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With just a look…
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"What are you reading?"
I covered the page with my hand and turned to Lisa. "Nothing… just a book my shrink wants me to read."
Which was one hundred percent true.
After the strange Pat-possessing-Eddie thing, we went to the library to find some books about ghost possession.
I smiled at Lisa from across the room and went back to reading.
"…we must consider that the bindings between people and ghosts might be strong, and that the exorcised ghosts may come back and possess these people again. The patient must work at not letting the ghost back in."
I paused, thinking. The book said that an emotional binding would bring ghosts back. But if that was true, why hadn't Pat possessed me? I was the one who called him back.
So far, in this book, I'd learned that fear was what fed a ghost. If that was true, then maybe… maybe Pat had possessed Jeff because Jeff had been afraid…
Briefly I recalled the day when Jeff had found me at the Cemetery…
"Emily!" the voice snapped. "Pat isn't here!"
I curled up into a tighter ball. "Go away."
The voice was furious now. "Emily, Pat is dead!"
He must have been really worried… and afraid. I had disappeared on Pat's death day, after all. Maybe he'd thought I'd try something stupid, like slit my wrists-
Jeff's fear for me must have attracted Pat.
But where was Pat now? Was he still with Jeff? Or someone else?
I read the page again, and then flipped to the chapter on exorcism. There was only one page, briefly describing that an exorcism should be preformed by a priest. He should have holy water and the bible, blah, blah. Something about talking the ghost down, till it shrunk in size and put into a bottle, where it was then thrown into a river, or buried underground.
Obviously that wouldn't be happening. This book didn't know that I would be locked up if I talked to a priest about my dead boyfriend's ghost. Plus, the whole shrinking into a bottle business? What a load of crap.
The next option talked about fulfilling a purpose. The ghost needed something to be accomplished, whether it knows what it is or not. Once that thing is accomplished, it will go away.
I slammed it shut and chucked it under my pull out bed. What Pat wanted I couldn't give him, that's for sure.
So what was left to do? I could stay at Lisa's forever if I wanted to. But how long would it take for Pat to find me? Would he hurt Lisa and her family?
I didn't want him to catch me, but I didn't want anyone else hurt either. Maybe Pat would get tired of chasing me and leave.
Could he leave if he wanted to? Hmm. more questions that needed answers…
All I knew was that somehow Pat had gotten strong enough to possess other people's bodies. I wonder if the fear in the jail had fed him?
"Emily? It's time for dinner."
I glanced up at Lisa. "'Kay."
Later Lisa and I snuggled into our beds for a good nights sleep.
"So, why are you here?" she asked. "Not that I'm complaining, or anything, but…"
"I told you, Pa- I mean Jeff got out of jail."
"So?"
I rolled restlessly onto my side, staring out at the slightly lit up window. "I'm afraid he'll come after me."
"No way," Lisa said. "He wouldn't."
"He would."
We lay in silence for a few moments.
"What if he comes out here?"
My stomach sunk to the floor. "I'm really hoping he won't…"
Lisa sighed. "I guess I'll have to kick his ass if he does."
I smiled at the image. "You can beat him with your grandfather's rocking chair."
"Or grandma's spatula."
"I bet your grampa would help."
"He'd jump on him, yelling like a banshee while beating him with his cane!"
We burst into giggles; it felt good to laugh again.
Unfortunately, the laughter died too soon. Maybe it was because the thought of Lisa trying to take Pat on was terrifying…
Lisa's breathing eased into the slow pattern of sleep, and gradually I fell asleep…
"Emily,"
I jolted awake and panic fluttered through my chest, making it hard for me to breathe. I gasped as a hand clapped over my mouth, while the other hand pinned my arms above my head.
"Don't fight me, Emily."
"MMPH!"
Pat dragged me out of bed and over to the window. He pressed my cheek against the glass, and told me to look outside.
I looked out at the yard. And there, thrashing in her bonds, was Lisa. She was fairly close to the pond- if she rolled any closer she'd fall in. And I knew for a fact that that pond was very, very deep.
"See that!" he whispered in my ear. "If I want, I can make your friend roll into that pond."
"Mmph," I muttered quietly, all attempts of struggle now gone.
"Now I want you to come with me, without a fuss."
"MMmm!" I shook my head furiously.
"You come, or the girl dies!" his breath tickled my skin as he whispered his poison into my ear. He shook me until my teeth rattled. "I will kill her, do you understand?!"
I did understand. And I believed he would do it, too, if given half a chance.
I didn't want to go with him.
But I didn't want Lisa to- to-
I nodded my head slowly, and he wrapped his arms around me, hugging me briefly. "Good girl."
I felt tears prickle in my eyes as I was dragged out the window and plopped onto the grass. Somehow he managed to keep a firm hand around my mouth and arms the whole time.
Lisa saw me from the pond and started to thrash harder. I shook my head- please don't struggle- and I was sure she read the panic in my eyes because she ceased to move a second later, every inch of her body screaming disbelief.
"Be good." Pat whispered against my hair. "Don't run, or scream."
He let go of me for a second so he could close the window. I felt panic blind my mind and I took off like a shot, running to Lisa, crying all the while.
A wordless wail rose from my throat and spilled out into the night. It pooled out of me before I could stop it- and since it had leaked out anyway, I let myself yell full force. Maybe Lisa's grandparents would hear me and call the police…
I fell on my knees at Lisa's side and started to untie her bonds. Behind me, the sound of Pat's running steps and curses flowed quietly over the terrain.
I was thrown back away from her and Pat sat down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. He pinned my arms over my head, as he spat in my face.
"You brought this on yourself," he spat, his face turning more and more red by the minute. His anger was taking him over. "You woke everyone up! If Lisa tells them, they'll hunt me down and put me back in jail!"
"Don't kill her!" I shrieked.
"I have to." He spat. His whole body stiffened, and then he completely collapsed onto me, his eyes rolling back into his head.
"Lisa!" I choked out.
Nearby, Lisa was thrashing about by the pond, trying to get out of her bonds. Gradually the movements died down, and her head turned slowly towards me, eyes eerily wide.
Jeff started to life over me, shifting slightly. "Emily? Oh God, Em- What-"
I wanted to look at Jeff- I was sure it was Jeff now- but I just couldn't. My eyes were fixated on Lisa's, who was staring back at me cruelly.
Her eyes were black.
"You brought this on yourself," Lisa/Pat said, mirroring the words he had said earlier. Then Pat rolled Lisa into the pond.
I screamed and started to thrash under Jeff. "No-no- Jeff- let me up-"
But Jeff wasn't Jeff anymore- Jeff was back to being Pat. I could tell as soon as his eyes turned black.
The lights flickered on in the house, casting the yard into relief. Pat panicked, then picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. My eyes flickered towards the pond, which was in turmoil, and my scream started again.
Pat cursed me as he ran, and I cursed him, yelling, screaming. As we left the yard, I saw the pond surface grow still...
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Disclaimer: the quote from the book further up is from the book Possessed by Ghost; Exorcism in the 21st Century. By Wandfa Pratnicka. Please note that the rest of the information regarding Emily's book is NOT from Pratnicka's book; it is made up from my imagination.
Thanks to raerochella, Italiangurlinamessedupworld, LaLaFeary, Bumbledbee, porkypick, Ihaconch, xxxmusic is lifexxx and bloodygirl!! Love you guys very much!
Till next time, teardrop
-With just a look- Miss Murder, by AFI