Page 7 of Haunting Phantom
The afterlife is soooo boring. Especially when Phantom spends most of his day in his room, hiding from the world. He needs to get out more. I don’t remember the last time he took me for a ride. It’s been a while… too long.
“Come on, Blake, do something other than sit here and rot all day. You probably smell like moldy cheese.”This is one time I’m thankful that you’re stripped of your sense of smell and taste when you’re a spirit.“Take a shower.”
He groans, throwing himself onto his bed. I’m half expecting him to pick up another beer bottle, but Drac interrupts him instead.
“Damn, Phantom, it smells like death in here.”
He takes a few steps in, stopping just inches from Phantom. “Correction, it’s you that smells like death. When was the last time you took a fucking shower?”
Ha, ha! I knew he smelled!
Phantom shrugs. “Don’t remember.”
“Well, before we do anything, you’re going to take a fucking shower.” He pauses for a second. “Then you’re going to cleanup this pigsty.”
“Anything else, Prez?”
Drac leans against the dresser. “Look, Phantom, I know you keep beating yourself up over what happened with Eve, but her death wasn’t your fault.”
“It sure as hell was, Drac. Stop putting false narratives into his head.”
“You and I both know that isn’t true. She died because of me, and now her fucking spirit haunts me for it. How would you feel if Amber or Giovanni died, and you were the reason for their death? You’d be beating yourself up too.”
“You’re right, I would. But I do know what it feels like to feel lost without someone. I spent five years of my life pining for a woman who turned my whole life upside down when she left me at the altar, only to have her literally buy the house next door to me and wreck me from the inside out.”
“And yet you were able to rekindle what you had. I don’t have that option with Eve.”
“There’s nothing to rekindle. I’m right here, baby. Always.”
Drac shakes his head. “Eve was a narcissistic, controlling bitch, Phantom. That girl tried to control every aspect of your life. Who you could talk to… what you could do. Why are you hung up on someone like that?”
“I am not a narcissist, asshole. I just know what I want and fucking go for it!”My fists clench at my sides, anger and rage building inside of me the more this man tries to put thoughts in Blake’s head.He’s turning him against me!
Phantom’s fingers dig into his temples. “I don’t know, Drac. She’s always just been a part of my life. She literally followed me to the club so that we could stay together. She’s all I’ve ever known.”
“See, Drac, he fucking loves me.”Flipping him the bird, I flit over to Blake and rest my hand on his shoulder, curling my hand over the top of his.“It’s just you and me, baby.”
“All I’m saying is that you were in an unhealthy relationship, Phantom. Trust me, I know all about them. I’ve been in one since high school, and it took me growing up and seeing both sides of the relationship to form what we are today. I can’t picture my life without Amber or Giovanni, and I never want to go back to the way things were.”
Phantom’s pitiful eyes weakly look up at Drac. “Does it ever get better?”
Drac shrugs. “I don’t know. I tried moving on, but it just never worked out. Nobody ever lived up to her, or how I felt about her. And now that I have her again, I don’t plan on letting her go.”
“I still can’t believe you fucking married her in Vegas. One week you fucking hate her guts. The next you’re buying a marriage certificate.”
Drac smiles smugly. “It was a desperate and idiotic move in most people’s eyes, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Phantom looks back at the floor. “I’m happy for you, man. Truly I am. It’s just hard to get over her when I feel like she’s literally sitting next to me right now.”
“See? He feels me, Drac. No need to put stupid ideas into his head about moving on and shit.”
“Just think about it, Phantom. What’s going on with you right now isn’t healthy. You’re in a relationship with a ghost, a toxic, crazy as fuck ghost.”
“Aww, Drac, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me.”
“I know.”
“Voorhees said he wants me to introduce you to Autumn. That’s probably a good idea. If anyone can help you clear out your skeletons, it’s her.”
