Page 106 of Inbetweeners
The guy’s eyes widened. “How do you know about her?”
“You were all killed by the same woman,” Nix said. “Hadn’t you figured that out?”
“Simon isn’t a good guy,” Emmett said.
“How did you get into the room?” the woman asked. “The salt’s supposed to keep us safe.”
“From what?” Nix had stayed the other side of the line.
“Demons who want our bodies,” said someone else.
Emmett turned to Nix and frowned.
“But you’re not supposed to be able to cross that line of salt,” said another guy.
“Which proves I’m not a demon.” Emmett shrugged.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Nix said. “If you move on, no demon can get you.” Unless you were moving on to Hell, but he wasn’t going to tell them that.
“Come with us,” Emmett said. “You’re not safe here.”
“Why should we trust you?” asked the first guy he’d spoken to.
“Because I’m an angel. My job is to help you move on. I think Simon’s partner killed all four of you. I’m guessing you were stabbed. They take it in turns. There’s probably another house or another room in this house with those that Simon killed, ones she then persuaded to come here with her.”
Nix moved back onto the landing and opened one of the other doors. An ordinary bedroom. But the next door was locked. A kick opened it to reveal three dead guys and the same salt across the threshold. Nix stepped over the line and swallowed hard, but nothing happened.
“Who killed you?” he asked.
“Guy with short grey hair,” one of the men said.
“And a blonde woman brought you here?”
“Yes.”
Emmett was right.
“Come with me,” Nix said and walked back to the room where Emmett was standing.
“What about the protection?” the same guy called.
Nix went back and scuffed the salt with his foot even though he doubted it was necessary. The three men came out of the room.
The two groups eyed each other nervously.
“We don’t know how much time we have before the pair come back,” Nix said. “The person who killed you and the one who helped you both live here. They take turns to kill or comfort. They’re not keeping you safe. We think they’re keeping you here because demons want your bodies.”
“We told you that.”
“Yes, but this pair want to give you to the demons. We don’t. We want to help you move on.”
“But Sophie told us that once we were safe, everything would be okay again,” said a younger one with hair that flopped over his face.
“They’re lying,” Emmett said. “We can’t change what happened to you. No one can. And every minute we linger here, we run the risk of them returning. We don’t know what they are. Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to see you. So, thereissomething different about them.”
“And you? How can you see us then?” the same guy asked.
“Because we’re dead like you.” Emmett said. “You need to move on or come with us. Now.”
