Forlot: Her Ice Cold Touch - Book Fifty-Two

Chapter Six

After strolling around the hundreds of gravestones, we halted next to those that we examined first and chatted about our concern.

Kaylee's arms were crossed. Her hands were going fast up and down her arms. Her body was shivering a little. I was positive that it was due to the freezing cold in the cemetery. We had on our jackets and shoes in addition to our swimsuits. It was no shock that we were freezing our butts off. Goosebumps were appearing on my skin. I was as cold as ice. But by her expression...by the look in her weary eyes...I could see that she was also scared. Horrified that we had yet to find Julia's grave. I draped my arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

"D-did you spot Julia's headstone?" she asked.

"If I did, I would have said so." I raised the pretty scarf and gloves to our faces and shook them. "Also, I would still not be holding these."

She motioned to the gravestones covered in decades of dust and dirt. "I checked every one of the headstones. I did not see her name. Not one headstone read Julia." A hint of fear was in her voice.

I felt my own fear starting to rise. But I did not panic. I could not let Kaylee watch her buddy panic. She would go unhinged. I patted her shoulder. "We will locate her grave. Neither her body nor her gravestone would have gotten up and walked away. It must be in here. We will find it in no time."

"Y-you had better be correct, or I will make you pay for lifting my spirits."

My comforting expression changed to serious. She was joking as usual. I knew. She always jokes around when she is anxious. "Is that a threat?"

"I am only warning you." She let out a giggle - attached with fear. She grabbed the unique clothes and clutched them tightly. "I will lay these on Julia's headstone. The sooner that we get it over with...the sooner that we can return to the warm beach and build the biggest castle." She started making her way around the old graves. She then stopped and glanced at me. "You coming?"

"I have an idea to waste less time."

"Does it involve a magic wand? I would looove to make these gloves and this scarf disappear so they would not be our problem anymore."

I pointed at the left side. "I will walk down the left side. You will walk down the right. This time, we must check carefully. Read every first name."

"I checked carefully the first time."

"We will find Julia's tombstone..." I said the final word quietly. "...hopefully."

Kaylee turned around. Her eyes stared up at the purple sky for about six seconds. They darted back at me. Yep. They most certainly displayed the look. Kaylee's "I Got A Challenge For You" look.

"Oh, no," I said with a little smile. My voice travelled in the cold breeze. "What challenge are you concocting up now?"

Her giggles bounced off every headstone, filling the big graveyard. "I have a challenge for you."

"I know. I asked what your challenge is. If it is drawing graffiti on these tombstones or lying next to a skeleton, I am out. I so do not wish to be the idiot who disturbed the dead and the relatives."

"No, no. The only people who will be wrecked are you - or me. I cannot believe that you would think of some of the stupidest and most selfish acts. You know how I do not take my challenges far."

Kaylee was right about that. Her challenges never go to the extreme. Not until now. But Kaylee was not at fault - because I got a glimpse of the one who sabotaged this challenge. She - she - almost killed me.

"Sorry," I apologized. My turn to cross my arms. "I am a bit uncomfortable being in the graveyard with you all alone. And I am freezing."

She stared at me as if I were hiding something. "So you also think that I am planning something horrendous to happen to you."

My eyes grew wide. "Excuse me?"

"You said that you are uncomfortable being alone with me."

It did not take me long to connect the dots. "Oh. Yikes. We are best friends. I cannot believe that you said such a thing. I know that you would not kill me - unless that I have been wrong about you."

"Then why are you uncomfortable being—"

I interrupted. "I mean that I am uncomfortable with us being alone in here. I want to leave shortly."

"At least that we are not in a tight space." She shivered. "Ugh. I am sooo claustrophobic."

I began walking towards the left. "Can we wait until we are back in the safety and warmness of the beach to do your challenge?"

"But the point of the challenge is finding Julia's grave."

"You stated that it does not involve the cemetery. Well, you did not use those exact words, but still."

"I said that we are not doing either of the stuff that you ridiculously guessed. Spray painting the headstones or burying ourselves next to corpses. Blah!" She waved to the gravestones. "No offense, dead people."

"I hate asking in a place with corpses...but what is your challenge?"

"Whoever locates Julia's grave first gets the pleasure of watching the loser eat five chili peppers."

I tilted my head down, but I kept my now wide eyes on her. "'Chili peppers'? Did you say, 'chili peppers'?"

A wide smile was on Kaylee's face. She raised her hand with both her thumb and fingers spread out. "Five chili peppers, yep. Five regular chili peppers that the loser - you or me - must eat in one sitting."

I grabbed my throat. I managed to hold in my gagging. "That is not fair. You know what happens when I—"

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly filled the air.