6 - Flames

Leaving the police station having a long interview for the protective order was easily approved. Especially when police were called to her residence just hours ago with some man screaming up the place, noise complaints of the neighbors and they all stated he didn't live there. Worse was after police thought he left, he had been seen returned burning everything down. He was detained until any further investigation can prove turth. She shared the call that had triggered her mother's death. Her Lawyer had her not in the room for the other call he recorded. The man had history of stealing and terrorizing his renters. Drug history. A lot of things the spirit undertaker dug up for a case against the man.

She came to the still burning house, her shadow came back to her. The things she saved from the fire. Watching the wall falling, a surper explosion from poured flammable. A lighter with his blood on it recovered, rescued from the house.

"There is nothing left for me." She spoke gently at watching it all burn.

"What about your pets?"

"God slayers would have left the living world under living flames. Besides, the candle ingredients are burning. The place is a anti spiritual pass through. Anyone with a gate there is screwed until the humans can stop the choking embers." She shook, "Its a good thing I took all the paperwork before we left the hospital. My photos are gone. Pictures albums of my family gone." She looks to how Mr Gale is struggling in her boundless patience, "I need time to sleep. I am hungry too." She hugs herself, "I need to worry about other things. They aren't going to release any funds until I can prove my parents are dead. I am not taking out a loan." She is gently taken a direction to where he parked his personal care. The dash camera still recording. He goes through it and shook. He made sure that she was belted in safe and they drove to the really nice part of town. They had even drove past the Seer house, she can feel a pressure to draw herself there but she was to the willpower to repel these things.

"I have never really invited anyone here before, I have always wanted my personal life separated from work. But I have a spare room you can stay. I use what your father pays me as your rent. I am going to order some takeaway. What would you like?" She clearly never buys takeaway and had not clue what to have. She had to think a long time while he reversed into the drive way.

"A small burger meal. I am not fussy." She gets out the car and collects the bags she does. He seems quiet sunk into the driver seat a moment in why she took so long to reach that answer.

"Have you always cooked meals?" The undertaker asked appearing in thin air as many spirits do.

"Yeah. I make a lot of things from scratch but most times I bought short cuts if the meal needs to be quicker. We had odd diet issues between us. Mom can't have gluten and my father has a childhood dislike for white meats and sea foods. We had a recent cook more veggies kick." She closed the car door, "I guess it doesn't matter now." her hand lingers car, "Best I don't have any dairy right now." She loudly state, "It doesn't agree with me when I am unwell." She softens.

"Right." Mr Gale locked the car. He didn't seem to unlock his front door, opening it a moment. It was a inner poach where he hung his jacket and shoes off. Now he unlocked it. She takes her shoes off in respect of his house and closed door behind herself.

"Give me a moment to see if that room is still usable. Make yourself comfortable in the living room." She nods and puts the bags neatly to the stairs side. Plenty of space. She noted how quiet the place is and the heating only on where she is. Otherwise it was all on timers for air conditioning and secure alarms.

She came into the living room. Noted many frames of certificates and some famous hands he has shook. She looks at all of the awards and little gifts clients sent. Expensive taste, posed her after thoughts. Flat screen cruve TV with full sound bar. Two consoles, one game controller for each (a solo gamer or online). He has a table set up with a large pc and green screen behind the chair. Going by the models and hardware, online streamer. Not what she thought out of a guy that was this wealthy and good at his job as a lawyer.

She guessed that using the game console controller that it would also turn the TV on. She confidently switched from game mode to cable, Alex had his room TV this way. She finds nothing appealing on the normal channels but she eventually just watched the news channel. Listening to the government reforms and whatever crazy stuff. It crosses her mind to call her American family and tell them the news. She thought it better at just posting on social media first. She hovered at sending it or not.

"Call them." The spirit undertaker passed her the landline hand set, "Hearing it is better."

"A call to America isn't cheap." She gently voiced.

"He can afford it." Insisted and she takes the phone. She dials the numbers in and hovered shivering at making that call. It seems so hard to press the dial button. She sits back brushed a few tears and has just barely that courage. It dials a long time. It was maybe poor timing to call at this hour. People in bed. She nearly give up when it was her uncle that picked up.

