There’s a set of stairs leading to the door, which, in the dark, looks almost like a church door, angled at the top.
Yeah, this is some scary fucking shit already and we’re still standing on the street, holding our breath as if the house is about to take it from us.
Maybe this isn’t a good idea?
Chapter 6
I can’t take my eyes off the house.
It’s like it’s been…waiting for us.
“Hello!” A man suddenly darts in front of us, and the four of us scream and jump in unison.
“Holy shit,” Ada yells, hand to her chest.
“I’m so sorry,” the man quickly says, holding his palms out at us. “I was sent here to you meet you.”
I try to control my heart, which is bouncing around against my ribs, focusing on the man. It’s hard to see him clearly in the dark. He’s about six feet tall, dark wavy hair, light eyes, bit of a tan, my age, maybe a bit younger or older, it’s hard to tell. He’s wearing a black trench coat, which probably accounts for us not seeing him until he was right in front of us.
I can’t get a read on him either. His vibes are a bit…off. Foggy, like the mist around us.
“You must be Dex and Perry,” the man says to us, then squints at Ada and Jay. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are.”
“Actually, we don’t know who you are,” I tell him.
“Right,” he says. “I’m Atlas. Atlas Poe.”
“Atlas Poe?” I repeat, snorting. “As if that’s your real name.”
“I’m afraid it is. But it could be worse. I could have my stepfather’s name. Harry Cox?”
“Harry is your stepfather?” Perry asks him. “He never mentioned you.”
“I suppose he wouldn’t,” he says with a tired sigh. “He’s very singularly focused these days. Some might call it an obsession.”
“Well, I’m calling it weird since I’ve only talked with him. Are you supposed to pay us now?” I ask.
“Yeah, we ain’t doing shit until we see the money,” Ada says, talking as if she’s in some gangster film.
“Shhh,” Perry shushes her. “It’s not even your money, Ada.”
“I have the money right here,” Atlas says, pulling an envelope out of his coat. He hands it to me. “Go ahead,” he says. “Take a look.”
While I open the envelope, Ada says to Atlas. “So, who are you supposed to be for Halloween?”
“Myself,” Atlas answers, a lilt to his voice.
“Uh huh,” she says. “I thought maybe you were trying to look like Edgar Allan Poe.”
“No, no,” he says. “Though I am one of his descendants.”
I pause to look at him, squinting between him and the check in my hands. “Poe had no children. That’s a known fact.”
Atlas shrugs. “How could that be known as fact?” He nods at the check. “Does that make sense to you.”
It’s hard to get a read on the check since the light is so dim, but it does look to be a one followed by six zeros.
My heart skips a beat. I look back at Poe. “How do I know this is any good?”
He gives me a faint smile. “You know, don’t you, Dex?”
The hairs at the back of my neck start to rise again, an unsettling feeling in my stomach. I swallow.
He’s right. I do know it’s real. I can feel it.
I glance at Perry, who is staring at Atlas with a peculiar look on her face, trying to get a read on him too. He’s staring right back at her, seeming smug.
He clasps his hands in front of him and then looks to Ada and Jay. “As for you two, you’re not part of the original plans. I’m afraid I can’t let you in the house.”
“What?” Ada exclaims.
“Why not?” asks Perry, both sisters getting worked up.
As for me, I mean, fuck, I have a hundred grand that I’m slipping into my wallet, I couldn’t care less what happens after this.
That’s not true, I hear an unknown voice snake around in my head. A woman’s voice. You know you want to go inside.
Go inside.
Go inside.
Oh shit. I press my hands to my temples, trying to stop the voice.
But no one is paying me any attention.
Go inside.
Perry and Ada are trying to argue with Atlas.
Go inside.
Jay is staring at Atlas like he wants to kill him, which is a bit of an overreaction I must say.
Go inside.
And then Atlas’ gaze goes to me. A hint of understanding in his eyes.
The voice stops.
“I think we should go inside,” I find myself saying. At least, I think that was me saying it.
Perry gives me a look. “Really? Without them?”
“We’re the ones who invited them. Well, I did. Harry never knew.”
“He just trusts you two,” Atlas says. “You understand that you’re being invited into his house, to talk to his wife? This is a situation of great reverence. Dex and Perry, you were chosen for a reason.”
All the right reasons.
Okay, holy fuck. What is that fucking voice?
I look at Perry and she’s staring at me, brows knitting together. It’s definitely not her. I glance at Atlas. I don’t think it’s him either.
Perry reluctantly tears her eyes off me and gives Atlas a sour smile. “Fine. It will be just us two.”
“Perry,” Ada says. “Come on, we can help.”
I expect Jay to say something similar, but he’s just standing there, still looking at Atlas like he wants to take his head off and bounce it around for a bit, maybe shoot some hoops with the basketball net on the other side of the street.
Finally, he clears his throat. “It’s fine, Ada,” he says, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling him toward him.
I have to say, if Jay had said this was a big mistake right now, I wouldn’t do it. I would give the money back and call it quits. But he’s not saying anything at all. Perhaps his sudden hatred for wannabe Johnny Depp is purely a jealousy thing, I mean, who fucking knows with those ginger bastards anyway.
“Okay then,” Atlas says. “Follow me.”
He turns and starts walking up the path to the house.
I grab Perry’s hand, giving it a squeeze, and then look over at Jay and Ada. “You’ll be right here?”
“Not fucking going anywhere,” she says. “And if there’s anything remotely scary, just call me.”
Jeez, when did Little Fifteen get to be such a hot shot in the ghost department?
We nod goodbye to them and then follow Atlas toward the house, going up the creaking front steps. Yes, classic haunted house fixings.
Atlas takes out a skeleton key from his pocket (another nice detail) and opens the interesting door. It groans loudly as he pushes it.
I look back at Khalessi and Outlander boy, who are watching us like hawks.
Atlas steps inside, and I swear the air around him shimmers, just for a second.
Perry squeezes my hand and I gaze down at her.
“Are you ready?” I ask her.
“I think so.”
“You gotta be sure, baby. If you don’t want to do this, I think this is our only chance to say no. To turn and go. If we walk through that door…I think we’re in it. Either we dive in. Or deflect.”