Free Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens

my room. She went into my smal bathroom and turned on the tap. I could hear her opening the bath salts and knew she was adding scoops of scented salts to my bathwater. Emma always knew what I needed most. It was amazing that I was the psychic one in our friendship.
    I gathered my softest pajamas into my arms and joined her in the bathroom. The smel of the bath nearly blocked out the smel impressions that had been plaguing me al day. I was grateful for that.
    “You roxors my socxors,” I said, smiling.
    “Girl, get in the tub,” Emma said.
    “I stink,” I said.
    I started to giggle. Emma went to sit in the doorway facing out into my bedroom. My own personal bodyguard.
    It wasn’t like I was real y worried that someone would try to break into my bedroom and bathroom, but the gesture made me feel safe. I slid into the hot, sudsy tub and my giggles turned to sniffles. It wasn’t long before my sniffles grew into sobs.
    Emma let me cry it al out. She was good like that. No words could have made me feel better. I just needed the tears and bath water to wash al of the pain and fear away.
    After a long soak and a good cry, I was final y fabulously, gloriously clean.
    “There are fresh towels on the rack behind you,” Emma said.
    She hadn’t turned around so she must have guessed I was done by the lack of crying. No condemnation for being a crybaby or drama queen. Emma real y was the best. I wrapped myself up in the towels and got out of the tub on shaky legs. Putting on my pajamas took longer than usual.
    My shoulders and wrists were bruised and it felt like I was moving through quicksand. When I was final y dressed, I walked up behind Emma and placed a hand on her shoulder.
    “Thanks,” I said. “You are made of awesome.”
    “I know,” Emma said.
    She helped me into bed, but didn’t leave. Once I was tucked in, she climbed onto the bed and held the comforter around me like a shield to protect me from scary dreams and evil jocks.
    “You’re the best,” I whispered.
    “You already said that,” Emma whispered back.
    “Nope, I said you were made of awesome,” I said.
    “Good night, Yuki,” Emma said.
    “Good night,” I mumbled.

    *****
    I woke up feeling stiff and sore. Sun was streaming through the window and for one panicked moment, I thought I had overslept. I turned to my Edgar Al an Poe calendar and let out a sigh of relief. Oh yeah, today’s not a school day. My school worries were quickly replaced by confusion. Where the heck was Emma? Maybe she was in the bathroom?
    “Emma?” I croaked.
    There was no answer from the bathroom or anywhere else. Weird.
    I went to my closet to find a row of empty metal hangars that jangled as they swayed into each other like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. Oh, right, laundry. I closed the closet doors and turned to scoop up piles of dirty clothes and place them in the overflowing hamper.
    I opened my bedroom door and flicked on the hal light.
    No sign of Emma, or my parents. The hal was empty and the house was silent as the grave. It wasn’t unusual for the rents to be at work early on Saturday morning, but I was stil perplexed by Emma’s disappearance. Emma was here when I fel asleep. Hadn’t she stayed the night?
    Stepping back into my room, I lifted the overstuffed clothes hamper and trudged down the stairs. I went to the laundry room and fil ed the washing machine with dirty clothes and soap. Fortunately for me, my laundry was al the same color. Wearing al black definitely simplified the task of sorting laundry. Easy peasy.
    I dragged myself into the kitchen, bare feet squeaking against the cold linoleum tile floor. Maybe things would make more sense after coffee. Something on the table caught my eye and I made a detour to check it out. A black paper origami cat crouched on the edge of a penciled note from my mom.
    Your father and I had to go to work, but please call us if you are still feeling sick. Emma told us about your migraine yesterday and said to let you