Science Ch 21

Leni clearly doesn’t know what to say, and you sense that doesn’t happen to her very often. Putting her on the spot this way isn’t fair, but you don’t know where else to turn.

Meri’s sudden gasp makes you both jump. Then she slams her hands on the table, rattling the mugs and silverware, which makes several other diners look over.

Meri turns to a startled Leni, beaming as though she’s just won the lottery. “Microfilm montage.”

You see the hesitation on Leni’s face. English isn’t her first language, but even if it were, Meri is speaking nonsense.

“You OK?”

“Yes!” Meri shrieks, grabbing Leni’s hands. “He wants us to do a microfilm montage.”

“What?” Leni says faintly.

“Oh my gosh! It’s an integral part of every ghost movie,” Meri bubbles excitedly. “You know! You have to go to an old library and look at old stuff in the basement. Or go through boxes of old stuff looking for clues. It’s the best if you have to look at newspapers on microfilm, though. That automatically makes the movie a thousand times better.” She does a chef’s kiss. “And we get to do it for real! Where’s the CCL stuff? The file cabinets that were in Athena’s room, right?”

“They are in storage,” Leni says.

“Storage,” Meri says orgasmically. “Yes! Yes, Flynn! Yes!”

You clear your throat. “Can we at least look? See if there’s anything?”

“Yes. I’ll get the club on it right now. We are all over it, Flynn.” Meri bounces in her seat excitedly. “What if there’s microfilm?”

“There won’t be,” you tell her.

“Is it this serious?” Leni asks worriedly.

“Leni, we got actual readings in there. And Apple’s been weird ever since. I wonder if she got possessed,” Meri muses, rubbing her chin. You look away and take a gulp of coffee.

[ It’s not us! We’re Just Cursed! ]

Last night has everyone on edge. The group chat’s been quiet all morning. Everyone’s gone when you get back to the house, and a sore back is not going to stop you from putting in a full day of work. Maybe more than a full day; you have so much catching up to do.

You climb out of your car but stop on the front porch. As always, the day is heating up. A few scraggly clouds can’t keep the sun from making the gravel in front of the porch seem to sizzle.

You feel a chill as the boards creak ponderously under your feet. It’s broad daylight, but the woods surrounding the house seem deep and dark. The house itself seems massive and alien, and in fairness, it is. It is huge. There are still closets and rooms that you literally have not even looked at. Nobody’s been up to the weird little third floor, let alone the attic. The H-shaped second-floor hallways make you think of hotels, which makes you think of The Shining, which is creepy. Two months ago, the thought of working on a house like this by yourself wouldn’t have given you pause.

You gather your courage and head inside, finding it as quiet and creaky as ever.

“Anyone here?” you ask, standing in the foyer.

It’s quiet, but it’s like there’s something in the air, pressing down on you. Your phone goes off.

You rub your face with your free hand. You don’t feel especially horny, if that’s what they mean. But you also happen to feel like shit. The diner wasn’t so bad. Leni looked nice. Meri’s cute. Kayla’s boobs, straining against the T-shirts that she wears under her apron, are always a highlight of your day. You were cool, though. Normal.

Maybe you do feel better.