Ghosts (Jeremiah)

[Possession counter increased to 80%.]

She came back.

And everything was different.

We were finally a family.

It was the kind of thing that I don't think I could've turned away from, even if I had tried. And, slowly, I began to completely forget even the remnants of the worlds before.

"Come on, Jere, we're going to be late," the eighteen-year old said.

Alex was beautiful. In any world or reality, if she existed, I knew I would find her. And, more importantly, if it took me too long, then she would find me.

Her dark brunette hair was braided perfectly in partial rows that crossed her visage like a crown. She had a tube of makeup in her hand.

I came closer to her and our lips met, before she'd get the chance to apply the lipstick. "Alright."

I was in love, I already knew that much. "Just let me slip on this stupid gown."

"It's not dumb," she commented.

I raised an arm in defeat, I was already walking away. My hand grabbed the cap and gown from the kitchen island when I passed it by.

"She's right, you know," mom said from where she texted and leaned against the cabinetry.

"I know, mom," I said and started to climb the stairs to my room.

I threw the academic regalia on my neatly tucked bed.

My room was spick-span; something my grandfather had stressed heavily as I grew up in his house. We'd eventually moved out, but the old-habit stuck.

I peeled my shirt from my body, lithe and muscled from all different kinds of sports. No scars though.

Scars? My ears started to ring. What a weird thought.

I shook my head and finished stripping down. I had a better outfit picked out to go under the robe; well, mom and Alex did, anyway.

I approached my dresser and grabbed the clean-looking shirt off of its matching pants. My eyes wandered to the many pictures that covered the top of the piece of furniture.

It was all there: me and Alex at prom, me and Blake on the field all dirty and exhausted but proud, me and mom when she'd gotten her degree--I was so proud of her for going back to school. It was my life.

The ringing grew worse.

"You really think it went this perfect, huh?" the voice instantly caught my attention.

"Blake?" I asked and shot my eyes up to the mirror that sat atop the dresser.

My eyes grew wide as they caught the side of a figure, but when I blinked it was gone.

[Possession counter decreased to 75%.]

My heart pounded and the ringing grew worse.

I put a hand on my head and made my way to my bedroom door; my shirt was only half-buttoned and I didn't have any pants on.

"Mom?" I called through the cracked door.

"Yeah, honey?" she called back, probably busy with something.

"Did Blake stop by?" I asked.

"No, honey, I don't think so!" she replied back. "Aren't you meeting him at the school?"

My eyes lingered on the ground for a minute. Yeah, I didn't think so either.

"Thanks! I'll be down in a minute," I said.

I started to close the door when a spotless and well-maintained hand crept around the wood.

"Hey, handsome," Alex said.

The ringing slowed down.

"We've got to go, soon," I said and smiled.

"Don't get any ideas," she guided me to let the door crack a little more and let her hands fall on my waist. "Not right now, anyway."

She slowly leaned in for a kiss and her voice drew quieter. "You need to hurry up."

I felt a shiver run down my spine the moment before our lips were close enough to feel.

I felt a finger touch mine right before they did.

Her eyes were playful as she pulled back.

"Lipstick," she said.

I looked incredulous, for a moment, but then glanced at the perfect looking color that sat on her mouth.

"Yeah, lipstick," I acquiesced; I felt the fire she had so easily lit in me twist and burn.

She smiled at me. So damn sexy and more than smart enough to know how to wrap me around her finger--far smarter than me.

"Let's go, handsome," she instructed. "Before Cassandra realizes I snuck up here."

She looked over her shoulder before she swayed away, knowing full well what she was doing and where my eyes were going. "I'm waiting. Hurry up."

I sighed as she descended the stairs. "Alright, beautiful."

That girl was going to be the death of me, eventually.

I walked back into my room, leaving the door just a little cracked. All good things that Alex promised aside, my eyes lingered heavily on the picture of me and Blake, before I again began to dress.

"Fucking weird," I muttered to myself.

[You've fallen under the effect of the Soothe spell.]

But sometimes things were, I guess, or maybe that was just me.

Grandpa picked us all up. He was driving today; apparently he'd left John and the black suburban back at the house.

"It's a big day for you two," he said; his hands were firmly on the wheel of the smaller, less showy car--the fact that I knew it was only one of many reduced the effect of it being a humbler vehicle, however. "Hope you're excited."

"Definitely," Alex said.

I got an elbow to the side when I didn't reply.

"Yeah, for sure," I said and then looked at my girlfriend for mercy.

