Shadows On Pavements

Chapter One: The Attic

Part One

Every year around this same time, we travel out to the autumny leaved country town of Salton.

That is, my twelve year old brother and I, whilst my mother at the wheel grapples with upholding some duties as we travel our way along. With her one hand clutched to the wheel, her other trying to either navigate the way to our next stop, or trying to answer incoming family or business calls along the way, from the back from where we sit, we only looked at it that her only focus were to make it there without having to confront a conversation about how this year... or almost every year... we would miss out on trick-or-treating with our friends.
I'm sixteen this year. And not only were I going to miss out on my first ever real Halloween party I'd experienced in my life...I was going to miss out that Ethan were going to be there too...
"Mum. Mum. Mum." Louis chants. Over her constant chattering over her phone, she doesn't reply.
I roll my head boredly to the left to face him, which Louis responds by squinting my way, annoyed, but questioning.
"What?" I reply by reading him.
"Are you mum?"
I groan, annoyed also. His gaze runs back to the front, whilst mum lets out a chuckle onto the speaker. It's obvious this time it hadn't been a business call, rather she had been speaking to Wane... her new boyfriend...
"Mum. Mum. Mum-"
"Stop." I hiss. "She's not going to answer you. I'm just as annoyed as you are, ok?"
"Well... not really. Nath and Max will be there this year. We could probably ask aunty Jude to take us out trick-or-treating around the area."
"We are in a deserted country town... with nothing for miles. How are you going to trick-or-treat? Are there ghosts that will hand you out candy?" I scoff at him. His eye brows pin together as his eyes come to me.
"Your not looking forward to seeing Ally?" He questions confused. I suddenly shift in my seat as he says this, feeling slightly uncomfortable at his question.
"Y-yeah. M-maybe just a little." I reply, having to clear my throat, it beginning to feel a little dry. His suspicious eyes hold on me, and I feel the need to look away.
"S-something happened last year... didn't it?"
The burn of his gaze makes me realise he knows I'm hiding something, making my cheeks burn, feeling slightly embarrassed that I had felt the need to hide how I had actually felt about what had happened last time we had been in Salton with our extended family.
"What happened last year you do not need to know... all I'm telling you is that if she tries that truth or dare stunt again... whatever you do... don't let her make you go to the attic... something's real odd about that place."
A thick silence hangs between the both of us, feeling as the words thick with emotion creep against my skin, raising goosebumps over my body. That is until Louis spurts out a sudden chuckle, the hilarity erupting over his face. But before I could reply, Mum turns quickly onto a more gravelled road, the turbulence shaking us in our seats a little violently, I grip to whatever I can at the side of my seat.
"Muuummm!" Both Louis and I grumble simultaneously, grappled to out seats. All she can do, is chuckle as she puts her phone aside. How she had found this funny I do not know!
"Alright, guys! We are practically here. Just five more minutes."
Louis leaps forward in his seat, excitement taking him over.
"Did aunt Jude say they are there already?"
"Yes. And they have prepared lunch too! I don't know about you guys, but I am starving!"
I scoff, rolling my eyes and turning my face to look out the window.
Yes, indeed... we were here...