Jim - 45
Payne - 43
Melinda - 41
Katie - 16
Aaron - 12
Mackenzie - 6

Enjoy xx Mariah

Katie had been moping around school all day. Her stomach had been tossing and turning since she'd tried to fall asleep last night, but Katie didn't want to miss school. She had an AP exam that she didn't want to miss. It was the third period now, almost lunch, and she'd taken her test. Katie had thought it went well. She had known all of the answers to each question and had only guessed on the extra credit.

As she dropped her backpack on the floor in exhaustion, she sat on the bench in front of her gym locker. SHe didn't want to move yet. She closed her eyes for a moment until the warning bell rang and she opened her eyes again.

Hannah was already half undressed, pulling her tank top on and switching her jeans for yoga pants. "Still feeling rough?" Hannah asked, brushing her hair quickly and pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

Katie stood slowly and opened her locker with a sigh, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "My stomach is in knots and I'm kind of woozy. It started last night when I was in bed," she groaned. "I think it was that milk I had a breakfast yesterday. You know how those cartons can be spoiled sometimes."

Hannah just nodded, remembering when she'd taken a drink of her milk at lunch earlier this year and spit it all over Brandon at the lunch table. It had gotten everywhere.

"Maybe if you tell Coach he'll..." Hannah started to say.

Katie looked at her best friend and they both laughed. They both knew that asking to sit out was never going to happen. Coach Graham never let anyone sit out. Ever.

Katie quickly changed out of her clothes, slipping on yoga pants and a light shirt before heading out to the soccer field with Hannah. When her legs buckled, she held onto Hannah as her head spun.

"You should really sit down Katie," Hannah whispered as the rest of the kids slowly filed out. They waited for Coach, who could be seen talking to another teacher inside. "I think Graham will understand."

"I sprained my ankle in October and he still made me run on it," she rolled her eyes just thinking about it. She'd been out an extra two weeks because he'd made her run laps ones day. She hated how strict Graham was. He never took any excuse to get out of class. "I ended up being out of dance for another two weeks because of him. I had to skip this period with doctor's notes from my dad and hang out with my mom so he wouldn't make me run."

Hannah shrugged, knowing Katie was right but sat her down on the curb of the sidewalk anyway. It looked like Coach Graham was invested in his conversation for now. Plus the class bell hadn't rung yet.

The last two boys filed out, sitting next to Katie and Hannah on the curb. They were talking about the legend of Millie Davis, a soccer player who supposedly haunted the parking lot.

There was a bad pile-up some time ago and a student was killed.

Millie.

That's all Katie knew. She'd never thought more of it. You'd think if there was a ghost haunting her school, she'd know about it. She knew about the other four that liked to lurk the halls and scare kids who skipped class. Except for Katie. If she ever tried to skip, which wasn't very often, they'd usually help her bypass teachers and cameras.

"You know how she died right?" One kid said, intriguing Katie's interest for a moment. "She threw a rager in the woods with her soccer friends, but when she went to go home she couldn't find her keys, so she walked home and no one ever saw her again."

"That's not what happened," Hannah scoffed, nudging Katie's side. "She was hit by a car. Left for dead."

A car turned on behind them and startled the group of kids, scattering those that were near it.

Katie was even more intrigued, looking at Hannah with a smug grin on her face. Hannah knew that look better than anyone. That meant Katie wanted her to cover for her while she investigated, and that was an even harder job when it came to Coach Graham.

Somehow, Hannah did it. She may have had to use the time of the month card, but Graham had backed off. For now.

Katie, being her mother's child, snuck around very quietly. She made it to the parking lot no problem, it was just keeping out of her gym teacher's eye of vision that was hard.

"Is anyone here?" She called out softly, crouching down. Katie crawled around the warm blacktop, coming to the car that had turned itself on. It was newer, probably a teacher's vehicle, so she wanted to be careful not to set the car alarm off. "I know that you turned the car on. I felt your energy."

The car turned itself on again, revving its engine at her before turning off.

"I can't help you if you don't appear to me," she huffed, leaning against the car. She sat against the warm pavement, her stomach knotting and lurching. She held onto her breakfast, not wanting to throw up all over herself. "Stop it. I know that's you." She tried to stand up, grasping onto the car mirror.

Her head spun as she tried to stand up, but a vision flooded through her and she struggled to stand, falling onto the pavement as the Coach finally saw her.

"Clancy! Get your ass over here." He yelled, startling the class with his loud voice. He thought she was trying to cut class, until she fell unconscious and he ran toward her, booming at a student to go grab the nurse.

Melinda was fixing a display when she felt faint, her stomach turning. She held onto the table and looked around, seeing that Payne walked into the shop, obviously disgruntled. The statue she'd moved just looked even more off then it did before and she moved it again, happy enough, for now, to look Payne's way again.

