Disclaimer: I do not own Life with Derek, if I did; Casey and Derek would be together Forever!
This is my story I hope you like it.
AUTHORS NOTE: It's been forever, hasn't it! Well I have re-done this story some and I'm getting ready to post the next chapter.
THE DEAD ARE CALLING
BY: TIGER SNOW, Isabella Duval
I haven't been sleeping very well. These past few days have dragged on a little slower each day. Sleep aids don't help because it's not falling asleep I have a problem with. The problem is wheb I close my eyes and I'm trapped in the same nightmare from the previous night. In these dreams, I see a girl running pitch-black streets. A shadowy and mysterious man, cloaked by the night follows swiftly behind her, a knife held firmly in his grasp.
"You can't escape me" He tells her. The words echo through the streets to her ears. I can tell she's determined to escape him and too terrified to do anything else.
It's the most vivid nightmare I've ever had. I can feel her fear and though she's the one that's running for her life it's me that wakes up sore and tired. For the past week, this nightmare has been tormenting me. When I go to sleep it picks up from the last place it stopped. No matter what I do, I can't escape it.
I allow my head to crash on the pillow as I force myself to go back to sleep. By the time I wake, it's morning and Derek shaking me.
"Casey! CAS-EY!"
"Derek? It was awful, he was killing her! I could feel it...I…I felt the knife. I could hear the man laughing as he stabbed her. Over…and over…" I'm not sure it's possible to feel the loss of blood on ones face, but I could. I feel myself be pale and drained of everything.
"Casey. It was just a dream. It wasn't real, you're fine." I looked into his eyes for some sanity. For all his misgivings, I could always count on Derek to be who I needed him to be. His face held a disturbed worry. I wasn't there. I wasn't in the alley with the murdered girl. I was here in my room with Derek. With that realization my own logic and reason returned allowing me to calm down.
"It just…it felt real," I said in my defense. The only excuse I could offer because this wasn't the first time he had to come in my room and find me like this.
"Well it wasn't, so come downstairs for breakfast"
I nodded and he slowly left the room. I got all my things and went to take a shower. I turned on the water as hot as I possibly could and let the water wash away my anxiety. It took about an hour before I was ready, lucky for me it was Saturday.
As I was about to walk out of my room I heard a girl speak but it wasn't Lizzy and it wasn't Marty.
"It was a dream for you. Trying living it first hand."
A look of horror crept on to my face as I turned around quickly only to find no one was there. The nightmare wasn't ready to let go of me yet, I suppose. Fantastic. Shaking it off as best I could, I walked downstairs. Derek was sitting in his chair watching some hockey game with Edwin, Lizzy, and George sitting in the couch next to him. I served myself some cereal and sat down in my usual place. Marty was sitting at the table in her seat coloring.
"Casey, are you and Emily still best friends?" She asked me not taking her eyes off the picture.
"Why do you ask, Marty?" I hoped my voice was light and inquisitive. Free from the sting her question had caused.
"Cause, ever since her and Derek became boyfriend-girlfriend she doesn't seem very nice to you."
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Derek was paying attention. Derek and Emily, Demily, had been going out for two months now. Though, it only took one week for our yearlong friendship to kick the bucket. So much for BFFs, witch.
"People change and sometimes they grow apart. That's life kiddo, but it's not bad its just makes room for new best friends and new people in your life" It's not that I forgave Emily or that I am that understanding. Being mature and sort of walk away from that situation with my dignity was all I could do. After all I'm Casey Macdonald, it was expected of me.
"But Casey you look lonely and sad and it makes me sad" Now she was looking up at me. I think I just felt my heartbreak. I forget she can be so perceptive at times. "Marty you don't have to be sad because of Spasey-" Said Derek getting off his chair to go over to Marty. No of course, no one needs to care how I feel. Just as long as they're nice to me when they ask me for favors we can all forget that the other 98% of the time, I get treated like crap. Please continue, I'm not bitter at all!
