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WillowBend High feels wrong.

The hallways are packed with band kids, human clouds of Axe body spray, reheated tater tots, vandalized motivational posters, and teenagers pretending they have everything under control.

But beneath the ordinary high-school chaos, Ava Perez senses something else.

Something heavy.

Something electric.

Something waiting.

After a painful collision with her locker, Ava finds herself cornered by Hannah Whitman—the designer-clad Alpha Brat who has turned tormenting “Eco Bitch” Perez into a recreational activity. Fortunately, Ava isn’t alone. Madison arrives with combat boots, leopard print, and absolutely no patience for Hannah’s bullshit.

Later that night, Ava, Madison, and Olivia experiment with a smudge stick in Ava’s bedroom. When the unmistakable clack of Lacey Perez’s cane approaches, their spiritual cleansing becomes a frantic attempt to hide the smoke and convince Ava’s mother that nothing suspicious—or remotely sniffable—is happening.

Lacey is more amused than angry, but she leaves the girls with one strangely specific instruction:

Crack a window.

Spirits need a way out.

The girls follow her advice.

Unfortunately, opening a way out also creates a way in.

Episode Credits

• Written by Rudy Stankowitz
• Read by Tessa
• Narrated from the perspective of Ava Perez
• From the novel The WillowBend Glitch

Content Advisory

This episode contains bullying, strong language, implied teenage drug use, supernatural themes, and references to spirits and ritual cleansing.

Introduced in This Chapter

• Ava Perez — environmentally conscious, sarcastic, and increasingly aware that something is wrong
• Madison — Ava’s fearless and fiercely loyal friend
• Olivia — anxious, observant, and always within reach of emergency Febreze
• Hannah Whitman — WillowBend High’s designer-dressed Alpha Brat
• Lacey Perez — Ava’s mother, who may understand far more about spirits than she admits

Featured Themes

High-school bullying, teenage friendship, social pressure, smudging, spiritual cleansing, haunted spaces, protective rituals, parental secrets, shadow phenomena, and the danger of opening doors without knowing what is waiting outside.

Episode Quote

“We cracked it open, giving whatever imaginary spirits weren’t haunting us a way out. But in doing so... we let something in.”

Keywords

The WillowBend Glitch, Rudy Stankowitz, Tessa, Ava Perez, Hall Passes and Smudge Sticks, supernatural thriller, YA horror, speculative fiction, paranormal fiction, smudge stick, spiritual cleansing, haunted window, shadow figures, high school horror, serialized audiobook, fiction podcast