Page 39 of Shadowing My Dreams
“I will be. Your house recharges me just as much as I charged Andrew. He’s really nice. His memories were so… They lived a happy life together until they couldn’t any longer. He never really recovered from losing Isaac. He never found real love ever again. It was so sad and mournful – yet hopeful because of us. We did this.”
“You want a sandwich? I’m not sure what I have. Turkey?”
“That’s fine. I’m just gonna sit here for a while.”
I ran into the kitchen and pulled out the bread, meat, and cheese. I had no idea what he wanted on it, so I added some mayonnaise and mustard the way that I liked it. He said he was usually ravenous after ghostly encounters, and this was fucking possession, so I added extra meat and cheese until I practically made a goddamn Dagwood for him. I put it on a small plate,grabbed some vitamin water from the fridge, and carried it back to him.
“Can you sit up, babe?”
“Babe?”
“Well, Drew practically told me that you were in love with me, soI think it’s time we get to some terms of endearment, don’t you?”
“Andrew was too chatty.”
“He barely spoke.”
“We were drained. Your house is a living battery, though, even for me. It’s strange. Your energy is so strong and healthy, so full of life.” He took the plate from me and took a giant bite. “Oh, God… So good.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” I teased. “Unless it’s full of me, then you can talk all you want.”
“How could I with that monster – Jesus.”
“It’ll fit. Trust me.”
“I’m counting on it. I can still feel them, but it’s weird… so weak. Why was he so weak?”
Archie took another huge bite and followed it with a drink of vitamin water.
“Are you feeling a little better, babe?”
“I am, Hulk.”
“That is not a term of endearment.”
“Hmm… It is to me.” He paused and looked toward the stairs. “I can feel frustration… But I can also feel Andrew getting stronger. He’s feeding off this place, the same as me. But… it’s your energy, Jack. He’s not finding… Something’s wrong.”
“You have to be kidding me. You got possessed, for fuck’s sake, and you're telling me it’s not working?”
“I don’t know. It’s… not what… God, it’s overwhelming, Andrew’s anger.”
The air in front of us shimmered. Slowly, a form took shape. Not a shadow, but something else.
“Andrew,” Archie slowly sat up and put his half-eaten sandwich down on the small table in front of him. “You’re stronger.”
Enough.
“Something is wrong. I could feel it.”
Isaac? Nowhere.
“He’s upstairs in the bedroom,” I can feel him there.
Why? I can’t find him.
“Hmm… This is… Dammit! I’ve seen this before, but not very often. Isaac’s shifted into a different plane – one that belongs only to him. That’s why I… I should have thought about this. It’s why I can’t see him when I’m alone. My natural energy hums at the same frequency as the in-between, but sometimes, when a spirit gets trapped in a place of its own making, it’s solitary, and contact is...”
“English, please. Talk to me like I’m stupid,” I snorted.
