Seeker, Scholar, Psychic and a Ghost

Ganging up with the local psychic

Cort chucked her water bottle back into her backpack and looked quizzically at the house. It stood tall, about two stories, and the worn stone and brick walls were a dull grey. 

"You think the ghost went in there?" Cort asked Nick, standing up and swinging on her backpack. 

"No doubt about it, in fact, I'm happy it did." He replied before chucking his water bottle to Cort and tugging off his sweater. Cort stuck the water bottle away and took off her fogged up glasses, wiping them clean with the corner of her shirt as she raised an eyebrow. 

"And why would that be, Vampire?" She asked. Nick just shrugged and tied his sweater around his waist. 

"You'll find out in a sec." He began to walk up to the house. Cort rolled her eyes before following him. 

"You suck at choosing clothes," She gestured to the same black long sleeved T-shirt he wore the night before, also eying the lump around his roughly bandaged upper arm. "You do know it's the middle of summer, right?" Nick laughed slightly. 

"I packed two sets of clothes. A summer set and a winter set. You know which one got drenched in blood?" Cort, who was looking over Ms Wally's flower garden, snapped her head back to Nick. 

"The winter set." She said, words smothered with sarcasm. Nick laughed, and the pair reached the front door.

"Here goes nothing," Cort said then she rang the doorbell. It was quiet. Neither of them could hear the sound of the doorbell coming from inside the house and they waited filled with nervous anticipation of what was about to happen. Suddenly, there was a series of clicks and the door swung open to reveal a short woman of around 60. Her hair was grey and short but super curly and full of volume. She wore black sweat pants (in summer?!) and a white T-shirt that said 'Fight like a girl' in bold black letters. 

"Can I help you?" She asked looking up slightly at Cort and Nick. 

"Hello, Ms Wally. I'm Cort, I don't know If you remember me after all it has been a while and-"

"Cort! Really? Wow, it has been a while. Then again I haven't gone out much for a long time." Nick stuck his hand out to shake Esme's. 

"Professor Nick Elide," He said as she took it. "I have some things I would like to talk to you about Ms Wally." Esme's eyes narrowed. 

"What kind of things?" Nick gazed back at her. 

"Supernatural dilemmas," Nick said, cracking a smile. I mean come on who says something like that with a straight face? Esme backed away from the doorway. 

"I think you two better come in."

Nick and Cort followed Esme into the house. The air was different here. Thicker but colder. Like someone's warm hands tracing your skin so lightly, it feels like ghosts are dancing upon your soft flesh. The entrance area had a large, old light-up sign. It read psychic in curvy blue letters that flickered on and off. The skeletons of once beautiful flowers hung from the roof. Dried petals falling to the floor as the flowers dropped further into the afterlife. The trio reached an old staircase that curved upwards into the house. 

"I think I better warn you, I foster the undead," Esme said before jogging up the steps. 

"What?!" Cort responded in pure confusion. Nick followed Esme up the steps. 

"You heard the woman, Cort." He said. Cort quickly chased after them. 

"Fuck you, Vampire." Nick just snickered.

Esme was waiting for them at the top of the steps. 

"Dang, the youth these days are so slow." She said glancing at her watch. "Well, welcome to my foster home for lost souls. Literally." Esme gave a huff of laughter. Cort looked past Esme to the large room they had entered. It was filled with ghosts and spirits of all ages and sizes. Every single one of them seemed there and yet not at the same time. Cort had to clench her teeth together so she didn't gape. She had seen ghosts before, and spirits but not so many at once all together in the same space, playing cards and reading books. Nick glanced around quickly but was more focused on Esme. She was the only person he knew would believe him. You ask how he knows this? Well, let's just say he did his research.

"Esme," Nick paused. "Do you mind if I call you that?" He asked, she scoffed. 

"I prefer it." Nick nodded. 

"We have a problem." He stopped again thinking it over a second. "Actually it's more like the human race has a problem, and it's a big one." Esme kicked open the door behind her and gestured for them to follow her inside. 

"The human race has so many big ass problems, which one are you talking about?" She asked going to sit on a big squishy yellow couch. Nick grabbed Cort by the elbow and pulled her into the room with him as she was still staring blankly at the ghosts. 

"Well, I'm hoping you know already." He said sitting across from her on a green recliner. Esme just sighed.

"Spit it out." She said. 

"They are coming," Nick finally answered. "The-the rising is going to happen soon. I intercepted a message that was sent out to every single cryptid, ghost and spirit they could reach, they have a plan and it's going to destroy the human race." Cort sat down next to Esme. 

"You didn't tell me you intercepted a message." She said eying the scholar. 

"I didn't think you would believe me." Esme stood up then walked to a cabinet behind the yellow couch. 

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who knows." She said as she opened the cabinet and reviled bunches on bunches of letters and discs and little glowing vials. As soon as it opened the same sounds from the disc that Cort found began to wail out loud all at once and Cort had to put her hands over her ears. Esme closed the cabinet. "I agree with you Mr Elide. We do have a problem."

Hey yo, sorry it's been a while since I've updated, been pretty busy. I'm going away so I won't be updating for a while but might do a big one when I get back.
Stay fresh cheese bags ