Free The Departed by J. A. Templeton Page A

gaze told me she had heard it, too.
    I saw a black figure move from one tree to the next, and then another flash, and yet another dark figure. The same hooded figures I’d seen before.
    “They’re here,” I said, trying to slow my racing heart.
    Cait’s eyes widened. Suddenly this wasn’t so exciting anymore.
    “Riiiilllleeeyyyyy,” I heard in my ear.
    I felt like I’d walked through a thick batch of cobwebs. I wiped at my face and Cait looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing. I must have walked into a spiderweb or something.”
    The figures in the woods stopped, and then simultaneously they all turned to face me. I reached out and grabbed Cait’s hand. “We’re so screwed,” I said under my breath.
    Her eyes widened. “Where are they?”
    A dark, depressing feeling rushed through me. We were completely surrounded. “All around us.”
    I tried not to panic as icy fingers slid around the back of my neck.
    “You will leave here and you shall never return,” Laria whispered. I felt a burning sensation where her lips had touched the edge of my ear.
    “She’s telling us to leave and never return.”
    Cait stiffened her spine. “Where is she?”
    “Beside me.”
    “Leave her alone,” Cait said, staring off to my left. “Leave all of us alone. You are dead.”
    Laria was well aware she was dead, but I didn’t tell Cait that.
    “She’s on the other side,” I said, and Cait’s gaze shifted to my right shoulder.
    Laria’s nails bit into my shoulder. I gritted my teeth against the pain.
    “Mom, help us,” I said, under my breath.
    Laria’s laughter echoed in my mind. She was mocking me.
    Chill bumps raced up my back, along my spine, and made the hair on my arms stand on end.
    I took hold of Cait’s hand. “I ask for God and the angels to surround us, to protect us from evil.”
    Cait repeated my words over and over again, her voice ringing with conviction.
    Laria turned from me toward Cait, a slow smile spreading over her lips. She reached out and grabbed hold of her.
    At first it was like Cait didn’t feel anything, until Laria’s fingers slid around her neck and squeezed.
    Cait’s eyes widened in alarm, and then she looked at me in desperation, asking me without words to do something. Anything.
    I pushed Laria hard, and she didn’t budge. “Get off her!” I yelled.
    From the crowd of cloaked figures, a tall man stepped forward. He pushed the cowl back off his head.
    “Oh my God,” Cait said, and it was obvious by the terrified expression that she could see Randall as plainly as I did.
    Randall flew at me, so fast I didn’t have time to move. The breath left me in a rush, and I was slammed against a tree trunk, my face pushed up against the bark. Randall’s hand tightened around the back of my neck and squeezed hard. A wave of dizziness washed over me.
    Cait screamed so loud it nearly pierced my eardrums. Abruptly the spirits disappeared.
    Kade came rushing out of the trees with Shane on his heels. They both looked wildly about. “What’s going on?”
    Cait was pure white and trembling. All her bravado had gone out the window. I knew how shocking it was to see a spirit, and I have no doubt she had seen Randall. Maybe she’d even seen Laria and the others.
    Kade helped me up, and Shane stared daggers at me. “You said you wouldn’t come without me.”
    “How did you know we were here?” I asked sheepishly.
    “Maddy showed up at practice,” Kade said, brushing the dirt off my back, and looking over his shoulder he scanned the area. “She was freaking out, saying you were in danger, and she told us you had gone in search of Laria’s grave.”
    Shane planted his hands on his hips. “I told you not to come without me.” It was really obvious he wasn’t about to let it drop. He glanced at Cait. “And what were you thinking?”
    “It was my idea,” Cait said, and Kade turned to her, surprise on his face.
    “Laria is haunting Megan. I mean, you saw her. She looked like shit.