Page 24 of Haunting Phantom
“Well, I’ve heard if you’re strong enough to pick up objects, then you can also manifest noise.”
“Noise?”
He motions to the door behind me. “Try your hand at knocking.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?”
Laughing, he shakes his head.“Try it. You may find a new way for him to know you’re there. Do the lights flicker when you get angry?”
Nodding, I jump to my feet, desperate to see what’s going on in their little dinner party. I have to stand on my tiptoes just to see in her window, but there they are, sharing a nice meal, laughing at each other’s jokes, giving one another those stupid looks of yearning. This would not be happening if she didn’t build herself a Sage Fortress meant to keep out spirits like me.
“They look way too happy in there.”
Angus grins.“Then why don’t you do something about it?”
I’ve never been able to make noise before. Not to the extent of manifesting a knock. Though I haven’t really tried either. My biggest strength is the ability to grasp things and throw them around—Annies included. But knocking?
“I dunno, Old Man. Knocking seems kind of impossible when you’re see-through and dead.”
He motions to a rock sitting in her garden. It’s big enough to pick up.“Why don’t you try throwing a few of those at the door.”
“I like your thinking, Old Man.”
Closing my eyes, I focus extra hard, my hand fitting around a few rocks before I step back and hurl one at her front door. The rock hits the metal door, then falls on her step, making a hollow knocking sound.
“Ooh, this is kinda fun,”I exclaim gleefully.“If she won’t invite me in, then I’ll make damn well sure they know I’m out here. Hey, Bitch! Take that.”Rock two is launched.“And that.”Rock three makes a nice heavy sound as it hits her door.“And that too! You can’t ignore me forever.”The fourth rock makes a magnificent hollow knocking sound, getting her attention.
The door flings open just as I’m about to launch my next rock. Autumn hovers in the doorway, tapping her foot in annoyance when she sees nobody outside.
“Is that you, Eve? Are you trying to get my attention?” she asks, sounding more annoyed than sweet.
“Now’s your chance, Angus, she’s all yours…”My words taper out when I realize that Angus is nowhere near her door anymore. The bastard disappeared and left me hanging. “So much for trying to get ahold of Autumn, and find out your unfinished business. Geesh.”
“Did you just say the name Angus, Eve?”
“Maybe?”
Whatever annoyed smile Autumn had, fades to one of complete fear. Her face goes white, and her feet start to wobble beneath her.
“Hey, are you okay?” Phantom asks, just as Autumn collapses into his arms. He pats her face. “Autumn, baby, are you okay?” Then his eyes turn dark and angry. “Goddamn it, Eve, what the fuck did you do?”
“Me? All I did was throw a few rocks at her door. She’s the one that went psycho crazy and passed out.”I look around thecourtyard for Angus, but I don’t see him anywhere.“Now where did that old coot go?”
“Autumn, wake up. Please, wake up.”
She blinks a few times before her eyes finally open. “What happened?” she whispers, voice choked up and stalling in her throat.
“You passed out.”
“Why?” she asks, not being shy at all about how comfortable she is in my Phantom’s arms.
“You can stop leaning against him anytime now, bitch.”
She sits up, holding her head as she slightly wobbles.
“You said something about Eve mentioning someone named Angus, then you went down. It was honestly really weird,” he admits.
“Good boy. Keep thinking she’s weird. Then that look of lovey-dovey lust will stop shining in your stupid eyes.”
