HAUNTED PRINCE by DENIS DANIEL (children's ebooks free online txt) 📕

We went to the parking lot to retrieve my car so we could really get out of school. Away from everyone else to our private place where we could do whatever we wanted. And how much we wanted to do whatever we wanted at that moment. I looked at Alex and she looked at me, there was no need to explain what we wanted and where we wanted to go. We already knew.

Before we could open the car I felt someone coming towards us and I stopped from my tracks and I waited because I already knew it was Layla. I turned round and Alex followed my move. She was surprised to see that I knew Layla was coming for us even though she was a little far from my car.

“Hi,” Layla greeted soon after she reached us.

“Hi,” I replied, “I thought you couldn’t leave Bratt alone?” I asked sarcastically.

“It’s not like that. Can we get out of here? Because we need to talk.”

Without wasting anymore time we got inside the car and we headed out of town. Inside the car was quiet, none of us was willing to talk. I had completely different plans for Alex and then Layla showed up with something completely different.

I think she didn’t talk because she was feeling shy talking about the memories in front of Alex. Even though she knew Alex knew everything about her, as a matter of fact she was the one who caught her before. Or maybe she was scared of her that’s why she didn’t say anything. Besides, the way Alex was looking at her wasn’t helping, like she was a bomb that’s about to explode or something.

When we arrived at the edge of the woods we got out Alex and I, but Layla remained inside the car.

“Come on,” I called her,

“Where are we going?” she asked nervously.

“Don’t worry it’s somewhere quiet and safe.”

“It’s in the jungle?” she wasn’t convinced. But it wasn’t a jungle either like she described it.

“Nothing will hurt you. Trust me.”

She didn’t say a word this time. She got out of the car cautiously and followed me. While Alex was standing by my side looking forward suspiciously, something I couldn’t understand.

Layla was terrible at walking in the woods. She would stumble on almost everything and would move her eyes all over the place like something was coming to snatch her away or something.

“Hey, you re safe.” Then I took her to guide her,

Alex was walking unusually fast but I didn’t want to think about her. My concern was get what Layla remembered and how it would help me with my issues.

When we arrived at the clearing Layla was surprised to see it just the way I was surprised the first time. And she finally understood why we came to this place.

“Now we can talk.” I said,

“Not out here.” Alex refused.

“I thought we are safe here. Where else would we go?” I asked confused,

“We can go inside.” She said,

“Ok.” I agreed,

I’d never gotten inside the cabin before and I never thought of it that much, but anyways I never hated being outside either. However, it was more convenient if we would go inside.

The inside was stuffy with old fluffy chairs in the family room and the kitchen was on the left side also there was a small room behind the family room. We kept standing because it was a little awkward to decide who would sit where. So, Alex took the chance to invite us to sit on two big old sofa like fluffy couches which could take almost four people each.

I sat on the opposite side from Layla and Alex went to the kitchen. I stayed quiet waiting for Layla to say something but she stayed quiet as well. Maybe she didn’t know where to start or maybe she was scared of saying what she remembered, but either way we didn’t come all this way for nothing.

Moments later Alex came back with three cups and something in a silvery jar. Then she poured it in the cups and it turned out she made us some tea,

“You didn’t have to do that.” I told her,

“Hey, it’s nothing. Besides you both look like you could use something to drink.” She sat next to me and while drinking our tea, something I haven’t had in a while since the last time mom made a traditional tea which tasted really weird, we waited for Layla to say something.

“We are waiting.” I said growing impatient,

“Okay, I donut know where to start. I remember many things but they are all random.”

“What is the one thing you remember the most?” Alex asked,

“There is this one place. It’s an alley, it is dark most of the time I was there it was dark. I always met with some people, some men. They were tall and big, then they would take me somewhere. It was a warehouse and it was big and empty.”

“Can you remember where that warehouse was, or the alley?” Alex asked again,

“Actually no. I spent most of the time in boarding school so I don’t know the town that well.”

“What else do you remember?” I asked impatiently.

“We always met there for some meeting or at least it looked like it was. I can’t remember what we talked about but I remember them mentioning a boy.”

“What do you mean a boy? A kid or a teenager?” I asked out of panic.

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe they were talking about you Steven.”

“If Rebecca was right then, they were talking about me.”