The pain had subsided and she had a puzzled look. That was weird. She looked around, seeing that no one was around and didn't feel anything strange.

Was one of her kids sick? That happened sometimes to her if they got sick at school.

She straightened, turning to face Payne. "Hey, what's up with you?" Melinda asked, smiling at him. "I haven't seen you in a couple days. How'd your house viewing go?"

"They took another offer," he huffed, leaning against the pillar. "That's not why I'm here though."

"Oh?" She crossed her arms, facing him. She studied his expression. He didn't look too upset about the house, so there must be a better one he'd already looked at. He looked well rested, something she was happy to see. "Why are you here then?"

"Are you happy?" He asked.

"You're not trying to sell me a timeshare now, are you?" She scrunched her nose at him and walked past, standing at the counter now. "But generally, yes I am happy, why?"

"Because I've always wondered," he explained. "And I wanted to make sure you didn't fall apart without me here, which I can see you didn't, but still, the crickets have returned to my classroom and its like nothing's changed since I've left. Is that true?"

She shook her head at his antics and pulled out her compact mirror to check her makeup, brushing mascara shavings off her cheeks. "Well, I'm sorry to say that my life is not the same as when you left." She replied, tucking the mirror back into her purse. "I'm a mother of three and my husband's a doctor. Very hectic schedules compared to before. It's just now instead of getting alone time with my husband, it's hockey games, dance competitions, and swimming lessons, oh and lots of ghostbusting still, so that hasn't changed."

"I have always wondered if you have a protégée now," he hummed, eyeing her as he leaned on the counter. "Would you like to discuss the last sixteen years over lunch with me?"

"A protégée? I don't know if I'd call my daughter my protégée." She laughed, knowing if Katie were here she'd never let him live down that he called her that. "I think I can agree to lunch though," she said, smiling as Delia came in. "Now that Delia is back."

"Yes, you two go have a nice and long lunch." Delia smiled, setting her purse on the counter. "Today is my day to run the store after Mel opens. Nice to see you again Payne."

"Likewise, Delia." Payne smiled at the woman. They'd always had a good banter.

"Okay," Melinda hugged her friend before sidestepping to grab her car keys and purse. "Ready?"

"Oh, I was born ready to tackle a lunch with you," Payne offered his arm to her and she chuckled, having missed her dear friend.

She was so happy to have him back. Even if it could be temporary. She didn't know how long he planned to stay.

Her phone rang before they even entered Lento's and she picked it up, apologizing as she saw it was Katie's school.

"Hello? Yes, this is Melinda. Hi Sharon, what's up?" She said, following Rick as he asked the server for a table for two. "What happened? Did she faint? Is she alright?" She paused, stepping away from the table. He followed, lunch was no longer even an option if her child was hurt. "Yes. I'll pick her up. I'll be right there." She looked at Rick, sighing. "I have to go. It's my daughter, I really don't know what happened because it could've been anything, but I have to go."

She dug through her purse, dropping her keys because her hand was shaking so bad.

Rick picked up her keys and clasped his hands around hers. She took a second to breathe and smiled at him.

"She's probably okay," he said, holding her gaze. "Just breathe in and out." She followed his instructions. "In and out." She nodded at him and went to take her keys, having composed herself. "I'll drive. You look too frazzled."

She nodded and pulled him in for a hug, tightly squeezing him. "Thank you, Rick."

"Where are we headed?" He asked as they crossed the street to where her car was parked outside her shop. "Elementary school?"

"The high school," she whispered, opening her door. She knew Payne had never met her children before, well except Mackenzie, but she'd been so sick she'd forgotten about the strange man who she'd seen talking to her mother that day. "It's just down Main Street and a left turn on Berkley Street and you'll see it."

"You have a high schooler?" He tried to remember the children he'd seen the last time he'd seen her. There were two children that had come out of the house that he remembered. A young boy and younger girl. He didn't remember an older girl. "I thought your daughter was little."

"One of them is," she explained, smiling as he got in on the driver's side. "I said I was a mother of three."

"Any plans for more children?" He asked, turning the car on.

"Not really, but it could happen." She thought of the conversation she'd had with Jim recently. About another baby. He wanted to test their luck on having a boy. "Jim's always talking about another baby. He wants to see if we'll have another boy."

"That's nice," he said.

A comfortable silence fell between them for the rest of the car ride.

Rick could tell how anxious she was to see how her daughter was doing. Her knee bounced as they waited at the stoplight, just a turn away from the school. He didn't know how to feel about it either. He'd never seen her like this. He'd never seen her worry so much. Her leg bounced with fear and she nearly bolted from the car the second he put the car into park.

"You're incredibly fast for being so small," Rick huffed, following her down a series of hallways. She was quicker than he'd imagined in heels. "Wait up."

