Chapter 24: Lost hope
Molly was in the attic, while she was... Searching on her phone ''How to become a ghost''. Of course, she couldn't find any information, but at least she had to try it. Wait a minute... Libby has books for stuff like that. She may know thing or two for separating your soul. While she was thiking about this, Scratch appeared from the Ghost Word with a cup of ghost coffee.
''I'm back! See, Moll, I can take care of myself'' Scratch said, while he was drinking his coffee.
Molly was still worried, since his injury still haven't healed. But it looked like she really was worrying too much, since her best friend looked perefectly fine.
''Well... I'm glad you are ok... I gotta see Libby later. I want you to stay here and rest! DON'T do anything risky or dangerous!'' Molly said.
Scratch annyoed and even shocked. Molly has aways wanted him to take risks. She is the one who said ''Risks makes life worth living''. And now to just throw that away?
''Uhhhh... Yeah, sure. Alright, I'll just go get some sleep, bye'' Scratch said, as he went inside the dollhouse.
As Molly left the attic... Scratch was little worried. Not because of Molly's overprotection... Not because of her saying to not take risks... But because while her phone was still on, he saw her search history...
...
Libby was back in the bookshop. She and Charlotte grabbed something to eat... And of course, she couldn't taste ANYTHING. At this point, she completely wasted her money, but she still wanted to eat... Could there be anything that can fill her up?
''Again... Try your mom... She sure looks tasty...''
''A hard no!'' Libby said.
Again... For a moment, Libby thought about it. She was still mad at her mom... But she really was gonna admit it, she sure looked delicious. When she snapped out of this, Libby was feeling dusguested from herself. How could she even think about eating her own mom?
''Libby Stein-Torres!''
From disgusted, Libby was now annoyed.
Ughhhhhh, WHAT? I told you, I don't want to talk with you!'' Libby said, as she started to walk to her room.
''I checked the family's bank account! You've spended 80 percent on way more groceries than we need! Any explanation?'' Leah asked, angry.
''None of your business!''
''Oh, it's my business, alright! Those money were for your future, but you've blowed it all for food... Especially junk food! What, you are catering parties or something?''
''As I said... NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! Just leave me alone, I don't wanna see you! Lalalalala, I'm not even gonna look at you!'' Libby said, as she covered her ears and started to sing, so she won't need to see or hear her mother.
Leah was feeling disappointed... And even little sad that her daughter doesn't even want to look at her.
''Libby, can you please stop with this, you aren't 5 years old!''
''LALALALA, I EVEN GONNA LOOK AT YOU-
That's when Libby felt huge pain in her stomach, as it started to growl from hunger. It was so loud and painful, Libby stopped and almost lost her balance.
''Libby? Are you okay?'' Leah asked, as her anger turned to worry.
Libby was so hungry, she even started to drool from hunger. Libby had no idea how to stop this... She was helpless.
''I-I'm fine! Just leave me alone!'' Libby said, as she locked herself in her room.
She had no idea how to stop that hunger. Libby really, really, REALLY wanted to eat something... Whatever it is. Just something to satisfy this endless hunger...
While she was trying to think of something... She started to stare at her turtles. Libby was just looking at them with hungry eyes. They were so cute... Small... Tasty...
''NO! NO, NO, NO, NO!''
Libby couldn't believe she was thinking about eating her turtles. Those turtles were her most precious pets... She can't just eat them.
What if she just fall asleep? If you are sleeping, you can't be hungry... Right? But if she falls asleep... She will end up the demon's nightmare hell. Every... Single... Time... Even if she takes 5 minutes naps, she ends up with nightamares...
But Libby really was getting sick and tired from this hunger. She layed down on her bed... Closed her eyes... And little before she fall asleep, she saw the demon in the corner of her room...
''Big mistake, sweety''
Libby immediately got back up... But it was too late. Outside her room, the clouds were red and the demon was gone... And there wasn't a single person on the streets.
''No... NO, NO, NO! MOM! MOM!''
Libby went to the living room... And her mom wasn't there. Libby realized, she is trapped in another nightmare. She tried to bite her tongue, but it didn't worked.
