Free Echoes (Whisper Trilogy Book 2) by Michael Bray

face as he was turning the skull over and over in his hands.
    The right thing would have been to report it, yet to do so would surely see the end of the project. He watched himself turn to the foreman who was waiting for his instructions.
    “Bury them,” he’d said in perfect time with the vision of himself in his head. They had. Countless human remains were interred in the earth and encased in concrete as the foundations of the hotel were being laid.
    He knew it was those which spoke to him now, a swirling vortex of voices cascading around his mind.
    Let us show you, let us teach you.
    Help us get our vengeance.
    He closed his eyes and covered his ears, letting out an almighty roar as he fell to his knees.
    The ground was softer than it should have been, so he opened his eyes. He was no longer in front of the hotel. Instead, he was kneeling in the circle, his trouser legs wet, hands filthy. How and when he had arrived there he wasn’t able to say. All he knew for sure was how much his bones were aching from exposure to the cold. The shadows had grown long as the day had faded and draped the spaces between the trees in inky emptiness. Confused, he trudged back the way he’d come, numb to the sounds of the trees as they shook and spoke their secret language. He barely flinched as branches scratched and clawed at his skin, nor did he acknowledge the cold, which was biting with relentless monotony. He didn’t even notice the lights on the hotel – those which were wired in at least – flicking on and off at random as he staggered to his car. All he could concentrate on was the high pitched hum in his brain while driving home. That and the name he just couldn’t get to leave his mind, no matter how much he tried.
    Donovan.

CHAPTER 7

    “There it is,” Alex said as he crouched in the brush. Cody shifted position, watching as the last of the workmen left the hotel. Scott was beside him, kneeling on one knee. Communication between them had reduced to almost zero since the decision to go back to the site had been made, and even though neither of them outwardly expressed anything, it was causing a huge strain on their friendship.
    “It doesn’t look creepy at all,” Alex said with more than a hint of frustration.
    “It did when we last came here,” Scott whispered. “When it was just what was left of the house…”
    Alex glanced over his shoulder at Emma and the others, and let out a cocky bark of laughter. “Jesus, Scott, give it a rest. Stop being such a pussy.”
    “Hey, there’s no need for that,” Cody cut in, hoping his friend would appreciate the gesture. Scott however simply stared at the hotel.
    “Well, what are we waiting for? Are you girls ready?” Alex said as he stood and shrugged out of his backpack.
    With more reluctance than he would admit to, Cody followed. Twelve of them had initially planned to come on the camping trip, yet only five of them had showed up, the rest having given their excuses as to why they couldn’t be there. As Cody walked towards the dark shell of the hotel, he wondered if those who’d decided not to come were the smartest of all. Other than Cody, Alex and Scott, Emma had brought her friend Carrie. They had all met up earlier in the morning, and immediately started drinking the vodka Carrie had managed to sneak out of the house. She was an attractive girl, and seemed unashamed to be a little heavier than average. She had striking green eyes, and although she wore too much makeup, it was easy to see she would be naturally beautiful without it. As a result of the early start on the alcohol, they were already quite drunk. More than ever, Cody was certain Emma was giving him the eye. Every time he glanced at her she turned away, before giving him another furtive look. It was classic cat and mouse, girl meets boy. He wasn’t very confident when it came to girls, especially not ones like Emma who Scott told him on numerous occasions was way out of his league. Even so, he was