I no longer fear the dark, for that is where my ghosts reside
Noah stepped into the apartment, unsure of what to expect. He looked at the other two occupants of the space: Elwood, standing nervously in the small apartment, and the red-haired woman, who now was giving Noah the same once-over she had done when he was on the other side of the apartment door. It didn’t feel any better the second time.
Nobody spoke. Noah didn’t want to move from his spot an arm’s reach from the door. He considered this the best place to be, in case a quick exit had to be made. Although this was only the second story. A jump from here wouldn’t be too bad.
“So you can see ghosts, huh? When did this ‘mediumship’ start?” The woman started to throw the questions like darts, with Noah being the dartboard. “Have you been able to see ghosts your whole life or is this a recent ability? Can you conjure spirits at will?”
“Um…” Noah started “I…”
“Is this a family trait? Are other members of your family able to commune with the dead?”
“Phoenix, please,” Elwood said, trying to stop the bombardment of queries.
“Did you steal the nocturian box? What involvement do you have in the death of Mr. Evans? Do you know what happened to Lyra? Why are you-”
“Phoenix!” Elwood cried, “Give the boy a break. One question at a time please.”
Phoenix looked at Elwood unhappily, as if she had many, many more questions.
“Fine,” she grumbled. “Go on, Noah.”
“Well, I think I’m the only one in my family who can see ghosts. I mean, I can’t really ask my family because they’re, uh, they um...” Noah looked nervously at Elwood before continuing slowly. “They’re all dead.”
“Noah, I’m-” Elwood started, but didn’t finish, instead just looking at the boy with understanding, as if he too was familiar with death. Phoenix’s hard look softened just the tiniest bit.
“After the death of my parents, my older brother and I moved to the Foxberry. It was cheap and Seth got a job in town. It was just the two of us for a while. Then Seth... he… um… he…”
“It’s okay Noah. You don’t have to tell us.” Elwood said with a soft voice. Noah glanced up at Elwood and saw the man give a small smile.
“At the funeral, I saw Seth. I thought I was going crazy. Just three days before I saw his dead body with my own two eyes. He couldn’t have been at the funeral, it was his funeral.” Noah paused and looked up with a determined look. “I don’t know what’s going on in the Foxberry or why I have this ability or what this ‘nocturnal box’ is, but I want to help you guys. I’ll do whatever I can whether it’s talking to ghosts, finding your friend, or just staying out of your way. I’m here to help.”
Once again, there was a silence in the room. Then, Phoenix smiled at Noah.
And for the first time in a long time, Noah Chance was thinking not of the emptiness in his apartment nor the heaviness that filled him nor the haunting shadows of the dead, but of the life in the words Phoenix said to Noah.
“Well, kid. Welcome to the team.”
Nobody spoke. Noah didn’t want to move from his spot an arm’s reach from the door. He considered this the best place to be, in case a quick exit had to be made. Although this was only the second story. A jump from here wouldn’t be too bad.
“So you can see ghosts, huh? When did this ‘mediumship’ start?” The woman started to throw the questions like darts, with Noah being the dartboard. “Have you been able to see ghosts your whole life or is this a recent ability? Can you conjure spirits at will?”
“Um…” Noah started “I…”
“Is this a family trait? Are other members of your family able to commune with the dead?”
“Phoenix, please,” Elwood said, trying to stop the bombardment of queries.
“Did you steal the nocturian box? What involvement do you have in the death of Mr. Evans? Do you know what happened to Lyra? Why are you-”
“Phoenix!” Elwood cried, “Give the boy a break. One question at a time please.”
Phoenix looked at Elwood unhappily, as if she had many, many more questions.
“Fine,” she grumbled. “Go on, Noah.”
“Well, I think I’m the only one in my family who can see ghosts. I mean, I can’t really ask my family because they’re, uh, they um...” Noah looked nervously at Elwood before continuing slowly. “They’re all dead.”
“Noah, I’m-” Elwood started, but didn’t finish, instead just looking at the boy with understanding, as if he too was familiar with death. Phoenix’s hard look softened just the tiniest bit.
“After the death of my parents, my older brother and I moved to the Foxberry. It was cheap and Seth got a job in town. It was just the two of us for a while. Then Seth... he… um… he…”
“It’s okay Noah. You don’t have to tell us.” Elwood said with a soft voice. Noah glanced up at Elwood and saw the man give a small smile.
“At the funeral, I saw Seth. I thought I was going crazy. Just three days before I saw his dead body with my own two eyes. He couldn’t have been at the funeral, it was his funeral.” Noah paused and looked up with a determined look. “I don’t know what’s going on in the Foxberry or why I have this ability or what this ‘nocturnal box’ is, but I want to help you guys. I’ll do whatever I can whether it’s talking to ghosts, finding your friend, or just staying out of your way. I’m here to help.”
Once again, there was a silence in the room. Then, Phoenix smiled at Noah.
And for the first time in a long time, Noah Chance was thinking not of the emptiness in his apartment nor the heaviness that filled him nor the haunting shadows of the dead, but of the life in the words Phoenix said to Noah.
“Well, kid. Welcome to the team.”
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