A Whispered Darkness Read Online Free PDF

The room was huge, with its own spiral staircase that led upward into the turret of the tower. Mom pointed at the stairs. The darkness there was thick and far too dense to see through.
    “What is this?” I asked.
    “I don’t know what it was used for originally. I think the house might have been a hospital or asylum maybe. I’ve found two old cot frames, and this amazing wheelchair.” She motioned to the side, and my gaze turned to a wheelchair made around the turn of the century. The wood was cracked in places, and blanketed with a thick coating of dust.
    Every hair on my body stood on end and I took a step back. “Amazing isn’t quite the word I’d use for it.” I muttered. Luckily, Mom was already off on another tangent about the shape of the room.
    Grant and I exchanged a glance and moved away from the chair. Mom gestured wildly, so I slapped on a smile.
    “This will be a fantastic library when I get the old wallpaper down and shelving up. Can you see it?”
    Mom’s enthusiasm was tangible, and my expression turned more genuine. “Sure, Mom. But right now, can we see the inside of the take-out bag?”
    Mom laughed and threw her arms around our shoulders, and squeezed. “Sure, let’s go eat.” We walked to the door, where we stopped. She turned around, her eyes on the room, a slightly fanatical light there. Her hands ran down our arms and squeezed our hands. “This is a good place. With a little effort and elbow grease, you’ll love it. I promise.”
    Grant and I nodded and headed downstairs. As we clomped down the steps, I swore someone chuckled from the landing above. But when I tipped my head back and looked, nothing was there but shadows thrown by the lamp left in the soon-to-be-library.
    “Stop it.” I paused in the middle of the steps.
    I waited, expecting some sort of response, but nothing happened. With a shrug, I took the last few stairs quickly, glad to get away from the second floor. I dreaded the day Mom insisted we claim a bedroom up there. Somehow, I thought the entities in the house would enjoy it far more than me.

Chapter Five
     
    “So, are you ready to start school?” Mom asked. She tried to keep her tone casual and failed miserably.
    I sighed, sinking farther into the passenger seat. “I’m fine. Quit worrying. This is a new place. No one here knows anything about what happened before. I’ll be all right.”
    “I want this to be perfect for you. It’s your senior year. You only get one of them.”
    Grant snorted in the back seat. “Unless you flunk English or something.”
    Mom glared into the rear view mirror. “Not funny, Grant.”
    I pressed my forehead to the window glass, wishing this was already over. Mom made it more of an ordeal than she needed to. All I could hope for was her continued silence. If she said anything about what happened before—and the days of medication and psychiatrists—this would be the longest year ever. Teenagers weren’t known for their compassion. I learned that the hard way.
    The school was as small as the town, which was a tight-knit community. Just what I needed. The moment we walked in the door, the guidance counselors, already looking glassy-eyed and stressed behind their piles of paperwork, seemed to go into overdrive. They smiled and welcomed us, but I wondered if they secretly groaned at the sight of us.
    Mom filled out the paperwork, and Grant and I tried to pick a schedule we’d be happy with. I also received the information about all the senior activities and deadlines. As I filled in the last slot on the scheduling form, a familiar voice called my name. I handed the paperwork to the counselor and turned.
    Bryan stood in the doorway, looking genuinely surprised to see us. Beside me, Grant muttered, “Great. The weirdo is back.”
    I elbowed him into silence.
    “Bryan!” The counselor, Mrs. Boyd, smiled brightly. “Why don’t you give Grant and Claire a tour of the building while we finish up the other paperwork with Mrs.