Page 16 of The King of Halloween
“Out of nowhere, one of the horses reared up. Perhaps it saw a snake, or maybe a spirit walking the earth. Either way, it threw the lead man to the dirt and gave her an opening. She fled into the field on foot. The men had to help their fallen leader, but he’d been bruised and scorned by a woman. He wasn’t letting that go.
“Her lead didn’t last long. She ran through the corn, broken stalks tearing her skin and hair while the world thudded with the clap of hooves and the braying of men. They realized they could easily catch up to her on horseback, but instead of snatching her up, they had their fun. They chased her back and forth until her feet bled into her shoes.”
“Damn,” Raj breathed.
“Exhausted and near death, she spotted a figure in the darkness. Beneath the minuscule moonlight, a man in a wide-brimmed hat stood in the middle of the corn. She was so turned around, she had no idea where she or home were. Calling to him, she ran to the silhouette while the horses surrounded her. As she drew near, her heart sank. Instead of a man to protect her, all she had was a half stuffed-scarecrow with lips of black twine.”
Adam paused his tale to stare up at the scarecrow. So too did Raj, feeling the weight of chasing after salvation only to have it all dashed in a moment.
“The men were drawing closer. They’d grown tired of the torture. She knew she was out of hope. Exhausted beyond approach, she fell to the scarecrow’s feet and cried out, ‘Help me, please. Stitches. Help.’ Then, all went dark. The girl woke the next day to sun streaming through the corn stalks. Her legs and arms were scratched and clothing torn, but otherwise she was in good health. Confused, she stood, and her heart plummeted.”
Leaning closer, Adam dropped his voice to a whisper. “Instead of her favorite scarecrow, his stand was empty. Weeping that those men took him to do god knew what, she wandered back to the road to get her bearings, which was when she saw it. Propped up in a line along the ditch were four crosses. Dangling off of each one was a man whose lips were sewn up with black twine.”
Goosebumps prickled up and down Raj’s arms. He started to rub them when he realized how close Adam was. They’d scooted together during the spooky story so Raj’s hip nearly pressed against Adam’s. He’d placed his hand on his knee, which—with a breath—would glance against Raj’s leg. The chills transformed into fire, and he couldn’t stop gulping.
“What happened to the scarecrow?” Raj asked.
“Never seen again. Perhaps he’s still out there, righting wrongs and protecting farm girls’ virtue. They say that if you cry out for help on Halloween night in Anoka, you’d best be prepared for someone to answer it.” Adam’s smile lit up the whole courtyard. Raj sucked in a breath without thinking, his body trembling not at the tall tale, but the man telling it.
Adam’s hand slid closer as if it was about to cup Raj’s thigh. Then he blinked and sat back. “That’s why everyone in Anoka says, ‘Hello, Stitches’ when they pass this statue. Just to keep on his good side.”
“That’s…amazing. Thank you for telling me. I need to put that story in my haunt, somehow.” Most of the rooms had already been decided, but he could have a walk-around scarecrow for now. The locals would love it.
“Is that what brings you to our sleepy little town? Haunted tales and spooky stories?”
“Honestly?” As Adam nodded, Raj closed his eyes. This wasn’t the first time he was asked why Anoka, and he feared it wouldn’t be the last. But the truth was, he didn’t have the answer they wanted. “I just…wanted a change of scenery.” He put on an innocent smile, but the way Adam’s face fell told him he saw right through it.
“Is that all there is?” Adam asked. He swiveled his head at an almost unnatural angle, like he was about to go a full one-eighty. Raj gulped, uncertain what to say. “You’re talented. It seems like you could have worked for any of the big haunts, or built one anywhere—even down in the Twin Cities. But you didn’t.”
Raj had done the big city living, usually with three or four roommates, while he was working on projects with two-hundred-million budgets. He got peanuts, and the people who told him to move pixels made bank. There was no way he’d have found a place as beautiful and perfect as the old hotel in Anaheim or Miami. “The Twin Cities don’t have a year-round Halloween costume shop.”
To his relief, Adam smiled, then nodded. “They probably do somewhere, but not as well stocked. They come to me for their summer theater productions. Some of them.”
When did I slide across the cold stone?All Raj knew was that one second there was granite between them, the next it was gone. Knees kissed, thighs touched, and hands…they hadn’t quite figured out where to go.Is that my heart pounding or the hooves of ghost horses?Raj tried to catch his breath, but when the weak light glittered in Adam’s ghost-blue eyes, it fluttered away.
It was anyone’s guess who moved first. Maybe they both did. Adam’s head fell to the right, and Raj mimicked him. Cold fingers bumped into his, and he reached over to take them. A spark shot up Raj’s arm, and he kept leaning closer. “Maybe I came here for…” Raj whispered his train of thought aloud. He couldn’t escape the hooves now, his body shaking from the beat of stampeding horses. Risking it all, Raj leaned forward.
“My man!” echoed through the courtyard.
Raj yanked himself back. Blinking through the stars in his eyes, he could just make out the tuft of blond hair and easy-going smile below it. “Logan?”
?
Adam did his best dismissive glance at the mysterious voice. He didn’t know what to expect to find, but a man with golden hair, chiseled looks, and soft brains wasn’t it. Cold nipped his fingers, and he turned back as Raj shot up like his ass was on fire. He ran to the stranger’s side and whispered with him for a moment.
“Who’s your friend?” Adam asked, piping in as much nonchalance as he had on tap.
“Oh.” Raj’s cheeks pinked, and he winced. “This is Logan,” he repeated the name. Then he swung the knife. “My partner.”
Partner? He… Of course, he has a partner. Why else would he come to Anoka, if not on the arm of some air-headed hottie? He’s probably playing sugar daddy to the baby himbo.
The disquieting and unfairly familiar sensation of shame spidered across Adam’s skin. He’d thought… No. He didn’t think that at all. They were little more than acquaintances who happened to both enjoy the same holiday. Ships on the other side of the harbor, really.
Raj leaned in close to the grinning golden retriever and began to speak with him. Adam did his best to not care, but once he heard the word “mayor,” his attention was snared.
“Yes. We’ll be hosting a movie in the ballroom. It was quite…generous.”
Adam hardly believed Raj could deliver on any of the promises he’d made, least of all bringing an honest celebrity to this town. But that was his mess to deal with.
