Chapter 36: Mother's Call
It was 9 AM. Molly was back in the hospital. She couldn't even see Scratch one last time, because he left at 6 AM to go to work. It sucked that Molly had to spend the next few weeks here...
''Good morning, Molly!'' Maria came in her room.
''M-Morning...''
''So, how was the night with your family?'' Maria asked with a smile.
It was awful. Molly's friends betrayed her and made the biggest jerk possible a leader of their team... Then she realized she will be ended forever... And on top of that, she spent the whole night without sleeping again.
''It was... G-G-Great...'' Molly said, faking a smile.
''Good! I know, you'd prefer to be with your parents... But I promise, when you start doing better, you'll be back with them!'' Maria said, as she placed her hand on Molly's shoulder.
''I... I hhhh-hope to get b-b-b-better... Thanks. You're v-very k-k-kind''
''Awwww, just helping the little sweet girl you are! Ate anything?''
''No, I was r-r-running late, so... NNNN-N... No t-time for br-breakfast...''
''Oh, then we better get you something. The best part is that now you're my personal patient, which means I'll be with you'' Maria said, as she started to caress Molly's head.
This time, Molly was smiling for real, not just faking it. The woman sure looked and sounded positive, so it was good Molly had someone kind hearted close to her. At least Maria could make Molly's time at the hospital a little better.
...
''WHERE IS HE?!''
Scratch was so angry. After already 3 hours of work, Lecter told him that the Reaper won't actually come.
''I was shocked too! Just a minute ago, someone left that in front of my door!'' Lecter said, as he gave Scratch a little note with dark and sharp letters.
Lecter
I have too many duties, so I won't be able to come. Keep in mind that I'll come in check someday, but not in the near future. I have things I must finish... Literally...
Memento Mori
''So... He won't even come?!'' Scratch asked, shocked and angry.
''Well, nothing I can do. He said he won't come, we should respect it! GET BACK TO WORK!''
Scratch was worried. He didn't even wanted to see the Reaper, but he needed him for Molly. Maybe he knew how to help with her curse, but now God knows when Scratch would see him.
...
Molly was in Maria's office. After Maria got her a sweet pancake, it was time for a speech session... It hadn't even started, yet Molly was already nervous.
''We'll do it just like the last time. I'll read from the notebook different words and you'll have to repeat them slowly. When we're done with words, we'll start with sentences'' Maria said, as she opened on a random page.
''Okay...''
''Oh, that's a difficult one... Championship''
''Ch-Champ... Champ... Ch-A-Mp...''
It was impossible. Long words were now Molly's nightmare. No matter how hard she tries, she just can't and can't spell them out...
''Listen, just like I said it the last time. Talk slowly, veeeeeery slowly. Take a deep breath, then think about that word very hard, and let it out slowly'' Maria helped.
Molly did exactly that. She took a deep breath and focused everything she had on that word. She has to say it without stuttering or freezing.
''Ch-Ch... Cham...Pion..Ship... Champion-sh-ship... Chammm-p-pion-ship... Champ-pion... Shhh-Sh... I c-can't, I g-g-give up!'' Molly said, as she started to tear up.
''Hey, hey, don't cry. You're close, just give it time. It was a very good try, just cut the word in syllables'' Maria said, as she gently grabbed Molly's hand.
''I... I can't... I j-j-j-just can't...''
''It's okay... Okay, maybe long words will be for another time... It looks like you have a problem with saying pronunciation of lone words. We'll work on that. Let's try at least one sentence, shall we?'' Maria asked, as she wiped a tear from Molly's cheek.
This felt like some kind of joke. Talking properly is a given right... A given right that Samantha took away from Molly.
''O-Okay...''
''Let's see... Ah, there you go! A very inspirational one. Tomorrow will bring something new, so leave today as a memory'' Maria read it from her notebook.
''T-Tomorrow will bring ssss-s... Tomorrow... Will bring... Something... NNN-New... Tomorrow will b-b-bring something...''
Molly froze. It was impossible to say it without a single stutter or pause. She didn't want to be here. All Molly wanted was to just hide somewhere and never show her nose again...
''Okay... Maybe we need a little break...''
This was unfair. Molly was at the lowest point in her life. Not being able to walk and talk... It was all Samantha's fault.
''I t-t-tried...''
''And that's what's important. Even if it's hard, you give your best. I have an idea... What if I give you one notebook? There, you can write any words or sentences to practice''
This sounded interesting. Maybe more practice it's what Molly needs. And writing was probably the only thing she can do here...
''FFFF-Fine...''
''Great! I'm telling you, Molly, everything will work out in the end... Just be patient'' Maria said, as she looked around her desk and gave Molly a little blue notebook.
This was never gonna happen if Samantha never appeared. Molly was stuck here because of her... She sure will have her sweet revenge. The notebook looked fine... But something in mind popped up in Molly's head.
