Page 28 of A Ballad of Phantoms and Hope
She walks right up to Yelina and smiles awkwardly. “What are you two arguing about now?” The way she says it makes it seem like this is very much not a one-time occurrence between them.
Lanston rolls his eyes, and it’s the first I’ve seen it so I crack a wide smile.
Yelina looks at me and I instantly wipe the grin from my lips. She assesses me before speaking to the other girl. “Nothing, Poppie. The two of them are just acting… odd.”
Poppie giggles, and I find her much more approachable than Yelina.
In an attempt to thwart any more arguing between Yelina and Lanston, I say sheepishly, “Have you two heard of a ghost haunting this room?” They look at each other before glancing back at me.
Poppie asks, “Are you talking about Charlie?”
I blink a few times. Dumbfounded.
Lanston does too.
“Wait, Charlie, as in one of the missing patients who died,Charlie?” Lanston blurts out and both Yelina and Poppie start laughing.
Yelina covers her mouth as she says sardonically, “You two were scared of him? He plays pranks in here all the time. Lanston, I swear Jericho introduced you to him like two years ago.”
Lanston’s face is blank as he searches his memories, but he shakes his head. “No way, I would’ve remembered.”
“Ugh, stand up, both of you. I’ll introduce you so you can be done with this.” Yelina grins cruelly as she steps over us and into the music room. Poppie giggles and offers me her hand.
“I swear she’s actually really nice,” she whispers so Yelina won’t overhear her.
Somehow I find that hard to believe, but I guess I’ll find out in time.
Lanston groans as he stands and waits for Poppie to head in before he looks at me and murmurs, “Sorry about them. I really don’t remember meeting this guy. But I guess it will be pretty cool to talk to him.”
I nod. “Yeah, it’s been fifteen years that he’s been here. I’m curious to hear what he knows about purgatory and why he hasn’t passed. It’s sort of sad.” I look at the dusty music room and wonder how long it’s been his prison. But a more dreadful thought beckons in the back of my mind.
How long can we truly stay in the in-between?
13
Lanston
Yelina and Poppiewalk over to the piano and slowly sit on the ebony bench. Ophelia looks around the room for any signs of Charlie as she circles the floral sofa and sits quietly beside me.
Part of me still thinks they’re pulling a prank on us.
Though it’d make sense, and of everyone, I’m the least likely to know. I’ve been avoiding the music room for years. The only memories brought back to me are of Wynn and Liam playing those sad songs they enjoyed so much.
“Charlie, are you scaring the residents again?” Yelina calls out playfully.
Poppie has a content grin on her face, but Ophelia wraps her hands around her elbows, still not so sure about this. The feeling is mutual.
A key taps repeatedly at the end of the piano—the low-pitch startling Ophelia straight into my lap. My smile is instant and I secure my arms around her to assure her I’m here.
“Charlie!” Poppie laughs and puts her hands on her hips. Yelina offers her hand to the air and a phantom forms—a broad-figured man, probably mid-twenties, with short blonde hair and glasses that make him look intelligent.
Hardly what I imagined he’d look like.
Charlie presses a kiss to the back of Yelina’s hand and winks at Poppie. Both girls giggle as he lets his attention wander over to us. Ophelia remains in my arms, seemingly unwilling to budge.
The phantom smirks at us and says, “Sorry about yesterday. I couldn’t help myself when I overheard all your theories.” His voice is low but filled with an airy weightlessness.
I raise a brow. “Did Crosby really kill you?” The question is harsh and sudden, but I have to know.
