Aurora drags Tia out the back door and across the lawn strewn with auto parts.
They crouch behind a half-crumpled car, then peek back toward the house.
Tia
Why didn’t Grandpa Hurley come?
Aurora
They must have seen his truck, so they know he’s home.
Aurora
If he had run, they would’ve chased him.
Tia
We need to call the police.
She lifts up her phone, but Aurora catches her hand.
Aurora
You heard what Zachary said.
Aurora
He’s been working for them.
Aurora
They might have MADE him do it, but he did it.
Aurora
If they get caught, he’ll be in trouble, too.
Tia
I don’t care! If they killed Kieran —
Aurora
We need a hell of a lot more evidence than just some texts from a spirit before anybody believes us about that.
Aurora
I just hope Zachary has the sense to —
She breaks off as the sound of yelling reaches them from the house.
Most of the words are indistinct, but it’s they can hear Grandpa Hurley bellow:
She stands up and starts toward the back door.
Tia grabs her hand and pulls her back.
Then they hear two loud popping noises coming from the house.
Aurora gasps and starts off again, but Tia firmly grabs her arm.
Tia
What are you going to do?
Tia
If you get there, and they have guns, what CAN you do?
Aurora is fighting to find something to say when the back door bangs open.
Both women duck as a strange man strides out.
He takes a quick look around, then heads for the big shed at the side of the yard.
The women peek around the edge of the car.
They see him emerge from the shed with two cans of gasoline
Tia
Can you see anything, Kieran? What’s happening?
Tia
Is Grandpa Hurley okay?
Kieran
Stay where you are. Stay quiet. It’s not good.
Kieran
At least it was quick for him.
Kieran
Now they’re splashing the gas around.
Kieran
I think they’re going to burn the place.
Tia
Do you have your phone with you? It won’t hurt to call the police now.
Aurora’s face crumples as she realizes what this means.
She speaks to the police in the background as Tia continues texting.
Tia
What are they doing? Are they still there?
Kieran
They’re dragging him — his body — out of the house.
Kieran
Putting it in the back of his truck.
Kieran
I guess they need to take it somewhere to get rid of it.
Kieran
They’ll burn the house to get rid of evidence.
Kieran
But it wouldn’t be enough to burn a body.
Tia
Oh my god! They’ll take it to the same place, right?
Tia
The same place they took you?
Tia
If we follow them, we’ll find your — you. We’ll find you.
Kieran
Yeah, you’ll find my body.
Kieran
But it’s too dangerous. Let the police handle this.
Tia
What are they going to do by the time they get here?
Tia
We can’t say who those men are!
Tia
We can’t say where they’re going.
Tia
If we don’t follow them now, how will the police ever find them — or you?
Kieran
It doesn’t matter.
Kieran
Mom and Dad already lost one kid — they can’t lose another. Stay hidden.
Tia
How far away from me can you get?
Tia
Can you follow them and tell us where to go?
Kieran
I can — I can feel Grandpa Hurley, kind of.
Kieran
But he’s so confused, so angry.
Kieran
He’s all the bad things that are trying to take me over.
Kieran
I don’t want to follow that. I don’t think I should.
Tia
Okay. You stay with me, and I’ll follow them at a safe distance.
Kieran
There IS no safe distance.
But Tia doesn’t listen to him. She turns to Aurora, who’s still on the phone.
Tia
They’re taking Grandpa Hurley’s — I’m sorry — his body.
Tia
They’re taking his body somewhere.
Tia
I need to follow them to see where they go. You stay here and —
Aurora
I’m not staying anywhere.
She’s still crying and her eyes are wide with shock.
She’s clearly pulling strength from some deep reserve.
It might not last, but at least for the moment she’s gotten control of herself.
Aurora
His spirit will still be tied to his body.
Aurora
And it will need help passing over after such a shocking death.
Tia
But those men are dangerous.
Aurora
We should take your car.
Aurora
You drive, I’ll keep talking to the cops, let them know what direction we’re headed.
Kieran
Now do you see how frustrating it is, trying to talk to someone who won’t listen?
Tia
Now do you still think I’m a rule-follower who won’t take risks?
Kieran
Don’t do this as a dare, T!
Tia
I’m not. I’m doing what needs to be done.
They creep around the hood of the car and toward the driveway.
They watch from behind a pile of tires as Grandpa Hurley’s truck backs out, driven by a stranger.
Another man crouches and holds his lighter to the ground.
Soon a trail of flame runs along the gas-soaked ground to the house.
The man watches a few moments to be sure the fire has caught.
Then he jogs to a black SUV and peels out.
Tia
If they split up, we follow the pickup.
Aurora
Yes. We follow Zachary.
The two women run to Tia’s car, jump in, and start out after the pickup.
