Page 21 of Shadowing My Dreams
“It’s been two days, Jack,” Archie started as soon as I let him in the door. “I’m not saying that he won’t call, but I think we need to move forward.”
“What does that mean,” I swallowed, knowing what it was he was about to suggest.
“You know what we have to do. When I go in there alone, the veil is too thick. I don’t understand it if I’m being honest, but together we broke through. Maybe we could again?”
I froze even thinking about it. “I’m not sure that’s something I want to do, Arch.”
“Arch?” He cocked his eyebrow at me.
“It’s…” I grinned. I had been telling Daveed everything and had started calling him that. He was easy to believe in and like – I liked him. I was dealing with what that meant.
“I’ll accept it.” He smiled and walked closer to me. God, he smelled like lavender. It was intoxicating. I wanted to grab him and sniff his neck.
“I’m scared to do that. I’ve been sleeping on my couch.” I pointed to my pillow and blanket, all balled up in the corner.
“If we do this, it might mean you can start sleeping in your bedroom much sooner. It was always going to come down to this. I think that you might be the catalyst, Jack. Your brush with death and the energy that has seeped into this place from you helps me to see. This spirit doesn’t want to be bothered, and he’s cloaked himself somehow. But your energies intermingled somehow over the years. You’re the key. Do you see?” He sounded exasperated.
“Cloaked? That sounds like a sci-fi movie. Is this Star War…”
“I know. But it’s all I’m coming up with.” He threw himself down on the arm of the couch.
“It seemed to hurt you last time.”
He looked at me with a look of surprise. Did he really think so little of me? “It… wasn’t pleasant. Whoever that person was – his misery and pain are like an anathema to me.”
“An… whatta?” I chuckled.
“It’s like kryptonite if I were Superman.”
“I think you’re much more Lois Lane. I’m…”
“Sure, muscle boy, you can be Superman. But can we try this, Jack? Please?”
“I do like it when you beg.” I ran my hands through my hair as I thought about it. Touching him again would be nice – but it came with a pretty shitty side effect of seeing ghosts. But he had gotten to me more than I cared to admit. I knew that Daveed was paying for this, and I appreciated it because I was fucking tapped out at the moment. Hopefully, none of my pipes broke during this exorcism or whatever it was because I could not afford that shit.
But Archie was here, and he was really trying to help me. It felt like he cared. It was nice to feel that feeling from someone. I had denied it for too long.
“Fine. But if I can’t… If I try to let go, break contact, ok? I need to know that I can get out if I need to.” I sounded like a coward. I was fucking terrified to go back up there – to touch him – to see that again.
“Agreed. I would never…”
“I didn’t mean that you… I’m scared, Archie. All of this just freaks me out. I don’t want it, and I can’t wait for you to help take it away if you can.”
“I understand, Jack,” he mumbled, looking down at the ground. “But it’s the only way.”
“I said fine. Let’s do it before I fucking chicken out.” I slapped my chest like I used to do when I was pumping myself up for a big game.
“When this is over, I’ll try to close your path to the in-between if I can. I promise.”
“Lead the way, ghost boy.” His face fell, and I instantly regretted calling him that. I didn’t want to hurt him, not unless he wanted me to. But he spoke to dead people, and man… that was a hard thing to get over. I was super attracted to him – admittedly – but how do you get past something like that? It was terrifying.
I followed him up my stairs and into the bedroom. I hesitated as I got to the doorway and slowly stepped through as if something could happen at any moment. It had been quiet, and I hadn’t had any poltergeist activity or disembodied voices. I had only seen shadows, and that hadn’t been very often. It was almost easy to forget about if I hadn’t been living in fear the entire time.
“What should we do?” I stood there trying not to shake.
“Let’s sit on the bed.”
“I knew you were going to try to get me naked sooner or later.” I couldn’t help myself. Jokes were my go-to when I got nervous and I was freaking out.
