Chapter 6

Charlotte

Tuesday morning, I was tired. I forced myself to get out of bed and ate cereal at the kitchen table.

I considered everything that had happened last night—the footsteps, the light, standing alone in the hall. Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine and goosebumps appeared on my arms.

I did not speak until Juan came downstairs.

“Did you have bad dreams last night?” Juan asked.

“No,” I mumbled, not wanting to talk to her about the footsteps. She was asking because of how I had stormed into her room like a crazy person the previous night.

“Well, if you do, you are always welcome to sleep in my room,” she said.

“Thank you,” I mumbled.

It was great to have her care about me. I just wished she would believe me when I told her things about the supernatural. She’d listen to me when I talked about seeing ghosts, but there was also a look of disbelief in her eyes every time.

I understood that it must be difficult to believe in something you couldn’t see, feel, hear, or touch, but I also wished she believed in me enough to trust that I was telling the truth.

I went to school, and the day dragged by. I was too tired to focus and was happy when I could go home.

That afternoon I took a nap, and as a result, I was not tired that night. I lay awake while Amore slept next to me, and I put a hand on the dog for comfort.

I decided to keep my bed light on, which made me feel like a little kid again who was dependent on the illusion of protection the light provided.

I waited for something to happen. I jumped when the wind blew a branch against my window. Other than that, the night was peaceful. There were no footsteps.

***

The next day flew by, and that night, my family and I dressed in jeans and boots. We were ready for the midnight horse-riding tour.

Andrea was more excited than we had seen her in a long time—she was smiling, laughing, and energetic. I couldn’t keep up with that energy.

“Where did you get the idea to do this, Mom?” Juan asked. I was glad Juan indulged our mother, while I could hang around in silence.

“One of my friends suggested it to me.”

Andrea loved horses—ever since she was a little girl. She had owned one when she was much younger. Unfortunately for her, none of us shared her passion for horses.

Juan liked them, but not enough to take riding lessons. I thought they were pretty, but they intimidated me too much. They were so big and strong, and I feared they would kick or bite me.

Andrea did not currently own a horse because they were expensive, and she did not have the time to give it all the attention it required.

We got into Ned’s car, and he got the GPS ready. This ranch was in the opposite direction from the ranch where the party had been held, which weirdly made me feel safe.

I never wanted to go back to those ranches again. I could picture the lady, lying on the ground, squirming helplessly, with the man on top of her.

~Stop thinking about it.~ I just wanted to forget it like a bad nightmare.

The sun had set, and street lights illuminated the quiet street. We lived in an upper-class area with beautiful houses and neatly trimmed gardens. Someone was playing soft music, and at ten o’clock all would be quiet.

I looked out of my window and noticed a tall, blond woman standing in the middle of the street. She was too far away for me to make out her features.

I twisted in my seat so that I could see better. What was the woman doing? She did not appear to be moving.

I stared at her, and the woman stared right back. Then she lifted a bony arm and pointed to her right. I looked but could not see what she was pointing to.

“Are you alright, Charlotte?” Andrea asked.

“Yes,” I said.

Ned started driving to the horse farm. It was in the opposite direction from where the woman had pointed. I realized she had been pointing in the direction where the pumpkin farm was.

When I looked back, the woman was gone.

I shivered and told myself that it had been one of the people who lived here. She must have gone back into her house. But what was she doing outside, anyway?

We listened to lively country music on our way and occasionally sang along. I liked the night. It was when I felt most alive.

I opened my window so that the cool air could kiss my skin, and after breathing in the fresh air, I forgot all about the woman.

We arrived at the horse farm, where the gates were wide open and there were pastures with white fences and trees. Hay had been stacked in piles, and the grass outside the pastures had been neatly cut.

Even in the dark it was beautiful.

The horses were in their stables, and we headed to the reception area first. Andrea signed some forms, and then we were sent to the stables, where we met our tour guide, Max.

He was short and skinny, and had a passion for horses. Max told us that he had been riding since he was a little boy, and he explained the route we were going to take as well as some safety regulations.

I was riding a beautiful, dapple-gray mare named Mystique. She was a strong, majestic animal with long legs.

She had a good temperament, yet I couldn’t help but feel nervous around her. She snorted unexpectedly when I touched her nose, and I quickly retracted my hand.

Andrea helped me onto Mystique’s back, and I took the reins in my hands. I had ridden before, but did not consider myself experienced. I felt unbalanced in the saddle and gripped the pommel.

Andrea did not notice my nervousness as she went to help Juan onto her black gelding. She then offered to help Ned as well before she mounted her appaloosa mare in one swift, smooth motion.

There was no doubt in my mind that my mother would not be the one to fall off.

We were a group of fifteen people, and everyone was excited and talking. The tour guide helped most mount and smiled, clearly pleased, when he saw that the Gray family was already on their horses’ backs.

Max mounted his horse last. “Is everyone ready?”

Some people mumbled, “Yes.” When no one objected, he clicked his tongue, and his horse started walking. The others fell in step behind him.

We went past the pastures and away from the entrance gate, then stopped at a wooden gate where Max dismounted to open it.

“Please ride through,” he instructed, “and stay on the path.”

When everyone passed through the gate, he closed it, remounted, and trotted to the front of the group. He was the only one who was not wearing a helmet.

We walked through the pastures and the horses’ hooves crunched the leaves. It was cold, and everyone in the group wore jackets.

“You all should come back and do this in the summer,” he said. “When it’s warmer, we include a picnic at the mountainside.”

I viewed myself as a city girl. I would enjoy living in the middle of LA or Chicago. I would be happy if I never had to walk through a field. But I had to admit—this was a beautiful place. I also enjoyed seeing my mom happy.

