The Dead and the Dark(33)

Logan blinked. Not only could Alejo see ghosts—he’d been able to see them the whole time. The tightness in her chest wavered from anger to awe. She pushed her empty mug around the table. “So the ghosts on the show were…?”

“The ghosts were real. In a way.” Alejo tapped his fingers on the table. “Everywhere we went had real ghosts, but that’s not a bad thing. Everywhere does. Real ghosts don’t hurt you. They don’t need to be exorcized. They’re hardly even sentient. They’re like … feelings. Or memories. I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“There’s not really a guide on how it works.”

Logan shook her head. “And all the gear?”

“The gear is real … to an extent.”

“What do ghosts look like?” Logan asked, careful not to betray too much of her excitement. Maybe Alejo had meant it when he said you could trade honesty for honesty. He’d never talked about ghosts this plainly.

Alejo’s hands were tight around his coffee mug, knuckles pale against the speckled ceramic. He crossed his legs and leaned forward like this was some kind of campfire story hour. “I don’t want to freak you out.”

“I don’t get scared.”

“You never did.” Alejo’s smile was only a flash before his expression darkened. “The ghosts I’ve seen are more like impressions left by the dead. Like a captured moment. It’s not always visual. Sometimes it’s a smell, or a voice, or a feeling. It’s hard to describe.”

“What do they do?”

“Not much, honestly. From what I can tell, they only really appear if they’ve left something behind. No one wants to stay here if they can move on. But if they weren’t ready or they’re not quite gone yet, that’s when they show up. It’s like they’re reaching back, asking for help the only way they can.”

“Can Brandon see them, too?” Logan asked.

“No. I don’t know why people can or can’t see them. I’ve met a few other people who could. Usually they’re not big fans of the show.” Alejo gave an uneasy laugh. “But, no. Your dad can’t see them.”

“And living people?” Logan asked. She traced a circle in the carpet under the table with her toe. “Did you guys ever see a ghost for a person that’s still alive?”

Alejo narrowed his eyes at that, lips pressed in a flat line. Logan wondered if she’d overstepped now—if she’d gone too specific. Maybe he’d seen Brandon’s ghost at the cabin, too. Maybe he was involved in all of it. He gently set his mug on the table, skepticism melting into a soft frown. The way he looked now was almost mournful.

“I don’t have a for-sure answer. We know that spirits are made of unresolved pain that lingers somewhere between life and … beyond. Theoretically, I’d say pain that leaves a deep enough impact—pain that kills a piece of a person—could leave ghosts, too. Ghosts are death, but maybe death can mean different things. I don’t know. If pain is the measure, I promise Snakebite is full of ghosts.”

Logan sucked in a sharp breath. They’d never kept secrets from each other. At least, she’d thought they didn’t, but now it seemed like Alejo was made of secrets. Just like Brandon. A part of Logan wanted to tell him about what she’d seen at the cabin. But she couldn’t shake the creeping fear that he and Brandon had something to do with all of this. That whatever Brandon had done to cause the ghost in the cabin, Alejo was a part of it. Maybe there was a simple explanation, but maybe there wasn’t.

Her curiosity curdled into fear. She emptied her mug with one swallow. “Was there anything else we needed to talk about?”

“Your dad.” Alejo tentatively smiled. “He says you two had fun shopping the other day. Your room looks great.”

“Yeah, it was fine.”

“He’s trying,” Alejo said. “I know things can be … awkward. And the show hasn’t helped. Just try to cut him some slack.”

Logan nodded. “That’s everything?”

“I guess so,” Alejo said.

Logan checked her phone. She swiped open a series of texts from Ashley:

ashley b: party tonight at the cabin

ashley b: learned some stuff from my mom

ashley b: maybe we’ll see some ghosts

ashley b: kidding

ashley b: we should actually investigate though

ashley b: i’ll pick you up at nine

Logan smiled at the screen. She turned to Alejo and pocketed her phone. “I guess I should tell you I’m going to a party tonight?”

Alejo raised a brow. “A Snakebite party?”

“Yeah, at this abandoned cabin. It’s very on-brand creepy for me.”

Alejo’s expression steeled. It wasn’t just the party, it was the location. He did know about the cabin.

“It’s not a party party,” Logan continued. “It’s a gathering of friends.”

“All your good Snakebite friends?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“The same friends that decorated our wall?”

Logan’s stomach clenched.

“Actually, I’m taking Nick and Elexis from next door. They’re my new friends,” Logan said. “I’m helping Nick build a computer.”