After school, I walked down the leaf-covered street with Morrigan at my side. Each brick house we passed sat so far away from the next one. Some kids played in the yards or slightly into the street. I’d recognized some of them, but they didn’t know me.

Desirae and I had been meeting for lunch in the library each day to read. She liked reading Penny together, so we were still only on book one.

Today was the day Morrigan and I would go to the vineyard, so I asked Desirae if I could stop by for a while, and she and her dad said yes.

“Mori?” I asked on the way to Desirae’s house. “Do you really think it’ll be okay? I don’t want to get caught.”

She smiled. “You worry too much. I promise I’ll take care of it. In fact,” she giggled, “I already have!”

“W-what do you mean?”

She shook her head. “Don’t worry so much.”

But that didn’t help one bit. What could she have already done?

I reached Desirae’s house. Warm brick and wood siding. That’s how Mom would describe it, anyway. These are warm colors and those are cool colors.

I knocked on the door, and Desirae’s dad opened it. He wore a pale blue button-up shirt with a loose tie. Bald, or maybe just shaved? “Emily, right?” He smiled and gestured into the house. “Come on in! Desi’s in her room down the hall.” He pointed.

There was so much space, and the sunlight streamed in on their L-shaped couch. It always felt so weird going into someone else’s house for the first time, but it was worse this time. My hands shook as I walked down the wide hallway to the open door on the left.

I peeked in. She had things scattered everywhere. Toys, clothes, books. She wasn’t kidding about the tornado. Beanie Babies covered her bed in a rainbow of colors, and she had her own TV in her room. It took up half her dresser with a VCR above it, and scattered VHS tapes.

My mind spun.

“Emily!” She squealed and closed the book she was reading on her bed. She ran over to me, bounding gracefully through the mess like she’d probably done a million times. We hugged, but it still felt so strange being there. I wished I had been there for fun.

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Morrigan must have felt my energy because she whispered, “Relax. Everything is okay.”

I took a deep breath and smiled. “You make jewelry?” I asked, staring at a desk covered in beads, strings, and various plastic cases.

“Yeah, I like…” her words turned into a blur as I thought about how I was going to get to the vineyard without Mom finding out.

“But Dad has been super sleepy. I think he’s having nightmares, too.” Her eyes were big.

“You’re… having nightmares still? It’s been like two weeks.” I glanced at Morrigan. I couldn’t help thinking she had something to do with this.

“Yeah, I don’t know. It’s never been like this before.” After a second of silence, she said, “Oh! Has anything crazy happened to you for Friday the 13th?”

Morrigan’s energy stiffened, and I said, “Oh, no, I didn’t realize that was today.”

Then Desirae told me all about her nightmares and superstitions.

***

After visiting for about thirty minutes, I felt Morrigan pressing into me, like a huge urge to leave. I cleared my throat and checked my pocket-watch. “Well, I know that wasn’t long, but I think I gotta go soon.”

“I’ll walk you out.”

“No!” I said, too loud and too fast. “It’s okay. I’ll let you get back to reading.”

We said goodbye, and I headed for the door, but her dad sat on the couch and I hoped he wouldn’t talk to me.

“You leavin’ already?” He rubbed an eye and set the newspaper on his lap.

“Yeah, I only had time for a quick visit today. I hope to come back soon!”

He stood. “Let me get the door for you.”

I tried to say that it was okay, but he was already coming.

He opened it and said, “You’re walking home alone? It’ll get dark soon.”

“It’s alright, I’ll be home before dark.” That’s what I’d hoped for anyway, or else Mom would kill me.

“Well, alright. Goodbye then. It was nice to meet you.” He watched for a second, then I smiled and he closed the door slowly.

“Mori?” I said through my teeth.

“He’s watching out the window to make sure you’re safe.”

“I figured,” I whispered. “Can… you do something?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She gave a sly grin and flew through the front door.

I picked at my thumbnail as I waited.

I jumped when I heard something fall. Loud metal, like pans. I thought about peeking through the window to see if everything was okay when Morrigan burst through the door laughing. “Let’s go!”

I jogged after her. “You didn’t break anything, did you?” My voice wobbled with my steps.

“Of course not.”

We ran until we couldn’t see the house anymore.

“There it is.” She said, pointing, then zooming ahead and around a group of trees, but she was frozen in the yard when I reached her. The house—if you could call it that—was completely destroyed.