Behind Closed Doors

13: Gravestones

"Would you two mind dropping me off at the park instead? I'll go home, I swear, I need some time to calm down and sort out my thoughts," Kaimi asks.

"It's dark out, Kai, your mother would kill me if I left you out there alone," Daniel says.

"Okay, then come with me, sit under a tree for a minute so I can breathe. I'm freaking out. How are you supposed to tell your therapist mother that you're seeing the ghost that they saw over sixteen years ago?"

"Not sure how to answer that, but I guess that we could sit with you at the park for a little while. But then we've gotta get back home," Daniel says.

"Five minutes tops, I swear. The park helps me clear my head," she says.

"Which one?" Colton asks.

"Brinker Park, it's the one closest to my house," Kaimi says. Daniel and Colton share a strange look, but shrug at each other and switch lanes to turn. When they get to the park, Kaimi hops out and runs to the big oak tree. It's strung with fairy lights, which Kaimi always saw when her parents drove past it. But she'd never been to the park, at least not late enough in her childhood to remember.

One thing that perplexed Kaimi was the fact that it appeared to be the only tree that had lights. "How come this one is the only one that gets lights?" Kaimi asks aloud.

"Um, I'm not sure. Because it's in the center? Or because it's the biggest?" Colton asks.

"But it's not either of those things," she says. "It's not the biggest or in the center. I'm going to get a closer look."

"That may not be a great idea," Daniel warns. Kaimi halts in her tracks.

"What? Why?" she asks.

"Trust me, Kai," he says. But she doesn't trust them, at least not at this second. Something fishy is going on. Without saying anything, she bolts towards the tree, and the two men come running after her. But they're no match for Kaimi. She's much quicker, thanks to her limber legs, but when she gets to the tree, she doesn't see anything.

"Watch where you're stepping!" Daniel yells. Kaimi jumps and takes several steps back, confused. she looks down at her feet where she'd been standing, and that's when she finally sees it. There are two in-ground headstones side by side, both silver and etched with writing. Is this what they didn't want her to see? She crouches down to look at the writing etched into the headstones.

Kaimi Elizabeth Brown, Lost too soon but never forgotten.

Kaimi's head feels dizzy, and she stumbles, but Colton is behind her to catch her.

"Woah, easy there. Are you okay?"

"That... that's my name. This ghost has the exact same fucking name as me! Who the hell was this girl?" Kaimi demands. She jumps at the sound of someone slamming a car door shut and calling out her name. It's her father. Fuck, this is going great.

"You... you called them? Why would you do that to me?" Kaimi asks, lip trembling as she tries to hold back her tears again.

"We shouldn't have brought you here," Daniel says, "I'm sorry."

"You're as bad as the rest of them! You're all so pathetic!" she yells.

"Kaimi, please, it's okay," Ethan says once he'd finally caught up to them.

"Don't call me that! Why would you name me after a dead person without even telling me who she is?" Kaimi yells.

"Please, listen to me. I'll explain everything, but I need you to calm down and listen."