A father unknown

The picture that Ash's fingers swept over next caught him in a trance, as if he was in the moment. His father had his hand possesively on his shoulder, his mother smiling weakly from the sides. Bruise marks remained subtle on his wrists where he had been held by his father.

He drew his breath in slightly as fingers brushed over his hand. "Hey. It's okay. I know it's hard to look at, but if what you told me was real, then we have to do this. Ok?" Tammy's voice said from over his shoulder, startling him. He swallowed, flipping the page anxiously.

"What do you want me to look for?" He responded, feeling very exposed. Tammy thought for a minute. "Maybe bruising, or if anyone has cuts, and especially if the people in the pictures with him are avoiding him."

"Right," Ash said, his face holding a stoic expression. "If your looking for bruising, then that should be in most of the pictures. He made me and mom look happy in the pictures, but I don't know about other people who took pictures with him. He tried to hide most of the cuts in them though."

She nodded and thought for another minute. "Do you know of any people in here that your father hung out with a lot, or who didn't like him? Or who he didn't like?" She said, looking at Ash. He thought. "Actually, yes. There was always one woman who he would pick on a lot, who always blamed mom for not controlling him. We think he tried to kill her one time, because she suddenly ended up in the hospital with stab wounds one day, and that same night, my dad had been out of the house. He seemed tired the next day, and said he'd been drinking with friends, but me and mom both didn't believe him." He finished this with a shudder. "And she went crazy after that. She kept on blaming me and mom for not controlling him while we had the chance. That he was gonna kill us all." Ash winced. "And he tried to, soon after."

He swallowed hard, trying to put aside the memories that flew through his head. His voice was starting to grow hoarse, and his eyes wet, and he wanted so bad to scream and cry and forget everything.

"Hey, it's ok. I think I know what's happening now. I'm sorry about your family Ash." Tammy said, cutting into his sniffles. She watched him as he cried silently, wishing she could take the painful look off his face. Even when he cried he was pretty. The curve of his throat, the way his dark hair stuck to his neck with tears, his cheekbones, his jawline... but she could never hope to have a boy like him. She was so weird. He would never approve. She would have to continue on like always, being the geek of the group.

"Tam," Ash said quietly, startling her a little. "Yeah?" She said, looking longingly at him, his hair covering his face. She watched the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed, making a small noise. He inhaled and exhaled shakily, leaning back on his hands and letting his head fall back. "Do you think I have a chance? Y'know, with what's going on? Do you think this lady wants my head because of my dad?"

Tammy sighed. "From what I can tell, she's after you. But you can take precautions, like carrying a cross with you, or putting salt in front of your door or around your house. And if you ever get the feeling that she's in the room with you, then try to ignore her unless she makes a move. Then ask her what she wants and tell me. Ok?"

Ash nodded, looking quite small. He coughed suddenly, a shudderingly hard, painful cough. He coughed a few more times. He gave an odd look and his hand went to his neck. He coughed one more time, his arm in front of his mouth. When he pulled his sleeve away, it had a red fluid on it. "Ugh... what the hell... my throat..." He squeezed his eyes shut hard as he swallowed, the cords in his neck standing out. He grimaced. "What the hell did that thing do to me..." He said, his voice sounding like sandpaper.

Tammy could do nothing but stand by, and she shivered slightly at this. "She really wants your head. If this stuff keeps happening from those bruises, or she attacks you again, come over to my house. Even at night. Sneak in through the window. And are you ok?"

Ash gave an unsure look. "I think so, but I have no idea what's happening to me." Tammy sighed in relief. At least he wasn't choking to death or something.

Getting over the initial surprise, she mustered up one more question. "Hey Ash, when did this lady die?"

Ash jerked foreword as if he was about to throw up. "What do you mean, die?! Shes still alive." He said, surprised. Tammy froze. "Wait, you mean she's fine?" A sick feeling grew in her stomach and for a second, she thought she might throw up. "Yeah..." Ash said worriedly.

Tammy exhaled through an o shaped mouth. "Then Ash...you've gotta watch the fuck out. There's someone like me on her side....and I'm goddamn hard to beat in the paranormal field...they call me a code name even."

Ash shuddered. "And? Who is this that I'm sitting with then?" He said through his hair.

Tammy couldn't help but smile a little.

"I'm the whisper."