Ghost: Books of the Dead - Fantasy Best Seller and Supernatural Teen Book: (Ghost, Occult, Supernatural, Occult and Supernatural) (22 page)

Mr. Kourim, however, still didn’t have much to offer, although this news should have come as a revelation. “Go on,” was all he said.

Grace was taken aback by the nonchalance, but she didn’t show it. “I came here to investigate a few things. My friend and I were having troubles at our college. We were sent these books anonymously. The books were about evoking spirits and ghosts, and I saw a picture in one of the books of the Keaton siblings. They looked uncannily like one of the professors at our college. I wanted to get to the bottom of it, but these days, it’s hard to trust anybody. So I kept my identity a secret and shied away from telling anyone anything.”

There was still no reaction from Mr. Kourim.

“I didn’t want to hide this,” Grace added, “but I had to. I don’t know anyone in this town and you asked me to be careful, Mr. Kourim. I am awfully sorry for lying to you. Please can you forgive me for this?” Grace begged.

She thought that Mr. Kourim would say something about her keeping the truth from him or for lying, but he said something completely different instead. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Grace wasn’t expecting that, so she merely nodded.

“Then I hope that you get to help your friend, but remember one thing. What you are venturing into is perilous and at times may be dangerous. So, you should rethink what you’re getting into,” he said to Grace in a warning tone.

Grace only partially understood what he was trying to convey to her. She said, “I understand, Mr. Kourim, and I take full responsibility for what I’m doing. I’m doing this for a friend, too. Emily needs my help, so now I have to get back to her.”

“That means,” Mr. Kourim began, “you did find what you were looking for. Good luck then,” he told her and didn’t say any more.

Surprisingly, he didn’t ask any other questions about the Keatons, nor the professor whom Grace claimed resembled the Keatons. In the background of the house, Grace heard Mrs. Kourim calling to her husband. With a huff and puff, he got up and went inside. Grace had nothing else to do but leave. Her work here was done and she was ready to take off.

Grace couldn’t remember anything after that part. She touched her head and neck to see if there was an injury there. All she could find was her injured leg. Grace’s mother came in for the second time, and this time she looked a bit stern.

“You’re not asleep,” she noticed. “Well good, then we have to talk,” she said.

Grace had no interest in indulging in a lengthy conversation with her mother, so she declined. “Can we talk later,” she begged. “I am having a terrible headache.”

“No, we have to talk now,” her mother insisted. “I just called your university to ask for a few days leave, and I was told that you took leave almost five days ago. You told the dean that you were visiting home. You owe me an explanation, Grace. Where were you?”

Grace’s mother’s voice was filled with irritation and anger. Grace was fully aware of her mother’s disciplinary practices and she knew this meant trouble. Her mother hated being lied to. Grace reached over to the nightstand and gulped down the water from a small glass that was waiting there. Truthfully, she was just stalling. After a few moments, she felt old enough to look straight at her mother. She had no explanations to offer and making up a story at that point was impossible. So, she chose the next best option and remained silent.

“Don’t just sit there, answer me!”

“Mother, I have nothing to say in my defense. Yes, I lied because I had to, and I was out of school to conduct some important business. There’s nothing to be so shocked about. I promise; I am fine, all right?” Grace voice was raised at that point.

Yet her mother wasn’t backing down. “You lied and now you’re raising your voice at me? You’re just in college, so don’t you dare think of yourself too highly, young lady. Do you understand?” Grace’s mother was shouting at this point.

“But Mother,” Grace exclaimed!

“Fine, you don’t want to tell me; that’s okay. But here’s something to think about. Unless you do,” she said, pointing her finger. “You are not getting back to college.” Grace’s mother left the room, slamming the door behind her.

Grace sat up in bed, clutching her forehead. She was feeling desperate and wanted to run away from home. She wanted to contact Emily, but she left her phone in the dorm room. There was no other way she could contact her. Grace wished she could tell her mother everything, but that wasn’t remotely possible either. There was a dark cloud looming over her head and Grace could see that there were even darker days ahead.

