WATTYS 2023 SHORTLIST
Cara, a troubled college dropout, finds herself slowly falling for a handsome stranger - who turns out to be Death incarnate. But the arrival of a mysterious being puts Death's home for lost souls and his very existence at risk...
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My thoughts are consumed with Sarah as I fall asleep. She's floating around in my dreams, even as I wake. That is, until I groggily glance at my phone as the sun starts to peek above the forest and I see at least one thousand missed texts from Mem. I open the latest one.
Cara?? Where are u???
My heart plunges straight through the floor. The Halloween Festival is today. And I'd totally forgotten that the last time I saw her I promised Mem that I'd meet her super early at the Nest to help set up the square.
"Shit shit shit," I breathe, stumbling out of bed and nearly strangling myself as I hurriedly pull on my dress pants and a frilly pumpkin-colored top that I'd bought in town. Even as I comb my hair with my fingers, more frantic texts roll in from Mem. Before she has an aneurysm, I quickly fire off a message. I don't have time for spell check.
Gebting dress now coming soon sr7y!!!!!
I trip over myself as I throw on my coat and descend the stairs two at a time, so preoccupied that I almost don't notice Lisa lying on her stomach in front of the hearth, scrolling through YouTube.
"Hey," I say, pausing in my tracks. "What's got you up so early, missy?"
"I can never sleep before Halloween. I'm too excited!" She kicks her legs for emphasis, and I smile, my heart twinging. I imagine another world in which I can help her pick out a costume, a world where she can leave this house and gather piles of teeth-rotting candy in a pillowcase then stay up all night eating it. She's missed out on so much, as have the others. It's not fair.
"Well, I hope you have the best day." I smile at her. "I'm going to help Mem set up for the festival."
"I'll tell Death you left!" She promises.
I settle for a nod before slipping through the front door. Hearing Death's name puts a sour taste in my mouth. I still wish I understood what came over him the moment that the Auditor entered our lives. It feels like forever since we last had a real talk, just the two of us. Was it really only a matter of days ago that we shared such an intimate moment in the attic? Those things I felt can't have been only in my imagination. I refuse to believe that it wasn't real.
But Death seems to think so.
Screw him, I think crossly. I have too much to worry about today as it is. By the time I reach Mem's coffee shop, she's positively hysterical. She reminds me of a trapped wasp, buzzing around aimlessly as her anxiety overflows.
"No one came to set up the tables and chairs, and the PA system is totally busted! I'm still waiting to hear back from the caterer, and I don't think I ever received an email confirmation, so–"
"Mem." I hold her by the shoulders, forcing her to stand still. Her tan forehead is creased with worry, and her lips are raw from being chewed. "Please let me do the worrying today, alright? It will be fine. I'll set up the tables and chairs right now, and you can go call the caterers. You got this."
