Monthly Bonus Content #4 — 'That was a little corny...' (Ava Version) (Patreon)

Ava leans over the kitchen table, a map of Wayhaven spread across its surface with pen marks dotted and scratched over the paper like a treasure map.

Unfortunately, it’s not anywhere near as exciting as a treasure map.

The team leader’s face pinches into an annoyed scowl. “Your town’s celebrations are interfering with my mission.”

I glance up from the map to meet her gaze as a smile plays at the corner of my lips. “I’ll make sure to let them know their happiness is a hinderance to your plans.”

She rubs her fingers across her chin, but the action can’t hide the amusement that lights up the green of her eyes. “That would be appreciated.”

Felix swings his focus between us and folds his arms as he leans in towards Mason. “Is this sarcasm or flirting? I can’t tell between these two anymore.”

“They flirt in a whole fucking range of emotions, how the hell would I know?” Mason shoots back with a shrug.

An obvious knotted rope of tension coils down Ava’s back at the not-even-slightly-subtle comment.

I bite at my lower lip and stare down at the map, still feeling a wash of warmth across my skin at the thought of the sparkle in her eyes. But my heated skin simmers beneath a much cooler gaze. The soothing chill of it trickles down my spine as Ava’s gaze traces the lines of my body before dragging her focus to the map once again.

“The occurrences have been centred in the hay maze,” she continues, stabbing a finger down onto the paper where The Square is, along with the Halloween festivities.

Nat leans back on her heels with a spread of guilt across her features. A saddened breath shudders out of her. “I believe having one’s life force ripped from their body would constitute more than just an ‘occurrence’.”

Ava offers a sympathetic frown to her friend, but it lasts only a moment before she twists back to the map and spreads her hands on it. “We should focus our attentions at the maze. Two of us can patrol that area. The others can scatter amongst the other amusements.”

“Oh nice!” Felix announces with a grin.

“To keep an eye on the event goers,” Nat comments.

The enthusiasm falls from his face. “Oh. Right.”

“At least until this thing is caught,” Nat adds, shoving her hands into her pockets with a warm smile at Farah. “Then we can enjoy ourselves.”

He claps his hands together. “Then I’m totally in.”

“I’ll keep watch in the hay maze,” I say, standing back from the table to look over the group. “It’s arranged the same way every year. I know the layout.”

“Then I’ll accompany you,” Ava adds.

My emotions betray the neutral expression I try to keep, allowing her words—and the eagerness in them—to send a shiver of happiness to flutter through me.

“Then I’ll take the pumpkin cannon,” Felix adds in a flurry.

“Guess we’ll see who gets it first,” Mason comments, his lips curving into an eager grin.

—

At the Square. Later that Night

Pumpkin lanterns swing like twisted chandeliers from blackened branches, leering down on us with glowing candlelit grins. Their puddles of orange light sit well beside the glow of purple fairy lights strung up all around. Black cats, witches’ hats, and piles of brooms dot any space left available in the Square.

Almost every shop in the Square has thrown open its doors, tempting people inside with elaborate spooky displays, even though their closed signs showed they’d normally be closed hours before.

If there’s one thing about Wayhaven it’s that people love any excuse to throw an event.

The group of us had made it to the festivities without much issue. The crowds had piled in a while ago, spreading across the cobbled stone area to suck in every spooky sight they can feast their senses on.

I barely got a glimpse of it all before Ava and I headed straight into the maze that weaves a stalky labyrinth away from the centre out towards the other buildings. But I can hear the delighted squeals of kids and the appreciative laughs of their parents as we walk side-by-side through the spiky corridors.

“They have constructed this well,” Ava suddenly comments after ten minutes of silence.

Our quiet used to have an awkwardness about it, as though it needed to be filled or we’d linger too much on what remained unspoken in the void between us. But now…I’m comforted by the silent declarations she lets float around her, the way she walks close enough for our hands to brush together though there’s enough space to keep apart, even the slight nervousness that makes her periodically clear her throat when I catch her gazing at me.

I shake my head of the thoughts and brush my hand against the hay barriers, which don’t shift even a little at my touch. The bales have been piled high, tall enough that we can’t cheat our way through, but after years of walking this route, I’m pretty confident we’ll make it anyway.

That is until we come to a dead end.

“Uh…” I let out, casting my gaze about and twisting around as though a sudden corridor might appear.

Ava waits a moment before licking at her lips and asking, “Are we lost, Detective?”

I give a slight shrug. “Maybe. Just a little bit.” A groan seeps out of me as I try to tiptoe to look over the towering top of the wall. But this thing is built like an impenetrable stalky fortress. “Of all the years for them to change the layout….”

Fingers slide around my forearm.

I glance down at the gentle touch before back up to Ava’s gaze, my throat suddenly dry.

“I’m sure we’ll find our way, Detective,” she comments, releasing her hold and stealing my breath along with it.

“Really?” My shoulders drag down. “Because we’re not always very good at that.”

