Zero Worship: Confessions of a Fake Psychic Detective #6

Chapter 19 - Roadside Service

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"The cul-de-sac house. Go," Zandra says when she gets into Ray's car. She's in such a hurry, she nearly falls into the backseat.

Behind the wheel, Chad cranks his neck around. "It's not dark yet."

"You're late picking me up. Just go," Zandra says. "And turn that shitty music off, for fuck's sake."

"Yeah, sorry about being late. I think I got some bad shit. My head hurts. Kinda fuzzy to drive," Chad says in a limp, barren way that convinces Zandra he's barely capable of driving poorly, much less at all.

Bexley prods Chad to get out of the driver's seat and says, "I can drive."

Great. Good. Whatever. Go.

Chad and Bexley switch spots in the front of the car, but they struggle freeing themselves from the saw-toothed latches on the seat belts. A void sits where Zandra's patience used to be, and she shouts obscenities at them to pick up the pace. Finally, Bexley gets behind the wheel, and the car starts for Pixie and the cul-de-sac house.

Next time, don't wear seat belts.

From how she drives, it doesn't appear Bexley took whatever Chad did. She turns the car onto the dead-end street a few minutes later.

"Should I stop where we normally stop?" Bexley says, slowing the car to a crawl before the road curves.

"No. Pull into the driveway," Zandra says. "Pixie already knows who I am."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know us."

"It doesn't matter."

However, as the car rounds the curve and Pixie's house comes into view, it matters quite a bit.

"Stop, stop, stop. Reverse it. Get us out of here," Zandra says.

There's a van in the driveway. A familiar van.

Shit. He beat me here.

Bexley hits the brakes and shifts into reverse until Zandra can see the dead-end sign.

"What was that about?" Bexley says.

Zandra almost replies with, "I need a minute to think," but, realizing that would break character, she says, "I got hit with an extremely strong negative vibration. I need to consider how to approach this."

That's only half a lie. I'll bet there are some pretty negative vibes going on in that house right now. That's why I needed to get here first.

Thanks a fucking lot, Chad.

Bexley shifts the car into park. "I felt it, too. Like I was washed in negativity."

That would be the power of suggestion, but nice try.

Bexley continues. "It's like this whole experience is tuning me in. So much drama and information attacking my brain. Rewiring it for—I don't know—something."

Zandra tugs at the baggy sleeves on the purple gown Bexley gave her and tries not to roll her eyes.

I don't have time to step in your bullshit, Bexley.

Chad passes around a pack of cigarettes. Zandra takes one. Cigarette smoke muddies the inside of the car. No one rolls a window down. It's starting to rain.

"Play the loop?" Bexley says.

Zandra shakes her head. "There's enough negativity out there already. We overload that house with spirits, there's no telling what will happen."