Legend of Witchtrot Road - By E.J. Stevens Page 0,2

It felt good to be helping spirits of the dead find peace. I could be their light in the darkness.

With the help of my friends, I had solved a few mysteries that helped spirits find their way into the light and I planned to lead many more. The image of glowing spirits of the dead returning to their families on the Day of the Dead was seared into my memory. It was the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen and I wanted to be a part of that, which was why I was so excited to smel the strong odor of motor oil.

Too bad it didn’t mix wel with the smel of greasy tater tots. Pul ing my purple and black skel y scarf from my bag, I wound it around my mouth and nose. I may look like a freak, wel …more so than usual, but the smel was now less nausea inducing so the scarf was there to stay. It may have lessened the food smel s, but the scarf didn’t do anything to dampen the multitude of conversations.

Stomping through the crowd in my new purple, vegan boots, a Christmas gift from Emma who “was sick of gagging at my dead cow footwear,” I caught pieces of conversation.

“…friend heard he hit pole number thirteen,” pseudo whispered a blond girl who was expertly tossing her silky hair to show off her tanned, bare shoulder. In January.

“…probably suicide,” a dark haired guy said as he stuffed his mouth with tater tots. “They say he wasn’t wearing a helmet.”

“I bet it was the curse,” gushed a redheaded girl.

I stopped so fast that my boots squeaked against the floor. At second glance, I recognized the red haired girl from the library. She was a bit overly cheerful, I think her face might break if she ever stopped smiling, but I needed to know more about this supposed curse.

“Hey, um, can I sit here for a sec?” I asked.

I smiled, but realized belatedly that my scarf covered most of my face. Fortunately for me, librarian girl didn’t seem to notice.

“Sure!” she said, smiling. “You’re Yuki, right? Did you have any luck with your Hal oween report?” Oh right. Librarian girl had helped me find research materials that ultimately led to my discovery of Nera’s amulet and the capture of the werewolf kil er. I winced, feeling a sudden pang of guilt. Since she had helped to save my life and the lives of the pack, I real y should know her name.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m terrible with names, but your assistance at the library total y saved me. Thanks.”

“Yay!” she squealed. “Always glad to help! My name’s Katie.”

“Katie, um, maybe you could help me again,” I said.

“Have you heard anything about a curse?”

“Oh my God, you mean the curse that kil ed Dylan?” Katie asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah, I heard something about it, but I don’t know the details,” I said.

I wasn’t sure if it was the mention of Dylan’s name, or a clue that I was on the right track, but the smel of motor oil became stronger.

“He drove on Witchtrot Road, AT NIGHT, and they say he was covered in toads when the paramedics arrived,” Katie said.

She said the last like it should mean something, so I nodded my head. I was actual y glad for a chance to look away. Her eyes were now open so wide that it was making mine burn just looking at them.

“So this Witchtrot Road is cursed?” I asked. “By toads?”

Toads? Okay that was weird, even for me.

“No, sil y!” Katie laughed. “You are such a joker.

Witchtrot Road is HAUNTED and the ghost curses everyone who travels the road at night.”

“And the toads?” I asked.

“Wel , they say that when the ghost was alive, there were toads around his house and this was used as evidence that he was a witch,” she said.

“A witch?” I asked.

I was getting a bad feeling about this. I had stolen a magic amulet from a witch in Salem this past Hal oween, and though it had al owed me to survive the spirits unleashed on Samhain I stil felt guilty about it…and a little scared. I may not fol ow every rule, but not messing with witches seemed like a smart guideline to fol ow.

“Yeah, he was accused of being a witch and so they came and took him from his home here in Wakefield and marched him back to Salem to stand trial,” Katie said.

“Salem?” I