Crimson Moonlight

Hey everyone! Sorry I took so long to write this chapter. I just kinda got lazy and didn't feel like writing. I didn't have writers block or anything. I PROMISE I'll have the forth chapter up by next week! Maybe I'll post sooner! ^_^

I wont keep you waiting, so here is chapter 3! ^-^

Chapter 3: Ghostly Memories

Iris tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't fall asleep. There was too much going through her mind. The house, the ghosts… especially the Jackal.

"GRRR… God damn it! I cant fuckin' sleep!" Iris yelled as she sat up in the bed. She scratched her head and stood up.

"I guess this would be a good time to do some research." She said as she grabbed the glasses on the night stand and walked down stairs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Iris walked into the library and looked down at the shelves. "Now, where do I began?" She placed the glasses she was holding on the table, bent down and began sorting through all the books.

She finally came across a book titled 'Ghost Findings: Volume 1'. She carefully pulled the book out and examined it. The cover was dusty and ripped It looked like it had not been touched in a while.

Iris walked over to one of the chairs, sat down, opened the book and began to read.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Iris looked up at the clock. She had been reading for almost an hour. She stretched her arms and turned the page.

Her eyes widened. The name of the chapter was 'The Jackal'.

"Hmmm…this is…" was the only thing she said before she began to read out loud.

[Words in book]

" ' I have captured many strange spirits, but the Jackal, I find, is the most unique. His real name is Ryan Kuhn. He was born to a prostitute in 1887. He developed a sick and insatiable desire for women as he got older, and began raping and killing prostitutes and stray women in general. Over the next five months, he had killed a total of over 20 women. He finally committed himself to a mental institution, called Borehamwood Asylum, at the age of 22. After being locked in a padded cell alone for 6 years, he went insane. The doctors finally locked him away in the basement and locked his head in a cage to control him. I have no information on what happened during this time. The only information left is that the Asylum caught on fire and that Ryan Kuhn died in the fire. Oh well, that doesn't matter now! I caught that bastard of a ghost, and that brings me one step closer to achieving my goal!'"

Iris closed the book and tried to take in all the information she just read. She shook her head, opened up the book and continued to read.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Jackal crept up the basement stairs and made his way through the halls. He was surprised when he saw Iris sitting in the library.

"What… Is she doing here?" he said in his cracking, dry voice. Noticing the book in her hands, his eyes narrowed. "She's reading… about… me?"

He just watched her. Then he thought about all the terrible things she'd read about him. He stepped back from the glass a bit. He clenched his eyes shut and turned his head away. "I don't … want to remember… what happened…. It was a living hell…"

~FLASHBACK~

Thunder echoed through the halls and lightning lit up every room in the Asylum. Other than that, all the rooms were quiet. All the rooms except for the basement.

Ryan Kuhn hollered and struggled to get out off his bindings. The doctors and nurses came in to tighten his straight jacket more, making him scream even more in pain and fury. The cage the doctors had put on his head was quite painful too.

No one in the asylum was kind to him. They were either afraid of him or unbearably mean to him, laughing at his pain and suffering. All except for her… one of the nurses. She understood him. She cared about him. And when she was around, Ryan didn't act crazy or violent. He was just happy being around her.

[3 days later]

The fire lashed at His body and face. Ryan ripped the chains and ropes tied to him and dashed out of the basement. He ran as fast as he could down hallways and upstairs, past screaming patients and workers. He didn't care about anyone else but her… not even himself…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Walls crumbled and ceilings collapsed as the fire continued to grow. Ryan continued to dart in and out of every room, searching for her… but to know avail….

The flames were becoming too intense for Ryan to bare any longer. Turning toward the exit, the ceiling caved in on him, blocking his only way out. He turned around only to see he was surrounded by flames.

A tear fell from his eye. Knowing he would never see her again. Ryan accepted his fate and walked into the fire….

~END OF FLASHBACK~

Ryan's eyes shot open as a tear fell from his eye. He cursed at himself and wiped it away.

He looked back at Iris. He felt the same compassion in her as the women back at the asylum. "What… is this that I'm feeling?" he said as he placed his hand on his chest. "This girl makes me feel the same way I did about… her."

Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked into the library. He slowly walked closer and closer to Iris' chair. He stopped half way.

*Should I really do this?* He thought to himself. *Should I really speak to her? Maybe she isn't what she seems… maybe she's just like everyone else… but, why do I feel this way then?*

He continued to walk closer.

Walking past a stack of books, he brushed up against it, knocking the top book off and onto the floor.

Iris' head shot up from the book. "What the fuck was that?! Is someone there?"

She could feel the presence of someone close by. Quickly she stood up and looked around. She reached over to the table and grabbed the glasses she put there. Slowly she put them on….

Iris gasped when she saw the Jackal standing only a few feet in front of her. She didn't back up though.

The Jackal was just as surprised as she was. He didn't know whether to take off or not. So he stayed put.

None of them spoke a word at first. They just stared at each other. Both unsure of what to do….

To be continued…

Author: Well there you go, the third chapter! ^^ Please review!!! Yes I know the Jackal doesn't act like that, but I think at one time he was a normal person, and sometimes he DOES act normally . He's not always crazy. Despite being a ghost, I think he still has normal feelings. And like I said before, I promise to have the forth chapter up by next week! XD

-The14thGhost