I rubbed Mystique’s neck. The mare was fit and could continue to walk for hours. Her muscles bulged as she moved. I was one of the people who rode in the front of the group. The trees were tall, and it was cold by the hills.

When we reached a stream, movement caught my eyes. For a moment I thought there was something in the bushes.

“Max,” I asked. “Are there people out here?”

“No,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

I looked around. There were no houses and no lights. “I thought I saw something.”

“It’s probably a deer. We have plenty of those.”

An owl hooted, and I got a fright. Mystique picked up on my mood change. She lifted her head a bit higher and walked faster.

“Whoa, girl,” I cooed.

Max smiled. “We have lots of owls, too.”

Then Max halted. I reined my horse in, and the rest of the group also stopped. We had reached a lake. The moon reflected on it like a crystal ball. The mist hung over it, making it look ghostly.

“We are halfway,” Max said. “Now, the people who want to run should come with me.

“We will run to the other end of the lake and walk back. The rest of the group will wait here. Then all of us will walk home together. Does everyone understand?”

The people nodded. The riders who wanted to run urged their horses forward. Juan and Andrea were the first to go.

“Are you staying behind with me?” Ned asked.

“I am actually going to go with,” I said, despite the nervous feeling in my stomach. I did not want to be left behind.

“Hold on tight,” my father warned.

I nodded and joined my mother and sister, wondering if they were as nervous as I was. They were surprised that I also wanted to run.

“Now, it’s very important that you stop running at the end of the lake and walk home. Horses have a tendency to get impatient. They will want to run home, and that makes it easy to lose control.”

He looked around before saying, “Ready. Set. Go!”

Andrea dug her heels into the horse’s side, and Juan did the same. I held on to the pommel and sat still. Mystique, who did not want to be left behind either, sprinted after the other horses.

I found that the faster she ran, the less it shook. I had one hand on the pommel and the other hand on the horse’s mane. The wind twirled my hair around my face, and I could not help but smile.

In that moment, I felt free and not scared anymore. It was possible to conquer my fear.

The horses slowed to a walk, and I shook in the saddle. Mystique was riled up. She threw her head in the air and tossed it from side to side. I pulled the reins and turned her around.

“That was fun!” Juan exclaimed.

Mystique was walking very fast. She was in front of the group now, and I tried to get her to slow down. I talked softly to the horse. “Whoa, girl.”

Then Mystique stopped, and a shiver traveled through her body. It made me shake in the saddle. I followed my horse’s gaze— to the water.

Ankle deep in the water stood a tall, skinny blonde woman. The water must have been icy cold, but she stood in it as if the cold did nothing to her. She reached her hand out toward me.

It was the woman whom I saw murdered.

I remembered how the man had wrapped his hands around her throat. Did any blood vessels burst in her eyes?

Although I couldn’t see her eyes, from a distance I pictured them to be bloodshot. She was a red-eyed lady.

Before I had the chance to scream, Mystique bolted. I lost my balance and my stirrups, then fell to the side of the horse, which spooked Mystique even more. She picked up speed, and I tried to hold on.

I slipped and hit the ground hard. It knocked the breath from my body. But the ground hadn’t hit me nearly as hard as my embarrassment.

Andrea screamed my name. I tried to get to my feet, but it was hard to catch my breath. When I looked back, the red-eyed lady was gone, and I wondered if I had imagined her.

Then Andrea was by me and jumped off her horse. With one hand she held the reins and with the other she touched my shoulder.

“Are you alright?”

I nodded quickly and did not want to make a scene. Everyone was staring at me, and I wished I could just die. I was badly bruised, but luckily nothing was broken other than my self-confidence.

“I’m not sure what happened.”

“Your horse got overexcited and spooked,” Andrea said. “It’s no big deal. It happens to everyone.”

“I’m so embarrassed,” I managed to say.

I knew no one would have seen the lady other than me and the horses—if she had actually been there. According to Grandma May, animals could also see the supernatural.

One of the reasons I felt more comfortable sleeping with Amore next to me was because she could also see the ghosts. It made me feel like less of a freak.

Max dismounted. His face was pale, and his hands were shaking. He looked at me with trembling lips.

“I’m fine,” I said before he could ask.

Mystique had stopped running when she reached the other horses. Ned grabbed her reins and led her back to me. I took the reins and patted her neck.

“I’m fine,” I said, but he studied me with worried eyes.

Max helped me to remount, and I held onto the horse’s mane while he pushed me into the saddle. I did not blame the mare for throwing me. I understood why the animal had been scared.

Both of us felt more relaxed within the protection of a group. For a while, everyone was quiet. The chatting only started near the end of the outride.

When we reached the stables, the grooms helped us dismount then led away the horses. I kissed Mystique on the nose and thanked her for the ride.

Once my family and I were in our car, I was asked multiple times if I was alright and if I needed to go and see a doctor.

I did not need to see a doctor. My body was going to be stiff and sore the next day, but it could have been worse.

I appreciated that my family waited until we were alone before they made a big scene. They knew me well enough to know I’d feel uncomfortable receiving so much attention in front of a group of people.

Once we were home, I carried Amore to my room, where I removed my clothes and studied myself in the mirror. A huge bruise was forming on my leg where I had fallen after the ghost had spooked my mare.

I wondered if it was the first time she’d seen one.

While I had seen ghosts before, I had never seen the same ghost twice. Although I had only seen the red-eyed lady twice, I could not help but wonder if the footsteps I had heard belonged to her.

I had some questions about ghosts, and there was only one person who would have the answers: Grandma May.