Mistakenly Departed (Bite Me #1)

2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Aiden

“ D on’t forget I’m going to be home around eight-ish,” Eve says leaning in the doorway to my bedroom. She’s usually fashionably late to anything and everything. So, I’m almost positive I’ll be back home before her.

“I’m not going to forget,” I grumble waving a dismissive hand in the air.

“Mmhmm,” she murmurs giving me an eyeroll that I see in my mirror as I apply my eyeliner. I stick my tongue out at her, because she always seems to bring out my inner brat.

“Is that really work appropriate, Ev,” I ask with a cock of my eyebrow looking her up and down through the mirror on my vanity.

She looks down at herself and an evil little grin spreads across her expression, “what, this old thing?” She lets her hand smooth down the fabric. She’s a rather tactile kind of person. All touchy feely.

I shake my head at her antics. She’s currently dressed in a black leather bodysuit that leaves nothing to the imagination and little car ears in her hair. Her knee-high boots are beautiful, and I wish I had gotten myself a pair, but they never have anything I want in my size. Ugh.

Her midnight blue hair runs down past her shoulders to the middle of her back. Her pale skin is only made paler by the heavy eyeliner around her almond shaped dark eyes. Her little bow shaped lips are in a pout like I offended her. However, Eve isn’t one to get offended. Like ever.

“I’m pretty sure it’s a bit risqué for a bookstore, don’t you think,” I murmur leaning closer to the mirror with the eyeliner pencil, “and what are you supposed to be anyways? A sexed-up kitty?” My best friend works at the local bookstore close to the town square in Haven. I’ve been in there a few times to pick up different art books that she likes to set aside for me.

She lets out a frustrated huff before giving a little shrug, “I’m supposed to be a black cat, Aiden!”

“Yeah, okay. We’ll go with that, Eve,” I bite down on my bottom lip to hide my smile.

“You’re such a butt muncher sometimes, I swear,” she whines dramatically before flinging herself onto my unmade bed.

“I do not munch butt,” I grumble, and she lets out a loud obnoxious laugh.

“Whatever you say, sweet cheeks. Maybe you just haven’t found the right butt to munch,” she gives me a cheeky wink and I roll eyes so hard that I swear I see the back of my skull.

“Sometimes I wonder if you do that shit on purpose,” she mumbles as she hugs one of my fuzzy black pillows against her chest.

“Make everything about sex,” I grumble.

“Because everything is usually about sex or violence,” she says with a gleam in her eyes.

“I highly doubt that,” I huff out in frustration before turning back towards applying my eyeliner.

“Don’t be a grump, Aiden! It’s Halloween,” she exclaims with a cheshire cat grin spreading across her face. Her eyes light up with mischief, and I shake my head at her crazy ass.

“I’m not being a grump,” I say out of the corner of my mouth suddenly feeling sulky.

“Got any plans for today while I’m at work,” she asks switching the topic with a cock of her head as she studies me.

“I’m going to be heading over to Haven Cemetery,” I murmur tilting my head towards the Ouija board sticking out of my bag, “Maybe I’ll work on some of my drawings.” A little scoff leaves her black painted lips, “I doubt that’s even going to work. Is that what came in the mail the other day?”

“Yeah,” I grumble, “and it’s going to work. The thing said it was an authentic spirit board.”

“Does it glow in the dark,” Eve taunts as she leans up on her elbow catching my gaze in the mirror.

“Of course it doesn’t,” I groan, and my cheeks start to warm with embarrassment. Yes, I did originally by the glow-in-the-dark one because I thought it looked cool. It’s still hanging on my bedroom wall since it proved useless.

“What you really need to do is get laid,” she says through a little laugh. I pick up the closest thing to me and chuck it at her. She lets out a little squeal as she dodges the perfume bottle.

“I don’t need to get laid,” I grit out through clenched teeth.

“You’d probably be less grumpy if you did though,” she shrugs, like my nonexistent sex life is the reason why I’m so grumpy all the time.