"Yes I do Smerek! Cause I love Casey and if she's sad I'm sad, too" I wanted to say something but even Marty can tell when I'm lying. I'm just that pathetic. I...my body feels weird…I feel sleepy. Hey! I can't control my arms and legs! What's happening? Help! Can't anyone hear me why isn't my mouth moving? So, tired….
"Marty, come here, sit on my lap" My body, which is not being controlled by me, says as my hands reach out to Marty. No Marty! Run away! What the hell is happening to me? Who the hell has control over my body!
"Marty. Seriously, I'm okay. I'm just get tired from school and all the extra stuff I do. You know how I like to get all the credits I can so I can get to a good college? Well sometimes that gets a little draining and really doesn't leave me time for anything else. It has nothing to do with Emily or Derek. I'm happy that they are happy together. I think it's great."
No, I don't think that at all! I think it's terrible I want to be the one that makes Derek happy! Not Emily she's not right for him! "You…do?" Asks Derek shocked. No! No I don't! It's not me. I don't know what's going on but its not me!
"If you guys are happy, and you're treating her right, why wouldn't I be happy for you two?" Because she's EVIL!
"So…you're not sad?" Marty asks me, who's not really me.
"Marty, I don't have time to be sad! I'm too busy!" Her/it says with a smile. Marty smiled at her/it…
"Okay!"
Then she went back to coloring. Her/it ate my food and said I had to study and she washed my plate and went to my room. Derek watched me the whole time with shock on his face. I can't believe they can't tell it isn't me. I'm being possessed! Do I really not matter that much!
When she / it walked into my room, she/it locked the door and finally released my body.
"I have a name!" It was defiantly a she. I couldn't believe it was the girl from my nightmare but I guess in a weird way I should have seen it coming.
"What the hell are you? Who are you? Why did you possess me? Oh my gosh, are you some type of evil spirit that's going to take over my body forever?"
"You watch WAY too many movies my friend"
"I…am…not your friend"
"I suggest you lower your voice or someone will come up here then you'll have to explain to them about the ghost that possessed you."
She had me there…crap.
"Hey, sweet cakes, how about you actually curse every once in a while. I swear its good for you!"
My eyes widen. Can she hear my thoughts!
"Yes, she can" She answers in third person. This is so incredibly weird!
"Try to calm down I get this is a very weird situation but I actually do need your help."
"You're asking for MY help! You possess me and then ask for my help!"
"Hey! I saved your ass down there. Unless you were planning to tell that little girl that you're actually depressed as frick and most of the nights you spend alone in your room crying because you feel unwanted, unloved, and abandoned?"
I couldn't say anything how did she know that?
"What? Were you going to tell her that your life is shit and that you attempted killing yourself, a few times, because your mother sucks all kinds of ass and barely pays attention to you! That when she does is to ask for favors, your sister spends her time with Edwin and doesn't need you and in school the only time people talk to you is to insult you. How were you going to tell her that you miss your father but he never visits or calls? Oh! And the boy your in love with is your stepbrother and it kills you inside that he doesn't love you back! Yes, I know all your little secrets. I've been here for the past month and a half trying to get someone's attention!"
'Why are you here?' I think to her seeing as the words jammed in my throat.
"The dream you've been having…that was the night I died. I don't know who killed me and I need to find out if I want to live again"
"Are you…kidding me?" I choke out.
"Does it look like I'm kidding? I'm a freaking ghost!" Her voice was lower almost in a harsh whisper.
"Why me…"
"I don't know, honestly. As cliché as it sounds when I died there was a light, then a woman told me that there was a chance I could live again. She said that no one knew I was dead so if I could solve the mystery of who killed me before people discover my body I could live again."
"But…what if they found you're body today?"
"Then I guess I'm screwed. Hence, the panicked frustration in my voice and expression!"
"You would think that, if anyone, they would know who killed you," I say offhandedly.
