Haunted December

By Jessica & Meagan Richards

Seventeen-year-old Samantha Martin has moved to Dratwaken, Oregon with her family for a new start after her mother's failed marriage. Settling into their new home is just the beginning. Samantha discovers there is an unintended guest living with them. She meets William Parker, a handsome blonde, blue eyed young man with an icy touch. Cursed inside the home to never escape, Samantha is instantly drawn to the mysterious house guest. But their passionate devotion for one another comes with treacherous consequences. Consecutively, she befriends Nicholas, a young man with fiery, scorching skin temperature who is also attracted to Samantha and is responsible for William's disappearance. But Nicholas has his own lies and secrets about his identity that can destroy him and the ones around them. Samantha finds herself in danger when demons are after her. But why would demons seek after a typical girl like Samantha? And how are William and Nicholas involved? Getting close to William and Nicholas will bring Samantha into a world she never thought existed. A world where the dead are trapped in the place they lost their lives, a world where demons torture and prey upon the living, and lives are at stake when there is no escape from evil.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jessica & Meagan Richards
• Release date: Jul 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310096211

Jessica & Meagan Richards

Jessica Richards has been writing since she was 10 years old-from poems, to short stories, to completeing a novel with her sister, Meagan. She loves creating characters, writing music lyrics, and lives in California.Meagan Richards joined her sister Jessica in completing Haunted December and desires accomplishing much more with her. She enjoys creating new worlds for their novels and loves learning about animals. She also lives in California with her sisters and calico cat.

Book preview

Haunted December

Published by Jessica & Meagan Richards at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Jessica & Meagan Richards

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1. Escape

Chapter 2. Dratwaken, Oregon

Chapter 3. First Day

Chapter 4. Missing

Chapter 5. William

Chapter 6. The Past

Chapter 7. White Gardenias and a Song

Chapter 8. Hidden Rage

Chapter 9. Frosty Attraction

Chapter 10. William’s Story

Chapter 11. Nicholas’ Secret

Chapter 12. Demons

Chapter 13. Haunting Encounter

Chapter 14. New Threat

Chapter 15. Dream

Chapter 16. Awake

Chapter 17. The Death

Chapter 18. The Game

Chapter 19. First Attack

Chapter 20. Claiming

Chapter 21. Weakness

Chapter 22. Blood Battle

Chapter 23. Choices

Chapter 24. Eternal Rebirth

Acknowledgements

We would like to dedicate this novel to our mother, Darlene, for being supportive, loving, and for always being strong throughout the tough times in our lives. Thank you for helping us edit and making this story better. We love you!

To our grandmother Debbie, who has always believed in us and has always encouraged us to follow our dreams. You have always had faith that we would go far in life. Thank you for standing by us throughout this journey!

And finally to Marlene Robinson, who has guided us through this novel and helped us complete this story. We could not have done it without you. Thank you for all of your help and for being patient with us!

1. Escape

Ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent on Dratwaken, Oregon. Current temperature is 60 degrees. We will deplane at gate B12 in about twenty minutes. Turn off all electronics and buckle up. We'd like the flight attendants to prepare the cabin for arrival and we want to thank you for flying with us today, the pilot says, loud and clear over the intercom.

I fasten my seatbelt and take a deep breath. My anxiety settles in as my hand reaches for my brother Ethan’s, who is still in deep sleep from this long flight. Being on a plane makes me nervous, especially since I am afraid of heights. I try to peek out the window to keep from overthinking things like I usually do, but my mom’s head is up against the window which is blocking my view. I eventually give up looking and lean back into my seat. The adults behind us are talking about how they are returning to Dratwaken, Oregon.

I graduated Dratwaken in 1989. I don’t even know why I bother coming back. When I was in high school, everyone told us high school graduates to go out and make something of ourselves. Now that I am going back, I might not ever leave again, says a man behind Ethan. The man has tan skin, and scratches his long, thick, dark hair and looks lost in thought. I watch him put on his faded blue baseball cap as he glances at the lovely young lady beside him. The two appear comfortable towards each other.

I couldn’t find work so my dad told me to come back until I figure out what to do. I guess trying to be an actress in New York is harder than I thought. I left Dratwaken because I hate this town. But you’re right, once you leave Dratwaken, you end up returning one day, says the woman while brushing her long red hair, her olive green eyes stay focused on the man. She appears to look younger compared to him, yet I know from observing their conversation they are not as old as my mother.

I don’t think I will ever leave this stupid, small town that sucks the life out of each and every one of us. It’s like a disease that keeps coming back and kills you gradually, he adds.

Dratwaken is a horrible place to be.

Yeah, because nothing interesting ever happens in this small town. It’s so dull.

My dad told me that a couple of teenagers in Dratwaken disappeared recently. No one can find any traces about what happened. Maybe they ran away but who can blame them?

