Ghost Silk (Ghost Perfume, Book 2) | ✔

8 - Let me through - Part 2

My portal was a complete idiot. It let me through, not to my bedroom, but to the forest behind our house. I stepped on a sharp twig and hissed, hopping sideways.

Rain whipped my face. The material moon beamed through a bleary curtain, and forest trees loomed up in every direction.

Light in the distance – the house stood a couple hundred meters away.

I tucked the death book under my sweater and glared at the portal. It gave off a disgruntled flicker.

I got it mostly right.

I hastened towards the house. Despite the surprise of landing in the forest, I couldn't help laughing. I wondered if the others were back yet from their party so I could tell them what I'd found on the other side.

Our front door was open. Light spilled out from the hallway.

Who had been here and gone out? And in such a hurry that they'd left the door open?

I took slower steps up the porch, clutching the book under my sweater.

The vase of flowers, that always stood in the hallway opposite the staircase, was smashed to the floor. Glass glittered in a pool of water and scattered stems.

I stepped warily around the constellation of shards, deeper into the house.

The living room was destroyed. No light was on there, but the light from the hallway showed the edges of an awful mess.

The coffee table – broken, jagged shards of glass among the wreckage.

The couch cushions – flung haphazardly against the walls and floor.

By some force I could hardly imagine anyone exerting, one arm of the couch had been torn out from the frame.

Had an intruder come into the house?

Was anyone hurt? Had they come back yet from their party before this happened?

My breathing was loud in my ears. I felt terribly exposed, but I had to get my phone. I plastered myself to the wall and tiptoed to the dining room, where I found my phone in the midst of my homework on the table. I snatched it up, thinking I'd also better get to the watch that could alert them in emergencies. I crept up the stairs and went soundlessly to my room.

The door was open. Had I left it open?

I cowered my head around the door.

There was no one there.

I softly closed the door behind me.

The bed sheets were a mess, as if someone had torn them partially off the bed in a total panic. The air was cold; there was a crack in the window. Droplets of rain blew in.

The least frightening explanation of the chaos finally occurred to me – two or more of the Alistairs had come home and gotten into a fight. A physical match that rolled through the house. Maybe it had been so bad that they'd had to leave to cool off.

It still didn't make much sense but ... I sat on my bed and turned the phone on. There was a single missed call from Gabriel and, of all things, a text from Tommy. Are you ok?

I texted the group chat with the Alistairs. What's going on? Is anyone hurt??

I texted Tommy back, Fine, why are you asking, did something happen?

I couldn't wait for their answers. I called Gabriel back.

To my relief, he answered on the first ring. "Where are you?"