wherever we were to come back to each other.
A rustle outside,
like something massive falling on the ground, startled me. I hurried with my
business and ran out to check on Rory. He stood waiting for me. I slid the
light beam his way, and he smiled, pointing toward the ground.
I didn’t say a
word at the blanket and cooler strewn over the dewy grass, assuming he’d
tripped over something. We picked up the stuff and headed away from the tree
line to the beach by the lake—the perfect place to lay for an open view of the
star-ridden sky.
We spread the
blanket and sat. I dropped the flashlight beside me, and then pulled the wine
and glasses from the cooler. Rory grabbed my hand, so I looked at him. He shook
his head. I set the bottle next to me, thinking we’d open it later.
He stretched out
on the blanket and patted the spot next to him. The moon cast enough light to
see his shadowed face and body. I flipped to my backside, sliding close to him.
His hand found mine and our fingers intertwined.
An electrical
spark charged through me, like what happened whenever Rory touched me. I missed
him during the long months we’d attended separate colleges, and this would be
our last semester apart.
His breath
sucked in as he pointed upward. A falling star streaked across the sky.
I gasped but
remained silent as per our pact. An owl hooted in a tree on top of the hill.
Crickets set a rhythm, adding to the croaking bullfrogs all around us. I adored
the sounds and smells of the night, just like Rory had admitted the first time
we’d done this.
He squeezed my
fingers, raised my hand to his warm moist lips, and kissed my palm. His tongue
slithered up and down my wrist, making me giggle. Then his lips attached to my
skin, and he sucked. My whole insides melted and fluttered at the same time. I
panted, wanting more.
His body slid
over mine, his moist lips kissing, nipping, and sucking over my neck. Every
cell in my body responded, zinging sparks spiked through my veins. His tongue
slathered my skin. My eyelids closed on automatic.
“Sasha!” Rory?
His voice came from on top of the hill.
I opened my eyes
wide and pushed against the body on top of me that looked just like Rory. He
covered my mouth with his hand, and with his other, held both of mine above my
head. The skin on his face shimmered and blurred as he leaned over me, close to
my face. A thin forked tongue slithered from his mouth, licking my face.
“Sasha, are you
there?” Rory shouted again from a distance.
I bucked but to
no avail. The thing’s skin turned to scales, and its eyes glowed amber with
narrowed pupils like a snake. Fins grew along its forearms.
I fought hard,
struggling to free a hand and bucking to throw him off. My hand came free, and
I reached for the wine bottle.
Footfalls
pounded down the hill. The monster glanced up. I wrapped my fingers around the
neck of the wine bottle and swung. The monster’s head snapped sideways, and his
body dropped off of me.
Rory stood over
us. “My gods, what the hell is that thing? It attacked me, and I woke up in the
middle of the woods, afraid of what it had done to you.” He gave me a hand
up.
A rancid odor
burst through the air, and the creature’s body sizzled, like brats on a grill.
We stepped back
as it turned into bright embers and then dust. Rory pulled me into his arms as
the night breeze carried the smoky particles over the water.
“That thing
looked just like you. It licked me.” I yanked the bottom of my T-shirt up to
wipe my face and neck.
“You couldn’t
tell it wasn’t me?”
“It never kissed
me on the lips.” And I couldn’t help but wonder what it had planned on doing
with me. “What do you think its end game was with me?”
Rory took a knee
and extracted a small box from his shirt pocket. “Not this.” He turned, so the
moonlight shone on the box, and then he flipped it open. A diamond sparkled.
His gaze melded into mine as he asked, “Sasha, monster-slayer of All Hallow’s
Eve, will you marry me?” He grinned, and then added, “Before some scary
creature sweeps you off your feet?”
Excerpt
#3 (word count 434)
“I think I just
saw Max’s mom outside, an older woman in a white pantsuit. Is that his mom?”
Kyle’s eyes
widened, and then his brows folded inward as he shook his head. “His mom died
about five years ago. There’s no adult here right now.”
Prickles chased
up my arms and down my spine. Once in a while, a spirit appeared so full of
life, like right now, it seemed a living person. Kyle continued to study me as
if I’d lost my mind.
He stepped
closer, and I thought he was going to put his arm around me. Instead, he lifted
a picture frame off from a table. “This is Max’s mom.”
“Oh, she’s
stunning.” And the woman I saw, wearing the same clothing. I quickly moved
closer to the row of windows. “What a beautiful room. My mother would love this
room for an office.” The moon had risen and cast a path of light across the
water. “What a view.” The crystal against my sternum vibrated. Gloria shimmered
into view, sobbing.
“He’s gone.
Martin. He’s gone.” Her sad eyes searched mine. “Where could he have gone?
We’ve never been apart.”
I looked at
Kyle. He stood on the other side of me and would surely hear me. When I turned
back to Gloria, she had vanished. What were the possibilities that Martin would
step into the light without Gloria? He never left her side. Besides, they were
both about getting justice before leaving the earth plane. He was all about
protecting her. It didn’t make sense after all of these years of being stuck
here that he would simply disappear.
“Bri.” Kyle
grabbed my hand.
I glanced at
him, sensing he’d been trying to get my attention before now. “Yes. Sorry.” The
words came out a little breathy. The urgency of Martin missing overwhelmed me
with questions. “I gotta go.” I pulled my hand from Kyle’s grasp and rushed from
the room.
My Review:
At first I was a little iffy on this book, I have to admit. It started out kind of dragging a bit but that changed rather quickly and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I started getting to know the characters and the story line and I couldn't put the book down.
Bri sees, hears, and is able to interact with ghosts. Bri is an introvert, in school she never joined clubs or made many if any friends. Luke is Bri's best friend, he is also gay and hiding it from his family. He's a little to needy for my taste but he does have his good points. Bri and Luke are there for each other always with a shoulder or a hand.
Kyle was in serious like with Bri during senior year of high school but broke it off. Max well he's kind of a jerk, but Kyles best friend.
Now all 4 are back in town after college and Kyle is rethinking his decision of letting Bri go at the end of high school.
This is where the story starts off and where the ghosts pretty much immediately come in. Martin and Gloria were going to get married. The only problem was this was in the 60's and Martin was a black man and Gloria a white woman. As they were leaving town to move to Michigan so they could be together they were killed. After all these years Bri can see them, she is the first person ever. They want justice and want Bri to help them get it.
The book is a mix between, rekindling a old romance, murder, mystery and so much more. S Peteres-Davis has brought us a really good story and a great set of characters even if you do want to punch Max.
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