Just when everything seemed bleak, Grace’s little sister, Cindy, came into the room. She was ten years old and extremely fond of her elder sister. Cindy constantly sought attention from her, and there were times when Grace just wished that she was left alone. For some reason, she didn’t feel the same way today. She needed allies. When Grace saw Cindy standing near the door, she urged her to come closer and sit next to her on the bed.

“Come here. Mother told you not to speak to me, didn't she?” Grace asked. Cindy’s face was guilt-ridden and Grace knew that was exactly what she was told. “Then you shouldn’t be here.” Grace turned to the other side and didn’t face her sister for a while.

“Did you really lie?” Cindy asked her sister.

“What if I did?” Grace questioned back.

“We’re not supposed to lie.” Cindy’s answer was simple and childish.

“Do you do everything that you’re asked to?” Grace was only teasing her sister, but innocent Cindy was confused. She didn’t know what to do.  “Did I hurt your feelings?” Grace asked her.

“Only a little,” was the reply she got.

“What else did mother tell you?’’

“Nothing much, just that you lied and I should never do it,” Cindy said innocently with tears in her eyes.

Grace couldn’t hold up her façade any longer. She got up and hugged her sister tight. “Yes, I did lie, but it was for a friend. It wasn’t meant to hurt anyone, so just relax,” Grace assured her baby sister.

Yet, Cindy wasn’t convinced. “You think mother will forgive you for this? I know she won’t do it.” She shook her head from side to side.

“Maybe she will, maybe she won’t,” Grace said nonchalantly. “I don’t know, Cindy, but I hope she does. Can you forgive me?” Grace questioned her sister.

“If it’s for a friend, then I think it’s fine,” the little girl reasoned. “Is your leg hurting?”

Cindy changed the subject so randomly that it made Grace smile. She pulled Cindy closer to her and held her tightly in a hug. She was thankful that she wasn’t being judged. “My leg hurts, and I can’t remember what happened, how I got here or who told Mother. I don’t remember anything. It kind of got deleted from my memory completely,” Grace said, more to herself than her sister.

However, little Cindy kept an attentive ear to what her sister was saying. “I know what happened to you. I heard Mom talking on the phone with someone,” Cindy said truthfully.

“Do you know who she was talking to,” Grace asked sincerely?

Cindy shook her head. “I don’t know, but she said that you were on your way here. Then, you fainted and fell over a small slope. Someone rescued you and you gave them our address, but by that time, your leg was already hurt. Mom said that you didn’t eat properly for days, so that must have caused it.”

Grace touched her injured leg. The wounds were bandaged tightly. Grace removed one of them despite the repeated protests from her sister.

“Don’t open them, Mom bandaged them for you. You were bleeding.”

”I will be fine.”

There were deep cuts in her leg and it surprised Grace that she had sustained such a fall. Grace handed her sister the end of the bandage and said, “Wrap it around my leg for me.”

Cindy obediently complied and tied the bandage carefully around her sister’s leg. Occasionally, she asked if it was hurting. Cindy’s kindness was like a soothing balm and it helped to ease some of the pain that Grace was feeling. Lovingly, she stroked Cindy's golden brown hair and said very quietly, “What would I do without you?” Their conversation was cut short when the girls heard their mother calling Cindy. The little girl was Grace’s only resort in the hostile environment of her home.

She wanted to make sure that things stayed that way, so Grace patted Cindy and told her, “Run, before Mom finds out that you’re here. Don’t tell her that you were here if she asks you. Don’t worry,” Grace assured her. “This is not bad lying. Now go.” Cindy heartily agreed and was ready to do anything for Grace. Before Cindy was out of the door, Grace called her for one last thing. “Wait ... come visit me before you go to bed. We can talk.”

“I will,” was Cindy’s reply and she was out of the room in a flash.

Grace slumped back in her bed. She needed Cindy’s help to get out of this situation or at least to inform Emily about what was going on. The only problem was that she still needed to make up a believable story to convince her mother. It was a lot of work, and Grace couldn’t think straight anymore. She wasn’t even hungry and simply closed her eyes. The pain medication was working its way through her system, because in no time, she was asleep.

Grace dreamed that day, and she usually never had vivid dreams. That day was different. The dream was about her time in the little town. It was like she was there again, reliving every moment. The dream halted right after her meeting with Mr. Kourim and then everything went black. Grace woke up and her stomach gave out a loud growl.