"Big day," I added.

Grandpa raised an eyebrow, but I just couldn't get my mind completely off of what had happened earlier.

[Possession counter decreased to 70%.]

"Well, Alex you have all the big colleges nipping at your heels, right?" he moved the conversation on as he switched air-lanes. "You still stuck on WMAU?"

"Well, they're giving me the best benefits, and I don't really have a reason not to go," she said.

I knew that last part was aimed at me. Alex didn't exactly come from money. She'd worked hard to get to the top of the class; she was too good for me and had dragged me along to the top with her. Despite appearances, that girl could study as well as she could rock a dress--and she made me hit the books right along with her.

But I didn't want to go to WMAU. She wouldn't say anything about it. Not in front of my family, but she was sad about that. I knew she was. She wanted me to stay with her.

"You've done really well for yourself," Richard replied. "There's always an internship waiting for you over the summer at the company."

"I'd love that," Alex replied instantly. "It would look so good on my resume."

Richard chuckled. "Well, knowing you, I don't think anyone is going to end up rejecting the accolades you'll build over these next few years, but if they do I'm not above bringing out a little nepotism to get you started in your field."

Alex laughed back.

"I'll try not to need you to grease the wheels too much," she promised.

"Bah, what use is being old and knowing people if you can't use it for the young people around you?" he commented. "Gotta get something out of these cracking knees and the robo-heart."

"Stop, daddy, you've got so many years left in you," my mom interjected from the passenger seat.

"Oh, I'm too stubborn to go yet," he agreed. "Not before I get to see our boy put on the uniform."

He glanced back at me. "Though I do still wish you'd go the officer route."

"It's not for me," I said. "I don't even know what I'd want to major in yet. I just don't really want to be stuck on a ship, commanding through a stream of HUD footage."

"I guess it was different in my day," Richard gave in a little. "We captains and young lieutenants led from the front."

"I think they still do, sometimes, but it's just moving more towards small teams of enlisted guys," I replied. "I guess they figure the educated ones just don't need to be there."

"Bullshit if you ask me," he replied.

"Dad!" mom scolded him.

"My bad, honey," he said and laughed.

"I'm sorry, young lady," he apologized to Alex.

"It's fine!" Alex said and laughed. "You can say whatever you want."

"To hell he can, what would mom say?" Cassandra asked her dad.

It was sort of true; grandma refused to let people cuss in front of guests and anyone below the age of around thirty--who she considered all kids. Grandpa's wife and mom had made up a few years ago and were now closer than could be; turned out it really was just the drugs that had driven them apart.

"Well, look at that," Grandpa said and changed the subject, "we're here."

The car didn't immediately dip from the air. The lines that led to the massive school were absolutely packed.

"I don't think we're getting out of the car for a while, grandpa," I commented after glancing out of the window.

"Oh, well, too late to go back to scolding me, isn't it?" he remarked with a bit of humor.

"I guess," Cassandra commented.

"I am your father, you know?" he told her. "When did you and your mother start teaming up on me? And she's not even here."

I smiled and just listened, enjoying the sounds of the people I cared about bickering and joking, and the feeling of my hand sitting in Alex's own--as it had been for the entire ride, as it always was.

[Possession counter increased to 90%.]

"You're fucking up, Jeremiah," the same voice from before suddenly cut in.

Then I saw it: the face, but more clear and lingering this time. It was Blake's, my best friend, but it was mangled and cut up with what looked like imbedded rocks and metal.

My blood ran cold.

The face was that of a dead man and it just frowned. "Keep your eyes open, soldier."

Then it was gone again.

I felt Alex's hand tighten in mine.

"Everything okay, Jere?" she leaned in and whispered.

"I--" I hesitated. "Yeah."

I turned my head back and gave her a weak smile. "Everything's fine."

Forgetting myself I leaned in for a kiss.

She didn't put a finger on my lips this time; rather, she just leaned back away from me and glanced her eyes back to the front seat.

Where, of course, my mom was looking back at me and Richard was doing his best to look like he didn't notice.

"You two having fun back there?" she asked.

"Eh, sorry, mom," I replied.

She grunted and turned around.

I laughed a little, but my heart wasn't all the way in it.

Cassandra's hand squeezed mine again.

"Whatever it is, we'll talk later," she promised in a quieter voice. "I still want you. No matter what."

She must think this was about school and me enlisting.

How could I tell her what I'd seen? She'd think I'd lost it. Hell, I already did.