Whisper (20 page)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First I want to thank my father above for helping me to write this story and giving me the strength to push through the
tough parts. Thank you to my dad who kept me on my toes to finish. I want to thank my friends who pushed me to write another book you know who you are. Thank you, Kellie for the amazing book cover.

EXC
ERPT

The suspense and romance continues with

Twisted

The second book in the Whisper Series

Turn the page for a sneak peek.

One

Gift

I walked along the pond. It has been almost a month since I saw Luken. Since the day after I got my memory back. That is my own fault. I asked him to leave me alone. We didn’t fight I just needed time away from everyone to process things.

School started a couple weeks ago. My uncle has had me being tutored so I don’t fall behind. I wasn’t ready to go and this was the compromise until I am ready to be surrounded by the other students.  Starting my junior in a whole new environment felt strange after being back home. I felt bad I abandoned my old friends, it was simply facing them would have been pointless.

I sat on the rock looking out at the oversized pond. I stared at the mountain with snow where Luken’s body was hiding for us to find. There were no clues to alert us to where his body is exactly located. The weather became cooler with more colors.

Trees turned to colors of bright ambers, oranges, and yellows. Wind seeped in off the mountain, blanketing the mansion grounds with frozen air. It made me think of something I had not thought about before.

I run up to the third floor. There is a fourth floor leading to an attic. There is also a hallway up there with several abandoned bedrooms and bathrooms. It is freezing and the rooms are filled with cobwebs and dust. The lighting fixtures have not been used in over a century. I had not seen light bulbs designed delicately before now. I rushed to the end of the hallway. A large bedroom is at the end of the hall.

The door sticks and has not been opened in sometime. Finally I manage to make it into the bedroom. I stepped into the 1800’s and did not pay attention to the bedroom. The window loomed with a curtain, I pulled it briskly apart.

Coughing from dust and lint floating in the air, I blinded myself by the bit of sun streaming into the room for the first time in I don’t know how many years. Peering into the day, I glance around until I see it in the far distance. A blanket of permanent snow sat high on a mountain peak. I did not know how far away it was from the mansion. It had to be maybe a short drive away. The place I had walked to with Luken hadn’t been too far on foot.

I tried to think of the possible places Jefferson would have sent Luken on the snow filled mountain peak. Maybe he killed him and then dumped his body somewhere. It could be possible Luken had been dropped in some random location in the woods and he died trying to find his way back without the same help I received.

There was no time. I had to find the guy with the frost covering his body. He might be able to help me out. Heading back outside, I grabbed my coat and bundled up. Searching through the woods a light fog settles at my feet.

I could hear a woman calling my name outside. I ignored the voice. It came from the mansion, one of the maids possibly Bethanne or Livia trying to locate me. Making my way through the trees I watched every step as I moved over rocks and mole sized hills with uprooted trees.

My search for the guy with the gorgeous blue lips and frosted pale face was going nowhere. Not until I started to see frost shaped footprints on the ground. Following them I am led to an alcove in the middle of the woods. They stop right in the middle of it. Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I start walking in a direction a few steps then open my eyes. Continuing forward I am about to turn around to head back when I noticed small spots of frost as though they had been placed there.

Following the direction of the frost, I see patches here and there almost like someone is tip toeing. Twigs and straw on the ground from the trees is spreading everywhere, leaves fall occasionally as summer makes its end.

“Hello Avaya.”

I turn in a full circle. There was a voice of a young girl. I check my surroundings. She pops up in various locations wearing a dingy dress with dirt all over it. Wavy blond hair that is dirty and stringy with a faded blue bow on her dress. Her eyes are an intense light murky blue.

She stared straight until in the blink of an eye she stared at me close-up. This was so young, younger than me. She steps a little closer. “Help me please.”

Then she was gone.

I wondered who she was and in any case, I had to find the guy I have been looking for. I turned away to continue walking to be halted by this girl standing before me. Fear struck her eyes, as she pleaded without words. Her mouth started moving. This was starting to freak me out. The fear passed into my mind.

“I need your help Avaya please.” She came toward me, “we need you.”

She faded away as she walked by me. Shaking my head I kept moving forward. Her pleading stayed with me. Luken would have to be by my side for that one. The strength was sucked away from me as soon as she showed herself.

The sun started to fade into the late afternoon, sunset was not far away. If Luken decided to show up and I was not in my room he would be worried. I could not do that to him again.

I got so caught up in my own thoughts about Luken and the girl I almost walked right passed the frosted footprints starting at the tip of my feet. They lead off into another direction on my right. A light breeze flows through the trees causing the leaves to rustle.

I get to the end of the footprints to see a wide view of the mountaintops with snow covering an expansive area. It is still far off though I can see it more clearly from here. It doesn’t look the same as where Luken took me.

My breath caught, he is leaning against a tree watching the view. It is a breathtaking view of the forest with a clearer view of the sun as it sets over the horizon. He held his head down for a moment. Approaching him, I did not want him to disappear, carefully I spoke.

“Hi,” I say to him.

