Dead End: Midnight Hollow by Penn Cassidy (free novel 24 TXT) 📗

that absolutely wasn’t there before. I glanced down on the other side, and to my relief, the rest of my hair was still dark orange. I didn’t take the time to really examine it, because Maddie was staring at her own locks now with a deep, confused frown.

Yup, here comes the screaming…

“Why is my hair black!?” she screeched, high pitched and ear splitting. She stumbled back into her seat and frantically ran her fingers through her new inky hair, pulling at the strands as if they were magically going to pop off like a wig.

“Jesus H. Christ, stop the noise! For the love of god, make it stop,” a deep voice grumbled—no, demanded. I’d know that voice anywhere…

My head whipped around so fast, I probably looked like a scene from The Exorcist. The need to move towards him and perhaps tackle him had me stumbling over my seat to get to the aisle. I walked on shaking legs, taking deep, steadying breaths. It’s not real, it can’t be. I saw his… I saw… He was dead! Like…dead, dead!

“Norman?” My voice wobbled. I couldn’t help it. Seeing his emerald green eyes flicker up at me from his crouched position in the middle of two seats brought so many emotions barreling to the surface at once. It was overwhelming. His green eyes were so full of life…unlike the pale shade of vacant green I’d seen last time.

“What are you staring at, goth freak?” His voice, deep yet deadly soft, made my skin break out in goosebumps. I truly thought I’d never hear it again.

Those intense eyes were achingly familiar, even though we’d grown so distant. They used to follow my every movement… If I were to put my hair behind my ear, he would be watching, as if he was filing it away for later. If I laughed or scowled or sniffed, he was somehow always there watching, even if he sneered my way.

He still stared, but nowadays, it was more of a disgusted glare. He hated me, truly hated me. Maybe I deserved that hate. After lying so much and pushing them all away, maybe I did deserve it. But I never wanted to cause him pain, especially not the kind of pain I was living day in and day out for a year now.

"Nothing. I just… You're alive." My hand had a mind of its own as I slowly crowded his space. One more step, and I had my palm on his sharp cheekbone, skimming my thumb under his eye just to feel him. His skin was cold, so freezing that it felt like pins and needles on my fingertips.

His jaw tightened at my touch, and he stared up at me with a look I couldn’t describe. It was dangerous the way he was still holding my stare, but all the more alluring when those deep, jewel toned eyes flashed with a look of gentle tenderness. Just when I was about to pull away from embarrassment, his hand captured mine and held it a second longer against his cheek without looking away.

"I miss…if only she…smile." What sounded like his voice whispered in my ear, but I was staring at him the whole time and his mouth never once moved.

"What was that?" I asked, peering down at him in bewilderment, wondering if I was losing my mind and needed to check into an asylum once the paramedics arrived.

Maybe I'll take Maddie with me, because she's still freaking out. And indeed she was—sitting up front seemingly talking to herself, trying to convince herself she was still dreaming. Today was definitely topping the list of the strangest things 2020 would bring, and that was saying something.

"I said get the fuck away from me.” Icy breath caressed my face. “I don't want your freaky diseases anywhere near me," he hissed through clenched teeth, slapping my hand away at the same time. His once soft eyes were ice cold as he stood up to tower over me. It was like a switch had been flipped, or a shroud had been pulled back into place. I’d seen past it for a moment, but it was so brief.

I stumbled back, tripping over my own two feet, and prayed my ass wasn’t going to be black and blue later. Luck, it seemed, was on my side, because two arms wrapped around my waist from behind, catching my fall. My lips parted with a thank you just as I was turning around, but the words died on my lips just as fast.

The man who stood in front of me looked like Michael, but didn't at the same time. Tall, with a muscular body that gave the best hugs in the whole world, but could also crush you like a bug when you crossed him. He was the same, still Michael, only minor details were different. Inside, I was freaking the hell out about them. It took a moment to realize why the hell he looked so different. And then I realized…

Why was everyone’s hair changing?! Did we take a trip to the salon and forget about it? Maybe carbon monoxide was leaking, or this is just a sick joke. First Maddie with her new black mane, then me with the white streak, and now Michael. Michael loved his hair, and it was usually a dark sandy blond color, but not so much now. His hair had turned a bright silver that reminded me of moonlight on a lake. The effect was jaw dropping and made his ocean eyes pop against his skin. What was even stranger, when I took in the rest of him, were his fingertips, currently covered in what looked like black ink, crawling up to his wrists in swirling designs.

“Dude, why are my hands covered in black shit?!” Michael stared down at his fingers in disbelief and shock. The blackness was creeping up slowly, and it looked like it was writhing under his skin.

“Probably Carrot Top playing more of her mind games. Right, little goth? You