Chapter 8

I glared in the direction of Robert the doll's voice as I said sarcastically " Hello Robert never thought I would have the pleasure of seeing you again, what brings you to my hotel room "?

He didn't even bother to answer my question as he said " Nalic I presume, why don't you get out of here while I talk to Ms. White ".

It was more of a statement than a question so I did not doubt that Nalic left as asked, I would to if I were him but I'm not so I guess I'm stuck talking to the stupid doll.

It was quiet for a moment before Robert started talking " so Ms. White mind to tell what's happening in my territory or will you refuse "?

I frowned " why would I refuse "?

He chuckled " you don't seem to like me very well so I assumed you wouldn't want to tell me, am I correct or no "?

I shrugged " maybe, maybe not you'll just have to ask the questions if you want the answers and I'll decide if I want to answer or not ".

He chuckled again " I like you, Ms. White you are not afraid of me like most are which is why I am thinking of helping you ".

" Uhu and what's in it for you because I doubt you would do anything for someone without getting something in return ".

He hmmed "You're right what I want is for you to update me on your Grandmother every once in a while and maybe if I'm feeling generous I might even help, for a price of course ".

" Of course " I repeated with a frown.

" Is it a deal then "?

" Depends, how exactly would you be helping me "?

" Well, Ms. White I would make sure you could see ghosts without the glasses ".

" How "?

" I will give you something to drink ".

I frowned " what is it "?

" Nothing that you would want to know ".

" oh really and what if you were giving me poison "?

" I'm not ".

" I don't know that ".

He sighed " I guess you will have to trust me then ".

I scoffed " I don't trust you as far as I can throw you and since I can't see I'm not able to throw you ".

He chuckled for the third time which was starting to irritate me, oh who am I kidding everything this doll does irritates me, that's probably why I don't trust him.

He probably spends his days pranking people like he did me making them do things that they normally wouldn't do if he hadn't pushed them to do it. I never would have broken into that lighthouse if he didn't do that prank on me, now I'm just glad I didn't get caught. I doubt that if I tell the police that Robert the doll made me do it that they would even believe me, hell they might lock me up for even suggesting it.

Now the stupid doll wants me to drink something and he won't tell me what's in it um no thanks I was told never to drink anything given to me by dolls that come alive. I wasn't told that of course but if Mimi was here I bet she would have told me just that I mean it's common sense if you ask me. Though I guess if I don't do it there could be a possibility that I can't see the ghosts without the glasses and if I put them on I could go completely blind.

Which is something I don't want but I also don't want to trust Robert I was telling the truth when I said I didn't trust him as far as I could throw him, I wouldn't trust him even if I could throw h-. I was jolted out of my thoughts when I felt something cold brush against my arm before a voice said to me.

" Bella I swear to you that nothing in that drink will harm you besides the foul taste of course but that should only last for a moment or two ".

" Why is it so foul," I asked with a frown.

" That I don't know none of us even knows what's in it, not even Robert though would never admit it ".

I laughed " so the all-knowing Robert doesn't know something ".

I heard him let out a breath of irritation " just drink it ".

I felt some sort of cup land in my lap and I was glad when nothing spilled on me, I grabbed the cup and slowly brought it up to my lips as best as I could being blind. When I took the first sip I wanted to spit it right back out, it was like someone took all the bad tastes in the world and combined it as one and placed it in this cup. I swallowed the sip I already took before holding my nose and gulping down the rest, I felt like I wanted to throw up but I forced myself to swallow it.

In a couple of seconds, the taste was gone and so was the feeling to throw up but I was starting to feel quite tired for some reason and I didn't know why. If I had sight at the moment my vision would have gotten hazy but I didn't so I just felt my body shutting down.

Before I was completely out I heard a voice say " I will come to see you when I want answers, Ms. White ".

******

I was jolted awake by something sold on my arm and whatever that was it was trying to shake me awake, I tried to open my eyes but then remembered that I could not see. I slowly sat up on the bed and I felt the coldness on my arm disappear so I suspected they moved away to give me some room.

As I sat on the bed I heard a voice say " are you ok I came back after the thing you called Robert left and no matter what I did you wouldn't wake up ".