Melinda turned into an open doorway a moment later and engulfed a girl in a tight hug, who was lying on the sick bed. Before he had a chance to see her face, it turned into her mother's neck and she wrapped her arms around her. Once Melinda had pulled back, Rick realized how much the girl looked like her mother, but saw the different hints of Jim. His chin and height, and the facial expression of disgust from her mother kissing her face.

"Mom," her daughter said, pulling away. "I'm fine. Really, I just didn't feel good. Everything got really bright and I just passed out. I'm fine."

"Katie, are you sure?" Melinda pressed the back of her palm to her forehead. She furrowed her brow. "Are you ready to go? I'm bringing you home. No, ifs, and's or buts."

"Yeah. Hannah went around and got my stuff and homework. Did you already tell dad because I really want to go to the studio tonight and rehearse, but he won't let me if he already knows." Katie moved to sit up, Melinda's hand of support at her back as she helped her stand up. She glanced the man behind her mother, studying him, just like her mother had when she first met him. She didn't say anything though and Rick sighed, knowing that she must know who he was. "Mom, does he?"

"No, I haven't told him yet." Melinda picked up her backpack as she supported Katie as she stood. She gave her space when she'd proved she could walk on her own. They walked out of the door and into the hallway, which was clear of any students. "What happened Katherine?" Melinda glanced at her daughter, who looked better now that she was out of that cramped office, besides the small bruise on her right temple. "I want every detail."

"I had a vision," Katie sighed, leaning into her mom. Rick lingered behind, not wanting to listen in, but not completely closing his ears. He wanted to know about this girl and how similar her gift was to her mother's. "It was complicated. I was investigating after I saw something. I touched a car and I just was there. I was in a truck with this soccer player and I felt like I'd drank a whole bottle of wine."

"And how do you know how that feels, huh?" Melinda nudged her, laughing as they walked down the hall.

"Oh, well, I don't know," Katie grinned, laughing as she wrapped her arm around her mom. "This girl, whoever she was, was kissing his neck, distracting him from the road. The truck swerved and they both laughed before he kissed her. That was when he spun out and tires screeched and that's when I woke up. The nurse, coach, Hannah, and everyone was around me. They said I'd fallen, but the last thing I remember was my head spinning and grabbing onto the side mirror."

"Okay," Melinda sighed, biting her lip as she thought. "Did you see the ghost?"

Katie nodded, sighing. "She was only there for a second, behind the coach, but I saw her. She knows I saw her."

"Did she give you her name?" Melinda whipped her phone out, doing a quick google search for recent obits. She hadn't heard about a car crash involving a teenager since that summer and couldn't remember the last time there had been a teen car crash fatality. "Damn. I didn't find anything."

"I think it was Millie, but that's just a hunch." Katie shrugged, sighing. Her mother glanced up, sensing a story, and Katie continued. "Some kids were talking about this ghost story. About this girl, her name was Millie Davis and they said she went missing after a party. I didn't believe them at first because I've never seen her. I've seen the other ghosts around the school but never seen the girl who supposedly haunted the parking lot. That was until Hannah filled me in with real facts and said she was in a car crash and was left for dead on the side of the road. The car near us turned on and I went back later."

"Was there anything else? Any other hints from her?" Melinda rubbed her back, knowing how hard it could be to try and think clearly about these things sometimes. They walked out the front doors and Rick handed Melinda the keys. She was obviously doing better now that her daughter was with her. "Hey, I know how hard this can be. The thing to remember is they are more scared and confused than you. They're stuck here for some reason and we have to help them."

"I know mom. You don't have to give me the speech again." Katie laughed, looking up at her.

Rick smiled, seeing the way her daughter looked at her. She looked up at her mom. He could see that clearly.

One thing he'd noticed was how similar they were in just this minute or two of the conversation he's overhead. Something else he'd noticed was just how different Katie was at the same time.

He thought it was about time he'd spoke up, now they were getting into the car. He noticed Katie was analyzing him in the backseat and he looked to Melinda. She smiled, before sighing, realizing that she'd forgotten to introduce him. She pressed her lips together in a fine line, just as Katie did the same, turning to look out the back window.

"Okay. I see it now," he said, chuckling and looking at both of them. "I'm freaking out and what's the speech?"

"The speech is the talk she gives us once we're old enough to understand that we're a little different," Katie said, looking over at him.

"She's referring to the conversation I had with Mackenzie last night. She's six, so most of her friends can still see spirits sometimes and she couldn't understand why she couldn't tell them that her mommy can see them too unlike theirs." Melinda said, starting the car. "Katie, this is my friend Rick Payne. Do you remember when I told you about him?" Melinda started the car, slowly backing out of the parking space.

