Free The Ghost of Graylock by Dan Poblocki

yesterday with my sister and some friends.” And now for the clincher. “We snuck in through a window.”
    “What were you thinking? And who are these friends? I thought you weren’t from here.”
    “Wesley and Eric Baptiste.” He regretted saying their names immediately. What if Melissa told on them?
    “Really?” Melissa softened. “Eric went with you?”
    “You know him?”
    Melissa nodded. “He’s in my little brother’s band. We actually went out a couple years ago. I was a senior. He was a sophomore. He’s pretty cute.”
    Neil didn’t know what to say. The best he could think of was: “I’m pretty sure my sister would agree with you.”
    “Well, tell your sister to stay away from him if she values her sanity,” said Melissa, turning back to the pie crusts.
    Oh , Neil thought, she does. We both do.
    “Trust me,” Melissa added. “Cute does not always mean sweet.”
    “I think Bree figured that out already.”
    “Neil!” Claire popped her head through the doorway and called out through the din, “You’ve got a visitor.”
    Neil leaned close to Melissa. “Don’t tell anyone what I told you. You know, about Graylock?”
    Melissa raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
    “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. Please?”
    Melissa smiled. “You know the best way to keep a secret?” Neil shook his head. “Never tell anyone. Period.”
     
    Carrying his satchel, Neil wandered out to the café section of the shop. He found Wesley standing just inside the front door, sweating through his bright orange tie-dyed T-shirt. Claire had given him a cup of water. Outside, Neil saw Wesley’s bike propped against the café’s large front window.
    The events of the previous day careened back into Neil’s brain, and he realized that the pie shop had so consumed him, he hadn’t even thought about the nighttime visitor since Melissa had asked him to help with the crusts.
    “Hey there!” said Wesley. “I called your house. Your sister told me you were here.”
    “Cool,” said Neil. “I’m glad you came.”
    “She said you had something to tell me.” Wesley clasped the water cup tightly, looking as if he expected to hear a mind-blowing story.
    “I sure do.” Neil called out to his aunt, who was behind the counter chatting with Lyle. “Aunt Claire, can I take a break?”
    “Hmm,” Claire said, glancing up. When she saw Wesley, she smiled. “You’re going together, right?”
    “Just to the playground,” said Wesley. “Over on Bennett Street.”
    “Don’t be too long.”
    “We won’t,” said Neil, already reaching for the doorknob.

A S THEY WALKED SEVERAL BLOCKS TOWARD B ENNETT S TREET — passing quiet houses and overgrown gardens, ramshackle fences and cars in gravel driveways that looked as if they’d been abandoned — Neil told Wesley what had happened the night before.
    Wesley nearly fell down with excitement. “Nurse Janet totally followed you home!”
    “I’m not sure that’s something to cheer about,” said Neil. “Doesn’t the legend say that she looks for new victims to drown?”
    Wesley grew somber. “Oh yeah. I forgot about that part.”
    At Bennett, they took a left and encountered a large field. The playground stood at the crest of a nearby hill. Once they’d reached the blanket of green grass, they began to climb.
    “Shoot,” said Neil. “I still don’t have camera batteries. I wanted to check out the pictures from yesterday.”
    “What kind of batteries do you need?” asked Wesley, racing toward the empty swing set at the top of the slope.
    “Not sure,” said Neil, trying to keep up. “Double A?”
    When they reached the playground, Wesley leapt into the seat of a swing. His momentum carried him swiftly backward and up. Grasping a chain with one hand, he reached into his pocket with the other. When he swung back toward Neil, he showed him what he’d brought — two small cylinders marked AA . “Will these work?”
    Neil smiled and then jumped back so that