Free Trapped by Nicole Smith

much about it, since all the ghosts he ever encountered w ere here , in his world , or so he thought .
    “Is Natalie in this other world or is she still here with us?” Carlos asked, although he f eared the answer she would give him.
    “ The last time I saw her she remained here but I am afraid I don’t know now, I only hope we can find her. As much as you think otherwise, I love Natal ie , just as you do . She is my best friend. I’m frightened by Stella. She can make us do things just by thinking it. I did my best to protect her. I tried Carlos, I tried , ” Beth was starting to pick up her pace as she talked. Carlos knew they were getting closer.
    Beth cam e to a sudden stop. The boys stopped at exactly the same time too . Carlos and Hayden didn’t. They ran towards the opening in the woods. Natalie’s coat was hanging on a tree. As soon as they reached it they realized im mediately that she wasn’t there and hadn’t been for some t ime.
    “I left her coat here to mark the spot where I left her. Something else has been here. I don’t kn ow what, but it isn’t one of us, ” Beth said as she looked into the woods, expressionless.
    “What do we do now?” o ne of the boys asked. Hayden searched around the area. He didn’t see any other signs that Natalie may have been there.
    “It doesn’t look like there has bee n a struggle. Maybe Natalie ran away , ” Carlos said as he looked past the fir st set of trees and saw a path.
    “ Let’s keep going. Maybe she had a head start,” h e said hop in g that something would turn up.
    As they ran down the trail they came towards a dirt road. Hayden and Carlos walked side by side, ignoring the invisible group they were in. Hayden stopped a few yards from the first farm house they came to. He looked down at the dirt ro ad and studied the foot prints.
    “I know the se are from Natalie ’s shoes, I bought them for her,” h e said excitedly. Carlos smiled as they picked up their pace. As they approached the farm house they noticed the yellow po lice tape. Hayden felt his heart stop . Carlos ran towards the house.
    “It’s the Johnston farm house,” Carlos announced.
    “Natalie! Are you in here Natalie?” he shouted. Hayde n ran in behind him. In their fear of finding Natalie dead the y lost control of their senses.
    Beth stood in the living room as they entered . She was talking to the farmer. Carl os knew immediately that he recently died . Hayden ran through the house, completely missing the farmer ’ s wife sitting in the window seat in the upstairs bedroom, looking out the window in t o the woods. As Hayden ran ba ck downstairs and entered the living room, he stopped abruptly as Carlos lifted his hand for him to stop.
    “He told me Natalie left , ” Beth whispered.
    “When was she here and w h ere did she go? What direction did she leave in ?” Hayden shouted at the far mer. He act ed a little surprise d that Hayden could se e him so clearly.
    “She ran away when the police arrived. She thought she would be blamed for our murder s , ” h e replied.
    “Who else is dead?” Carlos asked.
    “My wife is upstairs. She is af raid of me. She won’t come down,” h e said with a grin.
    “Where did Natalie go?” Hayden asked c almly. He knew that this ghost w ould be come hostile if he wasn’t careful . He understood as quickly as Natalie did, that h e murdered his wife .
    “She ran back into the woods. My wife was watching her, b ut th en she disappeared. The police stayed here for hours. I didn’t want to leave but my wife did. She is back if you want to ta lk to her. She is just upstairs,” h e pointed up . Carlos didn’t trust him but they needed to talk to his wife , just in case she saw something .
    “Beth, can you stay here with the boys, bri ng them in and wait for us here, ” Hayden told her. The boys quickly entered the house and crowded arou nd Beth. The farmer watched them enter his house , surprised by the number . He quickly backed up