“Now don’t be callin’ us every hour asking how we are.” Gabe grinned as he waved goodbye from the driver’s seat, and I felt so guilty because I hadn’t planned on calling at all. Archie was already in a scrap with his sister, sneakily pulling her hair, while Riley wound down the back window, stuck his head out, and yelled cheekily, “Got somethin’ for you, Mum!” and burped.
I smiled, waved goodbye, and blew kisses until my wrist ached. I hate admitting this, but the moment the van was out of sight, my limbs loosened, and I leaned against the mailbox and just soaked up the blessed quiet. I’ve taken some annual leave at work. Lord knows I’ve got enough. I already told Adria and Tim that if they call, I’m not answering. I’m going to have an entire week of “me time.”
I bustled around the empty house, not knowing what to do withmyself. Gabe dropped the dogs off at a sitter’s this morning. I had a long soak in the tub, then drove to Sarah’s.
Something’s seriously wrong with Sarah. I’ve known it for a while. They did the wrong thing by firing her. It’s been terrible for her mental health.
Tim and Benita are glad to see the back of her.Thinks she’s too good for the likes of us.But I don’t think that at all. Poor dear’s got no family, and no friends that I can tell of. She rubs people the wrong way, Sarah. Or Lizzy, I s’pose I should call her. God, that one threw me for a six! I about dropped my mug of tea when she told me all that stuff about her sister. I hope she didn’t notice my reaction. I felt guilty about it for days. Here’s this poor girl showing me all her wounds, and I just sat there like a stunned mullet.
I pull a pillow to my chest. I can’t settle tonight. God, that note.
My name is Amanda Vale.
There’s something wrong with this house. No one believes me.
They come at night.
There’s been no news coverage about Amanda’s disappearance. No missing-person posters. It’s like she’s been swept under Beacon’s rug. Imagine! A young woman going missing in this town. We knew about the tragedy of Black Wood House, but that was forty years ago.
Amanda’s disappearance really rattled me. I banned the kids from walking home from school for a few weeks. But you can’t keep them wrapped in cotton wool, can you?
They come at night.
I sigh heavily, staring at the ceiling. There’s something off about that note. I can’t put my finger on it.
I hope Sarah’s okay. She was pretty shaken up, but she wouldn’t come back to my place. And I feel a bit guilty about this, but I just couldn’t stay at her house aminutelonger. That house gives me the shivers. And the attic…I really didn’t want to go up there, but she was so insistent. Poor girl. If Gabe were here, he’d poke me in the ribs. “Old MotherHen,” he’d tease me, eyes sparkling. “Can’t stand to see anyone suffering.”
They come at night.
I won’t sleep now. I know it. Maybe I should pop over to the pub, have a stiff drink. Calm my nerves. But I’ve been doing that a bit too often lately. Gabe’s had a few words with me about it. And anyway, I can’t shake the thought that I’m missing something. Somethingreallyimportant.
I bite my lip, thinking hard. The attic really unsettled me. And it wasn’t just the darkness, the note, and the smell. It was something else. I close my eyes, heart thudding. Remember, I tell myself sternly. Remember. I followed Sarah up those creaky steps, wishing she’d change her mind so we could go back downstairs. She went ahead of me, shining her phone at the cradle. That’s when she found the note.
My name is Amanda Vale…
I roll over, frustrated. It’s not so much the note that bothers me. It’s everything else. I really don’t believe Amanda wrote that note. I don’t believe Sarah wrote it either. I saw the look on her face when she found it. Saw the way she nearly fell to the floor, her palm covering her mouth in shock.
So, who wrote it? God. I rub my temple, feel a headache coming.
Headaches…
I go very still. Sarah’s complained nonstop about her damn headaches. Honestly, we were all sick of hearing about them.Bloody drama queen,Benita called Sarah behind her back. I swallow uneasily. Think, think. I lie on my side, my whole body trembling. Then I remember. Just before Sarah discovered the note, I saw something on the attic wall.
God, my heart is beating so damn fast. I cover it with my palm, thinking, thinking. I called out to Sarah. I said,What the bloody hell is on that wall?
I can’t even breathe now. I’m shaking so hard it’s rattling the bed. Think, Em! What was it about the wall that made you call out? I closemy eyes, picturing it. In the dimness of Sarah’s torch, the wall was illuminated, but only for a second. I stopped and stared. Why? Because all over the attic walls were putrid brown smears that looked like nicotine. Like…
I bolt upright.
Oh God. Oh God.
I grab for my phone and frantically call Sarah. Please pick up! Please pick up! Voicemail. Shit! I throw the covers off, lunge for my clothes, heart hammering. I call her again, praying she’ll answer.
“Hi, it’s Sarah Slade! Please leave a message after the beep.”
Beep.
“Sarah!” I grab my jumper off the bedpost and rush out the door. “Don’t go into the attic!”
