Haunted

The harsh smell of something like piss stinging at my nostrils, and a chorus of frantic voices pulls me from the depths of unconsciousness.

Vague images, remnants of a dream, linger in my mind like strings of smoke vanishing in the air.

And as I open my eyes a crack, I’m met with Liam’s anxious face looming over me. He holds an uncapped vial under my nose.

“What the hell is that?” I choke, shoving his hand away. “It smells disgusting!”

“Liv! Are you alright? It’s just ammonia… you passed out.” His voice carries a note of urgency, and my senses gradually return to focus.

I blink, trying to orient myself, grateful to find no traces of pain or discomfort. Only the sting of embarrassment courses through me as I lie on the floor like a crumpled rag.

Alek and Professor O’Leary huddle over Liam’s shoulders, staring at me like I’m a sea turtle laying eggs on the beach.

“What... what happened?” I manage, attempting to push myself up.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Liam replies, worry etched into his features. “We were getting worried about you, and when Alek came in to check, he found you on the floor—unconscious.”

“Have you been drinking, Liv?” O'Leary asks, his concern apparent.

“No, she only drank lemonade. I had the wine.” Liam says. “And I’m not drunk.”

“Perhaps you should have your blood sugar checked, dear,” Alek suggests, a touch of genuine concern in his voice. “Diabetes can be rather debilitating.”

Is he just being funny? Or too diplomatic to ask if I’m pregnant?

I let out a nervous chuckle. “Diabetes? No—I—” I pause, nibbling my lip, torn about sharing the strange shock I experienced when I touched the pendant on Celine’s urn. “Yeah... maybe I should get myself checked, huh? How long was I out?”

“Around half an hour,” Liam answers, still wearing a worried expression. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“It was... peculiar,” I admit, stealing a glance at the pendant. “I didn’t understand what happened. It was like... I just blacked out. But I’m fine... I think.”

“I hope it’s not the barbecue sauce,” Alek says, rubbing his chin. “I always check the expiration dates of these condiments— and they’re still good.”

“No, I don’t think it’s the food,” I say, trying to allay his worries. “I guess I’m just tired… didn’t sleep too well last night—”

“You young people should slow down a bit,” O’Leary chimes in. “Your incessant partying and playing video games till late in the night take a toll on your health. Quit abusing your bodies now… your future self will thank you for it.”

“Oh— chocolate… I almost forgot, it’s a good first aid for fainting spells,” Alek says. “But unfortunately, my doctor advised against it. So I don’t have any.”

“It’s alright, Alek,” I say, forcing a grin. “I’ll be fine.”

“Maybe we should head out,” Liam suggests, his eyes still filled with concern. “I’ll take you home. You need to rest.”

“Liam, take her straight to her dorm, alright? Not to your apartment,” O’Leary interjects, a hint of sternness in his tone.

“Of course, Professor. I’ll make sure she gets there safely,” Liam assures with a light-hearted chuckle.

After bidding Alek and O’Leary farewell, Liam and I settle into the SUV for the drive back to Manhattan. Along the way, my thoughts replay every strange detail of what had transpired, my mind still trying to unravel the knots in the narrative.

The passing scenery blurs outside the car window, but I’m not truly seeing it. Instead, my mind is an endless loop of the inexplicable events at Aleksander’s house earlier.

Liam clears his throat. “I thought you were cool about last night…”

“Last night? You mean the dragon thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, I’m cool with it.”

“Then why do you seem so upset?”

“Upset? I’m not upset. I’m bewildered— but not because of your dragon. It’s about something else entirely. You might find it absurd.” I let out a chuckle. “Do you believe in ghosts, Liam?” I finally blurt out, my voice quivering with uncertainty.

Liam glances at me, a bemused smile playing on his lips. “Ghosts? Well, Liv, I have yet to see one to believe in it. Why? Did you happen to see Celine’s ghost today?”

