I felt a headache start. This would take days, if not weeks to solve. I had to find a dead woman and then somehow find the pearls she’d stolen from her sister, whom she hadlikelykilled. I really should think about quitting. My thoughts wandered to Jackson and I pulled out my phone to text him how sorry I was for leaving like that. Not that he wasn’t to blame for it either, but I understood why he’d snapped. He was scared for me. And honestly, how could I fault him for that? I only managed to pull the phone out before the ghost picked it up and threw it at the wall.
“No!” she screamed. “Bad, bad, bad!”
“Um. That wasn’t very nice,” I said, as I stupidly watched her pace back and forth in front of what remained of my phone. I was surprised she wasn’t stomping on the pieces as she yelled‘die, die, die’like it was a spider that needed killing.
She shivered. “Don’t like it.”
“My phone?”
“Feels…off. Dangerous.”
I sighed. I knew older ghosts weren’t always keen on technology. Many feared it. Which was why they often played around with lighting and such, not to bring attention to themselves, but out of curiosity. “Well, that phone you just broke was how I was going to help you find your pearls. Now I need to leave to buy a new one.”
Her eyes flashed to mine. “No leaving!”
I felt the fear return. She wasn’t fully in control, and I could very well be hurt before I managed to banish her, which I needed to do if she posed a bigger threat. We mediums had to help the ghosts so they could pass on, if we did it against their will it wasn’t pleasant for them and it would take longer before they were reincarnated. I had to help her so she could pass peacefully.
I took some calming breaths before speaking firmly. “I need either a phone or a computer to help you. If you don’t let me grab either of those, you’ll never find your pearls.” I knew she had no idea what either of those things were, but I also had a feeling she wasn’t feeling up for a history lesson on what had gone down since she died.
She sneered at me. “I don’t trust you enough to let you leave! What if you never return?!”
“Well, if you hadn’t broken my phone I wouldn’t have had to leave,” I pointed out.
That only earned me a glare in return, so I slumped down on the couch and accepted my fate for now. I knew logically it would help her mood if I would leave her be for now, but there wasn’t really much I could do in this house while she stewed. I also didn’t believe for one second I would be able to find her pearls. It was one thing if she’d simply lost them in the house, but to track down where her sister would’ve left them…. Yeah, I didn’t see that ending well. If I had to guess, this ghost had died somewhere around the 1850s, meaning her sister would be long gone, along with her kids, if she ever had any.
She left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts, which I preferred. I still hadn’t gotten her name, and I needed it to search for her sister’s relatives. I rubbed my temples; glad I at least had a comfy place to sit while I waited for her to cool down. It took a lot out of me to be around her energy when she was this agitated, she was forcing my entire body to flood with adrenaline to protect myself from the danger she posed.
I decided a quick nap might be good for me. I knew ghosts didn’t feel time passing like us living people did, so who knew how long it would take for her to return. I briefly considered making a run for it, but then our chances of ever helping her would be gone. I couldn’t stay here forever, I knew that, but I could give her a few hours.
Closing my eyes I thought of Jackson, hoping he wouldn’t be too worried if he tried to contact me. Then I let sleep take over.
A heavy knocking woke me up, and I scrambled off the unfamiliar couch. It slowly came back to me where I was, but I still couldn’t explain where the knocking came from. I rubbed my eyes as I followed the sound to the front door.
The ghost leaned against it with her arms crossed protectively over her chest. “Don’t even think about leaving.”
I sighed, then called out. “Who is it?”
“It’s Rino! Are you okay in there? You haven’t replied to my calls or texts!” he sounded worried, which I appreciated.
“I um, I’m not allowed to leave, and she broke my phone,” I called back.
“The fuck? Does the ghost not want help?” He spoke a little louder than before, likely trying to poke at whatever ghost was hiding in the house. He still knew nothing about her.
“I explained I needed my phone or a computer to help her, but she’s from the 1800s so I’m guessing it means nothing to her,” I explained casually.
“No wonder then. The house has been empty for years, no idea why, but the family finally sold it and the new owner wants torenovate it. If the ghost doesn’t want our help, I’ll remove her myself.” It was a clear threat and she didn’t seem to like it one bit.
“Um, Rino, just how long has the house been empty?”
“Around fifty years, why?”
“It doesn’t make sense,” I said, a little too quiet for Rino to hear through the door. Louder I asked, “And you’re positive about that?”
“I am. Why do you ask?”
“Well, the ghost died around the 1850s I believe, and she’s acting like she just died.”
“Explain.”
