Immerse yourself in the captivating and darkly humorous world inside the compelling novel Unnatural Circumstances. Embark on the journey of three unconventional individuals who willingly set out on an adventure only to become entangled in a disturbi...
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Soleil stares at the autumn leaves through the warm glass throughout the car ride. The streets are often adorned with elaborate decorations that reflect the local culture, blending traditional Halloween motifs with elements of Southern charm.
Homes are adorned with spooky decorations, from cobwebs and skeletons to intricately carved pumpkins.
Neighborhoods like the Garden District and Uptown showcase stunning displays, inviting drivers to slow down and take in the sights. As evening falls, the streets become bustling with children dressed in costumes, eagerly trick-or-treating.
Parents accompany their little ones, creating a lively scene filled with laughter. Cricket grits her teeth and slows the car down. She moves around, navigating tourists and toys with the radio channels.
"Ugh," she whines. "Is there anything on besides Rock N' Roll or Blues?"
"It's Louisiana," Ichabod reminds her. "What did you expect?"
Soleil exhales through her nose as she scratches behind her cat's black ears.
Ichabod's scowling demeanor quickly disappears. He meows, rests his back on Soleil's lap, and opens his furry hindlegs and arms for his master to rub his stomach. But when Soleil refuses, Ichabod smacks her cheek.
"OW!" she cries. "What the fuck, man?"
"You've been quiet since your mom barged into your old bedroom," Ichabod points out. "And I want to know if you're okay."
Soleil expresses a frustrated sigh. "I'm fine, Crane. I want to help everyone solve this shitty case so I can go home and forget meeting my parents."
"Okay, why?"
"I don't want to talk about it right now."
"Sol-"
"Just shut the fuck up, okay? If I hadn't listened to your bullshit, I wouldn't have dragged my ass and my friends into this mess!"
Benji and Casper are silent. They sit awkwardly in their chairs and watch Soleil bury her face with her hands, breaking down in tears. Cricket pauses before a red traffic light, unbuckles her seatbelt, and wraps her arms around Soleil's body.
"Hey, it's ok," Cricket murmurs. "It's ok, Sol. They're not here now, okay? They're not here."
Casper slips his right arm over Soleil's dark gray chair and squeezes onto her right shoulder, whereas Benji gently wipes her warm tears with his fingers.
Although Benji barely knows anything about Soleil's life, the tension between her and Soleil's mother takes him back to when he fought with his grandparents. For twelve years, Benji felt like he deserved an explanation as to where his biological parents were.
However, when his grandfather refused to give Benji any hints, Benji became angry and told his family that he wished they had died instead of his mother.
