Page 2 of Twi-Flight (Ghostlight Falls #6)

Chapter Two

I get a chance to see Eggward again a couple days later, when his grocery order comes through.

Ghostlight Falls grocery is in a relatively small building, but part of it may as well exist in another dimension, the inside is expansive.

Everything in Ghostlight is weird, even the grocery store.

With a whole section devoted to Sasquatch hair care, and a deli counter that sells suspiciously shaped packages of meat.

“Don’t you think it’s odd that he gets his stuff delivered? The place is so close.” Jace, an old friend who now manages the grocery store, suggests while I collect items from Eggward’s order.

“Some people think your hatred of dogs is odd.” I tease. “Isn’t everyone in Ghostlight odd?” Jace questioning Eggward’s choices makes me feel more protective than when Lucy does it.

“He lives so close. Why not just walk over here himself?” Jace narrows his eyes in the direction of the chicken rescue, despite the several rows of groceries and the wall blocking his view.

“Maybe he doesn’t like going out in the daytime.

I hardly ever see him around.” I shrug. Jace, Lucy, and I used to hang out every summer.

Our trio was practically inseparable for three months out of the year.

Hanging out with Jace lately feels— different.

But Jace is the person who got me this job, which I’m so grateful for.

Ghostlight felt like my last possible option, and coming back here after years away feels like a warm hug.

“I don’t like him.” Jace finally grumbles the truth.

“Well, then why don’t I do this delivery?” I suggest brightly. “So that you don’t have to go over there.”

“That’s not your job.” Jace protests.

“I don’t mind.” I say, grabbing the rest of the items so that Jace has to walk quickly to keep up with me.

“You’re supposed to be on the register today.”

“You don’t want me on the register.” I keep my voice peppy. “I always get the change wrong anyway.”

Jace’s thick eyebrows furrow, but he doesn’t argue with me. He can’t argue with that.

“It’ll only take me a moment! I’ll be right back.” I march toward the door with the order in my hands. “Eggward saved my life, I’d like a chance to say thank you properly.”

Jace clearly doesn’t want me to go, but can’t seem to bring himself to shout the word ‘stop’ out loud. Sometimes walking with confidence and forcing people to tell you ‘no’ can get you places.

The chicken rescue has a couple of close set buildings.

It could use some sprucing. The coop is a wooden barn in the rear, with a covered fenced-in chicken run behind that.

In the front sits a smaller green office building.

The paint is peeling in places, the curtains drawn, the lights are off. The place has a slightly ominous feel.

I take two deep breaths to settle my nerves before I lift my hand to knock on the front door.

There’s no answer. I wait, grocery bags in hand for a few long moments.

Another time I might just leave the delivery on the front porch and head back to work, but a gentle clucking at my feet pulls my attention down.

“Hello again.” I recognize Alice immediately, she’s pecking gently at my shoes. “You manage to escape the coop again already?”

Alice chirps excitedly at me, clearly interested in continuing the conversation. I adjust my packages so I can lean down to scratch her head.

“What are you doing here?” Eggward’s voice appears behind me.

“Hi! Hello.” I stand rigidly. Forcing a smile while my heart is pounding nervously.

“Just bringing over your groceries.” I proffer the bags in his direction.

There’s a shock of red hair and a beard barely visible under the hood that he’s wearing.

He’s still keeping his face covered, even here at his own home.

“Thanks.” He reaches for the bags, fingers appearing from beneath his feathery cape. “The chickens will appreciate it.”

“I added a couple extra ears of corn into your order—” I say quickly, before he has a chance to retreat. “As a thank you for helping with the bike the other day.”

“You didn’t need to do that.”

“You saved my life.”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“My life isn’t a big deal?” I take a step toward him, his chest rises and falls visibly.

“Of course it is.” He turns his back to me, heading into the barn. And throws his next sentence casually over his shoulder to me. “I wouldn’t let you get hurt.”

Alice clucks loudly at my feet and he pauses, turning back around.

“Get inside.” His voice hits a low command, I take a step before realizing he was ordering the chicken. The bird struts past him, self-satisfied.

“I’m glad it’s you here.” It takes a moment to recognize he’s talking to me this time.

“You are?”

“I need to speak with you about something.” His words sound almost forced.

“Now?” I ask. “Will it take long? I’m technically on the clock.”

“Can you come back later?”

“Come here?”

“Yes.”

There’s a scolding cluck at his feet.

