FAMILY BOND

Chapter 16

With Eddie's truck loaded down with lumber and tools, they head out to Kirstie and Avi's old house.

"Would it be unmanly to admit that I'm scared sh*ttless right now?" Avi asks from the back seat of Tim's car.

"Not at all." Tim answers as he nervously taps his finger on the steering wheel. "I think we all are."

"You think I'd be used to dealing with ghosts by now." Kirstie giggles nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

"But I was a good ghost." Avi says. "These? Not so much."

"I can't figure out why she's still here." Tim says as he stares at the highway before them. "McGriff was haunting me because he wasn't at rest. Once we buried him, he left me alone. We buried Olena too. Right next to McGriff. Even poured holy water on her body."

"Maybe she's still guided by revenge. Revenge on you and maybe even Austin. After all, Austin was the one that pulled the trigger." Adam says.

"But does she know that? None of us seen Austin and we were facing them. Olena and Tim had their backs to Austin." Avi says.

"There are two spray tanks full of salt water in the trunk of my car. Kirstin, I want you and Esther to follow each other around the house, spray where the house meets the ground. Making sure to spray every inch." Tim says.

"You got it." Kirstie nods.

"Then take the holy water that Nate has and pour some at each corner of the house. And remember NOT to look at the windows." Tim warns.

"You don't have to worry about me looking at any windows." Kirstie says as she shakes her head.

"Well, here we are." Tim says in a dreaded tone as they pull into the driveway.

The other vehicles pull in behind them. Everyone slowly exists their vehicles, averting their eyes away from the house.

"I don't think I've ever been this scared in my life." Chance chuckles nervously as they begin to unload Eddie's truck.

They all work in pairs so no one would be alone. With the use of ladders, Eddie/Avi and Chris/Nate work on the upstairs windows while Chance/Austin and Tim/Adam work on the first floor.

"I'm hearing all kind of noise from inside." Adam says as he holds the board for Tim.

"Baby, whatever you do, don't look. I feel like someone is staring a hole through me right now." Tim says.

"Maybe we should have brought some black spray paint to spray over the windows." Adam says.

"That probably would have been a great idea." Tim says as he hammers a plank into place. "Cause it's so tempting to glance up."

"Sounds like someone is tapping on the window with their fingernails trying to get our attention." Adam says, staring down at the ground as he hands another board to his husband.

He notices a shadow of one of their friends come up behind them. He glances up to see who it was. Horror comes across his face as he sees Austin, with a blank look in his eyes, raising a hammer to hit Tim in the head.

"WATCH OUT!!!" Adam screams as he shoves Tim out of the way. He himself falls in the other direction to keep from getting hit with the hammer.

Tim tries to scramble to his feet but is unable to do so because of the swinging hammer.

"AUSTIN!! WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH YOU!!??" Tim yells as he rolls out of the way of the hammer crashing down barely missing him. "SH*T!! CHANCE!!!!!!!"