Our Minds

Chapter Nine

Clive and Ethan walk down the stairs like a mile away from each other. Gwin and Miyo wait with Jake and Lillie. They wait for the two boys to get down here, so they can finally read about the hauntings in the asylum. Miyo notices that the boys are walking very far apart from each other. She nudges Gwin and says, “Do you think something happened between them?” Gwin turns and looks at the boys walking down the stairs. “I think something did, but we shouldn’t mention it anytime soon,” Gwin replies.

“Did you guys find anything?” Lillie asks, helping Jake stand up. “Yeah,” Clive yells from the end of the stairs. He rushes over to the other kids with Ethan trailing behind him. Ethan is still thinking about the kiss. He wonders if Clive knew it was a kiss. Did Clive consider it to be a kiss as well? Just a few hours ago at school Clive was merely his bully. Now Ethan was developing a crush on him.

Clive shows the other kids the gun and states how he should keep it. Lillie objects, “So, the strongest person in our group needs a weapon?” The gears in the other kids heads start turning and they start agreeing with Lillie.

“Yeah. We should give it to someone else. Maybe Ethan,” Miyo offers. Ethan getting slightly offensive. He steps up, “Why do I need a gun? I’ve never used one. Unless you count video games.” Miyo groans, “Okay, so Ethan and Clive are off the list. Gwin?” Her blue head whips around so fast, “No way.”

“Alright,” Miyo continues, but Ethan stops her, “Wait, so Gwin doesn’t need a reason to not carry the gun?”

“She’s obviously uncomfortable with it, so we’ll use someone else,” Miyo explains.

“Why don’t you take it Miyo?” Gwin questions. Miyo looks at the gun in Clive’s hands. It seems to tease her with the shining light. She reaches towards it, her hand shaking. Jonathan, her one father, has taught her how to use a gun before, but then her other dad, Evan, stopped her from shooting. Miyo was 11 years old then. What would be wrong with shooting now? Nothing should attack them; it’s an empty mental hospital. You can’t shoot ghosts anyway.

Miyo suddenly snatches the gun out of Clive’s hands. She huffs, “There, someone has it now.”

“Do you know how to handle a gun?” Clive asks, tilting his head to the side. The little length of brown hair on his forehead moves to the side. Miyo slides the gun in the back of her jeans while she’s nodding at Clive’s question, “Of course. My one father taught me.” Again she was only half lying.

“One of your dads? What about you mom?” Jake chimes in. Wondering why Miyo would always say, “one of my dads.”

“Well, my dads had to get a surrogate, they’re gay.” Miyo sounds agitated, because none of them have grasped that concept yet. Everyone except Gwin and Lillie. The term “gay” makes Ethan shiver. He briefly glances at Clive. He only smiles at Miyo in understanding, “That’s hella cool Miyo. Sorry not all of us understood that before.”

“So, are we all just going to sit in a circle and spill our biggest secrets or something?” Jake asks sarcastically from Lillie’s side. Gwin thinks for a moment, she looks around the asylum. “Maybe we should. Who knows how long we’ll be in here? We should get to know each other,” Gwin expresses. Clive plops down on the ground, “Welp, let’s get talking then.” A warm feeling comes over Miyo when she looks at Gwin. She sits down as well, “I agree with Gwin.” Miyo smiles at Gwin and pulls her down. Lillie and Jake make their way down as well. Ethan is the only one standing. Clive notices and grabs his hand. He yanks him down right beside him.

The children start by saying their name and grade around the circle. Miyo is in 10th grade, along with Gwin, Ethan, and Jake. Both Clive and Lillie are currently in 11th. The “truth” circle starts over with Miyo. “Let’s get deeper,” Miyo creeply states while tapping her fingers together. The others merely laugh. Miyo takes a deep breath and says in a rush, “I’mma lesbian.” Everyone else stares at her. Gwin’s heartbeat picks up and her pallid face turns bright red, “We’re in a haunted asylum and we’re playing truths?!” Gwin stands up, but Miyo pulls on her black shorts. “You just don’t want to tell us anything, hmm,” the blue eyes of Miyo tease Gwin. “Fine, I’ve played the violin since I was 5 years old,” Gwin huffs and sits down again. “Well, I’ve played football since that age,” Clive chimes in and laughs shortly afterward.

While the kids sit in the “truth” circle a noise starts on the third floor in the nursery. There is another ghost upon them. The tiny child crawls out of his half bed and wanders around the hell he’s been in for years.

Ethan shivers and looks around, “I feel something.” A warm hand rests on his arm. Ethan meets Clive’s eyes. “Want me to look with you?” Ethan’s brain shuts down and his heart makes him nod to the question. The boys follow Ethan’s instincts.

“How are you feeling?” Lillie questions Jake. He stands up on his own, “A lot better.”

“What do you guys think Ethan and Clive are up to?” Gwin asks to the rest of her new friends. They each new a little more about each other now. “I think they’re looking for more stuff,” Jake answers. “No,” Lillie interrupts, “Ethan heard something and they went to check it out together.” Jake laughs, “They’re just using excuses to go make out with each other.”

“Funny,” Gwin sharply states and hits Jake in the arm. He stops laughing, “Sorry. I was just kidding.”

“I know, you kid around a lot,” Gwin sasses back, and Miyo follows with a “Ooo”. Lillie’s librarian senses kick in, “Knock it off. All of you. We should go find Ethan and Clive. I don't know why they went without us.” No one says another word as they follow Lillie up the steps.