Ash

By Stetson Smith

Viola Preston loves exploring abandoned places with her friends and looking for ghosts. But when they break into an abandoned asylum, they get more than they could have hoped for, human ashes.
It turns out, the ghosts they had been looking for were real? It sure looks that way as they all start seeing the dead. And the dead are looking back.
Can Viola figure out what’s going on before they become ghosts themselves, and still be a normal highschooler?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stetson Smith
• Release date: Sep 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463598269

Stetson Smith

Stetson Smith is a dedicated new writer writing all kinds of things, but mostly just wants to scare people.

Book preview

ASH

Stetson L. Smith

Copyright © 2018 Stetson L. Smith

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

Acknowledgments

For my wife, Jordan, who puts up with me for some reason.

For Haley and Michelle, who have been with me for longer than anyone else and without whom this book wouldn’t be nearly as good as it is.

For VeAnne, Robyn, and Wilma, who read the worst version of this book and still decided it could be good.

CHAPTER ONE

Breaking & Entering

I thought it would be fun to break into that old, abandoned asylum. For awhile it was. I mean, it was creepy as hell, but that’s what made it fun, right?

Oh, hey. I just realized you probably don’t know who I am. I’m Vi. So anyway, one night, probably in August, my friends and I snuck into that old asylum. We did that kind of stuff all the time. You know, sneak into graveyards, run through broken-down houses, stuff like that. Called them ‘Ghost Hunts’. Cheesy, I know. This was the best one, though. The place had been closed down for as long as we could remember and it was supposed to be all kinds of haunted.

Jacob came to pick me up that night a couple of blocks from my house. When I got into his car, everybody else was already in there. That was normal. Jacob always picked me up last for Ghost Hunts since I lived the farthest from him. I didn’t mind, really. It’s not like me and Jacob were really close or anything. I didn’t not like him, it’s just that he was one of those friends you only hang out with because they’re always hanging out with your other friends. Plus, he had his own car, which was nice.

I crammed into the backseat next to Kiren. With her, Paige, Brynt, and now me, there were four of us back there, and it felt like it. It was a good thing me and Kiren were good, else the whole thing could’ve been awkward.

As Jacob started, Darrick turned from the other front seat. I could tell he was about to say something stupid from that smirk on his face.

What took you so long? he asked, that smirk plastered on his face. Yep. Stupid.

Shut up, I told him. You know I have to wait until my parents are asleep. He turned back around, but I swear I could still see that smirk. You’d think I’d have a less assholish best friend, but he can be sweet once you get to know him. Promise.

It’s fine, Brynt butted in. He stared straight ahead, all business. He sat between Kiren and Paige and took up half the backseat. He was a football player, I think, so that made sense. Honestly, I didn’t know much about Brynt. I only ever hung out with him on the Ghost Hunts and he was always so serious during them. Almost sucked the fun out of the whole thing.

It only took us a few minutes to get where we were going, which was still a few blocks from the asylum. That was urban explorer 101: don’t park in front of the place you’re breaking into. Would I have liked to not have to walk all the way to the asylum? Sure, but we didn’t want someone seeing the car in front of the place and going in to have a look. Jacob parked, we all spilled out of the car, me and Paige literally, and trekked down to the asylum.

It was perfect.

It looked exactly like you’d think an old, haunted building should look like. The sidewalk was jagged and broken, with waist-high weeds all around it. The old sign, the one that used to say ‘St. Joseph Mental Hospital’ now said ‘ . J e h ent ospit l’ and half those letters were all crooked. The whole place was dingy and there were gouges taken out of some of the bricks. The glass doors in front were long gone and somebody had nailed up a piece of wood over where they had been. My breath caught and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest. Yeah, it was dread, but that was part of the fun.

Brynt took the lead and began snooping around the doors. He stopped us with a hand as we got closer. Really, I think that was the only reason he even hung out with us. He got to feel like a secret-agent or some shit and boss us around. Bet it made him feel pretty good. He pried back the wood and looked in.