"Hello." Dead exhausted from late work shift.

"I am sorry to call this late, uncle. But I had to talk. My mom and dad passed away. Other then the solicitor. Your the first folks I made this call to." She stop herself crying the words and he was silent himself, "It was earlier today. In hospital while they held each other's hands. I have everything sorted other then just spreading the news and waiting. A lot of waiting."

"Are you safe and OK?" He wanted to know for sure.

"Yes this moment I am safe. But it's a literal fire. My best friend died in my arms from his medical condition. The landlord burnt my house down while mom and me went to hospital. I not in a mentally good place but I have things to do. The solicitor is letting me borrow a room until I can get into a boarding school or something. The pensions and accumulated money leftover from not having a double casket funeral. They request to be cremated. I haven't even read the death wills yet. I am sure some little bit will come your way. I don't know at this moment. It be like mom to include something for her sister."

"I will tell you aunt and cousins. Your going to have to call you biological family and see what they will can to help."

"I appreciate the note. I am not planning on living in the states. I should be OK and I don't need anything that I am aware of. So don't worry. You have enough with grandmother. We all still reeling from 3 years ago. I miss grandpa."

"We all miss him and I am sorry."

"Thanks. I call another time. Facebook updates and stuff. Good night."

"Good night Luna." He hangs up. She peers at the TV of a breaking news report.

Her house fire is so big deal on the high street that evacuation of surroundings from high risk black smoke. She clearly pressed the hang up button following that. She was angry at the man that ruining it for the rest l. She felt bad for all that disruption caused. Those shops they are going be hurt. She considered who to call next but really there isn't anyone close she can think of. She took to her phone and signed into her mother's Facebook, changed the settings. She logs off there and goes to her dad's too. Changed those settings.

She finally went on her own and made four long posts in a sensical chronological order. She addressed all different angles of things. The loss of her freind. The loss of her parents. She posted on both parents their social places in giving a vague update. A simple that they passed away on this date from complications.

She posted the news article next. Then a long wind message of her nightmare landlord, of which she posted many grievances over the time of renting. She out right blames him for the stress that claimed her mother's life and the attempt to unlawful lock her out of her house. She further implied that she can't even come back to fetch anything from, given it was just ashes. Just to really sting it, her lawyer had uploaded his car footage, edits of some speed ups between boring long periods. He added hashtags related to her own posts and the same set used in the article. Gladly the internet community has her backing of suddenly past folks that moved out speaking up and wishing to sue the man with her. Generating big collections of money for her solicitor to pocket from this case. It's whatever, it works for them both.

When her school sent a email to her personally about spreading lies, she forward it to her lawyer and he quickly nips that one. She can hear that her mom's ring tone soon following upstairs and the answering by her now legal guardian. He was short with it and it worked. The school had to send out a new statement to all parents about the recent hardships for students, that exams are being reconsidered for individual cases. It also puts a condolences out for Alex and her parents in the same address statement.

It generated a ton mixed bag media of bullies being torn up by those that worked with her mom. That a entire work force and the companies sent out messages expressing the loss. In good gestures and to make them look better, promise to send flowers.

She had to turn her phone notifications off. She can't stand being this popular so suddenly. She sits at the sofa watching the news of them updating the breaking news. They showed her online posts and the video of the crazy guy. They couldn't disclose her name due to her age. They send out a condolences for her about the passing of her parents. They imply that the stress had been the cause of passing. Stating that that they vulnerable people condemned to be victims of a tyrant landlord. It is what the news media twisted it to be.

The front door was knocked on, the delivery guy passing over a big paper bag of takeaway. Mr Gale quick to closing and locking the door for now. Into the living room, sharing the sofa and looking at the news. He nods impressed.

"You have nack for smoothing words. Anyone else would have been more foul mouthed about it." He opens the bag and sorted out his portions from hers.

"You learn to. It doesn't matter how old i am. You just do. Despite living in this country for 9 years." She picked up what was her fizzy drink and has a sip a long while. He froze up all confused a moment.

"Sorry... your not a British citizen?"

"Nope." She sighed, "Its what I plan to use some of that money for next. Actually... maybe even half of it will be purely for that. I need to go to London to have my passport changed to an adult one. That costs. The life in the UK test. I need a bank account opened for just me." She returned to sipping and there her right hand held around herself like always.

