My mouth cracked open in surprise as it swiftly condensed, forming into the shape of a man. He had thick, downturned lips, a strong jaw, and deep-set, almond eyes.
A long soft leather poncho with a wide, deep collar left a large part of his muscular chest on display. He had no other clothes on, the poncho ending at his upper thighs.
Finally, the black, slimy material he was made of bled away and a man stood there, skin unnaturally gray and eyes completely black. His long black hair swam around him, floating as if it was in water. He flashed a smile as he finished changing.
“Makwa,” I whispered and he gave a deep laugh while dark tendrils reached out from his body towards me. I scrambled for the headboard but thick, slimy tentacles slid around my ankles. He pulled my body into the middle of the bed. More tentacles reached out for my wrists, circling them. My arms were forced apart and held down all the while he stood at the edge of the bed watching with a smile.
“I thought you couldn’t leave my body,” I said as I felt his warm, wet tentacle slip around my waist into a tight hold.
“Do you feel empty?” He asked with a trembling purr. The strange thing was, I did feel empty. It was like something had been taken out from inside my body.
The tentacles around my ankles began pulling my legs slowly apart on the bed. I glared at Makwa as I felt myself peeled open and exposed.
His dark eyes tipped down to take me in and his body wobbled and rippled a little. He briefly strained then his human shape stayed stable. This form was obviously hard for him to maintain.
“I can be outside of you in the dark. As long as I don’t let you escape. Wouldn’t want to lose my meat suit.”
“You mean mybody that you’ve possessed,” I accused.
“Don’t you remember? You agreed. That’s the thing about you, Ava. You hold all the power when it comes to ghosts.”
“I have no power.”
“Wrong,” he said. He tried to take a step forward but his body became misshapen when he did, his smile sliding down like his face was melting. He stilled and worked to get it under control again.
“I haven’t tried to be a man since I died,” Makwa admitted. He looked down at his upturned palms and I noticed his nails were black. “But I thought this form would be more fun.” He looked back up at me with a smile, his gums black. His body shot out towards me, half black sludge, half man. There were wet noises as he moved, squishing and squelching as it raced towards me. He reformed above me and a dark hand shot out and wrapped around my neck. His poncho hung down, brushing against my naked waist.
I swallowed, my eyes widening. His fingers gripped my neck a little tighter. I tried to free myself but his tentacles were still wrapped around my ankles and wrists, making sure I couldn't escape.
“Why aren’t you like normal ghosts?” I asked, breathing hard as I struggled against his hold. I knew that distorted ghosts existed, like that little girl. It usually meant they were a bad spirit, vengeful. I’d never seen one like Makwa though.
“Because I was never normal. I was a witch like you. Capable of communing and controlling the dead. When I was murdered,” he paused to bend down close to my face. “I was angry. I made myself into a monster.” He pulled his face away and tested different grips on my neck, using me as a test subject to learn control of this shape.
“You did this to yourself?” I asked.
“Enough about this. Tell me, is it uncomfortable with me outside you? Do you feel empty, Ava?” I wanted to deny it but it was true. I felt incomplete and wanting, as if he had taken an ice cream scooper to my soul.
“Let’s play a game,” he said, loosening his hold on my ankles so that I could close my legs. He removed his hand from my neck. His arms pressed into the bed above my head and he smiled down at me as his hair floated. I swallowed. It was hard to remember he was a ghost when he was just so different from the others I’d interacted with. So solid, corporeal, and odd.
“A game?” I asked.
“You beg me to go inside you and I grant your wish. It’s a very simple game, Ava.”
“Why would I want to do that?” I asked in shock.
“Because youwantme inside you and I’m going to show you that. Isn’t that empty feeling deep inside you just terrible? You’ll never be satisfied without me ever again.” He settled his hand on my stomach as he talked but it didn’t feel like skin. It felt like something wet and warm.
“That’s not true,” I countered.
“How about I push inside you just a little. Let me do that and then tell me how silly my game is. If I’m wrong, I’ll stop possessing you.” A tentacle wrapped around my neck, right under my jaw, and pulled my chin higher so that I had to look down my nose at him.
“Aren’t you subduing the cursed splinter?” I asked, trying to jerk my face away from a tentacle sliding over my cheek. He smiled and shrugged.
“Fine,” I bit out. The truth was part of me really wanted this. Was dying for it. I did feel empty and uncomfortable. I did want him to be inside me. I was angry about it though and disturbed by the idea that this wasn’t something I could fight. I wanted to know if he was right. If I’d never feel right again without this strange, messed-up ghost possessing me.
“Perfect,” he responded with a raspy growl. I felt tentacles wrap around my ankles and drag my legs apart again. All the while he smiled down at me, hands pressed into the bed, and letting his tendrils and tentacles do the rest.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I felt my legs spread wide.