Kiren, get me a flashlight, he said as he stuck his hand out, like he was all important and stuff.

Kiren slung the backpack off and pulled out a flashlight. She slapped it into Brynt’s hand, maybe just a little hard. He clicked it on and looked back inside. After he saw, whatever it was he wanted to see, he pulled the wood back and gestured for all of us to go through. I stopped in the jagged remains of the glass door and said a little prayer. Hey, it made me feel better. Don’t judge.

I stepped through and I was blind.

The moon was bright outside, but all the windows were boarded up or something, because the light didn’t make it inside at all.

Brynt crawled in, his flashlight swinging all over the place. It cut a path of light through the darkness, creating shadow monsters for a second before they got sucked back in. The wood slammed back with a thud that echoed, louder than I would’ve thought. It felt so final, like the lid closing on a coffin. Brynt swung his flashlight to Kiren in a wide arc, making sure that we all had spots floating around our eyes in the endless dark.

He found her and focused the light on her face. Let’s get the flashlights out, he told her. Like we hadn’t done this a thousand times. He swung the light away, and, even though I didn’t see it, I’m pretty sure she stuck her tongue out at him. I still heard her unzip the bag though. She clicked one on then threw it to Darrick then did the same for the rest of us.

Little by little, our flashlights turned the pitch black room into a decaying lobby. There was a front counter that had probably been some fancy glass piece, but now was collapsed in on itself. Our flashlights picked out the occasional glass dagger sticking up from it. The shadow monsters had been cast by broken chairs, and now they danced along the walls. Off to my right, a door had completely collapsed in on itself. Everywhere our lights went, mice scurried away to darker corners. Even with six lights, we barely made a dent in the darkness. It was perfect. I couldn’t wait to see what the rest of this ghost factory looked like.

Brynt clapped his hands. Alright, everybody ready to start now? Nobody answered. He knew very well we weren’t, but he always tried to rush us.

Jacob flicked flashlight all around the lobby. Can we at least let Paige do the thing before we go?

Brynt sighed. Fine. Let’s get it over with.

Kiren tossed her bag to Paige who caught it and immediately began digging. I thought you didn’t like witchcraft? she said to Jacob as she pulled out the first candle. It was red.

I don’t, Jacob replied. He swung his flashlight to the dark corner by the collapsed door, for the fourth time since he got it. It’s just creepy in here, and, you know… He trailed off.

Oh, I bet I can do it, just for you. She put the candle in its spot and pulled out another one. This was probably my favorite part, every time. Paige never really did witchy stuff any other time, so it was the only time I could see it. Plus, she always wore some flowy clothes and her big pentagram necklace whenever we went on these adventures. With her long, red hair falling down her back, she looked like she could cast some spells on you.

The best part? That’s exactly what she was doing. She pulled out some more candles, a shiny silver one, a black one, and a pinkish red one. All those colors were supposed to do something different, but I have no idea what. She told me once what each color meant, but I forgot. All I know is they were cool as hell.

After she had them all arranged the way she wanted she clicked off her flashlight. Everybody ready? she asked.

All the flashlights clicked off. We might have done this once or twice. She went to each candle and lit it. Every time she lit one, she said a prayer to a different god, her silhouette just barely visible in the candle light. When she ran out of candles, she went back and snuffed each one out, in the opposite order. See what I mean? Cool as hell.

When she finished, I gave her a hug. That was a good one.

I could just barely make out her smile as the others were turning on their flashlights. Thanks Vi. I’m just glad I get to do it every time.

A scream pierced the air around us. I turned to see Jacob swinging his flashlight like a baseball bat.

Who the fuck would grab me like that! he shouted. Asshole!

Darrick pulled back. Seemed fun, he said. I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I turned back to Paige. With dipshits like Darrick around, I’ll take any help we can get.

Hey! Darrick yelled. He must have heard me. Oops. I am a high-grade dipshit, thank you very much!

Paige giggled. You think my spell can protect us from him?

