Don't Ghost Me

Chapter 13 - The Ghost, Girl, and The Wizard Spirit

Cait lay on her back, gazing up at the ceiling, her eyes blinking slowly to quiet her restless thoughts. With Julie already asleep, the boys sought their friend Willie to bring him up to speed on everything. Thoughts of her parents consumed her mind as she pondered whether they were still grounded on earth or had transcended to the other side. Crossing over would show that there were no loose ends left for them. She couldn’t shake the feeling of discontent as she pondered their absence of a purpose on earth. Why wouldn’t they want to make sure she was happy and okay, given the strong bond they shared with her? Unless the business had been handed over to Reggie, which would explain why Cait could see him. The more she contemplated, the more perplexing it became to make sense of it. With a frustrated groan, Cait covered her face with her hands.

It crossed her mind that Reggie might be the one to lean on during her most challenging times. After she met him, Cait realized that the familiar wave of sadness about her parents had vanished. The weight of her worry centered solely on unraveling the curse that barred him from crossing over.

As Cait closed her eyes, she could hear the gentle whispers of her dreams enticing her into a magical world. But this dream left her drenched in sweat and trembling with terror. As the dark fog returned, it settled over the hill, creating an unsettling atmosphere and casting an eerie shadow above the town. As Luke, Reggie, and Alex stood on the hill, the surrounding air grew heavy with the presence of eerie spirits they had never encountered before. Cait’s dream became hauntingly vivid as she witnessed a mysterious figure emerged from the dense fog, seizing Reggie by his shirt and effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Her voice caught in her throat as Cait attempted to scream. She tightly shut her eyes, not wanting to witness the figure’s cruel act of taking Reggie.

In an instant, the mysterious dark figure shattered the silence with a commanding voice. Its words sending shivers down C’s spine. “I will take everything from you.”

As Cait’s eyes flew open, she was startled to see the spirit right in front of her, clutching Reggie with a firm grip. As she tried to move, tears fell down her face and her eyes shifted from the spirit to Reggie. With a smile, the spirit revealed its twisted grin and eyes that seemed to emit a faint glow.

“I will get what I want,” the spirit growled menacingly, “and you won’t get in the way, little girl.”

In an instant, Cait jolted awake in a panic, her breath coming in short gasps. Her gaze swept the area, and she couldn’t help but notice a shadowy figure lurking on the lower level. With a gulp, Cait switched on the lamp near her bed, the sound of an evil laugh still echoing in the air.

Cait breathed out in a trembling whisper, “Oh, no,” as she carefully descended the loft ladder. As the spirit’s words replayed in her mind, she hugged herself tightly, feeling her body tremble.

Settling onto the leather couch, Cait could feel her heart racing and her breath becoming heavy with the weight of anxiety. Her mind raced with thoughts of the guys’ whereabouts and their well-being. As she stood up to pace, her feet gave out from under her, causing her to collapse onto the hard floor with a resounding thud. Her cheeks were wet with tears as she softly whispered Reggie’s name.

The last time she felt like this was when she was overwhelmed by the same sense of loss she felt when her parents died. Dread and loneliness washed over Cait, making her uncomfortable. The heavy air suffocated her, intensifying her feelings of being trapped and claustrophobic.

“Reggie, I need you…” Cait whispered, her voice trembling with a sense of urgency and her chest constricting. “You’re in danger. I saw the spirit who cursed you. Where are you, Reggie?”

Cait felt a sudden icy sensation on her cheek as Reggie gradually materialized in front of her. Reggie’s gentle touch caressed Cait’s cheek, his thumb tracing a delicate path along her skin, while his eyes, vibrant green, mirrored a mix of love and concern. Her glossy blueish green eyes locked onto him, filled with unspoken words as her lips hovered slightly open. At the blink of an eye, Cait’s body grew weak and she descended into his waiting arms. Embracing her, he sensed her body trembling and whispered a soothing hum into her ear, attempting to ease her distress.

He whispered, “I’m here, Cait,” his voice barely audible in the quiet room. “I heard you calling for me.”

She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed and her hand wiping away tears. “You heard me calling?”

When he nodded, Cait let out a trembling sigh of relief, her head finding solace on his chest. The sound of her calling out to him,

even though they were far apart, brought her a comforting feeling. Cait explained her dream to him, painting a picture with words as she meticulously replayed every little detail in her mind. With a gentle touch, Reggie brushed his thumb against her cheek, his lips meeting hers in a soft kiss.

As he pulled back, Cait could still feel the faint brush of his breath against her mouth. “I don’t know what to say or do to ease your mind. Just know that you have Luke, Alex, Julie and I right here with you. We will be okay because I know us.”

Cait looked into his eyes, and she could see the reflection of her tear in them. “What do you mean?”

Reggie smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, as she brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. “Each of us has come out of something that left us broken. We came out stronger and now we’re all together, which makes us invisible.”

Cait’s gaze fell upon his hand, and she couldn’t resist the urge to intertwine her fingers with his, playfully tugging at them. She felt a sense of vulnerability, rather than strength, at this moment.

Reggie’s response came unexpectedly, as if he could read her mind. “In your weakest moments, I’ll be here for you,” he assured her. “You’re not fighting this battle alone, Cait.”

Looking up at him, her hands delicately cradled his face as she leaned in and planted a deep, unexpected kiss on his lips. As he leaned in for the kiss, Cait giggled softly, her heart fluttering in her chest.

“Do you think my parents have crossed over?” Cait inquired, returning to play with his fingers while they found comfort on the floor beside the couch. “I feel like maybe you were meant to be here for me. I figured if they were still here, I’d see them already.”

As Reggie shrugged, his free hand instinctively moved to massage her back, providing a comforting sensation. “It’s possible they’re in heaven. And I think you’re right about my being here.”

His hand rose to her face, his fingers tracing the delicate lines and curves, while his eyes hungrily absorbed every aspect of her visage. “It feels so right being with you, Cait.”

Whenever she smiled, it was impossible not to feel a wave of joy. Their eyes met, and he felt a warm, crimson blush rising up from his neck. If only he could convey the way his heart races and his stomach flutters whenever she’s near.

Cait’s brows furrowed, and she sat up abruptly, her eyes locking onto him as if a forgotten memory had just resurfaced. “I think this spirit might be some sort of wizard. It makes sense with a curse linked to it. But what I don’t understand is why does he specifically want you?”

With a quizzical expression, Reggie tilted his head to one side. Throughout his life, he couldn’t recall anyone who had ever wished him harm. He watched as Cait’s eyes glazed over, her attention lost on the wall behind him.

“He said he would take everything from me,” Cait said, her voice quivering, her eyes unfocused as she remembered the spirit’s eerie whispers in her dreams. “Reggie, I think this spirit wizard is linked to my dreams, like some sort of cell phone system.”