Chapter Text
“You two ruined my life!”
“I was simply speaking on what he told me.”
“It was your gun!”
“You’re just trying to cover for-”
Maya’s eyes snapped open, her body was frozen still before she finally dropped from where she floated two feet above her covers. Letting out a soft ‘oof’ she rolled over and wiped some sweat from her brow. Who knew nightmares could be so loud? She thought as she adjusted herself. This wasn’t the first time she found herself levitating while the three strangers argued around her. It was like they didn't even notice she was there, but she didn't recognize them anyway. Her alarm clock glowed ‘6:16 a.m.’, the same time this dream woke her every day.
Vivid dreams left Maya feeling restless, her body seemed to buzz with energy and yet at the same time, her limbs ached. Another side effect of her illness her aunt would say. She was only around eight years old when the first signs started showing; the levitating, constant headaches, nightmares, fatigue, the auditory hallucinations that would have her wandering the house for hours looking for a source. Her family claimed it was spirit sickness, something common for the women in their family, especially when someone close to them passes, like her mother.
What her aunt Morgan and older sister found strange was how long it lasted. Spirit sickness was associated with grieving, but Maya barely remembered her mother to properly miss her or mourn. It had been almost nine years and yet she was still being kept sheltered due to her ailment. Homeschooled and not allowed to go out often at all in case she had an episode that had strangers looking too close into their lives. Everyone already knew too much for comfort about her mother and their family history. Their uncanny connection with the undead and their private practices. Maya appreciated her family and such, but her aunt’s way of handling her situation didn’t feel effective. Any moment now her Aunt Morgan would come in with her medicinal tea and the usual list of rituals to 'help manage' her symptoms. Not that she wasn't grateful for her aunt's care, but it simply felt infantilizing and useless, but at least the tea soothed her throat and relaxed her muscles.
There was a knock on the door and Aunt Morgan walked in without waiting for an answer.
"Good morning, good to see you're still awake." She set a silver tray down on Maya's nightstand. It contained the usual tea set, prepared specifically for her, along with some fruits meant to tie her over until breakfast. Maya checked the time, it was just before seven, not even close to enough time for her to fall back asleep. Morgan continued speaking. "Pearl and I are going into the city to check in with Mia and run some errands-"
"Can I-"
"Do not interrupt. And no, you will stay here and focus on feeling better, clean your room too." Maya couldn't help but sulk at her words, silently reaching for her cup. Morgan explained the morning meditations she wanted her to do and Maya only half listened. It was the same every day and she was at the point of accepting she won't get better. Why does she even bother repeating them every day? She doesn't voice her thoughts though, instead thinking about her plans for when Aunt Morgan leaves.
Eventually, her aunt left the room, leaving the door wide open behind her, another pet peeve that Maya wouldn’t bring up for fear of making her aunt feel bad. Once Maya heard the car pulling out of the driveway she downed her tea and jumped out of bed. There's no way I'm spending the first day of summer cooped up inside , she thought, pulling on a striped tee shirt and some light overalls. Her dream was long forgotten by the time her hair was tied up and her sneakers laced. She had at most four hours to visit Nick and find something to do. Hopefully that something would be some good food at their usual place.
She all but ran down the stairs and out the back door where her bike was locked up. It was technically her older sister's bike, but she no longer needed it after she had gotten her car. Besides, Maya was the one who added the pink streamers and bell, all Mia contributed was the basket and constant flat tires. Maya hummed as she pushed the bike from her backyard and into the empty street, the perks of living in a small town she presumed. There was still a slight dew and morning chill as she leisurely rode through the neighborhood. It wasn't a long ride to her friend's house but something caught her attention when she rounded the corner.
Up on the hill where the old manor sat untouched for years, were moving trucks. No one she knew from this town could ever afford the manor when it went up for sale before she was born, so they must have been from out of town. Maya got off her bike, lingering by the sidewalk as she tried to catch a glimpse of anyone who wasn't a mover, extremely curious. Nothing exciting ever happened around here, so she was starving for anything. She heard some faint yelling but was too far to tell what was being said, that's when she caught a glimpse of a girl with long silver-blue hair being followed by a man who looked about Nick's age. Following not far behind an old man came out of the front door, his blue suit seemed much more ornate and fancy than the ones Maya had seen before. She squinted, trying to get a better look at him. Suddenly the old man's glare snapped in her direction as if he could feel her staring and with a slight jump Maya was back on her bike and riding away fast. The family she presumed, continued to linger in her thoughts as she approached her destination.
