Page 45 of The Silence of Hell

“The fuck we are!” Dan exclaimed as the five flew down the stairs.

“Thank God!” I exclaimed, relieved.

“Everyone into Lavender’s bedroom,” Jinx ordered, and he punched at his phone. I’d no idea who he was calling as I urged my team into my bedroom.

“You really need to do a seance,” Harriet declared, looking excited.

Jinx walked back into the room. “Hellfire is riding. Back-up will arrive soon!” he cried.

A loud smash accompanied his words from somewhere in the house.

We all jumped as ghostly laughter followed it.

Jinx’s pallor mirrored my own as the lights flickered. Another crash proceeded that. Footsteps thudded above our heads, and I swear there were chains rattling.

“We need to get a ghost hunter in here,” Harriet stated, looking excited.

Dan and Heidi didn’t look too enthused, but Emory and Kelly nodded.

Emory turned to speak and instead shrieked and pointed. We spun around to where she stared, and I noticed a white face peering at us through the window. A flash of lightning lit outside, and the face disappeared.

“Axe murderer!” Heidi screamed.

Before I could stop him, Jinx, the brave fool, barrelled out of my bedroom, and I heard the front door open.

“Shit!” Dan yelled and gave chase.

“Crap!” Kelly stated, looking worried. He looked between us and the door and finally shook his head.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” he announced.

Minutes ticked past, and we heard rain begin pounding down outside. The front door opened, and I heard running footsteps.

“It’s us, we’re heading for the widow’s tower. There’s somebody up there!” Jinx declared.

“What?” I cried. But he and Dan raced up the stairs.

We exchanged glances. What the hell was going on?

The front door banged again.

“Jinxy! Lavender?” Fanatic yelled, and my shoulders relaxed.

“In here!” I replied.

“Stay there, we’ve got people chasing somebody through the woods. Jinx?”

“Upstairs in the widow’s tower. Jinx saw someone in there!” I explained.

“Is everyone down here?” Chatter demanded, running in.

“Yes,” I said. “Jinx and Dan have headed to the tower, though.”

“A woman’s staring out of a third-floor window!” Chatter exclaimed. He turned to leave when a strangled gasp left his lips. The next thing I knew, Chatter keeled over, full length, in a dead faint.

“What the hell?” Fanatic demanded, leaping forward to catch him and missing him completely.

“I’ll go!” another guy stated and disappeared.

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