Chapter Text
Amity Blight liked letting the world fall away. As she lay there on the old threadbare rug, she allowed the sound of waves outside to enter her mind and begin dragging her down to the depths of sleep. Here, it was just her and the waves. Here, Amity didn’t have to think about her mum, or her dad, or Luz, or…
Just as soon as her eyes closed, they opened again. Amity stood up, and felt the blood rush to her head. Aching and disoriented, she made her way to the balcony. When her eyes finally adjusted, all she could see was a sea of concrete and steel. A moment later, the sound of traffic and construction in the distance invaded her mind.
“Still in Gravestown,” Amity grumbled. Great.
Suddenly, she made out another noise. When she realised what it was, she yelped and ducked back inside the room.
Two demolition workers in bright vests were strolling down the alley, loudly prattling. Amity breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn’t seen her.
“You know this place is haunted, right?” said one of the workers.
“What? What place?” the other replied.
“These buildings, the ones we’re tearing down. I swear I saw the ghost of some kid here once.”
“Shut up, Harold, honestly, you’re so full of—“
“LOOK THERE,” Harold shouted suddenly. He’d stopped in place, suddenly pointing at Amity’s balcony with a look of horror on his face. His friend jumped in place and searched wildly for what he was pointing at.
Harold put on a big, dumb grin and folded his hands behind his head smugly. “So I wonder when lunch break is.”
“Wai-Wha-what? So you were just messing with me? You made that all up?” said the other worker incredulously.
Amity could feel her heart beating quickly. Once their bickering voices had faded away to nothing, she brought her hand to her chest as she tried to get her breathing under control.
“That was way too close” she thought.
Amity walked back to the apartment’s table, looking at all the homework she had left to do before the end of school next week. The glue on her art project was still drying, and she had about half-an-essay left to do. She pulled out a chair and stared at an empty math worksheet for a moment, before ultimately giving up and resting her head on it. She’d check on her new friend when she woke up.