The girl parked her bike in front of a decent-sized home with white paneling and blue shudders, shaded by a large maple tree in front. She reached down and scooped some pebbles from the gravel driveway and scoped out her target window. But before she could take aim, a voice called out from the front porch.
“Hey don’t even think about it!” Her best friend, Phoenix, stood there with a full trash bag in hand. “Come on, Maya, you know you can just knock.”
Maya dropped her rocks and walked over to him while saying, “And risk your mom calling my aunt again? No way, besides, I know now not to throw big rocks too hard!”
He’s never going to let that broken window go, She thought bitterly.
Nick sighed, meeting her halfway to throw his bag in the dumpster. He wore a plain white polo and blue slacks. “That happened one time and my parents aren’t even home right now.”
“Awe, not here to welcome their baby boy home for summer break?” She playfully shoved him.
“I’ve been home for three days! They drove into the city for a day date.” He shoved her back, not nearly as hard as she had.
“Great! So, you can hang?"
"I don't know… I should get started on my summer work."
"Boooooo!" Maya shook her thumbs down at him. "You're such a bummer. You and I both know you're gonna leave it til last minute. It's summer, let's get outta here!"
Maya didn't have any friends truly, being homeschooled and a bit off-putting to other girls at the diners and clubs. Most people don’t want to hang out with haunted girls who can’t exactly read social cues. She had met Phoenix through her sister's work five years ago. When Mia started mentoring him through his own law studies, he ended up being a constant in her life, almost like another older sibling. They had plenty of time to bond since he actually lived in town when not staying in the dorms, she couldn't picture life without him.
"Fine, let's go get lunch- er, brunch, breakfast? " Nick said, checking his watch. Maya fist pumped and cheered.
"YES! I'm starving- hurry up and get your bike!"
"You're always starving." He made his way to the garage, Maya following close behind.
"Did you see that someone's moving into that creepy manor? The old man gave me the heebie-jeebies with his evil eye!"
"Oh. Yeah, I saw that, I think that 'old man' would be Manfred Von Karma, along with his daughter and son."
"How do you know all that?" She tightened her ponytail.
"One of my professors mentioned him. I guess he's gunning for Chief Prosecutor of our county. The whole family is attorneys I hear."
"Even the daughter? But like, she looks my age." Maya lingered by the open garage door as Phoenix dusted off his bike and checked the tires. He then wandered further inside the dank building, stepping over miscellaneous items to find the air pump.
"Apparently she graduated early at like 14. She's been studying overseas." He called to her.
"They must be loaded then! And hella smart- she's gonna be a prosecutor by like, 20-" she paused, not confident in her math, "Or something."
"Yeah, Mi- I mean his son passed the bar at 20 and has been practicing law for the past three years." Phoenix finished airing up his tires, pushing his bike to join her. He closed the garage door and got on his bike, pausing for Maya to follow suit.
She pushed her bike to him before getting on and waiting for him to lead the way to their usual joint. Her lips were pursed in thought until she added, "You know a lot about them for hearing about it from a teacher."
"Do you want a burger or not?" Nick deflected, pushing off and into the street. She huffed and hurried after him.
They rode past the manor, this time not stopping to snoop. The wind blew through their hair, keeping them cool on the slowly heating day. Maya hummed an idle tune, enjoying the budding trees and plants that made the air smell just right. Her exhaustion from this morning was casually forgotten, instead replaced with a sense of contentment. Eventually, they veered off the road, riding down the beaten bike trail that followed the train tracks. It was not the fastest way to their destination, but it was more peaceful and the fewer ‘Maya sightings’ the older folks got, the better. Considering everyone knew everything and everyone, Maya was consistently talked on as sick and odd, everyone knowing that her aunt preferred her to keep away and unable to cause trouble. Of course, Nick wouldn’t tell, for she was also his closest friend, but most of the younger crowd knew to mind their business when it came to her outings. Preferring to keep it at trivial gossip amongst themselves.
