Interlaced (book 2 of Intertwined)

Chapter 4: Sneaking Out

"I know what you're planning, I can read your mind, Lilly Bud. You can't go out there on your own, you're new to town and it's dangerous. You are new to our world, you don't understand what your father is capable of." I gazed on Lilly's back as we followed behind my mom. I she  could feel my emotions clearly, the fear and determination. I tried to hide the fear but I couldn't. She's my anchor, my rock. I always try to puts on a brave face for her and that's why she's my best friend.

"I can handle myself Cole. I have been for the last three years."

You don't know where the mansion is, but I do, I used to go on walks in the woods, remember? Well I used to pass by it, I never went in because it was always boarded up and falling apart. It's down an overgrown dirt road and surrounded by trees. I'm coming with you," I said, sending my signature lopsided grin to her.

"Fine let's go before Rose notices we're sneaking out," she said following me outside to my car.

We got into my baby and started driving towards the highway, going back the way we had come from the school earlier. Minutes passed as we past the school, Lilly and I continue past the football field and the baseball field. She stared out of the window. I know she's new to town so I decided not to interrupt her as she stared out. It seemed like she hadn't had time to come to this part of town yet and watched the world passed by.

We pass trees and old abandoned houses that were falling apart as we continue further down the road. The trees were becoming thicker and harder to see through, finally, I turned onto a dirt road. The dirt road was narrow and overgrown with waist high grass. It looked as though the dirt road hadn't been used for years. Which I know for a fact it hasn't. No one comes to this mansion, because they believe that it's haunted. There was pot holes and dips from the rain and erosion, jumbling Lilly and I as we slowly moved forward. Eventually the road became too narrow for even my baby.

Lilly and I got out of the car, continuing on foot with our flashlights pointed low at the ground, watching for anymore pot holes to trip in. As we walk there was a rustling sound in the woods. I wasn't sure what it was,  but with the amount of noise it was making, I knew it was big. I pulled Lilly down farther into the grass and stilled.

"Don't worry it's probably just a coyote, it will leave us alone if we leave it alone," I said in my mind. "Coyotes are more scared of us than we are of them." I could tell she was scared even though she tried to put on a brave face.

"I wasn't planning on messing with it," she replied sarcastically.

Just as before, the noise started again but moved further away. As it faded, we slowly stood up again. Lilly and I share a look with each other. I noticed a leaf stuck in her hair. I gently grabbed her shoulder, pulling her closer to me. I slowly leaned further. My eyes glanced down at her lips before meeting her eyes again. As I pulled closer  I realized what it looked like, I pulled back a little. I reached my hand up and pulled a leaf out of Lilly's hair.

"Sorry, it's just this was stuck in your hair, and I thought I would pull it out for you," I said quickly, staring down at the ground. I'm glad it's dark because I'm sure my face is bright red as I feel my cheeks grow warm. I looked back up at her after a minute and said, "We should get going. I want to get there soon, it's getting really late. I don't want my mom to wake up and find us missing."

"Ok, well let's get started walking again. How far is the house from here?" she asked, trying to dissolve the tension between us.

"I'm not sure. It's too dark to gauge the distance, but I'm sure we are getting close now"

We walk farther down the dirt road, if you can even call it that now. It's getting narrower and the grass is starting to crowd in, growing taller. Eventually it becomes so narrow that I had to walk in front of Lilly. We continue walking farther along the path.

The sounds of crickets and bullfrogs were growing louder as it gets darker and we walk. The bullfrogs soon became overbearing, the sound blocking all other sounds of the night. I shined my flashlight around coming across a small pond. My flashlight reflected off the water, but so was something else. It had two eyes. Lilly pulled on my arm, stopping me and pointed towards where the eyes were at.

"Cole, I saw something. It was eyes in the water," she said quickly. 

"It's probably a bullfrog, Lilly. Their eyes reflect the light, it's nothing to worry about. Haven't you've ever seen one before?" I asked curiously.

" You know I was never an outdoors person. I know what they sound like, but I've never seen one before. There wasn't anywhere near my house that a bullfrog would live." I laughed and shaked my head at her before grabbing her hand and walking farther down the path. I  could feel her roll her eyes and follow behind me.

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I caught sight of the gate with my beam of light as we walk farther down the path. I let go of her hand and yanked on the rusted gate but it stays put.

"Hold on to my flashlight while I try to get the gate unstuck," I said handing over my flashlight to Lilly before turning back to the gate. I yanked on the gate harder than before but it still doesn't move. I sighed and tried as hard as I can but it stays closed. "We will have to climb to the top of the fence. I looked to the top of the gate. It was black and rusted with intricate designs. 

"Why don't you use magic to get it unstuck?" she asked curiously. 

"Magic is illegal to do when you are under 18. We have to have an approved adult there to use any," I explained to her patiently.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. What if it's an emergency?"

I looked at her and said, "Well that would be an exception, but it would have to be a life or death emergency. Anything less than that and you'd get punished for it."

"Punished how?"

"Restrictions on magic use, sometimes probation, and usually you have to wait longer to be allowed to do magic on your own. Come here and I'll give you a boost," I said making a small platform with my hands. Lily stuck her foot in the platform I created and pushed her towards the top of the gate. She  stick my foot into a hole and lifted herself higher up the gate. I quickly overtook her and crossed over the top before jumping the rest of the way down. After a little longer of struggling  she reach the top of the gate and when she crossed over I opened up my arms.

"Don't worry I've got you, just drop. I promise I won't let you fall," I said sending my lopsided smile to her.

"OK, but only because I trust you," she said. She let go and drop right into my arms. It felt right holding her in my arms. I gently put her down and held onto her shoulders until she was steady on her feet.

"Come on, the mansion is right up here," I said grabbing her hand and pulling her along. Her hands were soft. 

We walk down what must have been a private drive once upon a time but cracks in the pavement allowed plants to grow back. We turn off our flashlights now that we are closer and slowly make our way down the bend in the road. There stood the mansion. It must have been beautiful when it was first built but now the shutters are falling off, windows are boarded up and cracked, parts of the roof is collapsed, and the paint is peeled. The full moon's light allows us to see the rest of the way to the house. We walk towards the door and turn the doorknob. The door opens into a dark room.