Haunted

Eleven

Less than an hour later, we all meet back in the grassy field after going our separate ways. We spent that time collecting the supplies we'll need for the nearing ritual.

I was the lucky one left in charge of gathering salt from the dining hall, and it turned out to be quite the challenge.

And by that, I mean not a challenge at all.

After providing enough flattery towards a random chef, they gave me two large boxes of kosher salt to use as I wish, no questions asked.

Bingo.

Myka went to grab more paper from her room, along with a pen. The ghost went off with Caleb to keep an eye on him and protect him from any other ghosts while he grabs his special ghost hunting device. A device that we are about to use to track down some ghost energy. So we can banish a ghost.

How strange.

You'd think I'd be used to stuff like this by now, but you'd be dead wrong. Yeah, I can see spirits or ghosts, or whatever you'd like to call them. And yes, they can speak to me and all that shit, but that certainly doesn't make any of this normal. In fact, I'm still a little weirded out that my new friends referred to me as their fellow ghost hunter. But if I'm being one-hundred percent honest?

A small part of me also likes it.

Is that wrong?

I'm still shaken by the fact that I actually enjoy being around them. Me. Liking another person's company. That's never happened before. And not just Myka and Caleb, but Sam as well. A big difference after I did my best to ignore him yesterday in the library.

Crazy what can change in a single day.

Somehow, against all odds and despite the thick wall that I've built around myself over the past six years, these three have managed to find a way to nudge past all that brick and concrete and burrow into my fractured heart.

And I'm not complaining.

Because I don't feel so broken anymore.

"What took you so long?" Caleb and Sam ask in unison. As I walk across the grass to meet them, Sam glances at the other boy in surprise and then laughs. They really are father and son. The three of them are sitting in a triangle on the ground, looking more like they're working on their tan than preparing to banish a dark spirit.

I hold up the boxes of salt. "It isn't easy to get your hands on this much sodium," I inform them.

"Then how'd you manage it?" Myka asks with a grin. She's got her legs stretched out in front of her and she's leaning back on her hands.

I smile, doing my best to appear secretive. "I have my ways."

"You'll have to show me these ways of yours some time," she counters in a low voice, making me blush.

"Uh," Caleb interjects awkwardly. He lifts an index finger into the air. "I'm still here."

"Me too," Sam adds, but I'm obviously the only one who hears him.

Myka rolls her eyes, though the smile doesn't leave her face. My cheeks just heat up even more. I untuck the hair from behind my ear so that the long strands can hide my expression, but I'm glad that Caleb and Myka can joke during all this. Humor is a powerful thing.

"Did you guys get your stuff?" I question.

Myka waves a blank sheet of paper in the air like she's calling for a surrender. "It only took me, like, five minutes to find you paper and a pen. It would've taken even less time if you would've let me tear out a sheet from my sketchbook."