I could tell right away that it was Nalic from the sound of his voice " yeah they had me drink something and I think it made me pass out ".

I heard the frown in his voice when he asked " you drank something they gave you "?

I shrugged " the ghost with a hook for a hand said it wouldn't harm me and I trust him ".

He sighed " alright I'm just glad you're ok, I think enough people have died in this hotel room ".

I shook my head in amusement " I guess so, what time is it "?

" It's noon I think, I don't pay attention to time ".

I nodded before reaching into my pocket and pulled out his father's dog tags, I wasn't sure how I was supposed to give it to him but I didn't have to because he had pulled it out of my hands.

" You found it, I- thank you " he must have wrapped me in a hug because I could feel the cold around me.

I smiled happy that I had finally given Nalic the thing he needed to move on maybe hen he does he will meet his dad again, I'm not even going to guess what the afterlife could be like. Different religions say different things and the thing is they don't know what happens so I'm not going to try to understand I just hope it's somewhere you see old friends and family. I knew he had pulled away when I felt the coldness ear me leave but what I didn't expect was to feel him pressing the dog tags back into my hands.

I frowned " what's wrong Nalic "?

" Nothing can you do me a favor "?

I nodded " of course what do you need "?

" Can you give this to my family I'm a ghost so I can't do it but you can ".

I opened my mouth to refuse but for some reason, I couldn't say no, there was no way for him to get it to his family and they have been missing this for a while but no one could find it. Now I have granted with the help of their son who is a ghost but I still found it and I am the only one that can give it back to them. Nalic might be able to pick up the dog tags because they are the only thing keeping him here but I doubt his family will appreciate a floating dog tag at their door.

I can only imagine how they would feel when they see the dog tags floating in mid-air, they might even think it is a prank and the dog tags aren't real. If I show up at the door by telling them where I had found it they we probably just be happy that it was found and not ask questions.

I knew what I had to do so with a sigh I said " alright Nalic I'll do it ".

" Thank you," he said quietly.

I was quiet for a second before I said "You're not going to be able to move on until I get this back to your family are you "?

He sighed " probably not but I promise to stay out of the room when you are sleeping ".

I was quiet for a second before I held my hand out for him to shake forgetting he was a ghost " alright deal ".

I felt something cold wrap around my and I could have sworn it was an actual hand granted a very cold one if I didn't know the person I was shaking hands with is a ghost. I'm not sure how many side effects there are going to be but I hope it's nothing that will leave me permanently damaged. Plus there's the drink Robert had me drink and I have a feeling that there is something it is going to do to me.

What that something was I didn't know yet and I doubt even Robert knows which should have scared me but it doesn't. I don't think it would be anything that could kill me since Robert has no reason to kill me plus he wants info on what is happening on his territory. I find it a little amusing that Robert can own the whole of Key West being only a little doll but I guess size doesn't matter it's how many people fear you.

I don't think I could ever fear the doll but I haven't known him for long maybe the more I spend time here it will catch on me. Then again maybe not though it does make me wonder what this doll did to scare nearly all the ghosts in Key West following his rules. I mean what could he do to make all the ghosts fear crossing him.

Ringggg.

I jolted out of my thoughts when I heard my phone ring and started searching around for it on my bed when I felt a cold hand on my arm and a phone being pressed into my hand.

I smiled " thanks Nalic ".

" No problem " he answered back.

I turned my thoughts back to my phone and tried to answer the call, somehow I must have because I heard Gigi's voice coming out of the phone.

" Hello Bella I just wanted to check up on you I hope it isn't a bad time ".

I cleared my throat " umm no I just woke up before you called actually ".

I could hear a smile in her voice as she said " that's great I wouldn't have wanted to wake you up by accident or interrupt anything ".

I smiled even though she couldn't see me " nope just sleeping how about you Gigi "?

" Oh me and Richard are good Angelo is helping us as much as he can and whatever he can't do I do ".

I shook my head in amusement " Gigi you should relax more "

She sighed " if I relax this place will be covered with dust and other dirt ".

It was my turn to sigh " alright Gigi whatever you want, Papa is not too much trouble for you is he "?

