Chapter 2
“Summer, we picked a time,” my best friend said brightly. “Tomorrow night. He’s a college student too. He goes to school near Westside University Town.”
Then she wiggled her brows at me.
“He’s bringing a friend. He’s really hot too. Plays basketball. Wait, I have a video.”
She shoved the screen in my face.
I glanced at it.
The camera work was suspiciously artistic. The kind of filming people used when they were terrified you might clearly see the face.
“Well?” she asked eagerly.
I gave the clip a long, thoughtful look.
“He plays pretty well,” I said. “Like someone who survived rat poison by sheer luck.”
“Wynne Summers!”
I pressed one hand against my best friend before she could launch herself at me, then tagged the new guy in the group chat.
The one with the username H.
You bought a lot. Want to split shipping? There’s a discount over a thousand.
H replied immediately.
Sure. Send it to me first. I’ll forward your share after.
We added each other, and I sent him the campus mailroom address.
The little “typing…” bubble stayed there for a very long time.
Then, finally, a message came through.
Be careful. There’s a thousand-year skeleton spirit at your school.
I sat up straighter.
真的假的?
Okay, maybe not that exactly, but close.
Really?
Look, nine out of ten campuses are built over something creepy, so the claim wasn’t impossible.
H typed fast.
My brother got bewitched by that thing. Face white as death. Skinny like a corpse that’s been soaking in formaldehyde for ten years and then dragged back out to dry. Be careful. I’ll throw in two extra talismans for you.
His mouth was vicious, but his heart was in the right place.
I thought about it, then replied.
Thanks, but no. I prefer glutinous rice. Better for emotional damage.
He didn’t push.
Fine. Just be careful around the skeleton spirit, friend.
At that exact moment, my best friend leaned in with her phone.
“Summer, which selfie should I send him?”
I looked down.
My vision darkened.
One photo looked like a ghost.
The other looked like an alien runway model who had been stretched vertically.
Sharp chin. Huge lips. Waist like a rib cage wrapped in cling film.
Terrifying aesthetic.
“This one,” I said through gritted teeth, pointing randomly at the one with the bright red lips. “At least this one still resembles a human being.”
She happily sent it off.
That night, I crawled into bed and dreamed of her upside-down triangle face chasing me through a foggy hallway.
The next morning, I woke up to a string of messages from H.
Friend.
The skeleton spirit at your school evolved.
It’s started drinking blood.
I just ordered twenty more talismans.
Do you want any?
Your place isn’t far from me. Want to meet in person tonight?
I stared at the screen.
Tonight?
Tonight I had a demon-expulsion mission.
I was about to refuse when another message popped up.
Eight o’clock. I have something to do earlier.
I hesitated.
By eight, whatever evil thing showed up at my best friend’s blind date would probably already be dead.
So I typed back.
Fine. Eight o’clock.
Then he sent me a photo of a shipping box full of talismans.
Want to pick which ones you want?
My eyes did not land on the talismans.
They landed on the hand braced against the side of the box.
Long fingers. Clean knuckles. Beautiful bone structure. A dark wooden bracelet around the wrist.
Very nice hand.
Immediately, all hesitation vanished.
Tonight at eight, I replied. In person.