''MOM! MOOOOOOOOOM!''
Desperate to wake up, Libby had hope that maybe if she screams, her mom will hear her and wake her up.
''No need to try... It won't work...''
No one was hear... Yet, Libby was hearing the voice of the shadow demon. Libby just curled up at the corner of her room, knowing that if she tries to move or do anything, it will end up really bad for her.
There was no sound... The only thing Libby could hear, was her breathing and the beating of her heart. That was the biggest silence ever... No sounds from the world around her...
''Trying to hide, eh?''
Libby saw... That there is a disturbing, tall, humanoid shadow demon... With large and disturbing smile.
''COME HERE, LIBBY!''
The demon jumped at her... But Libby immediately got back up and ran towards the door. She expected to be in the bookshop, but she somehow ended up in a forest near abandoned church.
''What? What is this?''
Libby was also feeling... Very weithless. She also noticed, how she is floating in the air.
''Wh-What? What's happening? Moooom? MOM, WAKE ME-
Libby couldn't even finish her sentence, when she saw a 16 year old boy running for his life from the police. That boy... Looked kinda familiar. Then Libby realized, this was Scratch as teen.
'''Scratch? Scratch, what is-
Scratch just ran through her, without even noticing her... Libby realized, this time he is the human and she was the ghost. What an irony...
Todd hid inside the church and placed a chair on the doorknob. Libby was just looking at this, confused. Then she saw how the police cars parked outside and all the cops... Looked mad.
''Mortenson! There is nowhere to run, come out!''
''LEAVE ME ALONE, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!'' Todd cried out, inside the church.
Libby had no idea what was happening... Then she remembered how she and Molly found out about Todd's case, killing a man.
After some time, the cops continued to yell, but Todd was still inside. No matter how much they were trying to tell him to come out, he was just hiding like a scared rat... And said the unthinkable.
''YOU THINK I'M SCARED? BRING IT ON! IF I HAVE TO, I WILL SHOOT ALL OF YOU, LIKE LITTLE BIRDS!'' Todd cried out, while holding his gun.
''Alright, that does it!'' an officer said, as he grabbed his gun, ready to smash the door and shoot.
''Oh no...''
Libby wanted to somehow help. Scratch was about to get shot and there is nothing she could do. She tried to stop the officers, but again they didn't even noticed her... Like she didn't exist here.
''I WARNED YOU, KID!'' The officer yelled, as he opened the door... And Todd just shot him right there.
He them came out the church and started to shoot all the cops, without any regret in his eyes. Libby was watching this massacre, both shocked and scared.
''NO, SCRATCH! STOP IT, DON'T DO TH-
''WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?!''
Todd saw her. He saw her... And pushed her on the ground and pointed his gun at her...
''Scratch? What are you doing? I-I'm your friend!''
Todd had red demonic eyes... She realized, he is dead serious to shoot her. Todd pulled the trigger and killed her on the ground...
...
Libby woke up, with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she saw... She went to the living room, wanting to see her mom... But she was gone.
''Mom?''
She then saw a note on the fridge...
I will need to see officer John for a while. There is dinner in the fridge... Love you...
She then noticed there is a little drop on the ''Love you''... Which means, her mom probably teared up from writing it. However, Libby didn't care at all...
Libby was scared to even close her eyes... She had no one. Her mom was dead to her, Molly wasn't her friend anymore... Scratch was questinable. She only had Charlotte...
While she was thinking about this mess, Libby heared how someone opened the door of the bookstore. Libby went downstairs and saw Molly...
''Hey there, Libby! I haven't seen you since-
''What are you doing here... The bookshop closed an hour ago!'' Libby said, angry.
Molly was surprised from Libby's angry voice... And her eyes. They were slightly red. She just assumed, Libby is having hard time from the whole prison drama...
''Ummm... Sorry, I had to see Ollie first, that's why I got little late...''
''Ugh, of course... Aways Ollie above me...'' Libby wispered.
''Huh?''
''Nothing... Again, what do you want?!''
''I just wanted to ask for... Supernatural books. You know, ghosts... Spirits... How to separate your soul from your body...'' Molly explained.