She laughed " that man lives to fight with me about everything and not only that but he still makes such a mess ".

" I'm sure he doesn't mean to Gigi plus he did have a stroke and it affected his mind ".

She huffed out a breath " fine I guess your right ".

I nodded and was about to say something else when I heard a crash from her side of the phone and then she was yelling.

" HALO YOU BROKE MY FAVORITE LAMP! sorry Bella I have to go ".

Before I could say anything she hung up the phone and was probably going to put Halo in his cage, it's what she did every time he missed behaved. Halo is the cat we found a year or two after Mimi disappeared and he likes to chew on everything and climb on everything. He is one of Nosey Rosy's kids Gigi and Papa were finding the other ones dead and when Halo came to eat he was brought in.

Neither one of them wanted to bury another one of her babies and I can say I didn't blame them even though we already had a lot of cats. He was the cutest thing when he was little despite chewing on everything and anyone. He helped make Mimi's disappearance a little bit more bearable and I am so glad we took him in.

As he got a little bit older every time I went out to get something for breakfast or feed the cats he would want to be cuddled and would keep meowing until I do. Of course, Gigi would say I caused him to meow when I went out to hold him but that wasn't true. When I would hold him he would pure and rub against me before trying to bite me.

He wouldn't be Halo if he didn't try to bite me, I, of course, would hug him and cuddle him before putting him back down and starting school or my chores. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the knocking on the door until a voice yelled through the door.

" BELLA WAKE THE HELL UP I WANT TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT BEFORE WE HAVE TO GO TO THE DOCTORS ".

I was about to get up and try to open the door when I heard it creak open before Cece said in a shaky voice " umm Bella your door just opened by yourself ".

Before I could answer her I heard Nalic say " it was me I thought you would need help ".

I nodded " Thank you Nalic ".

Cece let out a shaky sigh after I said that " oh ghost boy I remember you telling me about him ".

I nodded again " I would introduce you to each other but you can't see or hear him ".

I heard a frown in her voice as she asked " were you able to hear him without the glasses before "?

I shook my head " no I think I would know if could hear ghosts before I put those glasses on ".

I felt the full force of her glare on me before she sighed and it softened " alright we should get going I'll help you to the car ".

I didn't hear her anywhere near me so when something grabbed my arm and helped me off the bed I jolted and had tensed up. Then I felt the coldness on my arm and I knew that the person who was helping me was Nalic. He guided me to my sister who was probably standing in the doorway quite confused about what was happening.

I guess it would look confusing since she can't see Nalic plus she didn't know I could touch ghosts or is it ghosts can touch me. I don't know and dwelling on it will just get confusing so I let Nalic pass me to my sister before thanking him. Cece just stood there for a second until I nudged her in the side and she started pulling me to the car.

She seemed in a hurry to get away and I wasn't sure why, maybe she is afraid of Nalic though I don't see why he's harmless. It could be because she can't see him or hear him just the things he does around the room. I could feel Cece slightly shake as she pulled me to what was probably a cab to take us to whatever.

She made sure to help me in before going to the other door and getting in herself, I heard her seatbelt click before she reached over me and put mine on.

I turned and glared in what I thought was her direction before I said " I could have done it myself ".

I heard her scoff " why didn't you then "?

I shrugged " I forgot it happens ".

She sighed " you are equally as useless if you would still have your eyesight ".

I opened my mouth to say something insulting to her but decided against it since she was the one leading me everywhere and instead asked.

" What time is it "?

I heard rustling before she said, " oh shoot it's two forty we need to get to the hospital, guess we will be getting lunch after ".

I heard her telling the cab driver that we were now going to the hospital before I heard her playing a game on her phone. It didn't take long for the cab to get us to the hospital and Cece was out her door and helping me out of the cab. Then we were walking up the stairs to the entrance and once we got in she set me down on a chair and went to the front desk.

" We're here to see the doctor for my sister Isabella Klos he is supposed to look at her eyes ".

" Hmm let me see, ahh here it is I'm afraid you will have to wait for a little bit though the doctor you saw yesterday is running over with one of his patients ".