On the night of Halloween, when shadows dance, and secrets whisper through the night, a small town's darkest fears come alive, revealing that some legends are more than just stories.
Rowan and his sister, Juniper, had just moved from New York to liv...
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Not a single soul stirs until one slips into Rowan's bedroom.
He sleeps comfortably, tangled up in his bed, surrounded by warmth. The only thing that could disturb him is the crickets humming quietly outside. But even the insect voices start to fade as the night slowly fades into the morning.
Everything is still in the bedroom until a mist identical to the morning fog appears to have escaped. It slithers across the floor and onto the bed. Gray mist travels until it curls around Rowan's unsuspecting arms. It tickles his skin. He twists in his sleep, moving the fog away, and his eyelids flutter. Through his tired vision, Rowan sees nothing but the furniture outlines in his dark room.
At the same time, his head drops back to the pillow, and his schoolbag falls off a chair. It creates a 'thud' noise once hitting the carpet. The noise wakes Rowan from his sleep. He jolts upwards, looking around his room in a panic. The blankets fall down his heaving chest.
A mischievous voice laughs from the end of his bed, "Good morning, Sunshine."
Rowan's heart stops for a moment. He can't tell if he has just hallucinated the voice or if there is someone else in the room with him. Quickly, he scrambles to his nightstand. Rowan knocks over several items on the table before finding the lamp switch.
The dark room illuminates, showcasing a gray blob sitting at his desk chair. His hands rub his blurry vision. The breath he was holding escapes him as he sees Zander placed across from him. The ghost sits casually while fidgeting with a pen and waiting for Rowan to gain his bearings.
Rowan's mouth gaps open and closes before squeaking a sentence, "It's 6:00 in the morning. Don't you know humans need sleep?" His voice is low, but his eyes watch his bedroom door, hoping Zander won't wake anyone else.
"6:12 to be exact." A gray finger points to the nightstand clock, "And I'm positive you were the one who ordered me to come back."
Memories from yesterday flood Rowan's head. His feet find the cold bedroom floor. Zander watches him closely as Rowan stumbles through his room to locate his bag. It's seen sitting at the ghost's feet.
Zander's gaze narrows into splits, threatening Rowan not to come any closer. Rowan's muscles tighten, and he swallows back any fear. In one swift motion, Rowan pounces for the bag. An annoyed grunt comes from Zander before he lunges towards the boy. Rowan scrambles at his feet, dodging Zander's attempts to keep him away.
Rowan manages to get his white-knuckled grip around his school bag. He goes to retreat back to the other side of the room. Cool fingers, neither hard nor soft, suddenly wrap around Rowan's wrist. An urge to flee makes Rowan drop the bag and jerk away from Zander's touch. The momentum sends him flying backward into his bookcase. Several items fall from the shelf, hitting the floor with a loud crash.