“Fuck off,” I groan swiping my hand through my messy hair.

Of course, I would love to find someone but that would mean leaving the house. That would mean suffering through horrible small talk and hoping I don’t want to stab them in the eye with one of my art pencils. I let out a heavy sigh. It seems like more work that I care to deal with.

“Well, I’ve gotta get going,” she chirps, completely oblivious to my suddenly dark mood, “I wish I didn’t have to work today of all days.” She gets up off the bed and leans down to kiss my cheek.

“Eve,” I whine when a black lip print smears on my cheek. She giggles giving me a finger wave before running out of the room without another word.

I let out a little growl as I grab one of my makeup wipes and clean the lipstick off my cheek. If she wasn’t my only friend I would murder her in her sleep, and she probably knows that, if her evil little giggle that follows in her wake is anything to go by. My actual black cat, Sin, decides that moment would be the perfect time to jump up onto the table and my makeup goes skittered everywhere. Today is really not my day.

Sin lets out a loud hiss as she glares at me as if she’s judging me. I run my fingers over the top of her head down underneath her chin as she begins to purr loudly.

“She’s not right, Sin. I don’t have to have sex to not be grumpy,” I mumble and I swear Sin rolls her yellow eyes at me.

Eve’s right today is Halloween one of my favorite days of the year. So, I’m going to take a page out of her book for once and not be a grumpy ass. I’m at one of my favorite places in the whole world. Haven Cemetery, the local graveyard.

Maybe a little macabre for some, but it’s the perfect ambience for Halloween. While others want to go to Halloween parties and get drunk, I’m ready to embrace the paranormal realm. I’m drawn to the quiet of this place, and because it’s a place of the dead most don’t find it necessary to pull me into unwanted conversations. So, it’s a win-win in my book.

I mean, I give off some serious ‘don’t come near me’ vibes, and yet I always find myself in mind numbingly boring conversations. What is it with people nowadays. I could quite literally be a serial killer, but that doesn’t stop them from approaching. Is body language not a thing any more or are people just too stupid to be able to read it? I have permeant resting bitch face which should deter most people, right?

However, I’m making a conscious decision to enjoy today, and I’ll probably revert back to the way I normally am tomorrow. But that’s tomorrow Aiden’s problems. I’m still trying to avoid unnecessary conversation at all costs though. I’m not looking for a whole life change right now. Plus, my grumpy disposition is really what makes up who I am. I wouldn’t be me without it.

My best friend, Eve, would say I’m just not doing it right, but whatever. It’s the thought that counts, right? I swear, I’ve never seen anyone approach her. She is the epitome of being unapproachable, and it makes me slightly jealous. I really don’t even know how we’re friends most of the time. She gives off murderous rage vibes, while I probably just give off little black cloud vibes.

I’m in the older part of the graveyard where the headstones are all but forgotten, withering away with the time of age. Moss coats the stones and broken angel statues stand proud in the dying light of the late afternoon. The cold October breeze rustles the autumn leaves on the ground and has me tugging my black peacoat tighter around my body.

I do love sweater weather, even if my body is currently starting to shiver right now. Autumn on the East coast is truly a sight to behold. It should be gloomy in a cemetery, or at least it’s always portrayed that way in the movies. Instead, in autumn this place is full of bright reds, oranges, and yellows. It settles something restless inside my soul that I can’t really explain. The sight always has my fingers twitching to draw.

I shake my head to clear it from my musings. The candles have been set up surrounding the Ouija board in the middle. I even remembered to bring sage this time. Just in case I need to ward off bad spirits. I really don’t need to be bringing a demon home with me today. I sit down on the small black blanket I just laid down. So, my butt doesn’t get cold, because no one likes a cold butt. Well, unless you’re a masochist. In that case, I guess, carry on.

I lean over towards the wick of the candle cupping my fingerless gloved hand around it while lighting it with my zippo. I probably don’t need the candles since it’s still light out, but it’s for dramatic flair. Once I get all the candles lit, I place my hands gently on the planchette. I clear my mind as best I can before calling out, “hello. Are there any spirits who would like to talk to me?”