"Your legal name is what?"

"Legally... I am Luna Dahlias Seer. I was born from a one night stand that when wrong. Mom told me. She thought that I was at least old enough to know my real father abandoned us. She knows I am his but he refused to believe she was faithful. His entire family didn't know... until Alex died. I sort of screamed at one of them. My frustration with them expecting me to beg for their money and help. I can stand them. Not even my half sibilings that are utterly clueless. I hated that they bullied me the most then all those other people." She shook at the thought, "I don't think they care about my parents and they clearly don't care about me. If they even began to try now... it would be useless. I am happier homeless then being their loyal pet."

"So much to unpack... and now I know why your mother paid double." He grits, "The samples of the blood tests." He held his head.

"Trust me, I am screwed." She takes the fries and has some, "The stupid book is begging for me to rescue it from them. They keep it up and they have death gods after them all." She munch so nonchalantly at this, bring the silence with discomfort. The undertaker partner certainly collapsed right there, "Not again. Seriously you undertakers are fragile." She puts the fries and drink to the table. She helps the spirit guy to a seat, "You way to burden with misery. I bet that has to do with how you died." She sits on the floor by the table, goes back to eating fries.

"Living people don't do that!"

"Salt, chalk and sage." She spoke rudely with her mouth munching fries. The pure confusion, "The powder combined creates a touchable surface. So even you can punch demon idiots. A hold jar kilo will cost you 85 quids, not including shipping." She munched happy of that expression drop, "Esty. Look us up." She pulled a business card from shadow, she had to check it is the current one. She frowns at how that was the skull cat one. She tried this several times at taking out several variations. She figures it put with using her other hand and swaps card to the then place it to his table.

"No..." He shivered picking that up, "Your the competition?" He hissed, "Your the folks that won over a god contract?"

"I don't make contracts. I do however have a lot of weird spirit clients. I don't know who they are and what they are. But hey... that the spirit world." She sighed, "And don't worry. We put a update notice up about not accepting orders. It was just side income for savings and tight months. It wasn't meant to be a major business venture."

"You?" He turned pitch and she frowns at not getting the big deal of this.

"Book... the book wanted to be rescued? What book?" The partner was snapped back to some sense again.

"Yeah, given you don't discriminate beings." Following the partners thoughts, "Why is this entity considered a book?"

"The title is something like 'the fragments compendium of forgotten things'. My mother says it sounds more like a book of broken souls. She complained that it gave her nightmares. So did the pets give her nightmares. She disliked Morpheus the most but loves Ragnor."

"You nicknamed the god eaters." The undertaker complained, "You can summon them, can't you?"

"Like I have a choose in the matter." She laughed, "I am the pet of the equation." She laughed, "Its like saying you own a cat. You don't. The cat tolerates and cares for you." She settled at finally unwrapping the burger for her. She has a napkin at reach too. Eats with trying to be as least messy as possible. The undertaker wasn't happy at not having that answer and certainly that Gale growls at his own tune.

"Can you make or have the abilities to find a ward against dream hunters?" She shurgs at this.

"Depends on the type of hunter that is attacking your dreams? Also why rob them their duty? It be like telling a grim repear that your cutting his pay half for same amount of job." She tilts in how the undertaker made a scared look, "Going by that express, your not just dealing with oath walker sorts. You must have upset a local creature. Easy to do."

"Fine... since your asking her help." Gale hissed, "Yeah. We have a uninvited entity that enters my sleep pattern. This is unnerving our bond together."

"Its shadow with claws? Or we talking mist manifests. Dazed changes to electric magnetic signatures? What sort of sound is it making?" She asked.

"For a secondary school kid, you watch to much ghost reality TV." She blinks at them, "Its killing my attempts to record it. So I have no recordings or footages. My doorbell especially." That sounds more like it, "Human shuffled steps and a haunting gasping wheezing."

"Oh, one the native American things. I love them. They are so cool. You must have entered a sacrifice ritual ground and disturbed the remains. Now the Guardians are checking you out. Judging your bravery and spiritual defense." She looks at this place, "You don't even have a dream catcher." She laughed, "At best the one client artifact in the window is your best bet."

