Crossing Over

Chapter 14

Cameron made his second trip in a week across town to Rob's house. He spent the entire drive second-guessing himself. He had begun to question the credibility of his own mental state.

When Andra called early this morning claiming she had found the key to solving Savannah's case, Cameron jumped at the chance to help. It sounded as if this could be just what they needed to put this whole thing behind them. Andra said that Savannah had kept a journal and she claimed to know where it was hidden. How she had come across this particular piece of information however was another matter altogether. All she would say on the subject was that they needed to talk but it would have to wait until after they made sure the journal existed. 

Andra wanted him to sneak into the house and retrieve it for her. She even had an excuse for not making the trip herself saying that she needed to wait until they went for the actual investigation. Since Andra would be on camera for the entirety of the live stream she felt that her initial reactions needed to be as authentic as possible for the viewers. They wouldn't be if she had already toured the house beforehand. Her excuse didn't hold water for Cameron though. There was a tenseness in her voice that he didn't like. There was something she wasn't telling.

Cameron had dubiously agreed knowing that he would have to have Rob's help. He had no desire to go to Pinewood Drive alone and Rob was already familiar with the layout of the house. Unfortunately, it had taken him the better part of an hour to convince Rob that going back into that house was the right thing to do. It took him even longer to convince Rob that they weren't risking life and limb for the sake of Cameron's love life. He had sworn to him that this was not the case. Rob had given in eventually but he wasn't completely convinced and truthfully, neither was Cameron.

Pulling into Rob's driveway Cameron glanced at his clock realizing that they only had a few hours before sunset. He would have to move fast. Rob wouldn't go near the house after dark. It had been hard enough getting him to agree to it in broad daylight.

Knowing how hesitant his friend was Cameron was more than a little surprised when Rob appeared on the front porch before Cameron even had time to kill the engine. Sliding nimbly into the passenger seat he turned to Cameron. "Let's get this over with before I change my mind."

"I've got to be a complete idiot. I just want to go on the record as saying this is a very bad idea."

"Your reluctance has been noted," Cameron said backing expertly into the street. "But if you're really scared -"

"It has nothing to do with being scared. "Rob said, quickly cutting him off. "I just happen to enjoy breathing."

They drove the rest of the way in silence down roads they'd been traveling since they were children. Until the past few days, Cameron had always felt comfortable in Inglewood. It was where he'd grown up after all. He couldn't deny though that recently everything about his hometown left him with a sense of unease. Something was just so off here. Cameron was becoming more and more afraid that they had freed something that wouldn't be easily put back in its cage.

There was no sign of cars or people as they turned onto Pinewood Drive. The road was long and winding and bordered by acres of thick forest which were plentiful in pine and spruce trees as the name would suggest. There were only two or three other houses and those were spaced well apart.

It was like the bad feelings that resonated from the house somehow seeped into the very ground it was built on discouraging anyone from getting too close.

They pulled into what had once been a gravel drive before weeds and crabgrass had pushed their way through the soil. As he parked in what was left of the side yard he felt the tension inside the car ratchet up to an almost unbearable level. Rob had become visibly antsy and Cameron couldn't blame him. He was starting to feel a little sick himself.