I shift on the blanket feeling self-conscious even though no one’s around right now to watch me make a fool of myself. It’s just me and the dead. I wait a couple of moments since maybe the spirits are busy since the veil between our worlds is thin today.

“Is…” I look around at the names on the headstones surrounding me before picking one that sounds rather harmless, “Marlin Belford here?” Geeze, I sound like a teacher doing roll call. “Is Marlin Belford with me?”

Still no answer. I let out a grumble of impatience pushing back from the Ouija board and staring up at the colorful leaves of the trees hanging overhead. That’s another reason why I like this place so much. I may not wear bright clothing, but it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy bright colors.

I normally don’t come here to commune with the dead. Most of the time I come here to think and sometimes draw. It helps to clear my busy mind. I just thought it would be fun to see if I could talk to some ghosts on Halloween. Plus, I didn’t have much else going on since my only friend had to work today. I didn’t want to stay at home alone waiting for Eve to come back like a total loser.

Fuck, maybe she is right. Maybe I need to get a fucking life, but every time I think about putting myself out there it just makes me want to crawl under my covers and never come out again. I rather draw and ignore the outside world. I’m good at that.

I glare back down at the Ouija board that obviously isn’t working letting out a little growl of annoyance. It said it was an authentic spirit board online. Maybe that’s what I get for trusting something I bought online. How truly disappointing. Plus, the warranty did state that not all participants are capable of communing with spirits. Sad day.

I blow out the candles shaking my head at myself. I’m ready to head home and start binge watch a marathon of slasher horror movies in my pjs. I thought the spirit board would be far more interesting than this. Maybe the spirit board just isn’t for me, but there’s plenty of other occult tools out there that I’ve yet to investigate.

Eve loves to make fun of my little hobbies because I’m borderline obsessed with the paranormal world. Ever since I found the locked bookcase at the local library full of magic and Wicca when I was ten years old. I’ve been hooked on the paranormal side of life since then. Because being able to hex my enemies at a time when I was being bullied for being a little different sounded all too good to me.

I’ve always had a hard time connecting with others. I never understood the point of it. Eve, against all odds managed to sneak past my defenses though. She’s been like a fungus that I can’t seem to get rid of for the last few years. At some point I stopped actively trying to push her away.

I shove the candles back into my bag when I hear a door slam open. I jolt dropping my bag in surprise and quickly turn around to find one of the morticians from the funeral home smoking a cigarette outside the back door. Once the adrenaline leaves my body and my heart slows back down to a normal pace, I can’t help but find his presence a bit out of the ordinary.

That’s strange, I would have thought everyone would be home on Halloween. Could someone possibly be having a funeral today of all days? A little thrill of excitement bursts through me at the thought. I watch as someone calls him from inside the old building and he butts his smoke to head back inside.

I forget all about cleaning up my failed attempt of communing with the dead. Turning towards the building I wonder who would want their funeral on Halloween night. I mean, me of course, but that’s besides the point. I carefully step through the graveyard trying my best to avoid the graves out of respect for the dead. It’s harder than it sounds since the older part of the cemetery is a clustered mess.

As I get closer to the funeral home the gravestones become more organized and spaced out letting me know I’m in the newer section of the cemetery. Flowers are scattered randomly here and there along the bottom of the headstones. While others are long forgotten, and maybe that’s how life is. Some are loved and cherished even after death while others are just simply pushed out of people’s minds like they never really mattered.

Well, that was a depressing thought. I shake my head to get away from the melancholy mood. The funeral home itself is old, but well taken care of. It’s probably been standing for over a hundred years and almost looks like a gothic Victorian home with a dark brown framing to it. White and purple flowers line the back of the building giving off an almost peaceful aura.

I slink over to the back window to peer inside. Sure enough, there’s a coffin in the room where they hold their services. I bite the inside of my cheek as I look around the room. No one’s inside, yet.