I turn around to look at the two of them. I see his dark eyes that are full of suspicion and panic. He lets out a scoff and smirks in my direction. I notice the woman, who is nodding her head uneasy in agreement with her pretty, youthful face. Her hands are pale from gripping them together so tightly and I think I see her struggling to keep her breathing under control.

My anxiety is already bad, but let’s add this to my list as well. My mom is the reason why we are moving to Dratwaken, Oregon. This is another move in the last five years after her failed relationships and marriages. My only concern about moving to Dratwaken is that I am terribly nervous about going to a new high school. Being the new kid at seventeen-years-old is difficult. It was always hard for me to make friends because we moved around so much. I have always been treated like a stranger at every school I’ve attended. For my whole life, I felt like an outsider, a loner, and a mistake. If Ethan was not in my life, I would disappear.

With Ethan by my side, high school shouldn’t be so bad in the small town of Dratwaken. He is eighteen-years-old and was held back his freshmen year in high school because he took care of me and mom. He’s worked several jobs to keep food on the table while our mom slept throughout the days of her breakups. The failed relationships and marriages are mostly her fault. She forced the men to marry her and would make them feel bad if they had second thoughts. The men in her life are mine and Ethan’s enemies. Our mother knows how to pick them: a con artist who owned a fake-bank-money-loan type of business, the famous middle age man who has an acting show online hoping to get discovered by an agent, and the worst…the alcoholic man who depended on us to take him in our home, feed him, and make sure he always got what he needed. Kirk, I’ll always remember his name. We would find him on our couch in his underwear with a bottle of liquor in his hand.

Damn you kids…you are both pieces of crap… he would mumble to us. His left eye would be completely shut while his right eye would stare down at me and Ethan. I hated him. The scent of liquor still sickens me to this day.

Ethan was so disgusted with him, that he made sure I slept in his bedroom to stay away from Kirk. Our mother loved Kirk so much, even if Ethan and I despised him. I wonder if she loved him because he had been the only man who stayed with her for more than two years. That was the longest marriage she’s ever had. It all changed when Kirk found a new woman who happened to be moving to Las Vegas and left us one night in our home in Florida. This began my mother’s longest depression. Even though I worried for her, I’ll always remember our mother put herself in those situations with those men. Ethan and I would try to comfort her with her favorite movies, books, and expensive sushi. None of it worked. Ethan finally put his foot down and said to her we need a better, more stable life. That was when I realized Ethan would be the only man in my life.

I remember his exact words: We need our grandparents. We cannot live like this anymore. We need money, we need food, we need the bills paid, mom. Do something about it!

We forced ourselves to sell our favorite things to buy plane tickets to move to Dratwaken, Oregon where our grandparents live.

Luckily for us, mom got a job at a law firm. Ethan will now be able to focus on school so that he could finally graduate. He will go to high school for half a day and then to community college for a couple of classes. He doesn’t seem worried about it, but I feel awful for him. I am happy because he’ll be at the new high school with me…even if I only get to see him for half a day.

He is a tough, protective older brother any sister could want. I never knew our dad because he left when we were young. Once our dad disappeared and left us behind, Ethan stepped in and became the man and provider in my life. During the times in my life when I felt empty and lonely and our mother would leave us to find another husband, Ethan would hold me and tell me that everything would be okay. I believed him. I believed he was right because I had no one else to tell me such things. Ethan is all I have and I am all he has. I would be lost without him. I love him dearly for comforting me and being around to help me through hard times.

Dratwaken, Oregon here I come! I will miss Florida, but since Ethan thinks we all need a new start after mom’s fourth divorce, I say let’s do it!

Passing a little bag of peanuts to me, mom stares with those big hazel eyes which appear watery all the time.

Eat them, I am too nervous to eat, she says softly.

I take them even though I’m not hungry. Mom leans her head against the window and forces herself to sleep again until we land. She suffers from depression, a lifelong battle she fights daily. Her fourth marriage to the guy she met across the country wasn’t the best decision she’s ever made, but Ethan and I stand by her no matter what. She needs us, and if running away from Florida is going to help, then that’s what we’ll do.

The long ride on the airplane makes me restless. In twenty minutes, we will be in Dratwaken. I open my eyes after I realize I can’t get comfortable enough to relax. After fidgeting with my sweater, I finally find a comfortable position. I lean my head towards the aisle while Ethan leans his head on my shoulder.

Oh Ethan, you’re my big brother yet you lean on me for sleep? I think with a small laugh in my mind. His dark messy hair tickles my nose causing me to snicker softly.

What? he asks me softly. He is not amused by my laughter.

Your hair tickled my nose. I can’t help but laugh, I say.

Whatever lil’ sis. You’re comfortable, so please don’t move. Mom cried so much last night and I am tired, Ethan whispers.

Okay. Sorry, I apologize.

