The Sixth Sense

Chapter 4

Louisa's POV

“What do you mean I made them go away?” I ask, my voice trembling with disbelief.

Titus’s expression is earnest, tinged with a faint glimmer of hope. “There were two spirits beside you. Before you fainted, I saw them scream in pain and then disappear.”

He pauses, waiting for me to process his words before adding softly, “That’s why I’m here. I thought you could help me.”

Help him?

Me?

The word “power” flits through my mind, unsettling in its implications.

Could what I’ve always considered a curse be something more?

My father had drilled into me that my ability to sense spirits wasn’t a gift—it was a burden, one I needed to suppress and control.

But now, hearing Titus speak of it as though it were something extraordinary, I feel the ground beneath me shift.

What kind of power is this?

What am I truly capable of?

The conversation fizzles into silence as I confess I don’t know how to help him. Titus’s face falls, disappointment weighing heavy on his features. It’s painfully clear he’s desperate—desperate to free himself from the ghostly girl’s grasp, from her suffocating presence. And yet, I don’t have the answers he’s looking for.

But why does she believe Titus loves her?

That question nags at me.

From the glimpse I saw of his memories, there was no trace of affection, no connection.

Her belief seems rooted in delusion, a thread spun from thin air. And yet, she clings to it with an almost obsessive intensity.

Lost in thought, I hardly notice my feet carrying me away from the school grounds and into unfamiliar territory. When I snap out of my reverie, I’m standing in a dimly lit alleyway, the street around me foreign and unnervingly quiet.

Wait... where am I?

Panic creeps in as I realize I’ve wandered far from home.

I glance around, searching for landmarks, but the shadows of the towering buildings offer no comfort.

Damn it, I’m lost.

“AAARRRGGHHHH!”

A blood-curdling scream shatters the silence, freezing me in place.

My heart pounds wildly in my chest.

“What the…?” My voice is a whisper, barely audible over the echo of the scream.

“Please… stop!” A woman’s desperate cry follows, sending chills down my spine.

Every instinct screams at me to turn around, to run the other way. But the raw terror in her voice roots me to the spot. I can’t just ignore it.

Against my better judgment, I take a hesitant step forward.

“AAARRRGGHHHH!!!”

The scream slices through the air again, this time more desperate, more haunting. My legs move before I can think, carrying me toward the source. I push open a heavy, rusted door that creaks ominously on its hinges. The sound is loud enough to make me flinch.

Inside is an old, abandoned warehouse, dimly lit by a single, flickering bulb. My heart races as I step inside, the shadows seeming to shift and dance around me.

Suddenly, movement catches my eye—a man and a woman emerging from the darkness.

The man is strikingly handsome, with silver hair that glints in the faint light and piercing golden eyes that seem to see straight through me. The woman is disheveled, her clothes askew as she hurriedly tries to cover herself. The intimacy of the scene is unmistakable, and I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

The man’s gaze locks onto mine, sharp and unyielding. His voice is smooth, but there’s a strange edge to it as he asks, “Can we help you?”

“I—I…” Words fail me as I try to explain my presence. “I thought I heard someone scream…”

His golden eyes narrow slightly, his expression unreadable. He mutters something under his breath—words I can’t quite make out—and for a moment, it feels as though the weight of his stare might crush me.

The woman pulls her coat tighter around herself, glaring at me as though I’ve intruded on something sacred. “We’re fine,” she snaps, her tone icy.

I lower my gaze, my face burning with embarrassment. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to—” My words trail off as I take a shaky step back. “I’ll just… leave.”

Shit!! s**t!!! That's embarassing!!!

I turn and practically bolt out of the warehouse, fumbling with my phone as I try to open the map app.

My fingers tremble as I type in my home address, desperate to put as much distance as possible between me and whatever that was.

As I walk away, I can’t shake the feeling of golden eyes watching me from the shadows.

*****

Back Home

Click.

The door shuts softly behind me as I step into the warm familiarity of my house.

My father’s concerned voice greets me before I can even set down my bag. “I got your text. Are you okay? What happened?”

I force a smile, trying to mask the lingering unease from the day’s events. “I got lost,” I say lightly, brushing it off. “Sorry for worrying you.”

He studies me for a moment, his brows furrowed in a way that makes my heart ache. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he says, his tone softer now. He hands me a cup of tea, the warmth of the mug grounding me as I take a sip.

After a moment of silence, I decide to share a piece of what’s been weighing on me. “Something happened at school today,” I begin hesitantly, catching his attention. “I met someone… a guy.”

His eyebrow quirks upward, a teasing glint in his eyes. “A guy, huh?”

“Not like that!” I exclaim, rolling my eyes. “It’s not what you think.”

He chuckles, the tension in the room easing slightly. “Alright, alright. Tell me about him.”

I take a deep breath, setting the mug down. “His name is Titus. And… he has a girl attached to him.”

My father blinks, confusion flickering across his face. “Attached?”

I nod, struggling to find the right words. “She’s… a spirit. She believes they’re in love, but—” I hesitate, the memory of Titus’s anguish surfacing. “When he entered the room, I saw his memories. It was like I was there, reliving them.”

His expression shifts, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. “I see,” he murmurs, almost to himself.

“You see?” I press, sensing he knows more than he’s letting on.

Without a word, he rises from his chair and retrieves something from his backpack.

When he returns, he places a worn book in my hands. “The reason I chose this city,” he begins, his voice steady, “is because of this.”

I glance down at the title: The Sixth Sense.

“The Sixth Sense?” I echo, puzzled.

He nods. “An old friend gave me that book. He told me about this city and its history. He’s… not like us.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.

“He’s older than he looks,” my father says carefully. “When I met him, he was 72, but he looked no older than 30.”

My eyes widen. “You mean… a vampire?”

He nods, the weight of the word hanging heavy in the air. “This city is where he first came to the U.S. And he knows things—things that could help us.”

A vampire...??

The very idea sends a shiver down my spine. “Why did you come here, then?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “What’s your plan?”

“To find answers,” he replies simply. “And he’s the one who can provide them.”

I stare at the book in my hands, my mind racing.

If vampires exist, what else is out there?

And how does this all connect to me?

“Louisa…” My father’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. He’s standing by the door, jacket in hand and car keys jingling in his pocket. “Are you okay being alone for a while?”

I nod, holding up the book. “I’ll be fine. I have some reading to do.”

He smiles faintly before stepping out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

As I flip open the book, the words The Sixth Sense stare back at me, a gateway to a world I’m only beginning to understand.

Sitting here in Salem, Massachusetts—a place steeped in mystery—I can’t help but wonder what secrets this city holds for me.

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