Ghosts of Averoigne

Logan had both feet on the floor now. He was staring upward, exactly to the spot where the woman hovered. Her hands moved to her face, and she began sobbing. Weeping.

“Yeah,” Logan confirmed. His voice was strong now, and soberingly awake. “I see her too.”

Seven

The apparition floating before them wasn’t just crying, it was wailing. The sound coming out of its mouth — if that’s what it was — was absolutely horrible.

“Hello?” Kara shouted out to it. The noise was grating now. Nails on a chalkboard. “Hey!”

The ghost-woman still ignored her. Her wailing grew louder, into a high-pitched screech.

“Make her shut up!” Logan cried.

“I can’t!”

The specter continued screaming at a frequency that vibrated deep within Kara’s chest, like a cold hand closing over her heart. She found herself covering her ears. It did no good at all.

“Who are you?”

At that the woman actually turned. Her chin tilted downward, and all of a sudden Kara was face to face with her.

Her eyes were wrong. That was the first thing she noticed.

Something’s wrong with the way she—

The woman screamed once more, this time the loudest of all. The sound sent a spike of terror through Kara’s soul.

“STOP IT!”

There were tears streaming down the apparition’s cheeks — tears that were almost mirrored by the abject fear in Kara’s eyes. Then, str

angely, the woman turned and stomped off. She moved with a halting, shuddering gait that was definitely not of this world.

At the other end of the room, the ghost-woman passed straight through the wall.

Silence settled in again, almost like it had never been broken. There was a strange ringing in Kara’s ears.

“You got that, right?” she asked when she could finally breathe again. “Tell me you got that.”

Logan shook his head slowly back and forth. “Sorry, no. My phone’s still charging. Plugged into the bathroom outlet.”

SHIT.

Kara drew her legs against her chest. She was suddenly very cold. Logan approached her cautiously. When she didn’t protest, he settled onto the bed beside her.

“You okay?”

“No.” Kara looked down at her bare legs. She was shaking all over. “Not even a little bit.”

Gently he folded his arms around her. She didn’t stop him. They felt incredibly good right now… warm and strong. The skin on skin contact made her feel safe. Protected.

“Any idea what the fuck that was about?”

Kara let out a short, nervous laugh. “None.”

“You didn’t owe that bitch money or anything? Because the way she looked at you. Screamed at you…”

She laughed softly. It felt good to laugh. Even in Logan’s arms.