''It's nnnnn-nice... But... Do you have p-p-purple ones?''
...
It was now 4 PM. Scratch was on a little break, so he layed on a bench in the Ghost World. The Grim Reaper didn't show up... And Scratch had to work the whole day, while Lecter was yelling and insulting him again.
This wasn't fair. Ghost Shark was the only thing protecting Scratch, but now he didn't have right to bring him here. He slowly closed his eyes... A quick nap wouldn't hurt.
''HEEEELP!''
Scratch opened his eyes... And wasn't in the Ghost World anymore. He was in a weird city... Huge city. The clouds were red and the buildings around him were in flames. There were so many corpses on the ground. He saw the huge One World Trade Center, which means he was in New York... But why was he here? And why does it look like there is an apocalypse?
There was also something glowing purple in the sky... A girl in a black leather jacket, purple shirt and a black skirt... Her hair was down with only one purple strand... And had a weird mask... It was Molly...
''MOLLY?! WHAT THE?!''
She was just flying around, destroying everything on her way. Every sign, every building, even a plane that was in the sky... She shot lightnings at everything.
A woman appeared in front of Scratch. She had glowing bright hair and a white dress... But her eyes were red, and she was talking to herself.
Scratch got closer. This woman didn't look normal, but that place in general wasn't normal. The closer he was getting... The more and more he started to recognize the woman... That was his mom...
''M-Mom? How are you-
The woman looked at him... Her red eyes were crying blood... This was something that looked like his mom, but it wasn't her.
''You're wasting time...''
''What?''
''YOU'RE WASTING TIME!''
Molly then noticed them from the sky and shot many lightning arcs toward Scratch... But the woman jumped at him, both fell and used her back as a shield from all the lightnings Molly continued to shoot.
''AGHHHHHHH! Y-YOU'RE LOSING HER! YOU'RE LOSING HER!''
Scratch was on the floor, while the woman was above him and was protecting him. He had no idea what was going on...
''WHAT'S HAPPENING?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!''
''AHHHHH-AGHHHHHHHHHHH! TH-THE MIND, TODD! THE ANSWER IS HER MIND! SAVE HER, TODD! SAVE HEEEEEEER!''
...
''SCRATCH!''
Scratch fell from the bench and saw Lecter with a mad look on his face. Probably because he was being late, but he didn't care... Scratch was in so much fear and shock from the nightmare he just had.
''Ugh, sorry... I fall asleep...''
''I can see that, you're late with 5 minutes! GET BACK IN THERE!'' Lecter yelled, pointing to his house.
Scratch flew inside, got a mop and started to clean the floor... While thinking about the short nightmare he just had.
That was her mom... A creepy version of his mom. What was she trying to save? To save who? Was she... Talking about Molly? And what does she mean her mind was the answer?
This didn't make any sense. And that version of Molly... That was the same demonic version he saw in other nightmares. If Molly doesn't die... Was this what the curse would transform her?
...
Molly was laying on the bed in her hospital room. After she got the purple notebook that she wanted, she wrote a whole page with random words and sentences... And she couldn't say a single one right.
''The bunny likes c-c-carrots... The b-b-bunny... The bunny lllll-likes c-c-c... The bunny... UGHHHHH!''
It really was impossible. Molly wanted just one, ONE SENTENCE without any stuttering and pauses. She was so mad at herself, that she threw her notebook on the wall.
''Wh-Wh-Why... Why is shhhh-she like this... I saved her life... I SAVED HER DAMN LIFE!''
For a moment, the lightbulb flicked... And Molly realized she said a whole sentence without stuttering. Her veins under the bandages were glowing...
To think about it... Molly hadn't even tried to turn herself into her ghost form. Of course, it was dumb to do it when she was in that condition, but... Wait a minute... Samantha was dead... Her body was wounded by Ruben's axe...
It was both a stupid, but interesting idea. Molly had to see if it would work. She raised her hand to the lightbulb and very slowly started to drain the energy... The electricity was going inside her arm, and Molly could feel getting better.
''Oh... No way... No way... NO WAY!''
Her veins were glowing brighter and brighter... And Molly was once again a phantom and flew out of her bed...
''YES! Okay, okay... Nice and slowly...''
Molly started to turn into her human form again. Very slowly but surely, her feet stepped on the ground. The bright aura around her was disappearing and she was human again... But this time, she was standing on her feet.
''Oh my gosh... OH MY SWEET GOSH, I DID IT! AND... OH YES, YES, YES, YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!''
She could walk and talk normally again. Her powers not only saved Samantha, but also saved Molly herself. Finally, she is normal again! She can go back home and possibly return to her superhero life.
To think about it... Is it really dangerous? Who says that she can't control her powers, they just saved her! Molly was jumping and cheering in joy, realizing her phantom power wasn't a curse... It was a gift...