I’m not mad at you, Sammy. I am just exhausted,

I sigh and let him lie his head on my shoulder. Less than twenty minutes of this flight and we’ll land in Dratwaken, Oregon. Our grandparents are letting us rent their second home which is only a mile away from theirs.

What if I won’t fit in here? Why can’t I find somewhere where I belong? I would like to find a place I can call home. I think to myself. A wave of weakness and sadness rushes over me. I close my eyes to fight back the tears.

2. Dratwaken, Oregon

The plane lands before I know it. Ethan and I run after our mom, who is racing through the airport trying to find our grandparents. Holding onto the few bags we brought, Ethan and I finally catch up to our mom who is outside of the airport near a van where our grandparents are standing. It is dark outside but I can still see our grandma Lorna rushing to us with excitement. She is still in good shape, and is the strongest of us all.

Oh, my sweeties! I’ve missed you both so much! she cries as she hugs Ethan and me. She plants many kisses on our foreheads and moves on to mom, and does the same.

Rain drops fall on us, as Grandpa Louie sits in the van and rolls down the window. Get in so we can head home. It’s going to pour out here!

After settling into the van, my grandparents drive us to the coast of Dratwaken which is lit up from the street lights. The big trees and fresh air give me the sense of a new beginning. I stare into the darkness outside, and see many old homes. The town of Dratwaken is indeed, a small town. I wonder when grandpa will stop the van and show us our new home. A new home for a new life. I rest my head against the window as we drive through town. I close my eyes to rest and I tune out what mom and grandma are talking about. This new place needs to settle in me.

Finally, grandpa pulls into the driveway of a two story house near the ocean. The wooden cabin is beautiful. I have never seen such a house made with lovely wood and big, wide windows everywhere. Rosemary and lavender plants sit in the front and a big oak tree towers near a bedroom window. The sight is beautiful and something I have never seen before. And the best thing of all is that this is ours. I then turn my attention to the forest behind our house. The many tall trees create a dark, eerie feeling.

Ethan and I grab our bags and wait for grandpa to unlock the door. It is not dark inside as a light in the living room is on, revealing to us a beautiful house. An icy cool breeze hits me causing my hair to blow. I let out a small gasp and follow them to the big living room. The furniture is lovely. Leather chairs and a big, comfy sofa are here waiting for us.

We wanted to surprise you all. Everything you need is here. The folks who lived here before left in a hurry to move on somewhere else, says my grandpa.

Wow, I’m surprised they left so much behind, says Ethan.

Where did they move to? I ask with curiosity.

I don’t know. They never told us, my grandma answers.

They didn’t talk much before they left. They were renting this place from us but one morning two years ago, they packed up their personal things and we haven’t heard from them since, Grandpa replies.

My mom throws herself onto the brown leather couch. Her eyes are shut and she uses her jacket as a blanket. Grandma gently covers her with a blanket from the chair. Grandma motions for us to follow her and Grandpa up the stairs. Quietly following them, they lead us to one of the bedrooms.

This is your bedroom, Ethan. It’s close to the other bedroom and bathroom. Your mom’s bedroom is downstairs near the kitchen, says Grandpa.

Alright. Cool. Thanks, Grandpa, says Ethan.

This is a three bedroom house? I ask them.

Yes. This house isn’t a mansion, but it is certainly a magnificent home, says Grandma.

I stand and watch Ethan go into his new bedroom. He has a big, queen size bed and a dark wood dresser. As Ethan settles in, Grandpa leads me to my bedroom. Once I step in, I stand and stare at everything I’ve always wanted.

This bedroom is near the big white oak tree in the front yard. It has the perfect view to see the sunset every evening. We thought this room suited you best, says Grandma. She touches my new purple curtains that cover the huge window.

I bet. This room is amazing, I agree. I stare at the purple rug they bought me as well as the new beautiful, white vanity where I could keep my jewelry and make-up. I am relieved Ethan will no longer throw my things around now that I have a place to keep my things.

Grandpa gently pushes me to walk farther into the bedroom. I have a queen size bed and a nice wooden dresser that is ready for me to fold my clothes into.

It’s all set for me, I say quietly.

"I think you have the best room in the house, Sammy. There is just something in here that says ‘time for a fresh start,’ says Grandma. Her and grandpa hug me tightly.

Thank you, Grandma and thank you, Grandpa, I say nicely.

It’s our pleasure. We are happy you and Ethan are here. We will have plenty of time to catch up with each other, says Grandpa.

We missed you all so much. But now that you are all here, we will never be far apart again, says Grandma. Kissing my forehead, she smiles and wipes her tears. It is great to see them happy and to know we will be seeing each other more.

I smile and study my bedroom again. The bedroom is pretty big, which I don’t mind at all. There is a dark leather couch up against one wall and a painting of a lighthouse on another. The bedroom door shuts. Grandma and Grandpa left already. I set my bag down on the nice new comforter and take off my hoodie. Dropping my pants onto the floor, I change into my bathrobe and go in to the bathroom to shower.