“Please.” He adds, almost reluctantly.

I glance around the large, slightly creepy buildings. The stark exterior, the splintering wood, the gloomy corners even in the day time. None of it is enough to really keep me from settling my curiosity about Eggward. “My shift ends at nine tonight.”

“Perfect.” He doesn’t sound like he means it. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

The darkness does make the chicken rescue imposing. It’s summer, so the long shadows of twilight are far reaching and Eggward broods in the darkness in front of his building, standing still and stoic as he watches me cross the road.

I wave as I approach, feeling less than spectacular in my off-hours outfit. I wish I’d had a chance to run home and change. I’m wearing a thin tank top and a knee-length khaki skirt that I keep in my work locker. I don’t exactly feel cute. But why do I feel like I’m walking up to a date?

“You’re here.” Eggward says. I can practically feel his eyes raking over me. I’m being ridiculous, I can’t even see his expression, and still my face is getting warm from the imagined attention. He might as well be one of those hot guys in motorcycle helmets on social media.

Crap. I can’t start thinking about those types of videos right now.

“Did you miss me?” I call back, then feeling awkward I add. “I did say I’d come.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to.”

“Well, you made it sound important.” I nervously try to smooth my hair but I’m sure it hasn’t made a difference.

He shifts on his feet. It’s not an answer, but at least it’s some small chink in his armour.

This may not be a date, but he’s nervous about me being here as well.

I know almost nothing about him. The mystery is intriguing and exciting.

“How did you do it? Stop that bike?” I ask.

There’s a long pause, but I don’t take my eyes off him. “I had an adrenaline rush.”

“An adrenaline rush?” I scoff. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It makes these things possible. You can Google it.” He walks toward the long wooden hen house. There’s a thick chain on the door, which he unlocks before stepping inside. I hesitate before following him, but he doesn’t stop me so I step into the darkness behind him.

It’s warm, and smells very strongly of chickens. The walls are lined with boxes for the hens to roost and nest. There are a few already snuggled into their boxes for the evening.

“Are you stronger than the average person? Faster? Can you fly?” I press for more answers. I know he isn’t human, I just want to hear him say it.

“I can do the things that I can do.” He grumbles.

“Why did you help me?”

“Because you needed help.”

“You do that kind of thing often? Help other people?” I ask, examining the chicken roosts.

“Do you ever stop asking questions, Mina?” The words come out harsh and I stop in my tracks.

“What did you want to talk about then?” I snap back.

“Sorry.” The word is muttered softly but easily. “I’m sorry. I’m just not used to talking to—humans—this much.”

I notice that he didn’t say ‘other humans’. I can’t remember the last time a man offered me an apology so easily. I try to smile.

“We had an attempted break-in recently.” He continues as explanation. “It’s made me extra—terse.”

“Break-in? At a chicken rescue?” I ask and then shake my head. “Sorry. I don’t mean to pry. Being nosy is just in my blood. My dad was a detective for years before he moved here to become a deputy. I’m just a naturally curious person.”

“No, that’s my fault.” He releases a long sigh, his shoulders finally relaxing an inch. “I want people to enjoy visiting, but I’m not sure I’ve done a good job making the rescue welcoming.”

“It could use some updating.” I admit. “Is that why you asked me to come? To get my opinion on paint chips?”

“I wanted to talk to you about your farm.”

“Dad’s old property?” I almost laugh. The run-down house I inherited could hardly be called a ‘farm’. “It’s not livable anymore.”

In the nearly ten years since I last visited him, the building became uninhabitable.

Broken glass, wild animals living in the eaves, trash everywhere.

I don’t know how he was living in that mess, but when he passed away a couple months ago, I was the person who inherited his dilapidated pile of dry-rotting lumber.

I thought I’d fix it up, but that proved unrealistic with my current financial situation.

“With all the new faces I’ve added lately.” Eggward’s feet scratch at the ground. “I’m running out of space. I wondered if you’d consider donating the land and the building to my chicken rescue.” He finishes the sentence quickly, the words running together like he’s nervous to say them.

I swallow hard. Give away my father’s old place. The last thing truly tying me to this town, and my childhood here. “Donate it?”

“The rescue is a non-profit. It’d be a tax-deductible gift.” He explains.

“I’d love to help. But I’m barely scraping by as it is. I don’t know if—I could just give it away.” I admit. “I know it sounds selfish. I wish I could?—”