Free Raven's Rest by Stephen Osborne

its walls. Whatever is keeping him there, nothing is going to change. So you don’t fret about it. Just leave it be and get on with your life. Don’t be talking to Jesenia Maupin and having her read her tarot cards for you. Just let it go.”
    I hadn’t realized anyone knew about my chat with Jesenia, other than Trey, and I knew he hadn’t said anything to his mother. “It just seems like he’s calling out to me.”
    “I thought he was calling out to me too, all those years ago. But in the end, nothing happened. I found out zilch.” She smiled encouragingly, then got to her feet. “Well, that’s my say on the matter. Now maybe you’d better go check on Trey and make sure he hasn’t broken every plate I own.”
    I nodded and went back to the kitchen. I appreciated Mrs. Ramsey’s concern, of course, but I knew I had to keep trying to learn more about what happened to Coleman Hollis. After all, I had an advantage that she didn’t have.
    I was the spitting image of Coleman’s lover, Bryan.

Chapter SEVEN
     
     
    THE MOVIE had been the usual Hollywood drivel, but Trey and I enjoyed it, more for the company than anything happening on-screen. We had a huge bucket of popcorn, only half of which got eaten, and held hands during part of the movie like high school kids. As the credits rolled and we disengaged our hands so we could put our jackets back on, I did have a moment where I thought, What the hell am I doing? I shouldn’t fall for this guy. Sort out the mess that is your life first before dragging someone else into it . But that thought was fleeting.
    I liked Trey, and reason had absolutely no say in the matter.
    As we walked back to his car, a beat-up Ford that suited him perfectly, Trey shuffled as he zipped up his coat and shivered. “Damn, it’s getting cold.”
    “The little kids will have to wear coats over their costumes tomorrow night when they go trick-or-treating. I always hated that. Spider-Man never wore a coat over his tights.”
    “I should have known you went as Spider-Man.” Trey’s teeth were actually chattering as he fished out his keys.
    “And I suppose you went as John Lennon or someone like that.”
    Trey smiled. “I did go as Tom Petty one year. No one knew who the hell I was supposed to be. Shows you what a dumb town this is.”
    “Good God, how old were you?” I asked as we got into the car. I immediately jammed my hands between my thighs to warm them. Trey was right. It was damned chilly.
    “I was ten. I had Mom color my hair blond, and she glued fake sideburns onto my cheeks, and I wore this battered top hat and carried my electric guitar. People thought I was a rock-and-roll version of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland , which I guess is close. Pissed me off at the time, though.” Trey started the engine and messed with the heating controls. Cold air poured out. “It’ll warm up soon. So, home? Or there’s this bar in town….”
    “Let’s go to the Raven’s Rest. We can get some hot cocoa to warm ourselves up.”
    As it turned out, the kitchen was closed by the time we got there, so we had to forgo the drink. I did, however, invite Trey up to my room.
    “Are you sure your ghost won’t be jealous?” Trey said with a smirk.
    “I’m hoping he’s taking the night off.” We were walking down the hallway, and I couldn’t help but look at the door of the Raven Suite as we passed. If I could open the door, what would I find? An empty suite or a blast from the past? Would I see Coleman Hollis’s room from 1984, complete with Boy George poster? I admit I rushed to get to my by-now-so-familiar Ulalume Suite.
    Trey hovered by my side as I swiped the key card. “Kind of a disappointment, those things being used here. Ruins the old-world charm. They should have real keys.”
    “People lose real keys, and that can cost money. These are easier to replace, I think.” I opened the door and stepped in. As I flicked the light switch, I tried to take in a sense of the