Page 117 of The Haunting of Lockton

“I’ll get you something from downstairs. Just stay in bed and rest.”

When he returned, it looked like he raided the pantry and took everything they had available. Bags of chips, chocolate bars, granola bars, and Little Debbie snack cakes. He also had a plastic container with a turkey sandwich inside.

“Wow,” Julian said.

“The kitchen doesn’t open for dinner until five, but I got this to hold you over until then.” Skyler dumped everything on Julian’s bed. “If you want anything else, let me know.”

Julian tried for a smile, but it was weak. “I think this is plenty, bubba.”

Skyler snapped his head toward him. “You haven’t called me that since we were kids.”

Julian’s chin wobbled as he averted his attention to the turkey sandwich.

I stood in the middle of the room, not sure where to put myself. I kind of felt like I was intruding on a private moment. “I should head home.”

“What?” Skyler looked at me. “You don’t have to. Stay and have dinner with us.”

I was about to decline when Julian looked at me.

“Please?” he asked. His eyes, the same shade as Skyler’s and yet so different too, flickered over to his brother before returning to me. “We can both use the company right now.”

Well, there was no arguing with that. I sat beside Skyler on his bed, and his hand instantly found mine again. He threaded our fingers together and made tiny circles on my skin with his thumb.

After downing a bottle of water and eating the sandwich and half of a chocolate bar, Julian looked a lot better. More color filled his cheeks, and he was able to move more without seeming so weak. “Me passing out aside, I’d say today went well.”

Skyler scoffed. “It went well?” He tore open a bag of chips and shoved one into his mouth. “Not how I’d describe it.”

“We finally have answers, Sky. Owen and Roy were lovers. Samuel Howard performed the lobotomy that killed Roy. Heartbroken, Owen lost control of his powers and started the riot. He was then taken back to solitary and murdered.”

“Great. We have answers. So we can be done with it.” Skyler ate a handful of chips and chomped harder than necessary, as if taking out his frustrations on the salty snack.

“Done with it?” Julian asked. “We can’t stop now.”

Skyler stopped chewing. “Are you kidding me?”

“No, I’m serious.” Julian’s hand curled on his lap. “Owen said he’s trapped down there. I’ve been thinking, and what if it’s because of Samuel Howard? He roams the corridors of Lockton, basically traumatizing all the ghosts and forcing them to relive the pain he inflicted on them while alive. Maybe there’s a way to—”

“Stop.” Skyler tossed the bag aside and stood from the bed. “Do you not recall what just fucking happened? There is no way in hell we’re going back to Lockton. Whatever you’re thinking? Forget it.”

Julian stared down at the blanket. “If you don’t want to go back, that’s your choice, but you can’t make that decision for me. I told you I wanted to help Roy and the others, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

“Help themhow, Jules?” Skyler’s voice broke. “By getting yourself killed so you can float along beside them in their ghostly purgatory? A lot of help that will be, I’m sure.”

“You’re not being fair.”

“And you’re not being smart.” Skyler expelled a hard breath and stormed over to the window, staring outside. “It’s just like Callum said. You may have the tools but don’t know how to use them yet. It’s reckless to think otherwise.”

I sat on the bed as they argued, pressing my lips together.

“Okay,” Julian said softly.

Skyler turned from the window to look at him. “Okay?”

“You’re right. I don’t fully understand how my power works. So as much as I want to help Roy and the others…” Julian swallowed hard and dug his thumb into the pad of his palm. “It’d be like taking a shot in the dark. My desire to help doesn’t mean I have the skill to do so. And after today with Owen, I see that itwouldbe reckless. I’d be putting myself in harm’s way and anyone else with me.”

Skyler walked over and sat beside him on the bed. “I’m sorry this didn’t turn out the way you wanted, but we learned more about Lockton than any other ghost-hunting team before us has. That’s exactly what Valentina contacted us to do: find answers. And we did. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Julian nodded and grabbed his phone. “Crap. I need to find us another hotel. We have to check out from here by noon tomorrow. I just saw the reminder in my calendar. It totally slipped my mind.”