“Why would they talk about you?” Layla looked confused,

“It’s complicated Layla. Just understand that those people are looking for me.”

“And you don’t have much time left.” Rebecca out of nowhere was talking at the doorway.

“What are you doing here? I told you to stay out of my life.” I was furious so I raced towards her to throw her away, but she was gone again.

“I heard you the first time, but I can’t. Not when you are this close to getting caught.” She said from the other side of the room.

“I can take care of myself.” I stood and faced her not wanting to play her stupid game.

“Steven you have no idea what you are up against. Ask Alex and she would tell you.”

Alex looked shocked and confused, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Tell him about the three bodies.” Rebecca blurted,

“You are spying on me too?” Alex asked angrily,

“I’m sorry guys. Who is she?” Layla asked,

“I am Steven’s guardian. I am here to make sure nothing bad will happen to him.”

“Don’t listen to her, she is probably crazy.” I told Layla,

The situation was getting out of hands since Layla was starting to hear things she wasn’t supposed to hear. I didn’t want to put her in danger after saving her, “I’m going to take Layla back since it’s late already.”

“I can take her.” Rebecca offered,

“No, I came with my car so I’m taking her back myself.”

I got up and took Layla with me and Alex followed, but she stopped by the door and motioned for Rebecca to get out as well. And so she came and Alex locked the door.

The walk back to the car was quiet but I was sure Layla wanted to ask where Rebecca disappeared to, but I think she was afraid.

Actually she had lots of questions but she couldn’t ask any of them. I wasn’t sure why she didn’t ask maybe because she was freaking out of her mind and she was just putting on a plain exterior. However, I felt the need to tell her the truth, after we got in the car heading back to school. She deserved to know some truth, not all of it.

“I know you have lots of questions right now. I’m gonna try to answer some of them. The girl you saw is Rebecca and she has some sort of powers which makes her have the ability to disappear like that, and yes she is my guardian according to what she told me. You see, I’m not exactly hundred percent human,” Alex shot me a look,

“Why are you telling me all this?” Layla asked,

“Because you were somehow sucked in this world, even though you didn’t choose to, you are in it now. You might as well be aware of few things.”

“Ok, if you are not a hundred percent human. What are you?”

“Well, I’m partly alien and those people you saw are partly alien too. You were not possessed but infected by some virus from my home planet that can control people’s minds.” I paused for a second, “I know it’s a lot to take in, so it is okay if you think I’m crazy or something or out of my mind.”

“I would have if I didn’t have these memories in my head.”

“One thing though, you can’t tell anyone about this, okay?”

“I wasn’t planning on it, besides I’ve disappeared for six months if I whisper a word about this, they would throw me in the asylum somewhere.”

Layla asked me to drop her near her house because school hours were over and she didn’t want to go back to school even though she knew Bratt had practice today. She didn’t feel like watching people jumping on each other.

I was left with Alex in the car and she knew I was going to ask about what Rebecca was talking about.

“You know at some point we will have to talk about what Rebecca said. I prefer not to talk about anything she says but I sense what she said is important. That’s why you have been quiet the entire time.”

“I guess I have to tell you now. We found three more bodies, dead.” Alex said cautiously,

“What do you mean three more dead bodies?”

“I thought you heard Rebecca.”

“My head wasn’t functioning properly I may have blocked most of the things I heard from her.” I paused for a second to forget about Rebecca for a moment, “how did they die?”

“Exactly the same way. Pale skin as paper and cold as ice with white eyes, pupils gone. Also the bodies were pretty stiff, one could break them like woods.”

“So that means that thing is back again killing random people.” I said partly angry and partly terrified,

“I know you probably won’t like to hear this but I think we need Rebecca’s help.”

“Why would we need her help?” I blurted,

“Isn’t it obvious? She is practically immortal which means she is dealt with this for the longest time. I suggest we let her see the bodies, because my father took them and hid them somewhere safe. I bet she can have explanation.”

“I don’t know Alex, but you might be right. Give me until tomorrow and I’ll give you an answer. Now I’m going home with Ashley and allow my head to go through everything.”

The next day I wasn’t okay at all because I had no idea what I was going to do about the details Layla gave us or about letting Rebecca help us. Also there was more bodies, something I didn’t think I would have to go through again.

When I arrived at school I had that same feeling like I had done something wrong and every one was going to look at me like a monster. I knew I didn’t