Chapter 6: The Charm and the Warning

I shook my head, feeling the sting of being an outsider. "I’m not close to my cousin. I don’t know his business."

Mr. Hawthorne’s eyes searched my face, then flickered away. He walked ahead, leaving me to trail behind, the grass brushing my jeans as the cemetery came into view. The stories people whispered about this place suddenly felt too real.

About half an hour later, we reached the old cemetery. Mr. Hawthorne circled the graves three times, then tossed slips of yellow paper in the air. They burned to ash before hitting the ground, the air thick with the smell of smoke and damp earth. The sky was streaked purple, everything still as if waiting for something to happen.

"Carter, I said I wanted to check the cemetery, but that was just an excuse. Your cousin’s in deep trouble, and I don’t want any part of it. What I told you—keep it to yourself. This charm—keep it on you, don’t tell anyone."

He pressed the folded charm into my palm. It felt heavier than paper should. I tucked it into my pocket, nerves jangling.

"Don’t leave just yet. Stay here a bit longer. Even with all the bad energy, the charm’ll keep you safe."

I hesitated. "Mr. Hawthorne, if you go, what should I tell my uncle?"

"Just say nothing’s out here and I left."

He turned to go, then stopped. "If someone comes asking for your help, you best help ‘em. You got a shadow hanging over you, Carter. That’s never good."

My hand went to my brow, heart thumping. "Who would come here to ask me for help?"

But Mr. Hawthorne was already gone, swallowed by the trees and the growing dark.