Here to Stay: Day 13

 Word Count: 78,022

Summary of Events:

James' cousin from eastern Alberta arrived with his annual delivery of winter hay for the cattle and horses that James had ordered earlier, which James helped unload before his father and stepmother-in-law came to visit for a weekend. Jake, having failed to drive Keanu away by ignoring him, decided to distract Keanu and maybe scare him away for good by telling him that the last yard to the west was haunted . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Well, but what does the ghost look like?” Keanu asked.

“The last owner of the house,” Jake replied.

“And who was that?” Keanu asked.

“Arvid Hilmarsson,” Jake replied. “He died alone because his son was murdered and his wife suffocated.”

“Oh,” Keanu said.

“Nobody goes near the place because they’re scared they might see the ghost,” Jake said.

“Well I’m not afraid of ghosts,” Keanu said arrogantly, wagging his head.

Jake smirked, based on the unsettledness he’d seen moments before, Jake had his doubts Keanu was telling the truth.

“Really?” Jake asked.

“Yes!” Keanu snapped. “Why would you doubt me?”

“I have no reason to believe you,” Jake replied. “I’ve never seen you in the presence of a ghost before. Seeing is believing. Show me you’re not afraid of ghosts and I’ll believe you.”

“I will,” Keanu declared forcefully.

Jake turned his gaze back toward the horses, hoping that Keanu was going to stalk away and do just that, but unfortunately his ears gave him no such hope, for he heard no rustle of feet stalking away from him.

“Well?” Jake asked, looking over his shoulder at Keanu again.

“Well what?” Keanu asked.

“Why haven’t you gone to prove to me you’re not afraid of ghosts yet?” Jake asked.

“I’m not going to do it today,” Keanu replied indignantly. “What ghost appears in the daytime? I’d do it at night.”

“When?” Jake asked.

“Well . . . um . . . ah . . . nyah . . .” Keanu floundered. “When the night’s good and creepy.”

“Hopefully such a night comes before Halloween,” Jake said. “In fact, that night should come before school starts or a rumour might start circulating that you’re afraid of ghosts, besides, you have a better chance of seeing a ghost on Friday night.”

“Why?” Keanu asked, sounding highly annoyed. 

“Because Friday’s the anniversary of one of the deaths,” Jake replied. “So all the ghosts might rise on a night like that.”

These words certainly seemed to make Keanu squirm uncomfortably, but Jake was pretty sure Keanu didn’t realise that Jake could see the anxious, squeamish squirms out of his peripheral vision.

“Well that’s just the sort of night I was thinking of,” Keanu replied, puffing out his chest and looking arrogantly at Jake.

“What time?” Jake asked.

A glare flashed into Keanu’s eyes and he looked away from Jake for a long moment during which Jake saw signs of an underlying anxiety before finally he looked back at Jake with smug resolution.

“Midnight,” he declared.

“Alright,” Jake said. “I’ll be there.”

“What do you need to be there for?” Keanu demanded.

“To watch,” Jake replied. “To see that you’re not really afraid of ghosts.”

This didn’t look to please Keanu at all, which Jake was glad of, as he was sure the entertainment value of Friday night was going to be a good return on investment as a result.

“I’ll see you Friday,” Jake said, moving around and dropping down off the rail, careful of his wrist — which he was grateful he’d be getting the cast off of shortly — before striding off toward the yard.