I coughed, struggling to breathe under the tight grip of the man on my throat. My vision blurred as I glanced slowly to my left, seeing Lisa, the ghost girl, screaming and panicking. Panic seized me as I wondered, "What the heck did I get myself into?" The pressure on my throat made it hard to mutter those words, and each cough felt like a desperate attempt to grasp for air.
As I fought to breathe, a sudden voice disrupted the chaotic scene. The man gripping my throat hastily released his hold, turning quickly toward the source of the sound. Lisa, with a mix of concern and panic, approached me, murmuring consoling words as I gasped for air between hard coughs.
"Sir, I caught this kid eavesdropping on your conversation on the phone," the man who had just tried to strangle me reported to Lisa's uncle, who was now making his way toward me with a slow, menacing gait.
"What's going on here?" Lisa's uncle demanded, his voice carrying a tone that sent shivers down my spine.
As Lisa whispered urgently to me, instructing me on what to say, I gathered my wits and responded, "I didn't hear anything. I just came here when he caught me." The words felt feeble and forced, a shaky attempt to appease the menacing figure approaching me. Lisa's whispered guidance became my lifeline in the face of an unexpected and dangerous situation.
Uncle Charles POV
I gazed directly into the boy's eyes, a silent exchange that left me uneasy. There was something about him that set off alarm bells in my mind, and I couldn't shake the feeling of mistrust that lingered.
"You can go," I said, my tone firm, but there was an undercurrent of irritation that surfaced. My patience wore thin as I added with a sharper edge, "Get out!" The anger in my voice was palpable as he struggled to stand, prompting a swift exit from my presence. I watched him leave, his hands still placed protectively on his neck.
Turning my attention to the guard who had caught him, I demanded an explanation. "How did he get in here?" I interrogated, seeking answers to this breach of security.
"That I don't know, sir. I was on patrol when I caught him," the guard explained, a hint of apology in his response.
The mere thought of a random kid becoming a potential threat to everything I had built infuriated me. I couldn't allow a single misstep to jeopardize my empire. Contemplating the potential risks, I made a decisive and ruthless decision.
"Trace that kid. Keep an eye on him. I want to know where he lives, who his parents are, who his siblings are, what he does for a living—every piece of information about him," I declared, my voice commanding. The guard acknowledged my orders with a curt nod before promptly leaving to carry out the directive.
As I paced back into the mansion, a low mutter escaped my lips. "You better don't get in my way, boy, or I'll make this life miserable for you." The threat lingered in the air as I disappeared into the opulent confines of the mansion, my mind already strategizing how to neutralize this unexpected threat.
*****
The tight grip on my throat had left me shaken, my mind still grappling with the reality of a life-threatening encounter. I needed a moment to collect myself, to breathe away the fear that lingered.
"Excuse me, let me ease myself," I mumbled to Lisa, the ghost girl who walked beside me in eerie silence. Seeking a brief respite, I veered toward a secluded corner, desperate to rid myself of the anxiety that threatened to overwhelm me.
As I found a private spot to relieve myself, I noticed an old woman, known in the town as insane, staring at me intently. Unsettled, I shifted my gaze, only to discover her standing right in front of me when I turned back. Startled, I attempted to run, but her grip on my hand was surprisingly strong.
"Ssh," she hushed me, her voice carrying a strange calmness. "She doesn't have much time left to roam this world again," the old woman added, pointing towards where Lisa patiently waited.
"Find her body and get her back into it before it's too late for her," she urged before releasing her hold on me and walking away without a backward glance.
I was left standing, bewildered, as her words echoed in my mind. The bizarre encounters with the supernatural seemed to be escalating, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being drawn into something beyond my understanding.
Truly, now I questioned my sanity. Not only was I seeing ghosts, but now even the town's mad residents were imparting cryptic messages to me. "That's just great," I muttered to myself, a wry smile betraying my unease as I approached Lisa.
"Who's the old woman?" she inquired immediately upon my arrival.
"It's no one," I replied evasively, unwilling to delve into the strangeness of the encounter.
"If you say so," she responded, and we continued our slow walk to my house, the weight of the supernatural world pressing on my shoulders.
*******
Three men, including the one who had attempted to strangle Jay, sat inside a black Honda Accord with tinted glass, trailing Jay as he walked home.
"Why are we tracking this guy when we are supposed to be searching for the corpse?" one of them questioned, expressing impatience with the task at hand.
"I caught this boy eavesdropping on the boss earlier this afternoon," I explained. "It seems he knows something, so I'm supposed to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't spill the beans."
"Then let's silence him forever and move on," another suggested, growing increasingly impatient.
"Shut the f*ck up! We just need to know where he lives," I snapped angrily, emphasizing the importance of gathering information.
They fell into silence as we continued to watch Jay, who walked into a building.
Jay entered the compound, greeted by Josh, who ran up to meet him. "Jay, where have you been? I thought you came back home from the hospital," Jay asked.
"Josh, you don't have to worry too much about me. It's getting really awkward," Jay replied, distancing himself from the concerned inquiries. Meanwhile, the black Honda monitored them from afar. As soon as Jay left, the men alighted from the car and approached Josh.
"Excuse me," they said to Josh as they walked up to him, their intentions shrouded in mystery.
Josh's POV
"How may I help you?" I replied to the men who walked up to me.
"The boy that met you here now, does he live around here?" one of them asked as I glanced at them suspiciously.
"Why? Any problem?" I asked, still unsure whether to give them Jay's address.
"It's no problem; we are just asking. We want him to work for us," they said, offering a smile. I responded with a plastic smile, nodding to confirm that Jay lived in the vicinity.
"Okay, thank you," they said and handed me a wad of cash. "Please don't let him know we asked for him," they added before walking away.
I watched as they got into a car and drove away, wondering if I had just made a mistake. I hoped this wouldn't backfire on me. The sound of my phone ringing jerked me out of my thoughts.
Jay's POV
I sat on my bed, arranging my stuff—files, CV, and other papers—into a bag. Glancing at Lisa at intervals, I noticed her looking pale and dull. Something was wrong, and I could sense it. She hadn't said a word to me since we got in.
Recalling the old woman's words, "She doesn't have much time to roam this world," I realized that something might be affecting Lisa.
"Hey…" I called, but there was no reply.
"Hey, Lisa," I called again, trying to get her attention, as I threw my bag at her, even though I knew she wouldn't feel it.
"Sorry, I was lost," she replied, scratching her head and turning to me. For the first time, I took notice of her beauty—brown eyes and long black hair. She was just beautiful.
"Hey! Are you the one lost in thought now?" Lisa asked, waving her hands over my face as I smiled.
"You're the cause of it," I replied as I placed my bag behind the bed.
"Huh, me?" she asked. "I just feel like punching you now," she teased.
"Punch me!" I said, drawing closer to her, and she smiled.