"I don't keep things like that. In my living room." He got up to look.

"Don't touch it. That's a duel request. Sheesh." She sighs, "They must of those your lack of protective runes was ignorance of how strong you can fight it. I am sure you can talk to them. It is tab difficult with what they look like and the dead native American language barrier. But they know sign language. You should add sound and they know your point across enough." She munched away the burger, "Maybe you can appease them with a give of crystals. Mineral salt statues or other little charms. They appreciate the gesture. Maybe a kindness can be repay for later."

"What made you a export?" The undertaker asked.

"You try asking Sigil able me, then come back to that question again." She snorts.

"Wait, sigil?"

"The realm connected corridor that souls walk from one side to another through. It's a dead person thing." She sighs, "You know there is many hells and layers of hell. You know there some excuse of a heaven somewhere. Death gods have a world. Undertakers have multiple kingdoms over contential tectonic boundaries of our world." She tilts in looking at Gale was frothing at the mouth. She for that moment wonder if he was possessed by the creature.

"Enough." The undertaker warning his living partner.

"Anyways, the wendigo is the least of your worry. I would think it might be devoured by Ragnor. Ragnor eats those. That's nature for you." She cleans after self, all respect of finishing the drink and all tossed to empty delivery bag, "I would fear the Clothus. They are unpredictable and law breaking. Sly as a demon for enslaving. They care nothing for what the boundaries of life and death means. They will steal god souls if your not educated in their basic culture."

"Clothus... I heard about them recently."

"They are the root to many of your problems." She gets off the floor now, "Indirectly meddling in things and always having scapegoats to excuse themselves. I think the only time I had considered a clothus good news was seeing them leaving empty handed. They are human at the many degrees of back stabbing they can accomplish. For that much is useful to turn their games on them." She looks at the TV, "The keeper of the broken souks tome is the holder of the fundamental functions thier world lives through. A name removed or added changed the laws of interaction for them, sensitive to broken laws." She brushed carefully it all into the bag or table. She noted the flames have finally rested, watching the place crumbling. The building folding itself with all the wood supports gone. The update that the police are corden off the area as unknown bone remains are being found. She knows that there be jars of bugs and cult stuff that will be found. But it's what wasn't thiers that was making headlines. That the attic revealed a startling find. She shook.

"I am glad that they ate finally being put to rest. They were so angry at him for what he did to them." She spoke more at the TV, "We never found them, so we couldn't report it. Cemented into the attic, it's no wonder we never found them." She brushed an eye, "I am going to sleep. Ragnor has ate the ghost problems." She makes it to the stairs. Gale jolts in stopping her, "I have to recover."

"No. It..." He seems panicked.

"I don't care if you have other room mates that aren't visible for normal. I love exotic things. I don't have the energy to care about being scared of anything else. Clearly your time at some ritual ground as influence your supernatural properties. It's not my problem. I am not going to ask anything or tell other." He frowns deeply, "Your not a weirdo into wanting me."

"No!" His offended deeply by that assumption.

"Then your just a gamer geek or streamer for weird games. That's your hobby. The computer set up with four cameras." She picks up bags and was partly up the stairs, "Besides, your property is eclipsed into some other world realm. That's your neighbors fault."

"It is?" He had no clue.

"Yeah, the runic chalk patterns isn't a joke. It allows pocket realm to share spirit property to the living land inside the boundary lines. You should keep spirit salt around." She passed over a small bottle from her pocket. She has many emergency amounts like this. He watched her go the rest of the way up the stairs. She ignored a mask freak at the top of the stairs for a moment. She drops bags off into the room. She came back into the stair way, throws salt over the thing. It screams. She back slaps it silent and more salt for good measure. It left, sulking. She goes into what will be the borrowed spare bedroom. A little salt line along the door.

"She is the answer to so many things. It had to be a 16 year old." The undertaker complains.

"Well I can finally work out which contracts I am breaking or who I am passing off." They stay awake late doing that. What she mistake as cameras was smart projectors. His set up to have court boards, without wasting physical space. They brain storm so many legal issues in accepting her and the other options. They explore so many things, but they gravitate back to needing her to stay here until all the legal court hassle or money ran out.