Sheriff Dale Abernathy and teen Onion Pendergrass approach a blue house on a gloomy day.
Dale: ok Will, look sharp.
he knocks on the door
someone beyond the door: Hold on for just a second!
Dale coughs while they wait, but Onion looks off into the yard, where many ghosts linger in the distance surrounding the tombstones out by the treeline.
Dale tips his hat back: Some house, huh? Whoever built this sure had some scratch! you heard of the waylon mine?
Onion isn't listening.
Onion thinks: There's a lot here. is it cuz we're so far in?
a large man with red hair and overalls opens the door.
George: howdy, sheriff abernathy! this the kid you said?
dale: yes indeedy! william frost pendergrass. this is he! say hi, will.
Onion says nothing, but he has a black eye that radiates purple.
George: whew! that is some shiner, sonny! hope you're not afraid of getting dirty! ha hah! oops, looks like you got that one covered. We got one of your type here already, you're gonna fit right in. I'm george, you'll be working with me. welcome to the blue house! come on in, I'll introduce you to the owner.
Onion scowls, remaining silent.
they walk through the interior of the house-- an old and rotting victorian mansion, the inside painted mostly blue. the wall is peeling and detritus is everywhere.
George: sorry about the mess! well, I guess that's what you're here for, huh sport? ha ha ha!
George turns to converse with Dale, Onion lagging behind.
George: the damn house got built in 1876 so you know it's all fucked up inside! been here six months and barely made a dent!
Dale: yall got any pest control issues? termites?
George: ohhh, rats? cockroaches? this and that! no wood borers though, thank god.
Onion stops at the sound of whistling and looks through an open door into another room.
The geometry of the house briefly bends out of reality, and Onion finds himself staring down a long corridor full of black doorways, at the end of which a blue ghost of a teenage girl is seen stepping just off scene.
Dale smacks Onion's shoulder, bringing him back to reality.
Dale: C'mon, trouble.
Onion looks back, but the corridor is gone. Only a single room remains.
I did a little Blue Hollow page preview pack for editors to look at, do you also want to look?? 😮 This is chapter 2: scene 1... three varieties of ghost, two teen boyfriends, and the one type of scowl that unites them. ❤️ This is enemies to lovers YA, baby. Follow for the full pages.... soon 🌱