He moved his position tense, his back remained to me. “What are you doing here?”

I smile, slightly confused. “Uh, I needed to find you to talk to you about someone I know. Is that all right?”

“You should not have tracked me down. It is best if you go home.” Taken aback, I move closer to him, my interest peeking. He had been so friendly to me before when he helped me with Jefferson. The way he stiffened at the sound of my voice, I must have interrupted him while he was in deep thought.

“I am sorry. This is important I am trying to help someone I care about very much.” When he turned to me, I gasped. I had not expected to see who I saw standing in front of me. I had to be seeing things. It was the last person I expected to see.

He glanced back at me, my mouth gaped open. “It’s you.” He nods.

“Hello Avaya.”

“Luken I can’t believe this. The guy who helped saved me it was you all this time.”

Blond poked through his frost covered hair. Those eyes of his were a frozen blue. He stood staring at me. “When you first saw me like this, I knew I had to help you only I didn’t know who you were to me, I only knew your name and that you were important. I remember where I went before I died. This is the place.” He gestures toward the closest snow covered mountain.

I stared, “you froze to death didn’t you.” Luken shrugs. “Possibly, though we won’t know for sure until we find my body and that could be a while.”

“Let’s get started then.” Luken pulls me back from my eagerness.

“Slow down, my body won’t be visible. Besides I only remember that I ended up here, I don’t know how I died or where we could start.”

I fall into him. “When do you want to start looking?”

“I have been patient. I didn’t even think this day would be real. You here with me and finding out what happened.”

“We’ll search when you’re ready.” He nods.

Luken came toward me. Grasping my hand in his icicle hand, he started to lead me away back toward the mansion. I had felt similarities. “Just call me frost man. I can be like one of those superheroes I have heard about.”

Laughing I gently shove him playfully, “I am not going to call you frost man.”

I reached up pressing my lips to his. “So cold, it is like winter on your lips.”

Wrapping my arms around his neck, Luken pulled me close. Pressing my against his frozen corporeal form, it is a freezer. We kissed gently until the icy blue of his lips became too much. My teeth started to chatter lightly.

“Come on let’s get you back to the mansion.”

We walked with our arms locked to our backs. “My boyfriend might worry if he finds me gone.” I say.

“Is that so?”

Trying not to smile I added. “Mmhmm, it is true.”

The girl pops up in front of me again. She is walking toward me not as dirty. It is still quite obvious her dress is dirty and her porcelain complexion is clearer. She does not look as fearful now. Clutching Luken I want to make sure he is truly by my side.

“Do not worry darling, I am right here and she will not hurt you trust me.”

She came at me. “Help me Avaya, please help me.” She pleads again.”

Luken steps in front of me a little. “You are frightening her, please calm down. She does not know.”

This girl stops ahead of me. “I am so sorry.”

Luken moved back until he stood behind me. He transitioned into the Luken I am used to spending my time with. He clutched me against him, my anchor. “What don’t I know?”

The girl stares straight at me. “Why has she not been told?”

She spoke directly to Luken. I watched the two spirits speaking in code understanding something I could not. Luken kisses me on the cheek it is all right darling.”

The girl shakes her head, “I have made a mistake.”

I turned to Luken, “what is going on? Luken I keep being asked the same question if I know who I am. The funny thing is I am completely lost and in the dark because I don’t know what it means.” I take a deep breath. The girl is still standing there with sorrow shadowing her eyes.

“Luken what don’t I know?”

He sighs, reluctantly Luken says, “Avaya you are…a ghost whisperer.

TWO

Wait

I waited at the edge of the woods. Breathing in the scent of maple and fresh air, I closed my eyes briefly. When I turn, I jumped back finding my visitor standing next to a tree. She still had dingy blond hair with exotic blue eyes. Her white dress is still splattered with dirt and the blue bow remained attached.

“You came.” She says coming toward me.

Sighing I paced myself moving closer to her still form. “I promised I would help.”

She relaxes, relief seeps into her eyes with a small smile playing at the edge of her straight full lips.

“What is your name?” She nods. “Sophia Grandeur, I was barely thirteen when I died. It is not a story where details matter, I appreciate your kindness. Strange though, your handsome boyfriend is not with you.”

Sophia stared behind me passed my shoulder warily. I turn to see a young woman with bright golden blond locks. She is leaving from the graveyard heading into the woods. “Do you know her?” I asked while turning back to Sophia, but she is gone.

Confused I glance in each direction wondering where she went. The leaves fell gently from the branches, winter was approaching. It is October now, tomorrow is my first day at my new school. Even with Becca and my three friends being there, I still felt nervous.

About

About The Author

Sarah Vistica is a Northern California based writer. Her interests in the Victorian Era, History, gothic mansions, the woods and overcast skies helped create the world of Whisper. When Sarah is not reading, writing, and spending time with friends she is pursuing her main passion, acting. Whisper is her first Young Adult novel.

Visit her online:

Facebook.com/SarahVistica

Goodreads.com/SarahVistica