"Kind of. I thought he looked familiar." Katie said, rolling her window down. "You're a professor, right?" She glanced back at him, and he met her eyes.

"Oh my God, those eyes," he said, and Melinda rolled hers. "Look at those eyes with that same look you gave me when we met. That don't even try lying to me because I see right through you look."

"Is he always this strange mom?" Katie blindly asked and Melinda laughed, glancing in the mirror.

"Yes. He can be," she shrugged, turning onto the main road.

"The resemblance is uncanny," he sighed, sinking into his seat.

"Okay. Enough gawking, back to the topic we were talking about before. The ghost. She's a girl, about Katie's age." Melinda spoke clearly, her focus on the ghost at hand. "I assume you listened in the hallway?"

Rick turned and saw Katie, who was writing away in her notebook, look up at him. "How old are you?" He asked.

"Sixteen," Katie said, narrowing her eyes at him. "How old are you?"

There was a pause, and Melinda watched him as he pondered if he should reply. "Forty-three." He turned around after that and there was another moment of silence.

"Hmm... you look younger," Katie shrugged and looked back out the window. "Hey mom, Hannah's driving my car home. I gave her the keys."

"Okay, baby." Melinda nudged him, pulling his attention back just as she scoured at him.

"What's that look for?" He crossed his arms.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say," she paused, sighing, mouthing the next part. "She likes you."

The ghost appeared in the backseat, startling both women. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't like being left alone." The ghost yelled, turning to look at Katie.

"What's keeping you here?" Katie asked until the ghost moved closer to her, frightening her and then she pressed herself closer to the car door.

"He left me. He left me all alone." The ghost cried, her hair lighting on fire. "He never said a word. Was it a punishment or was he really just afraid?"

"Who? Who's punishing you?" Melinda asked, looking at the ghost through the rearview mirror.

"My boyfriend. I loved him." I loved him so much." The ghost whispered, and then looked at Katie, touching her hand. "But he hurt me and just left me there."

"I'm burning," Katie closed her eyes, trying to contain herself from screaming. She whimpered, grabbing her forearms. "Mom. It won't stop. Make it stop."

Melinda pulled over and moved to the backseat now, letting Rick resume driving. "What do you see?" Melinda slid over to her daughter as Katie just shook her head, tears running down her face. Katie's arms were on fire, the world stopped around her. It was so cold. "Millie, we want to help you. But we can't if you don't tell us what's keeping you here. I want to help you. My daughter wants to help you. Let her go."

"She doesn't want to help me," Millie muttered, scoffing. "Why should I help her?"

"Just stop hurting her, alright? Let her go." Melinda said calmly, holding onto Katie. "Hey, I'm here baby. It'll be okay. Just breathe." Millie disappeared and Katie held onto her mother as she leaned into her. "I know how scary that can be. What did you see?"

"I was on fire. It was horrible." Katie cried, holding onto her mom. Rick didn't know what to say. He'd never really seen Melinda go through a vision before. Not one like that. "I couldn't move. Or even move my head to see where I was. There was only fire and sky."

"Look I know how painful this is okay? But look at me, I'm right here. Mom's here and we're okay." Melinda whispered, rubbing her daughter's back. This wasn't Katie's first rodeo, he assumed, by the ways he wiped her tears away and nodded. "There was a reason she showed you that. She wanted you to know what she went through. I wish it didn't have to be so painful sometimes, but sometimes it's the worst feeling in the world. But just think real hard about what happened. Did you hear anything?"

"I heard a voice. A man's. He said he'll be right back," she said, closing her eyes. "He was the one driving, but he never came back."

"Look, I know that this is not fair. Most kids don't have to think about death until they're much older, but we're different, right? We have this gift, a way to help people after they've lost the most important people to them, right? We have to help her." Melinda said, trying to explain to her daughter.

"Okay? But how?" She asked.

"Your vision. I need to know everything." Melinda said.

She closed her eyes. "I was on fire or well, Millie was. At first, her arms just hurt really bad, but then she couldn't feel anything." She closed her eyes again, going back through her vision. "There was metal burning and tire. There were cars. Three of them, scattered across the road. One was upside down and on fire. I think that one was Millie's. They looked like tin foil all scrunched up. Like when Mackenzie tried to put it back in the drawer that one time?"

"Yeah, I remember." Melinda smiled at her, kissing her forehead. "Did you see any license plates?"

"There were letters, ERS and the number four on one." She turned her head as if she was looking around. "But I can't make out any of the other ones. The fire is spread around too much."

"That was great Katie. You did great." Melinda whispered, rubbing her back. "You know what, let's go into town and just walk amongst the living for a little while. How does that sound?"

"I think I just wanna go to my room," she said, pulling away from her mother then and looking out the window. "Can we go home?"