AN ODD STORY

By: Karen S. Orayan

Last night father and mother were furious again with Uncle Ben; he said he was insulted and that it resulted to a big fight. Now Mom and Dad are arguing over it! I was then caught in a trance, I was crying hysterically as Mom and Dad are yelling at each other in front of me. "Mom, Dad please stop fighting!" then Dad hauled me towards the floor and said in a sarcastic tone, "shut up! Nobody ask opinion about this you freak! Now go to your room and mind your own business!" then Mom sided with me, again with a sarcastic tone, "Don't you dare do that to our little girl! Kate go to your room right now!"

Why does everybody treat me like a freak? Just because I can see and talk to ghost doesn't mean I'm different, weird, outcast, abnormal or better yet a lunatic. …Nobody ever cares! … I sob all night until I fell asleep.

The next day, being in a problematic family I was again left alone in the house, they left in a hurry, they said they're going to settle this fight once and for all. I couldn't go to my friends either, cause I have none since I was little until now, a sophisticated teenager, I have none that actually breath … but I do have one, she's a ghost, she lives in a Ballete tree on my favorite place… in the abandon house of the Gori's three blocks away from our house. Actually they're a family of cannibals who lived during the late 18th century, the last I heard from them was when I was still four years old. It was at that time also that I receive my gift. They're not the only ones that died there, many did, when I passed their house as I go to school, I always see ghosts that died in distress. Some I've seen were the people who flourished in the 2nd World War, soldiers who lost their arm, their leg, who got shot by cannons, still very fresh and bleeding as if the war just happened now, then there is a man w/ a knife stuck on its head, a gardener w/ his skin peeled off with blood dripping on the ground like it was freshly done. A naked woman whose boobs were cut off, a three-year-old child whose arms are missing and her eyes brutally ripped off, then the Gori family. The one whose death was normal was Ashly, my friend ghost. She died during the 15th century due to an epidemic disease in that same house. At first they tried to frighten me in a sense that I actually thought they'd kill me, of course they frightened people that's their job …silly! The technique was easy when a ghost tries to kill you face him or her face to face and look straight to its eyes, don't tremble for they'll know you're bluffing and would really kill you. That's how I got over my fear of ghosts'. Of course there are other ghost that are pure evil and doesn't wanna settle things in a conversation so I stay away.

Anyway I went there late afternoon to get away from such depression. I saw her sitting in a wreck cemented chair, what I really wanted at that very moment was a person to hug me as I burst all my emotions, and even if I felt nothing at that time her cold hug lighten up my feelings. "Don't cry! Be strong, don't let their words get into you" said Ashly rubbing my back trying to comfort me. Ashly wanted me so much to be happy that we spend the entire afternoon playing hide and seek inside the house and on the field. The house was practically huge, for it was the only mansion left standing since the 15th century. I was having fun that I purposely stayed late, ghost that we pass by wave at us, they are good ghost, some played jokes on me but soon became my friend. Time pass by so quickly that I forgot it was already evening, till the old clock started running and stroked 12 strokes it was midnight. Ashly once told me never to stay here until midnight. But I completely forgot, the last digit the 12th has already struck… Ashly was terrified, I've never seen her so terrified like this before, and she kept on saying, "they're coming" but who? I looked at her and she was panic-stricken, "Kate, get out of here…it's the time where dangerous ghosts roam about! Go! Hurry!" but as soon as I turn my back the fat man with a knife stuck on his forehead was waiting to grab me. I screamed, I was practically panicking, "They wont let me out." I yelled, I run about any exit I could think of but every door was sealed. I was trying my best just to get away from his clutches when something touch me behind my back, "Kate!" I heard a cold voice that sent shivers to my spine, when I turned around it was the gardener. I could clearly see his muscles and feel his extremities. He was carrying a sharp razor mumbling about something "Mine! Mine! Mine!" I tried talking to him but he was too scary to talk to and he isn't friendly at all. Ashly came to my rescue, and blinded him by creating flashes of light. I don't know how but I guess that's how they fight, at last Ashly banish him, I don't know how but I felt relieved, but suddenly a strong force swept Ashly that trapped her in the wall. "Freddy No!" she exclaimed, "Kate get away from him!" she warned, trying to struggle as hard as she can to free herself from the wall.

