𝕸𝖀𝕽𝕯𝕰𝕽 | 𝖂𝖊𝖉𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖉𝖆𝖞

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝖘𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓

~

XXXVII

~

The air around them was filled with a sharp misty cold, that blurred the edges of Aiyla's vision and nipped at her nose.

She looked forwards at the huge iron gates, unkempt with grown ivy, encapsulating the derelict forgotten mansion.

"This is where Garett Gates lived," Aiyla sighed, letting her eyes flicker to Wednesday who started at her drawing for comparison, before folding and pocketing it.

Wednesday nodded, "The boy my father was accused of murdering. The sheriff told me that his family died, along with their legacy of hate."

Aiyla rose her eyebrows as they slipped past the creaky gates and began to walk towards the mansion. "But ghosts don't kill the living." Onyx cawed in agreement. "Goody showed you this house for a reason; we need to unlock its secrets."

"Or die trying," Wednesday added.

They walked as silently as they could, trying not to disturb the strange aura that embraced the place. In truth, the cold that Aiyla could feel was not just because of the weather. Her heart was beating faster with anticipation - not fear, but something else; wrath.

Find whatever is in that house, and kill it.

Aiyla clenched her jaw and tried to push it to the back of her mind.

Wednesday's eyes flickered to her best friend and she regarded her for a moment, before deciding against saying anything and instead walking towards the door.

She reached towards the handle...

A shadow flickered behind the glass.

Instantly, the two girls jumped back, and scampered away, trying to remain hidden from whomsoever it was that was exiting the abandoned compound.

They breathed as silently as they could, hearing out for the turning of a key and click of a lock as they hid behind the side wall of the house. Whoever it was, they had access to this place.

And Aiyla's eyes widened as she registered who it was, walking out of the compound. 

The Mayor.

"We need a distraction," Wednesday told Thing and Onyx, and the hand gestured in agreement as Onyx thrilled quietly.

Without further a due, the bird and hand scampered/flew away.

Aiyla and Wednesday watched as the Mayor nervously paced in front of the gate, on his phone with someone. "Sheriff, pick up the damn phone, it's Noble. Listen, I might have figured out who's behind all of this."

An indistinct rattling shook the trees as Thing and Onyx threw rocks at the Mayor and the area around him. It caused him to pause for a moment and turn towards the tree and away from the car.