She swallows hard at the meaning behind my words. “These barriers have a solution. Others…simply do not.” She strides off down a shadowed path I hadn’t seen before, leaving me blinking as I process her words.

I take off after her. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing,” she says with a strong shake of her head to apparently shift the regret that cuts tense lines across her face.

“Oh really?” I scoff, shifting as best as I can along beside her as the confining path narrows. “That’s hard to believe when everything you say to me has a double meaning.”

Her eyes slide to mine for a moment. “That is not true.”

I exhale a heavy breath. “Then maybe that’s just how it feels.”

She draws to a stop, brushing her fingers across her forehead as a frown furrows into it. “Detective, that is not—”

“Oh shit….” The words stumble out of me as unsteadily as I fumble to a halt.

Out of the darkness of the straw tunnel leers a stiff figure. Tattered clothes hang ragged from its skeletal body, the bones barely held together by sinewy muscles that are ripped and shredded like skin raked by talons.

It has no head. Only a sack cloth sewn haphazardly together with thick twine. Two pools of shadow make its eyes, and a grisly smile has been torn into the cloth where its mouth should be.

My whole body shudders with primal fear as I retreat a few steps, banging into Ava behind me. Our connected bodies seem to shield me from the paralysis the terror of this nightmare figure wants to inflict.

“I’m guessing that’s probably not someone in costume…” I mumble.

“No,” Ava replies tersely. “It certainly is not.”

The scarecrow-like supernatural lets out a long huff of breath that ices in the air.

I clench my fists at my side. “Would you judge me if I screamed a little right now?”

Amazingly, Ava’s focus snaps from the ghoulish horror to stare at me with a strike of hurt. “I do not judge you.”

I stutter on a breath of disbelief as I glance back over my shoulder to her. “That seems to be your general state of being.”

Wrinkles crease the sides of her nose as she thins her lips. “Then you do not know me well enough.”

“Because you won’t let me!” I throw back.

A growl vibrates low and deep from beside us, and we both swing around to the figure with glares heated enough I’m surprised it doesn’t set the thing alight.

“Do you mind? We’re talking here!” I snap.

The growling ceases instantly.

But it’s that moment we’re instantly reminded of exactly why we’re here…as well as the terror that’s staring at us like a starved vampire at a blood bank.

“We have to take this thing down,” I state, annoyance flaring in me so much stronger than any lingering fear I might have felt over this thing.

Ava doesn’t reply, only moves to my side and takes up a defensive posture.

The supernatural skitters towards us on bony legs that seem incapable to the speedy movement that it’s advancing on us with.

I shove Ava to one side, letting it barrel through the gap between us and stumble on its own momentum.

She shoots an arm out, grasping the thing’s collar and yanks it back, glancing at me with purpose.

I know instantly what she’s asking.

Rushing a little ahead, I get behind one of the bales of hay sitting loose and kick it forwards. It tumbles onto its side just once. But it’s far enough.

Ava throws the creature back, where it tries to find balance on its spindly legs but fails when it thuds against the bale.

It tips over backwards and smashes into pieces on the ground behind with an eery clatter.

We both rush over, staring down at the scatter of rags and bones. An empty sack lies discarded close by.

“Wait…” I kneel down and pick at the bones. The feel of cool plastic greets my touch. I glance up from my crouched position to Ava’s confused face. “This wasn’t real?”

She growls in annoyed realisation. “It was spelled.”

I push myself back up and rub at my neck, throwing the plastic bone back down onto the pile. “So you’re telling me someone made this thing and was controlling it?”

“It would appear so.” She casts her gaze about the narrow corridor as though the culprit might jump out of the shadows. “We should return and tell the others.”

“Right,” I reply, leaning down to collect some of the evidence before joining her side.

“You did well to know my intentions,” she says as we go, daring a look over at me before glancing away and sucking in a breath.

“Wish I could figure all of them out that easily…” I mumble, gripping the bones and cloth to my chest and hoping she didn’t hear.

She thankfully pretends she didn’t.

-

When we finally exit the maze, the others are already waiting.

“The Agency sensed a burst of power,” Nat explains. “Is everything alright?”

I hold out my collection of oddities. “We took it down, but it apparently wasn’t the real threat.”

“Hold on,” Felix interrupts, shooting his hands up between the group before swinging a finger between me and Ava. “Are you saying you two took that thing out? Just like that? That fast?”

Ava nods. “It was an easy task with the Detective. As all things are with them.”

A warm dose of happiness that I try to ignore slides up through my veins and blossoms across my heart.

Felix’s eyes sparkle. “Man, you two make the best couple—” Nat interrupts with a badly faked cough. “Team! I mean, you two make the best team,” he corrects with a strained chuckle.

I glance at Ava to find her eyes already on me before she drags them away to stare out ahead of us.

A good team, maybe. But a couple? Disappointment carves a hollowness inside of my chest as I realise I may never get the chance to find out.