I on the other hand was completely confused, "Ashly what about you?" she glance back, "just go! I'll be fine," she sounded fretful. Another strong force magnetizes Kate to that ghost's arms. I admit he was not ugly in fact he was a hunk Ok! So he looks human, handsome and he dress nicely but as what Ashly said he's evil. "Let go! Let go!" I struggle as hard as I can but his hands were so tightly locked in my wrist. Then it finally came to me, what if I step on his foot would he react? So I did and miraculously I got loose from his grip. I run as far as I can and entered a dark room and lock it. I was completely exhausted from running so I sat on the bed…I was trembling, I could already hear them howling and scratching the walls … they're everywhere, just when I was day dreaming of a plan to get out without dying, I suddenly couldn't breath, something was choking me on the neck, as I come to my senses. "Ahhh!" the naked woman w/ her boobs cut-off was the one choking me, "Mine! Mine!" she said. I was already losing it, I felt like I'm going to die right here, right now. Just when everything was turning black, a loud voice was heard in the doorway. "Anastasia let her go! She's mine…" and she answered back with the same things as the other "Mine! Mine!" and tightened her grip in my neck. It seemed that they're fighting over me. The boobless lady was stuck in the wall like that of Ashly. "Now what am I going to do?" I thought. I wasn't going to die yet; I entered the next room only to find myself falling down the second floor of the house into a huge living room. Oh! Boy, I'm toast! For you know what, all the ghost that tried to kill me gathered in that room. Wow! They're many; I didn't expect this at all. From what I've seen in this picture the head leader of their pack or clan or whatever is the breadwinner of the Gori family. He has the most disgusting face…. even I couldn't imagine it. His head was turnable to 360 degrees. Then I saw Ashly being held by the gardener and the fat guy. Ghosts don't have to be dress in white, they can be in any form depending on their death.

"So! This is the girl who has the gift…excellent a fine species" the leader was circling around her like a vulture. "What should we do with her your grace?" his wife with her lips stitched outwardly and slashed to mini pieces and has a hanging left eye said. Then it was followed by "Kill her" gestures. "No!" the hall was silent, it was that Freddy guy "you said she was mine"

"No Freddy dear, we all want revenge…revenge for this unjust death! Just look at me! My soul cannot rest and it's because of him…" Anastasia the boobless girl exclaimed, she wailed and screamed as she recalled her past death. "I want her body so I can be resurrected … your grace allow me to kill her! So her body can be mine"

"No!" another voice echoed from the corner, it was the gardener "she should be mine, revenge is meaningless…. I saw everything that happened to you and your death was the result of your being a sloth that's why your husband killed and toyed your body … yes, I know cause I died earlier than you"

"He's lying" a strong gust of wind almost swept Kate away "I never loved that man…. for he made me a sex slave! A sex slave!" and she wailed again…I now began to understand why they wanted so much to kill me and how they ended up here. It was then followed by arguments and soon it was decided that they would kill me…Ashly and Freddy were the only ones who objected, but two against majority is hardly enough to win the jury. And so, Ashly made a terrible thing, an act that would risk obeying the most powerful, feared ghost of them all. She flashed a bright light and grabbed Kate's hand and made a run for it. As for Freddy he summoned the walls to swallow the ghosts. All ghost who have little or has a smaller power than his was swallowed and got stuck easily on the wall while those with equal as his was not affected at all.

"Ashly what would happen to you? Would they punish you for this?" asked Kate. She smiled, "it's Ok! At least I know you're safe… listen we can only roam until 4:00 AM, if we don't go back the black judge will cast our souls in hell. I don't wanna go there, I've seen it and it's terrible."

We reached the main door, it was still shut tight and the time was only at 3:45. We did everything we could to open it but with no luck. Ghosts are now at our presence. It's demonic voice that sound terrifying was coming from the head leader itself.

"Return her to us Ashly! You know the consequences of disobeying me!"

"No! She's my friend and I don't want anything to happen to her" she knows perfectly that she'll lose to them. For a ghost's power varies on how great their revenge is and on how brutal they were massacred. Then all of a sudden Freddy appeared and help them. It was already 5 minutes to 4 and for fear of not going to be able to go back they retreated. The only ones left were Freddy and Kate. Their ghost power was gone and the door opened, by the time it opened I could hear my parents calling for me. I couldn't believe they were looking for me all night long.

"Why did you help me when on the first place you wanted to kill me?" I asked.

"Because I love you! I know from the very start that you were a battered child, sad, lonely and always crying because of the misfortune your special gift brought to you. I wanted to make you happy, to live a life w/ no worries, no pain, I wanted to make you a ghost so that you'll be together with Ashly and me!"

From what he said, it was all true I wanted to go w/ him, without notice I slightly turned see through and a cross appeared mysteriously at the front of the Ballete tree

Engraving, "Here lies Kate Woods died Oct. 13" but as I saw my father desperate in searching for me I was confused "what about my family? They need me!" "Yah! They need you for now but what about tomorrow or the next day? Would they still remember you or are they going treat you like a freak like before? Come with me Kate, in here we don't worry, we don't get hurt" but when she saw her father feeling so hopeless she made a decision "I'm sorry Freddy but they need me and I need them" and so with just one minute left Freddy said his goodbye, he transformed into a wind like figure and gave a cold kiss on my cheeks and his voice echoed saying "Goodbye!"

I went out and embrace my Daddy saying, "I'm here!" he cried as he crushed me in his arms and that day was settled. Looks like things will be different from now on, and about our little adventure…it's a secret.

THE END

Oct. 13, 2003

11:00 PM