Maya and Phoenix finally rode out of the tree line and away from the tracks, pulling into a small diner on the far side of town. It was run down and only had the same few customers, including Maya and Nick, yet the food was greasy and the milkshakes were cold and that’s all that mattered to her. She was sweating slightly when they stopped and locked their bikes, turning to Nick to say, “Y’know, I think it’s about time you got your license. It would make this whole running the streets thing so much easier.”
“Oh yeah, I’ll get my license, and buy a car, and buy insurance, just to drive you around,” Nick replied sarcastically. Maya puffed her cheeks before sighing dramatically.
“You wouldn’t drive around your poor sickly friend? Look how pale and weak I am,” Maya all but cried, not being serious as she draped herself over the dirty picnic table next to them.
“Quit putzing around, you’re not pale or sickly. Hell, you’re getting tanner each minute we’re outside!” Maya laughed and sat up, at the same time her stomach let out a loud gurgle.
“Nick! What are you doing still out here and not ordering my double with extra fries and a--” he interrupted her, “And a chocolate shake- geez, you’re the one distracting me.”
Before she could retort he was opening the door and heading inside. While he ordered, Maya got herself situated on the bench, brushing off some grime from where she had laid on the table. It wasn’t long before the two were digging into some fatty burgers and oversalted fries. The girl used her hand to cover her still-full mouth as she spoke, “I think that like, my nightmares are getting worse.”
“What, like the ghosts and stuff? And don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“Mhm!” She swallowed. “I don’t know what it is that’s causing them to be so frequent. But the energy in my house is craaazy.”
“I know you and Mia told me this is something all the women in your family go through, and that there’s nothing you can do… But maybe there are other uh, spiritualists? That can help.” Maya took a long sip of her milkshake, letting go with a pop, and shook her head.
“I come from a long line of spirit mediums, we’re the best of the best! If Aunt Morgan can’t help me, like she’s been trying, then no one else can.” Nick frowned deeply.
“I can’t help but feel you’re too casual about this.”
“C’mon man, you’ve known me since I was like, 11. And I’ve been like this looong before that too. If I was sad and miserable all the time then we wouldn’t be hanging out, and I wouldn’t be able to do this,” She snagged a handful of fries off his plate, depositing them on her plate.
“Hey! You’re going to eat me out of house and home someday.”
“How is it my fault out of the two of us you’re the only one with an allowance?”
“You’re the worst.”
“And you can’t help but love me!”
Even after long finishing their food, they sat there and continued to catch up. Phoenix told her about all the stuff she missed while he was at college, including the many odd characters he’s run into. While Maya told him about the new issue of her favorite comic, The Steel Samurai, something Nick found childish and yet he still engaged and argued about certain themes she mentioned. But right before 11 a.m., they were rushing to get Maya home, just in case her aunt and cousin made it back early. Aunt Morgan did not seem to like Phoenix very much and liked him hanging around Maya even less. She felt he was a bad influence, which Maya thought was reasonable in a funny sort of way since he was the reason she started sneaking out in the first place. Another is her love of music and her need to hear it live. To Maya it was only reasonable that she had to sneak around, it was the only way she kept herself from feeling lonely or bored.
She waved Nick goodbye from the back door, promising to plan some sick things for them to do this summer. After closing the door she made her way back to her room, thoughts clouding over. Maya really wanted to make this summer count since Nick would be passing the bar next year and probably moving to the city just like Mia. Even with a car, Mia didn’t visit often, usually calling every other day to talk to her. They were still as close as they had ever been, but Maya still felt left out, lonely, forgotten… Her best and only friend leaving as well would leave her empty. She still had Pearl, which she was grateful for, but Pearl was just as isolated as she was, and Maya was simply tired of this house, this town, and sometimes even resentful. None of these feelings are the ones she spoke about, believing that it would just add more stress to her loved ones. So instead, she curled up on her bed, lazily flipping through her latest issue of Steel Samurai to distract herself…