I take a short shower because I am so tired and need to sleep. Walking back to my bedroom, I go straight to my bag and find my pajama pants and a t-shirt for bed. After changing, I brush my hair and teeth. Tossing more clothes onto the floor, I find something to wear for school tomorrow. School starts at 8:00 so I set my alarm for 7 am. I want to give myself plenty of time to find where all of my classes are. I search through my bags to find everything I will need for tomorrow. I find my backpack and toss it on the floor.

I should remind Ethan we have school tomorrow. He’ll probably forget anyways, I mumble to myself.

I walk to Ethan’s bedroom and find him already asleep in bed. I roll my eyes as I cover him with a blanket and remind myself to wake him up in the morning, too.

Goodnight Ethan, I whisper as I leave quietly.

Back in my bedroom, I shut the door and go to the window to look outside. The huge oak tree is near my window, just like Grandma said. I close the curtains and climb into bed. The big bed is comfy and warm. I snuggle one of my pillows and reach over to the nightstand to turn off the light. I stop and glance at the floor and see that my clothes are folded neatly on the wooden chair near the window. Out of the corner of my eye, I also notice my backpack is near the chair, too.

I don’t remember moving those things there…I must be really tired, I think to myself.

There is no use in overthinking it. Maybe I am imagining all of this. I’ve been on a plane for a long time and I am extremely tired. Holding my pillow tightly, goose bumps form on my arms and the same icy, cool breeze hits me. The cool breeze lasts longer this time. The intense air hits my face and chest. The chilly air soothes me and in a relaxing way. My blanket is pulled up to my face, but I’m not sure if I did it myself or not. I guess I fell asleep sometime in the middle of the night, when I think I hear a boy’s painful scream echo in the house.

3. First Day

I wake up to a depressing, December morning in Oregon. The repetitive scream I heard last night echoes in my mind. Did I really hear it? I was so exhausted that it could have just been part of my dream. I woke up with no intention of getting through today. Emotions of sorrow and isolation are disturbing me. I wonder if it is the house that is making me feel this way. I certainly did not feel this way before. I was relaxed and calm last night, but today I am different. My bedroom window is foggy from the cold weather. I lie in my bed and observe my room. The home feeling I crave is slipping away. I pray to myself it will happen soon, because right now I feel like a stranger in this home.

After debating whether or not I should play sick, I give in and decide to go to school so Ethan doesn’t worry about me. Mom has already left without saying good-bye to me. I ignore her departure from our home and instead, focus on today.

Dressed in jeans and a blue hoodie sweater, I begin predicting it will be just like any other first day in school. I will walk down the halls and no one will glance at me or acknowledge me as a human being. The girls will gossip about my tan skin, dark brown hair, and my dark eyes. Just thinking about the girls judging me leads me to believe that I won’t fit in.

There will be good looking guys who will try to sweet talk me into letting them copy my school assignments. They always ask me because I am a nerd and get good grades.

Actually, I am not so much of a nerd…at least my image isn’t. Looking into the mirror, I brush my dark brown straight hair which is surprisingly tame today. I glance down at my blue hoodie and see that it hangs off my slender body. I wish I had a toned body because I look sickly skinny. My eyes stare into the mirror at my reflection. If I had to pick one thing I like about myself, it would be my eyes. Remembering pictures of my dad, I realize I have his dark eyes and tan skin.

Ethan and I look nothing alike. I look Native American and Ethan looks white. My mom says that we are a part of the Quintawala Tribe. Apparently, I got most of the Quintawala genes.

I wear my favorite White Gardenia perfume. The scent calms me and gives me a sense of home; the flower gives me hope that one day I will find where I belong.

My thoughts go back to my dad. Sometimes I wish I didn’t look like him at all.

He abandoned us when I was six-years-old and Ethan was seven. After that, we looked up to our grandpa as a father figure. Because we moved several times throughout the country, Ethan became my provider. He worked several low-paying jobs: he worked as a janitor in a grocery store, he was cashier at a gas station where customers treated him like an idiot, and he also tutored a next door neighbor in math back in Florida.

I am thankful for him and my grandparents. Now that we are here, our grandparents will help take care of us. They will make sure we have food and electricity.

My dark brown eyes appear teary. That is okay with me because I am not happy to leave the house anyways. I can care less how I look today.

Ethan waits at the bottom of the stairs eating a green apple. Dressed in jeans and a zip up sweater for the cold weather today, he smiles and says, I’ve been ready since 7.

I thought I would have to wake you up, I say surprised.

Why would you wake me up? I don’t need you waking me up, Sammy, he says.

"Well, I thought I would be helpful and wake you up since we’re in a new state, new time zone, and you know, stuff