Forgot the disclaimer last time. I do not own South of Nowhere or anything like that.
There's some language in this chapter; just your normal, run of the mill curse words though, haha. Hope you guys enjoy. Chapters in the future should be longer. :)
Chapter One: Haunted
I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed out. Winter Break was a lovely thing here in Ohio. We never had anything like it in LA. The sleet began building in my curls, and I had to squint as it gathered on my eyelashes. My hands were fisted in my jacket pockets, gloves unwilling to brush the offending sleet away. The cold invaded my bones, my soul. My breath came in large white puffs of air as the wind took it away. The wind howled here, something I wasn't accustomed to at all. It freaked me out, but I was more thankful of its presence than anything else. It drowned out the groans of the dead.
"Ashley, what are your plans for Winter Break?" my mother asked me as soon as I stepped inside the house.
She didn't look at me; she rarely did. To her, I was her crazy daughter and needed to be looked after constantly by a freaking psychologist or something. I stared at the back of her head, just wishing this once I had achieved powers to induce spontaneous human combustion. When smoke never appeared, I sighed and looked out the window.
"Nothing much. Stay indoors. Read."
"Ashley, don't you have friends?"
"No."
"Right, well… You have an appointment in an hour. Don't forget. I hear Dr. Carlin is a good… doctor," she said before snatching her purse off the counter and storming out of the kitchen. I think my existence aggravated her.
I rolled my eyes and went up to my room, making sure my steps were heavy and loud. My room was covered in lights. You know those little Christmas lights that go on sale the day after? I went on a buying spree one year so my room could be constantly lit in that beautiful glow; light was the only thing that made me feel safe. You never know when ghosts like to do when it's dark. You don't want to know.
I shivered and pulled my jacket around myself, finding my haunted dark eyes in the mirror. Haunted. Yeah, that's me in one word.
"Dr. Carlin's office, do you have an appointment?" the receptionist asked. Her nametag read Paula, but her eyes read bitch. I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, a nervous habit I picked up from my father. Of course… he saw ghosts too. And of course… he… kind of killed himself because of it. Paula cleared her throat, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Uh, yeah. Ashley. Ashley Davies."
"Have a seat, he'll be ready for you shortly," she said. I sat down and studied the receptionist. Cold blue eyes and blonde hair pulled back into a sharp bun. Long fingernails for ripping your eyes out when she tries to eat you because she's a demon lady… Ah… There's that overactive imagination again.
Instead of watching the severity of Paula's actions, I focused on the SpongeBob episode I'd seen millions of times already until they called my name to go back there. Dr. Carlin was a man with kind blue eyes and smile lines. I liked him instantly as he shook my hand and introduced himself as Arthur.
"Mr. C," I said with a smile.
"Okay Miss D, let's begin the session."