Page 13

Hayes - Mortician

Wade - Medicine

Rainford - Healers

Marwood - Butchers

Harvey - Blacksmiths

Gladstone - Builders

Knight - Grave keepers

I stop reading as soon as I see my last name.

Knight. We are a founding family. Grave keepers.

My dad left. My dad died. This was my only option after it happened. The town took me back.

Flipping the page, I continue.

As time went on and the first elder passed away from natural causes. The Hayes family prepared the body and the Knight family completed the burial.

Then, after the first new moon, the elder reappeared. He was in the same form in which he died. Although he was still dead. He was pale, cold to the touch, and was able to appear and disappear as he pleased in his spirit form. The elder explored, able to leave the graveyard at night, but bound to it by day. The Knight family then became the keepers of the dead. The Hayes family always ensured they prepared the body as the living requested before their death.

The town never lets its people leave.

As the years went on, tales began to spread about what happened across the bridge in Port Canyon. Curious eyes wanted to see the mystery for themselves.

Once a year, during the month of October, the town opens itself up to visitors, and at11:59pm on Halloween night, the town closes itself off again.

My dad left with my mom in October. She came here as a visitor. He was captivated by her and decided to go back to California with her. My mom fucked off after I was born, leaving only my dad and me.

He died suddenly. Was that the curse?

Fuck.

I’m the last one left.

The town brought me back here to fulfill my duties.

Chapter12

Fallon

After letting myself digest what I just read. I cleaned up the library, putting all the books back where I found them. Of course, this one was on the top shelf, so I stacked a couple of the chairs onto the coffee table I moved, and stuck it back from where Merrick dropped it from.

Asshole couldn’t come back and help, could he?

Before I confront Joanie, I need to talk to Harper.

Rushing out the front door, I hurry down the long driveway, passing my beautiful car. The same car that brought me here, and transported my dad back to Port Canyon with memories of his deceased older brother. Harper was right—our fate has already been written. And I had no idea I was driving right towards it.

The gate is huge and closed until I activate the sensors to open it on my approach. The moment there is enough room for me to pass through, I do and run across to Harper's house, which thankfully isn’t as deep into the property as Joanie’s.

Walking up the front porch stairs, I’m about to knock on the door, but it opens first.

“It’s about time,” Harper says, like she already knows why I’m here. “So you talked to Joanie?”