“I must not have been eating,” she said out loud.

She checked her watch and saw it was past 9:00 p.m. Time was flying by quickly, but the thought soon escaped her mind. Her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten anything in hours. She hoped that her mother had left some food in the fridge. Luckily, she felt well enough to move. She dragged herself out of the bed but was forced to sit down immediately after getting up. The door was left ajar and a slight ray of white light was coming from outside.

Mother must be awake
, she thought.

She wanted to avoid meeting her at all costs, so Grace delayed her journey to the fridge. Instead, she started taking baby steps to relax her leg movement.

Twenty minutes passed, but the lights were still on in the other room. Grace couldn’t wait any longer and stealthily left her bedroom. The television was still on and it was playing some movie which Grace didn’t stop to notice. Her mother was on the couch and there were official papers all over the place. Grace saw that she hadn’t removed her eyeglasses and pitied her mother for overworking. She paused and removed the glasses, then very carefully removed the pen from her hand and adjusted her head against a cushion. She must have been really tired, because despite the movement, she didn’t wake up. Grace crept to her sister's room. She knew she wasn’t asleep yet because Grace could see the light on under her bedroom door. She turned the handle. It wasn’t locked, but Grace wanted to eat something first. She made her way to the kitchen next, and found that there were a few leftovers and an untouched bowl of rice and chicken. It was left out for her and Grace devoured it within minutes. Satisfied with the meal, Grace went back to Cindy’s door. When she opened it, she found that her younger sister was still wide awake.

“You’re not sleeping,” Grace asked?

“You’re not either,” Cindy replied.

“Can I come in?” Grace asked.

“Yes, of course. Come in and sit,” Cindy gestured.

Grace didn’t want to sleep alone that night. She was cold and the memory of the eerie hotel room in that little town gave her chills. Grace was injured, and her mother was angry. What Grace needed now was the warmth of a familiar bed, and an embrace from a loved one. Grace held her sister’s hand and requested, “Can I sleep with you tonight here?”

Cindy seemed overjoyed. Grace knew that there was nothing more Cindy wanted than to spend time with her sister. She believed it may have been the age difference that distanced the sister at times, but Grace knew there was genuine love between them. Cindy seemed very happy. She moved aside to make space for her elder sister. She arranged and fluffed the pillows before asking Grace to climb in. Grace had tears in her eyes, and could only utter a low, “Thank you.” Then, she hugged her sister tight and closed her eyes. Deep down, she hoped changing beds would help to remember the next part of her dream. Yet, Grace didn’t dream anything that night. She slept soundly in the cozy warmth of her sister’s embrace. The bed felt soft and welcomed her and she was lost, never wanting the night to end.

“Wake up! Mom is calling us,” her sister called the next morning. “I have to be at school.”

“You go on. I’ll come along.”

Grace didn’t want to get up, but lazily propped herself from the bed. Cindy agreed and went out first. Grace heard her mother preparing Cindy for school, but she never asked about Grace. It disheartened her, especially since she was still injured. She took a deep, satisfying sigh and laid back down, waiting for Cindy to go to school. Grace decided to have a word with her mother today, because she wasn’t going to get anywhere without her. Hiding away in the room was not one of her traits and she hated herself for that. So, she got up and put on some clean clothes, preparing herself for the big conversation.

“Mother, can we talk,” Grace asked?

“The truth,” Grace’s mother questioned back?

She never once looked up from her paperwork. Grace didn’t know what to say so she bowed her head down. Her mother was so submerged in work, that she didn’t notice the obvious guilt-ridden face of her daughter.

“I lied, but I am doing this for Emily. Mother, you have to trust me on this,” Grace pleaded. “I am not doing anything to harm myself, I swear to you.”

Grace’s mother softened up a little. She reached over and touched her daughter’s injured leg, tenderly stroking the wounded area. “Dear, I cannot imagine you hurt and in trouble, so I have to look after you. You lied to your college, didn’t tell me where you were going, and you kept me in the dark. What if something had happened to you…something worse? You and Cindy are all I have.”

“Mother, please!”