Hide and Seek 3: The Last Game

Chapter 2: For the Adventure

"The Harmon's mansion! We are absolutely not going."

All four us sat at the table. Gave and Olivia gave me and Mickiyah firm looks then she and I exchanged looks. "Gave, don't be dramatic," she patted his hand.

"I WILL be dramatic," his eyes widened. "An Ouija board?" He crossed his legs and started playing with his dyed blue dreads. "No, honey. Not me."

Olivia nudged Gave with her shoulder. "Wait but you don't believe in ghost. Why are you worried?"

"Why am I-" Gave did a dramatic gesture, sipped his ice coffee, then again stared me and Mickiyah down. "Look, I'd never play with one of those. They're dangerous. What's so cool about contacting spirits? Huh Tori? Can't we just go watch the hot swimmers over by Dickson Hall?"

"Oooo I like that idea," Mickiyah agreed, "but I'm not hearing enough about the females."

"We can hit the soccer field after for the girls."

The two of them laughed. Olivia just kinda shook her head, smiling at us. "Dang. Y'all make me feel so left out for being straight. I wish I was-"

"NO!"

Me, Gave, and  Mickiyah said at the same time.

"Dude, I can't even talk to woman," I said. "It's so hard. How do other girls have...girlfriends?"

Mickiyah raised her eyebrow at me. "Honestly, I don't know how you don't, Tori," she said to me. "You rock both men's clothes and woman's. You have a cool haircut design almost every month not to mention the cool silver highlights you have going on. Not everyone can rock short curly hair with that color. On you it's natural. Others, hmmm probably chaotic. If you had tattoos...that'd be the icing on the cake."

Right away I blushed. Inside my mind I was screaming: If you'd just notice my dying love for you. 

However, I was also not keen about checking out the Harmon's ruins but for her, I would. Everyday was an adventure to and with this girl. However, this is the first time I hesitated. I don't believe in ghost but something about visiting The Harmon's old ruins didn't rest well in my mind.

"Hey, we don't have to do this guys," Mickiyah sighed. She closed her book bag again and I could see the disappointment as she put away the sketches she drew. We all could tell she was kinda upset. "I honestly will just go by myself for the pictures if that's the case."

"Hey," Olivia looked at her. "I'm down for whatever but it's kinda creepy. I'll go if we take safety precautions."

Gave tilted his head back, sighed, then looked at Mickiyah. "Alright, ghostbuster. I'll go but I'm not playing. I'll watch and take pictures of you guys."

Mickiyah lit up like a firework exploding in the sky. She could merely hold her excitement. "Yes! Thank you! Thank you guys! I just really want to try it. It would be so cool if there's just...a whole other world out there."

I admire her so much. Her spirit even though this time she was naive. However, knowing her story I know why she wants to adventure as much as she possibly can. Mickiyah's parents shielded her from the world for the longest time and when they passed away and she was adopted and she didn't want to take advantage of the good in life. At least that's what she told me. Sort of like myself. I also went through hell and a half with my family being drug addicts. I used my art to express my pain and my pain to express my art. That's why the universe connected us. Free spirits stick together.

***

The four of us ended up at the library, sat out in front of a laptop.

"Let's find out what we need to know before we go," Mickiyah brought up a PDF that was in one of her emails. "I studied this case for so long and there isn't enough information on it."

"It is interesting," I agreed. "The Harmon's die in a fire. The daughter who died years before they did. The Foster kid. Emily."

"Actually it was Emily and her younger brother Caleb who were adopted according to police reports," she showed me the PDF.

"Oh right! Weren't their family murdered?" I asked.

"Emily's? Yes. They were. Why? Nothing connected with a reason." She replied. "Probably wanted money."

Gave looked at the PDF, reading it. "What the heck is this? You did an essay on this?"

"Sorta..." she replied. "Not quite because I can't find enough information. I've been obsessed with it for years. There's not a lot of information on it. It's like, everyone who knew what's up disappeared. Emily and Caleb. Where are they now? Who knows. Are the dead? No one knows."

"They probably burned down the house," I told her. "Then left."

Mickiyah shrugged. "Maybe." She said in a soft tone. Almost if she was sad.

"Hey," I gave her a soft smile. "Why are you so obsessed with this one? This case in particular?"

"It's so close to home, dude. And Mariel...she knew something." She lowered her voice and gesture is in a little face circle. "I don't believe in ghost but something about this care is very creepy and supernatural."

Gave sat back. Starring at the PDF. "And what do we prove if we go?"

"It's for the adventure!" She smiled. "The thrill of it. We don't believe in ghost anyways."

"I guess we're on this train together then," Mickiyah closed her laptop. "All aboard."

Gave pulled down on a fake string in the air. "All aboard if you want to be haunted by a ghost train."

Olivia leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'm going to fail anyway," she laughed. "Might as well get my soul sucked away to evil spirits."

Little did we know, that's exactly what we were asking for.

***

Authors note: The Ouija Board stuff is based on true events with my time using one. So stay tuned! And be opened minded. There's a lot of scary truth in this ;)

I know some of us forgot the original two books but I will add reminders. If you're wondering if the older characters will be involved in this such as Jasper and Emily YES.

Also point out any mistakes!

If I have any artist on here that want to draw art for the book you can submit to my Instagram! I'll post your drawings to the book. I'm looking pictures of places, characters, just to make the book more interactive again!

I'll shout out and post the person and their art on all my platforms :)

Also it's a perfect tome to hit me up for writing tips!