Necromancer

Coven

。O  。

I closed my car door and silence followed. Jane's eyebrows were right up to her hairline, she stared at me. Simon was hunched into the backseat of my car, knees bent between our chairs. Those dark eyes were intimidating – bright and deep. I could see why Jane wasn't feeling her usual chatty self. Simon looked between us. He really did have an attractive face, a unique kind of beauty. Dark tan skin under his matted brown hair, narrow jaw and long lashes. I shuffled uncomfortably. It wasn't until Jane cleared her throat that I snapped out of it. Simon in my car was surreal.

"Ah Jane, this is Simon. Simon, my friend Jane." I reached over to put my seatbelt on.

"Hi." She turned to chirp at him, eyes eagerly curious. He answered her with a smile that lasted less than a second.

"We've got snacks if you want them." I told Simon. As I started the car and pulled it away from the curb Jane proceeded to show him the assortment of remaining sweets. I turned us down another road. Simon started to carefully unwrap a redskin with long fingers.

"So..." Jane began, and I could tell she was itching with intrigue. "How do you know Peter?"

"He's in my Maths class." Simon answered. "And roll call."

"You guys... like batting for the same team, or-?"

"Which streets have you already checked tonight, Simon?" I quickly interrupted her, feeling my neck get hot.

"The outskirt roads on the south and west part of town."

"What roads are those?" Jane asked, clueless about directions.

"All along Pier Street then up to McDowell Road."

"So you were really out, like looking for him by yourself?"

"Yes."

I cleared my throat "You think the back roads are the best places to check?"

"What about the forest?" Jane spat out before Simon could respond.

"I only brought two torches, Jane." I reprimanded.

"Then you and Simon can share. Stay close together." She gave me a suggestive look from the corner of her eye. I wanted to throttle her. Simon was looking out the window.

We drove along in silence. Jane either not comfortable enough to be chatty with Simon in the car, or unable to come up with something to say. I was raking my head as well. Was it safe to ask questions about Tommy now? I got the feeling what Simon told me was meant to stay in confidence. Zombie classmate aside, I wanted to ask other things. I wanted to get to know Simon, but he was too difficult to read.

Simon fidgeted in the backseat. I could tell he was comfortable with the silence, but he couldn't seem to get himself comfortable in the seat. His knee started twitching.

"Woah Peter!" Jane grabbed my shoulder with both hands and I cursed.

"Dammit Jane, not another possum!"

"No seriously, stop the car! I saw something!"

"What?" I slowed to a stop at the side of the road. "What did you see?"

"Something white, an elbow, I think." She twisted her torso to the back, Simon squeezing away from her as she plucked out a torch. Jane pulled the lever and went out into the night.

"We better go after her." I reached around for the other torch, Simon's dark eyes on me. He followed me out. The sound of slamming doors echoed through the darkness. This street wasn't so regularly lit. The jostling white beam of Jane's torch was the only way I could tell she'd run down into the forest.