Without saying a word, Libby went to the bookshells and started to pick any book for the supernatural she could find. Even books that weren't about ghosts... At least, that way she could get extra money from Molly... She is probably too dumb to even notice those books won't even help her...
''There! That will be 95 dollars...''
''What? For few little books?'' Molly asked, shocked from the price.
''Just pay, or don't get anything!''
Molly was now even more shocked from how angry and mean Libby was. She wanted to figure out what was wrong, but at the same time she didn't wanted to annoy her...
''L-Libby... I... Maybe just one will do the trick...''
Annoyed, Libby returned the rest of the books and gave Molly just one book for the supernatural... And Molly didn't even noticed, that was just a fairytale Libby wrote when she was 5. Libby herself didn't even noticed that book...
''13 dollars...''
Molly payed and took her book and Libby started to walk towards the stairs to her home...
''Alright... Wanna hang out tomorrow?'' Molly asked with a smile.
''No!''
Molly was now sure, there is something bothering Libby...
''L-Libby... Is everything ok?''
''Yes, Molly! Everything is perfect! JUST LEAVE ALREADY!'' Libby yelled.
Molly jumped back, not expecting Libby to yell at her. She noticed the rage in her eyes... And how she is on the verge to jump at her and beat her up.
''Are you... Mad at me?'' Molly asked, scared.
''No, I just want you to leave!''
Libby really looked like Molly did a crime againts her. Molly wasn't going to leave, until Libby tells her what's going on.
''Ok, you are even worse lier than me... Just tell me what I did!'' Molly said.
''Huh?''
''Oh, come on, Libby! You are mad at me! And I want to know why... Did I do something to upset you?''
''What an annoying brat...''
Libby was on the verge to kick Molly, herself. She just wanted her gone... Gone from the bookshop, gone from her life, GONE FROM THIS TOWN!
''Wanna know, what you did?'' Libby asked, angry.
''Yes... Tell me, so I could fix it!''
Libby got closer...
''Alright... So, I had no friends, I was an outcast, and everyone hated me! However, then you showed up in my life and made me feel like the most happy girl in the whole word... And then, you just forgot about me!''
''Wh-What?'' Molly asked, confused.
''You got a boyfriend and just forgot I existed! I had to watch you how happy you were with him, while no one wanted to even look at me! The moment Ollie showed up, I was nothing to you!''
Molly couldn't believe Libby just said that... Sure, she was ghosting her from time to time, but Molly aways loved her best friend...
''Th-That's not true! I... I know, I was kinda ignoring you, but-
''BUT? BUT WHAT? I had to sit in the dark corner, alone! While you are having the time of your life! Everyone in this town loved you the moment you came here, while I was invisible my whole life!'' Libby said, as she even started to tear up.
''L-Libby... I care about you, I love you-
''Please, stop with the lies... You don't give a d*mn about me! Ohhhh and the biggest evidence for this is EXACTLY when Scratch became human, and left! When you were depressed, you refused to talk or even look at me... I tried to cheer you up, to talk with you, to spend time with you, but you couldn't even look at me! However... When Ollie was with you, you were melting in his arms... Is this something you wanna tell me? That you found someone better, so you don't need me anymore?''
Molly realized... This was true. For some reason, she didn't wanted to see Libby... But she was spending time with Ollie, completely forgetting about her...
''I... I just-
''I'm done with you, alright? I don't want to see you anymore! Giving you the friendship bracelet was the worst mistake I ever made... In fact, I want it back as soon as possible! I wish you never moved here, in the first place!''
Molly... Was shocked. Libby was serious... She was done with their friendship. Molly couldn't see losing another friend... She was ready to do anything, just to keep Libby as her best friend...
''N-No... No, please! Libby, I'm sorry... If I really made you feel this way, I'm really sorry...'' Molly said, as she also started to tear up.
''Yeah, like I would believe this. Just go away, get out!'' Libby said, as she pushed Molly from the bookshop on the street... And smashed and locked the exit.
Molly... Was standing there, speechless. Libby was gone... Libby was no longer her friend. She pushed her away, with her selfish relationship...