Dead Hearts

Chapter 7

Plan walked away from the woman with his thoughts shaking him.

He knew that those readings were rarely or never wrong. Why was Mean in his vision? Why was his stone red? What did it even mean?

Plan was getting more frustrated by the second. He really wanted to come to terms with it right then and there but he knew he couldn't. He chose to focus instead on why he was really there.

He searched for the house she spoke off. Eventually he found a muddy red house with little light except an oil lit lamp hanging beside the door. It was very different from the other houses that were bursting with light and color.

Plan knocked lightly on the door and a man slid a part of the door open so only his eyes were revealed to Plan.

"State your business." The boy glared at Plan. Though he had a very cute face so it was hard for him to seem scary.

"Hi I'm here to learn about Smokeys. Do you know anything about them? A lady over there directed me here." Plan explained.

The boy looked at Plan for a bit before letting him into the house. He pulled him in not wanting anyone to see them.

"I'm Best." He said as he walked not even looking at Plan.

"I'm Plan." He obediently followed the other.

The whole house was filled with books and the walls were covered in maps, writings, drawings, pictures and more. Best was in a long coat that matched the majority of his outfit that was in dark colors. He had glasses on and several charms hanging from his neck and rings decorated his fingers. He had a dark eyeliner that curved his eyes perfectly and he was actually very fashionable.

"So you said you could help me about Smokeys?" Plan asked growing tired of following him mindlessly.

"I can. I've been studying them for a while now." Best explained. They made their way into like a basement part of the house and Best brought out a book. He handed to Plan blindly and the boy took it.

"They're very irregular." Best said still searching for stuff. "They don't obey any of the laws or properties of a ghost." He said as he found another book and piled it on Plan.

"They're not dangerous, it seems, but they should be healed because a Smokey heart is even worse than a dead one." Best put a box of charms on the pile.

"Why have you seen one?" Suddenly he swerved and he was face to face with Plan and boring holes into his eyes.

Plan didn't feel the need to lie to him since he was the best shot he's got at actual help so he told him the truth.

"Yeah." Plan said trying to be relaxed under is stare. "The one of my best friend Mean keeps asking me to help him."

Best moved back a bit and tsked. "You don't need to lie to me about your boyfriend. I'm not homophobic. I myself actually do have a boyfriend." Best suddenly went back to getting the stuff from the shelves and tables. "And you'll have to explain to my Kris baby why I'm not home now."

"You don't live here?" Plan asked confused at the woman's original instructions.

"I don't. This is just my shop. People think that because the light is always the same so they can't tell the difference." Best explained.

"Anyways Mean isn't my boyfriend." Plan said still carrying whatever Best put on his hands.

"Really now?" Best asked in confusion. "Peculiar."

He was lost in thought as he continued to search through his books till he found all he needed.

"Alright that's it!" Best happily clapped his hands. "Now put them down on the table and we shall begin."