Chapter 52

KATHERINE.

“No,” Hunter replied without hesitation. “It might be dangerous. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

His words made warmth wash over me and I couldn’t stop the smile that crept onto my face. But then Keith spoke.

“He means you’re also inexperienced. You’ll just get in our way.”

My smile slipped off at that. “I won’t. Look, I can’t just let the two of you go in. We’ve agreed that there might be more than one violent ghost in there and you guys need backup.”

‘Also, I can’t stay out here by myself. What if another violent ghost drops by and sees me? The UTV wasn’t made of salt and I don’t think they’d like it if I used the bag of salt to create a circle around the vehicle.’

“You’re definitely not the backup we need,” Keith countered with a snort and I frowned at him.

“What if you die?” I said it just to annoy him and the shocked expression that crossed his face was worth it, but I prayed he wouldn’t.

“Whoa! Belltower stressed me the fuck out before I trapped her and having to go into Renfield is stressing me the fuck out so I do not need that negativity right now.”

“I mean, you could die…” I muttered and he narrowed his eyes at me. “Or I could go in with you guys and watch your back. Your choice really.”

“If anyone’s dying tonight, it’ll be Hunter for sure.”

My brows snapped together at that and as I opened my mouth to respond, Hunter cut in.

“Nobody’s dying tonight.” He had a stern look on his face as his gaze bounced between the both of us before finally settling on me. “It’ll be better if you stay out here Katherine,” he said, holding his hand out to me, and I frowned as I took it. He helped me down from the back and with my hand still in his, he led me to the passenger side of the UTV. “If any ghosts come by, they won’t be able to get you in the UTV. It’s protected.”

My brows lifted. “Oh.”

The corner of Keith’s mouth turned up at my reaction like he knew the real reason why I wanted to follow them in and embarrassment heated my cheeks. Both of them were about to walk into a dangerous situation which my friends were already in and I was only worried about myself.

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I muttered and Hunter gestured for me to get into the vehicle. When I did, he let go of my hand and I found myself missing his warmth almost instantly while he gave me a reassuring smile.

“I won’t.”

I pressed my lips together and glanced at the huge building ahead as he went to the back of the vehicle. Once again, how serious this situation was dawned on me and I wondered how my friends were. ‘Is Josie in the building too? Is Blake there? Have they found Lenore and Chelsea’s friend? If they haven't, where are they?’ Renfield Hall was ‘huge’ so the three of them could be anywhere in it right now and as the fact that Hunter and Keith would need help searching through it came to mind, I noticed that they were already heading towards the building.

“I’ll stick with you guys and do whatever you say,” I tried again because they were dealing with a violent spirit, the sooner we found my friends the better.

“We’re splitting up so that won’t work,” Keith called out and my mouth fell open because ‘what the ever-loving fuck?!’. Not splitting up in situations like this Horror 101! “Stay in the UTv, dude.”

“I’m not a dude,” I replied before moving my attention to Hunter who was facing me as he walked backward to the building.

“Don’t die.”

He flashed me a smile. “I won’t.” He faced forward and the both of them walked up to the building before disappearing into it.

“Fuck,” I muttered before shutting the door. I sat there in silence, bouncing my leg while keeping my eyes fixed on the door, and with each minute that passed, I grew even more anxious. I couldn’t hear voices coming from the house or see the light from the torches Keith and Hunter had taken in a window. It was like no one was in there. ‘What’s happening in there?’

When another minute passed with still no sign of them in the hall or coming out of it, I remembered that my phone was with me and pulled it out of my pocket so I could text Hunter. The moment the screen came on though, I saw several messages and missed calls from Priyanka, reminding me that I’d kept my phone on silent before the CMES meeting and that Lenore, Josie and I had been on our way to meet her in the dining hall before we ran into the ghost.

Most of the messages were of her asking where we were and the last one was her telling me she was at the CMES club house. That was five minutes ago.

I quickly sent a message to Hunter, asking if everything was alright, before texting Josie to let her know that I was outside Renfield Hall and Hunter and Keith were in it. Then I called Priyanka.

“What the fuck?!” was the first thing she said. “Where are you guys? Why aren’t Josie and Lenore answering their phones? I went to the dorm and the clubhouse, you guys weren’t there. And my phone says Josie and Lenore are in Renfield Hall. Where are you guys?”

“Uh, we’re at Renfield Hall.”

“...Huh?” she replied, probably wondering why we would choose to come here at this time of the night, and I returned my gaze to the building.

“A ghost kidnapped Lenore and brought her here.” I felt ridiculous saying that out loud. “Josie went after her and now I’m here too.”

“...A ghost kidnapped Lenore?”

“Yes,” I replied and she remained quiet for a couple of seconds before exhaling harshly.

“This fuck ass school. Is Theo there?”

“No, we couldn’t reach him. Blake, Hunter and Keith are here though.”

“Okay.” With that, she hung up and I returned my attention to my phone to see that my message to Hunter and Josie hadn’t been delivered and I heaved a sigh.

‘Should I go in?’ I thought just before a blood-curdling scream came from the building and I froze. It lasted for a couple of seconds before dying and when silence settled again, I blinked at the building. ‘What? Who–’ It had been a girl’s voice but I couldn’t tell if it was Lenore’s, Josie’s or Chelsea’s friend’s. ‘Or the ghost’s.’

The fact that it could be one of my friend’s though made me get down from the UTV against my better judgment. I went to the back of the vehicle and grabbed one of the iron pokers from the compartment there before another scream rang out from the building. This one sounded like a guy’s and the thought of Hunter being in danger made my heart squeeze in my chest.

There were empty pouches in the compartment too so I grabbed one and quickly filled it with salt from the bag before rushing into the building.