You wish, Darrick said. Those gods know better than to mess with me! He puffed up his chest.

Paige flicked her hair at him. Whatever you say, she said as she put the candles back in the bag. She turned back to him and lit her lighter.

Darrick ducked behind Jacob, who immediately pushed him back in front. I retract my earlier statement, Darrick said.

That’s what I thought. Paige spun the lighter and put it back in the bag then handed it back to Kiren.

Are we all ready now? Brynt asked, interrupting our very important conversations.

With a group ‘yes’ we started through the one good door in the place.

***

Once we got through the door it somehow got even darker, but it didn’t take us long to get a hallway with a huge picture window on the end. I couldn’t believe it, but, this one wasn’t boarded up, and it let in enough light to kind of see each other without our flashlights. Don’t worry, it was still pretty dark, and the corners were all inky and black.

Of course, Darrick rushed into the first room he saw without even a thought. Dude, you gotta see this! he shouted from inside.

Jacob rushed to the door. What did you find? he asked. You’d think he’d learn after that whole ‘weird slime’ thing at the big abandoned house.

This! he said and shoved… something into Jacob’s face.

I never got a good look at it, but I guess Jacob did. Dude, gross! Get that thing away from me! he shouted and smacked Darrick’s hand. The thing went flying and fell right onto Darrick. His face screwed up as he let out a growl and swatted at his own face. Serves you right, said Jacob, still backing up.

Darrick threw the thing on the floor and danced away from it until he bumped into me. Was there actually anything cool in there? I asked.

He pulled himself off me and shrugged. Nah, just that thing.

Well that sucked. This place was supposed to be the best one yet, but if they took all the stuff with them? Would be a bust.

So, wait. Nothing? Kiren asked.

Darrick nodded. Yup.

That sucks. My thoughts exactly. Hope this place isn’t empty or something.

I doubt it, Brynt interrupted. One of the rooms is bound to have something in it. So, we should split up and go through them all. Anyone finds anything, shout out and let us know, okay?

Split up? Darrick shined his light underneath his face like he was telling a cheesy ghost story. Are we in a horror movie or something?

Shut up, Jacob said. Poor Jacob. He always got so scared during these things. Don’t know why he always went with us. Oh wait, yes I do.

Brynt stood and thought for a few seconds. You’re right, he said, finally.

I am? Darrick asked.

Brynt nodded. Yes. So we’ll go in pairs, nobody alone. Everyone stays within shouting distance from the others. That way, if anything bad happens, the others are still close enough to do something. He let out a breath. Cool?

Darrick shrugged. Sure, why not?

So, we paired off. Darrick and Jacob ended up together. Who would have guessed. I had planned on going with Paige, but Kiren grabbed me before I could even try. I was pretty cool with it. Sure, I would’ve liked to have Paige, but Kiren always got super excited about this stuff, so it worked out.

While Darrick pulled Jacob into the next room, Paige and Brynt took the one a little further down, on the left.

It was just Kiren and me.

With just the two of us, the hallway felt a whole lot bigger and more… well… empty. The shadows crept in and danced with our flashlights. Something watched us from every corner. I shivered.

I didn’t think I had been too obvious, but Kiren still saw it. You okay, Vi? she asked as she moved a little closer.

I nodded. "Yeah, just excited. It’s so creepy in here."

I know, she said, hugging herself and moving closer. I can barely handle it. Still smiling, though.

We found a good room, one that definitely was not empty. A window dominated the back wall, bathing everything in the gray moonlight. The rotting curtains did nothing to stop the moonlight, just cast shadow monsters on the other wall. The dust we kicked up danced in the window. An old bed barely stood in the left corner. It looked like it would fall apart if I even looked at it wrong. Next to that was an old medical stand thing with wires wrapping all around it and cascading to the floor. A black mass that would suck you in if you dared to touch it. The best thing though, was on the right wall. It was a closet, the kind with the sliding doors. One of the doors was smashed in, like somebody was thrown through it. There’s no way that thing wasn’t just full of