Haunted

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I don't want to do this.

At all.

I hover anxiously behind Ian as we stand at the old campus buildings. The demons separate me from the buildings, but it's like --- I know it's in there. I know the revenant is there, my skin is prickling, it's like someone is jabbing me with needles all over.

I shuffle uncomfortably, crossing my arms. Kole stands a little ways forward, Candy at his side. Everyone else is just gathered behind them, and it's so quiet --- it shouldn't be this quiet. The animals are silent tonight, and there's not even a breeze... everything is still.

This isn't a good sign.

I don't know why, but we shouldn't be here. We should go back, wait, make a better plan --- I just have the worst feeling.

Ian glances at me, but his face is guarded, Gavin standing on his other side. He's not been two steps away from me since Twitchy had made it a point to proposition me, and I appreciate it. I don't know him well, other than he's a demon and has mad crazy karate skills, and he and Gavin have a thing. Gavin, who really, really doesn't like me and is trying to pretend I don't exist.

I'm nervous, my hands are growing damp, and I merely tighten them against me. My eyes rise, lifting up the second story. The windows there are mostly in tact, but they're dark, streaked with dirt and grime from the years. I'm just waiting for the thing to pop up in one of them, to glare at me, laugh at me, something --- not this nothingness.

It's not right.

It's not natural.

"We take it down no matter what," Kole's voice finally breaks the silence, all of us turning to look at him. He's half turned, his gaze sweeping over all the demons gathered behind him. "We take down this revenant, I don't want to have to deal with it anymore. Augustus, you stay with Gavin and Ian, watch what they do; you're to watch the first floor. Bruno, you and Zachariah will go upstairs with the rest of us, that seems to be where the revenant stays most often."

Ian nods curtly, his small frame tensing, although Gavin looks like he's pouting. He crosses his arms, but he doesn't argue, and Augustus just looks nervous.

"Alright, let's get moving," Candy sighs, twirling the end of her ponytail around her manicured finger. "I don't have all night for this. The quicker it's over, the better."

For once, I agree.

I look up at the building again, but it's just dark, set against all the trees that tower behind it. This area should just be abandoned, there's no road, no real way to get here. These buildings are forgotten, and so are their history, their occupants. I know it's just a short trek from the rest of campus, but --- well, I sort of wish the school had torn this place down and sprinkled holy water or something all over it.

Hell, maybe we should just burn it down and do that ourselves.

What's the thing they do on Supernatural? They use salt or something, right? Is that true? Does it apply in this situation?

I should have brought a salt shaker, made a circle around myself, maybe some cruxifixes; hope the demons don't burst into flames at the sight of them or something --- although, in Gavin's case ---.

"Miss Hale."

Hmm?

I hesitate, my eyes flicking to Kole. He curls his fingers towards him, beckoning me forward, but I don't immediately move. No, I really don't want to go up there and draw the thing out; it's not stupid, it's going to see the rest of them, know that something is up. 

What's his great magnificent plan here!?

I get that I'm bait, maybe it just won't be able to resist me once it realizes I'm there and come rushing out right into their, uh --- well, other than point their charas at it, I'm not sure what they do. They have like tiny ghost vacuums, I guess.