The wind whipped against my face as Billy and I ran from the park, the doll clutched tightly in my arms. My mind was a storm of questions, my heart racing with equal parts fear and confusion. Whoever the boy—the ghost—was, he had shown me something real. And the words he spoke...
"Find him before he finds you."
Billy and I slowed to a walk once we were out of sight of the park. The streets were quiet, bathed in the fading orange light of the evening.
"Okay," Billy said, out of breath. "This is next-level creepy. Like horror movie, end-credits creepy. What's our plan? Because if you tell me you're keeping that doll in your house, I'm out."
I glanced at the doll in my hands. It looked normal again—no twitching, no cracked mouth speaking words I couldn't understand. Just a tattered toy.
"I don't know yet," I admitted. "But he's depending on me. I can feel it."
Billy groaned. "What does that even mean, man? This ghost stuff isn't our problem! It's freaky, it's dangerous—"
"I can't just ignore him," I cut in. "He's been trapped like this for years, Billy. Alone. Forgotten. If we don't help him…"
Billy ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. "Fine. But we figure this out together, okay? No running off by yourself again."
I nodded, though I wasn't entirely sure I could keep that promise.
---
By the time I got home, the sky had gone dark, and the house was eerily quiet. I placed the doll carefully on my desk and sat on the edge of my bed, staring at it. My phone sat next to me, silent now.
I exhaled and ran my hands through my hair. "Okay," I muttered. "What now?"
The air grew colder. I looked up, my breath catching in my throat. In the dim light, I saw him—standing in the corner of my room. The ghost.
But this time, he wasn't just a flickering shape. He looked solid, like any other person, though his skin was pale and his dark hair fell messily over his face. His eyes, though—deep and sorrowful—held my gaze.
"You came," I said quietly.
The ghost tilted his head, stepping closer. "I never left."
I swallowed. "What's your name?"
He hesitated, as if the question surprised him. "Elias."
Elias. The name fit him, soft yet haunting.
"I'm—"
"I know who you are," he said, his voice low but calm. "I've been watching you."
A shiver ran down my spine, but there was no menace in his words. Instead, it was… comforting, in a strange way. Like he had been looking out for me.
I cleared my throat, pushing the unease aside. "You said I need to find the man who did this to you. How do I start?"
Elias looked away, his expression pained. "He's close. I can feel him, just as I felt you."
I blinked. "Me?"
Elias nodded. "There's something about you. I don't know why, but you can hear me. See me. It's as though we're… connected."
His words sent a strange warmth through my chest. Connected. I didn't know why, but it felt right. Like he belonged here, like we belonged here—together.
Elias looked back at me, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "I brought you here for a reason. You're the only one who can help me, but I… I also didn't want to be alone anymore."
Something about the way he said it hit me in the gut. His voice held a vulnerability that caught me off guard. I couldn't imagine what it must have been like—trapped, unseen, unheard, for who knows how long. My heart clenched.
"You're not alone," I said softly.
Elias's gaze flickered with surprise, and for a moment, I saw the faintest trace of a smile.
"You're not scared of me?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
I shook my head. "You don't scare me."
He stepped closer, his figure solidifying even more. He looked so real now, the details of his face sharp in the dim light—soft features and a quiet, haunted beauty. I realized I was staring and looked away, my face suddenly hot.
"Why me?" I asked, trying to steady my voice.
Elias hesitated. "I think… maybe we were meant to find each other."
His words hung in the air between us, thick and heavy, but not uncomfortable. My heart skipped a beat, and I found myself glancing at him again. There was something about Elias—something I couldn't explain, something I didn't want to explain.
The room grew quiet again, but this time, it wasn't unnerving. It was calm. I watched as Elias sat carefully at the edge of my desk, his gaze softening.
"You're braver than I thought," he said quietly.
I let out a small laugh, though it came out shaky. "You don't know me that well yet."
"I know enough," he said, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile.
There it was again—that warmth. It was strange, feeling so comfortable with someone I barely knew, let alone a ghost. But Elias wasn't just some terrifying spirit. He was more than that. Real. Someone who had been wronged, trapped between life and death. And maybe… maybe someone I could save.
I met his gaze again. "We'll figure this out. I promise."
Elias studied me for a long moment. Then, slowly, he nodded.
"Thank you," he said softly.
---
The next few days were a blur of research and restless nights. Elias stayed with me, appearing whenever I was alone. He didn't say much at first, but I felt his presence—silent but steady.
I found myself looking forward to seeing him. The way he listened when I talked, the way his faint smile could break through his somber demeanor. I didn't know what was happening to me, but I felt drawn to him in a way I couldn't explain.
One night, after hours of searching news archives and dead ends, I leaned back in my chair and sighed.
"No luck?" Elias asked quietly from the corner of the room.
I shook my head. "Nothing. It's like he never existed."
Elias stepped closer, his gaze softening. "You're doing more for me than anyone ever has."
I looked up at him, feeling my heart flutter in my chest. "I wish I could do more."
"You're here," he said gently. "That's enough."
The way he looked at me—intense, vulnerable, and so alive—made my breath catch. For a moment, it felt like we weren't worlds apart. I swallowed hard, my voice shaky. "I'm not going to stop until I find him. I swear."
Elias nodded, his expression serious. Then, he surprised me by reaching out. His hand hovered near mine, and though he didn't touch me, I could feel the faintest warmth, like a ghost of contact.
"I don't deserve you," he murmured.
I shook my head. "Don't say that."
He met my gaze, his dark eyes filled with something I couldn't quite name. "You saved me, even before you knew me."
And suddenly, I realized—I cared about him. More than I should, more than I understood.
"You don't have to be alone anymore," I whispered.
Elias smiled faintly, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of hope in his eyes.
---
End of chapter