"Thank You! That's what I said but she said that it was all part of a master plan. Apparently me and you meeting and you helping me is all part of a bigger picture"
"I've gone nuts…"
"Nuts enough to help me? Because that would be hella convenient…"
"This sounds sort of dangerous…"
"No offense, but you're suicidal shouldn't you…not care?"
"I want to help you…but I wouldn't know where to start"
"I know where he killed me…I just don't know where he put my body"
"How do you know you were moved?"
"He stabbed me in the entrance of an alley; they would have found me by now, decomposed flesh and all"
"Right…"
"So…off we go to the murder scene?" She pushed. Again, I wanted to help but I wasn't sure. Anytime I helped people it was always to my expense.
"Why should I help you?"
"S' not like you got anything better to do."
"Well…I…guess that's true"
"I could take over when you when you need me to. You wouldn't have to deal with Derek or Emily. Like earlier today?"
I was about to answer when there was a knock of the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me" Derek says walking into my room looking around. I start to panic but the girl takes over which still feels weird.
"What?"
I could tell the change in demeanor puts him off a bit. "I'm going to the mall with Em, Sam's coming do you wanna tag along" Wait he's actually inviting me to go somewhere with him? Are you serious?
"What mall?" She says. I should really ask her, her name!
"The same one we always go to…"
"No, it's fine. I have plans anyway but since Sam's going do you guys mind taking his car because I need ours" Wow she's really been paying attention.
"What plans? Where are you going to go?" His face looks amused, as if it is completely impossible that I would have plans. How pathetic does he find me?
"Since when does Derek Venturi care about little old me?" Ghost girl, sorry, taunts back. I find myself wishing it was me that was talking. She seems to be winning.
"Why do you need the car?"
"Why do you need to know?" The tone in my voice rising.
"Where are you gonna go that's so important…the library" he persists maybe he's just curious, he can be very nosey some times.
She pauses for a second then answers, "That's not a bad idea but first I'm going to stop by none of your business and pick you the dummies guide on how to not be a prick. Vol 1, first edition."
Oh, wow! Uh, that's a nice burn but not a Casey thing to say!
"I though you were okay with me and Emily what's all this hostility" Derek asks with a cocky smirk on his stupid cute face. I hate him. Well…I wish I could hate him.
"You're being a jerk this is how I act when people are being jerky. Look I don't want to argue can I have the car or not" …Jerky?
"No" And again with the smirk.
The ghost girl pushes past him and walks downstairs he quickly follows her asking her to stop.
"Okay! You can have the car!" He calls out. "I was messing, learn to take a joke!"
"No. you want it so damn bad, you can have it"
"Can I borrow your car, Derek is using ours to take Emily and Sam to the mall" She says to my mother.
"The keys are in my purse." She answers not looking up from the magazine she's reading. Would it kill you to at least look at me when you talk to me mom?
"Thanks" She turns to Derek "See? Not that hard! All I need is a yes or no answer, not to be playing 21 questions." Then walks off gets my stuff together and leaves the house.
She releases my body when we get in the car after a minute I'm good to drive.
"I didn't get your name." I say out loud while starting the car her ghostly image sits in the front seat. She laughs slightly.
"It's Zeanah but my peeps call me Zee." She focused at the road ahead, it's still all very strange, even though its all happening so fast but I can see her, almost as clearly as a living person.
"Uh nice to meet you, I guess. Where am I going?"
"Your going to go straight, then make a left on the next light, and then when you reach Wellington Rd make a right"
When we finally got to the street I recognized it as the street in my nightmare. Both Zeanah and I stiffened. Then we got to the alley walked a few steps and saw the dried blood. I took deep breaths and tried to remain calm.
"It doesn't look like the police where here." The area looked undisturbed from what I can tell. But that's just the CSI show knowledge talking.
"Hey Casey"
"Yea…"
"I think your right"
I turn to her and see her looking at the bottom of a dumpster.
"Why?"
"Come here and look at this."