His response surprises me, and I hesitate to divulge the strange apparition I witnessed in the mirror. What exactly did I see? Was it just my imagination? I’m not entirely sure.

“I think I did… what if she’s actually haunting me?”

“Come on, Liv… just because you have similar handwriting? It’s quite uncanny, but hey… millions of people share similar handwriting… there’s nothing to it.”

“I’m not even considering that as something to be puzzled about. It’s just... everything felt off from the moment I walked into that house,” I explain, my voice trembling. “That eerie sense of déjà vu, like I’d been there before, even though I knew I hadn’t. It was like I was living someone else’s memory, but it felt so real... too real. I’m certain they weren’t my memories. Why?”

“Well, about déjà vu— scientists find it fascinating, but they got answers for it— it’s all in our brains. There’s a part of our brain where we store and retrieve memories. It is responsible for detecting familiarity, but sometimes it may fire off-kilter, triggering a false memory.” He chuckles. “Besides, you said so yourself. They weren’t your memories.”

“What if they were Celine’s memories? What if her spirit was trying to... possess me? What if she doesn’t want us poking around her work?”

Liam chuckles softly. “Liv, I don’t know what to say. Believing in ghosts is one thing, but spirit possession? That’s a whole other level. But I do believe in the power of obsession—it can lead to paranoia, cognitive dissonance, or worse, psychosis. Maybe you just need some rest. You’re exhausted from last night, Liv. It’s only natural you’re feeling this way.”

“No, Liam,” I insist, shaking my head. “This is different. I was shaken by last night, but this is something separate. I swear.”

He sighs, concern etched in his features. “You need to rest, okay? We can talk about this again when you’ve had a chance to recover.”

Frustration bubbles up within me. “Aren’t you even listening? I don’t need to recover from anything. I fainted because I touched the pendant on Celine’s urn, and it... it electrocuted me.”

The car slows suddenly, and Liam shoots me a bewildered look. “You what? Why didn’t you mention this earlier? You could have been seriously injured.”

“Because I didn’t want to alarm anyone,” I admit, my voice hushed. “Especially Alek. I didn’t want him to feel responsible for what happened. It’s not his fault—it’s Celine’s doing. I think maybe she wants me out of her house, so she shocked me with electricity when I touched her pendant.”

A shiver runs down my spine as I recall the eerie reflection of Celine in the powder room. The inexplicable events of the day weigh heavily on my mind, and I’m left grappling with questions and a growing sense of unease.

“And I think I saw her... in the mirror in the powder room.”

Liam’s harsh exhale echoes in the car as he presses harder on the gas pedal, the engine responding with increased speed. I watch the passing scenery, the world outside a blur as he pushes the car to its limits.

“It was just your overactive imagination, Liv,” he insists, his voice tinged with frustration. “Your obsession with that book is clearly pushing you to the edge. I’ll get you home as fast as this car can go so you can rest. That’s all you need right now.”

I sigh, feeling his skepticism like a weight upon me. “Why won’t you believe me? You’re a dragon, for heaven’s sake, and that’s even harder to believe than ghosts. Yet, I accepted it without hesitation. Is it because I’m teetering on the edge of madness? Am I?”

He chuckles, a warm sound despite the tension. “Hey… you didn’t believe me at first, remember? You thought I was crazy. You only believed it when you saw me in my dragon suit. But this— this ghost of Celine haunting you— there’s a pretty good chance it was just your mind playing tricks on you. Maybe that pendant was wired, somehow, to deter thieves, or whatever… if you’ve mentioned it to Alek, he could have told us how that pendant zapped you.”

I glance out of the window, the scenery a blur. It’s clear that Liam isn’t open to further discussion. Perhaps it’s best to let it go for now.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I take a deep breath. “Okay… I rest my case. Just take me home.”

I keep my mouth shut the rest of the way. As soon as the car pulls over the curb in front of my dorm, I step out of the car and walk away, fighting the urge to look back.