Haunt: Volume 2

The Angels Search for Snapper (An Autumn, Kelsie & Delilah Story) Part 1 of 3

Weekend Two: Friday Night, Continued

September 23, 2022

POV: Kelsie Conrad

I knew from experience that the best time to talk to Mom about touchy subjects was when we were in the car. With Taskmaster Kim at the wheel, she had nowhere to go. She couldn't haul ass to another room to make herself busy. She was my captive audience. I used this tactic when I told her I wanted to put off college for a few years. Ha, and when I was seventeen, I'd told her that I needed to get on the pill because me and my high school boyfriend were getting frisky. She almost ran off the road when I hit her with that one.

We had twenty minutes of driving to do on our winding country road before we'd arrive at the Seven Wonders entrance road.

The biggest problem was that I had to wait until we were within the park's range - about three or four miles - before I could begin to discuss this with her. Too far outside the park, and the words I needed to have this discussion would escape me. This was part of the spell they cast over us, to keep park secrets close to the park itself.

"Mom," I began gingerly. The spitfire, vinegar and attitude I'd been building all morning suddenly up and vanished on me when it came time to ask my questions. "That ghost, Snapper. I heard they're gonna burn her. Is that true?"

Mom flinched a little in surprise, but she didn't look away from the road. "Yes, I think it's true."

"What? I thought they were taking her to the Lawrence car park! What happened to the catch-and-release program? So what? It's all just a lie?"

"Kelsie. Dr. Marley says she's a Disease Wraith. We can't turn it loose on the world."

"And she's going to be burned on Monday? This Monday?"

"It sounds to me like you already know the answer. Yes, it'll happen Monday. She's...undead. I'm not sure if they even feel pain. But it happens fast, and it's over in a snap. It won't hurt for more than a second."

"So you've seen this before?" I asked in shock.

"No!" Mom said a little too quickly. "Not directly. I have an actual job to do. And so does everyone else. And sometimes getting rid of a public danger is part of that job."

"Yeah, I get that - but isn't there some way to help her? You tellin' me that burning her up is the only answer?"

"For ffflip's sake, Kelsie! I don't know!" Mom looked at me only for a moment before she had to take another wide turn. "What makes you think these decisions are in my pay grade? I'm just glad they caught her before she infected you. I heard what Jackie had to go through."

I'd only heard rumors, and rumors at Haunt don't mean shit. "But don't they care about what we have to say? Me and Delilah saw Snapper behave herself, she was patient and reasonable, like a little kid. Clearly she was just lost. Igniting her don't sound right, Mom. It sounds horrible. Don't spirits need to resolve something before they pass on? It don't seem like Snapper's resolved anything, and she might be trying to. She could end up somewhere real bad."

"We've burned park employees for less. Snapper isn't just some haunted house attraction, unresolved spirit, or otherworld loop ghost, Kelsie. She's a wraith. One who can appear and disappear. Who knows how long she'll stay patient? If she goes feral in the park, fixing that mess will cost more than just money. You want to catch what she's got? Do you want your teeth to rot out of your head and for the infection to worm into your brain? Do you want that to happen to someone else?"