Ashes to Ashes

WE’RE OVER AT ALEX’S WATCHING A MOVIE—ASH, Derek, PJ, and the junior girl he’s been dating. We hang out here a lot lately. I don’t think any of us want to risk getting into it with Reeve somewhere in public. We’re all avoiding him. Alex fell asleep thirty minutes into the movie, his head on my shoulder. I’ve tried to hold as still for him as I can.

My phone buzzes with a text from Kat. Maybe I can convince her to come over. It’s an action movie that PJ picked, and it’s not like she needs to see the beginning to be able to follow along. I see the picture, and I feel my heart stop.

I write back, I’ll be out front at Alex’s.

I slide away from him. As I do, he opens his eyes and smiles up at me. “Where are you going?”

I whisper, “I’m going to the house to make popcorn,” and fluff up a pillow for him to put under his head.

“Mmm. Popcorn.” Alex closes his eyes and immediately falls back to sleep.

“Make enough for all of us!” Derek yells.

I grab my bag and my car keys and slip out the door.

I’m on the curb when Kat pulls up.

“Get in.” Kat glances around her. “We don’t have much time.”

There’s a stack of old books in the passenger seat. I climb inside and put the books on my lap.

“I saw her, Lillia. She was in Reeve’s car . . . haunting him. And then she fucking disappeared.” Kat forces a swallow. “You didn’t break up with Reeve because he cheated on you, did you? Mary made you do it. Just like before.” My mouth is dry. I want to tell her, but I’m afraid. “The secret’s out, Lil. And she knows that I know!”

For a split second I think about denying it, even now, even with all that Kat knows. That’s how scared I am of Mary, of what she can do. But then I look at Kat, and I can’t even try. “I’m sorry. I thought it would be safer for you if I left you out of it. And . . . I couldn’t risk anybody else finding out, not with Reeve’s life at stake.”

“It still is. I saw Mary in his truck today, basically torturing him, trying to get into his head. I called her name, and she straight-up disappeared.”

I gasp. “Could Reeve see her?”

“No. But I think he could feel her next to him. Or hear her voice. I’m not sure, but she’s definitely getting to him. Think of how crazy he’s been acting lately, drinking twenty-four seven, not sleeping.” Kat fumbles in her pocket for cigarettes but comes up empty. “After that I went to the mental hospital where her aunt Bette’s been locked up. Yo, it was crazy. She kept asking me if Mary had hurt anybody. I had Reeve in the car because he’d passed out and I didn’t have time to drop him off. He came in looking for me, and she went ballistic.”

I feel my bottom lip quiver. “God, are we really talking about this? That ghosts are real?”

“I don’t know. I mean, yeah. This is insane, but . . .” Kat drags her fingers through her hair. “What’s that quote? Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever’s left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. So it must be true.”

“Why can we see her?”

“I’ve been thinking about this, about the day we first met her. She came back for revenge, right? And you and I both wanted revenge too, so maybe that’s the connection. Maybe she needed us to help her finish whatever it is she’s here to do. Whatever it is, it’s got to do with Reeve.” Kat lets out a long sigh. “Now that we both know her secret, I don’t think we have much time.”

My whole body starts to shake. “Is there a way that I could somehow convince Reeve to leave Jar Island and never come back? I can’t tell him the truth, because Mary will kill him for sure.”

“Kill? She said ‘kill’?” I nod, and Kat shakes her head. “That sounds batshit crazy. Did we know her at all? She was so sweet. She was like a little kid. I can’t even believe it.” Kat grabs one of the books from my lap. “I found these in the Dumpster outside Mary’s house. Her aunt used them on her. They have spells in them. Protection spells.”

I wipe my eyes with my sleeve. Kat flips the book to the page she’s looking for. In the margins there are notes written in pencil.

—Arrowhead root sold at Nature’s Bounty in Canobie Bluffs.

—First spell attempted October 1st, lasted 3 days.

—Second spell October 7th (doubled ginger powder), lasted 5 days.

—Research possible anger diluents?

Kat grabs another book and then bites her fingers on one hand while flipping with the other. Suddenly she stops on a page and thrusts the book into my hands. “Look at this! It’s a binding spell. We could use it to bind Mary to her house!”

“But what if she isn’t there?” I drag my finger across the page. “Wait. Okay. It says that she doesn’t have to be, so long as the spirit has an emotional connection to the place.” I shake my head. “This is crazy. I mean, do you really think this can work?”

“It has to. It’s our only shot.”

There’s a knock on my window. It’s Alex. He makes a motion for me to roll down my window. “Yo, Kat! Come inside.”

“Can’t,” she says. “Sorry.” With her eyes locked on mine, she says, “I need to run to the store and get some stuff for dinner. But, Lil, I’ll text you later, see if you’re still hanging out tonight.”

“Great,” I say, with all the fake enthusiasm I can muster. “I’ll see you later.”