Susannah Simon sat on the end of her bed staring off into space, her hands moved to her lips to touch where Jessie had kissed her so gently but with so much passion. This was a turning point in their relationship if you could call it that; things had been so confusing that it was hard to know what was happening between them. All Suze knew was that the hottest guy in town liked her.
Problem!
Jessie was a ghost
Sure that made it hard and she would never be able to go on an actual date with him but she knew that n one else could make her feel the same way that Jessie did. Now if only they could get rid of that pesky Paul like he had tried to get rid of Jessie by exorcising him. If only Father Dominic would see just how evil Paul was and that he did not want to help them and did not see being a mediator the way they, well Father Dominic did.
Suze gave a huge sigh and sank back onto her bed wrapping a blanket around herself imagining that it was Jessies arms. She was interrupted by a knock on her door.
"Hey Suze," said Doc, Suze's nickname for her youngest stepbrother, as he edged his way into he room, "you free to talk?"
Susannah could see his eyes piercing every corner of the room trying to gauge whether they were alone, he was the only member of the family who had begun to pick up on her extraordinary talent and she knew it frightened him.
"Sure we can talk, what's up?"
"You know that guy Paul, the one who just transferred here?"
The happiness Suze had previously been feeling drained from her so quickly it was like plummeting to the ground with an almighty thud.
"Yeh I know him, why?"
"Well he stopped me before the end of school. He was asking lots of questions about you."
"Such as?"
"What you were like at home, did you have a boyfriend, did you have any hobbies and things. About before you moved here."
"Hmm, well thanks for telling me Doc" she replied drifting into her own little world wanting to know why Paul had been asking questions, after all he knew about Jessie so she was unsure of what he was trying to get at.
"Well I just thought you'd want to know" Doc said beginning to leave the room.
"Yeh thanks" she replied distractedly.
Doc hesitated as he got to the door.
"Suze…"
"Yeh"
"I don't like him… I mean," he stammered, "I don't trust him, please be careful"
She smiled at him and got up to give him a hug, not something she would do with Brad and marvelled at the amazing perception the youngest member of her extended family had.
"Don't worry, I know how to handle Paul"
After Doc had left she went into her bathroom and changed for bed her mind still puzzling over Paul. She looked over at the window seat where Jessie used to sit before he had moved out and in with Father Dominic and thought back to their kiss and it was this sweet thought that soothed her into sleep as the rain gently pattered against the window.
It was hours later when Suze awoke, unsure at first at what had disturbed her from her pleasant dreams of life where things were normal, there were no ghosts and she and Jessie were a normal couple. Then she heard a wail that sent a chill through her bones and caused the windows to shake in their frames. At first she thought it was the rain and wind outside that was turning into quite a storm, but then out of the corner of her eye she saw a movement near her bathroom.
Oh great!
"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked grumpily.
The ghost just wailed again in response, her auburn hair fell around her shoulders and there was a deep sorrow in her eyes that calmed Suze a bit.
"Look, I can't help you if you don't tell me who you are"
"Selina, and you are Suze. I have heard about you and have come to ask you for your help and warn you that you are in great danger."
"Danger? Why?" Suze asked becoming alarmed and sitting up more.
"You do not know him, what he is capable of."
"Who?"
"The one who killed me and if he cannot use you for what he wants this will be your fate too"
"Who are you on about?"
Selina looked over her ghostly shoulder as though some force that she could not resist was calling her.
"He knows I'm here, I cannot stay."
"Wait! Who knows you are here?" she protested as Selina started to fade away and just before she had completely disappeared she said a name that echoed in her ears.
Paul!