Ping
Whatever, I thought, and rolled over.
Ping. Pingping.
Whoever wanted my attention at that time of night was going to have to wait. I pulled my blanket up closer to my face.
Ping. Ping. Bzzzz, bzzzz.
‘Oh my god,’ I grumbled, and snatched my phone off my dresser. I was not in the mood.
‘Oh! You woke up,’ my friend immediately started rambling. ‘Ok, dude-‘
‘Jesus christ. Callum, can’t it fucking wait?’
‘Uh, not really,’ he said, and I hung up. I considered reading the texts, but my brief look revealed that they were mostly links about something he was obsessed about. Conspiracy, hidden treasure, ghosts, I couldn’t remember. Nor did I care. I set my phone on mute and put a pillow on top of my head.
I nearly got back to sleep, keyword nearly, when about 10 minutes later I heard a banging at my door. I was going to let him stand out there all night, but gave in to the hope he’d leave me the fuck alone if I answered. I took my sweet time rolling out of bed and wrapping a blanket around my shoulders before I trudged off through the passageway. Each squeak of the floorboards made me wince.
I pulled open the door and glared. My deranged excuse of a friend beamed right back.
‘This best be good, asshat.’
‘Oh, it is. Did you read the texts?’
‘No,’ I scoffed.
Undeterred, he shrugged. ‘Alright, so, you at least know about the observatory right? Someone replied to a post I made, said they had info.’
‘I don’t believe in your ghost stories, man.’
The observatory he was talking about was his brand spanking new obsession of the week. Something something the land was special, something something spirits of the stars. As interesting as it sounds, it was about the hundredth time he’d come to my door needing something about this passion project or that. I couldn’t care less.
‘They said they had the original plans for the building! You know I’ve already found some of its secrets, but this could reveal so much more. I’m this close to figuring it out, Dave. This close.
‘Yeah, ok. It’s 2 in the morning, cut to the chase,’ I waved his rambling off.
‘I need a lift.’
‘Uh huh. Where?’
‘To, uh,’ he rung his hands together, suddenly nervous. He knew what I was going to say. ‘To meet the guy at the observatory.’
I burst into laughter right in front of him. Eventually, after a good while, I calmed down enough to get some words out. Between tears.
‘You want me to… drive you… to meet this random guy off the internet… at your little haunted, abandoned observatory.’
‘That’s the gist of it, yeah.’ I think he was going to try to persuade me further, but sighed at the look on my face.
‘What is this, a horror movie? Absolutely not dude. I’m not about to be an accomplice to your brutal murder.’
‘You don’t think I’d be a good missing persons poster?’ He joked.
I admit to laughing. Just a little.
‘Give me one good reason I should take you,’ I said, smiling. It faded when I saw the look in his eyes. He simply nodded when I asked, ‘You’re going no matter what, huh?’
‘That a yes?’
‘Fine, suicidal asshole. Groundrules, tell your killer he can wait ‘til the sun’s up. We leave in the morning. Also, you’re staying here tonight. I don’t trust you not to run off. Got it?’
‘Got it.’
And that we did. Turns out Murderhands Mcgee was legit. Almost. Simon, something. Or something Simons. I didn’t pay much attention. As we were wrapping up he started acting sketchy like he was expecting some kind of payment. Probably our souls. We legged it and laughed later.
Callum got what he needed and spent the whole drive back rattling off facts about it, how big of a discovery it was. What I half heard was kind of cool, I admit, but I don’t know enough to tell you guys about it. I can ask him if you really want. That’s for later, though.
He’s just asked me to go meet another guy. He really is gonna die one of these days, but for now I guess I’ll play along.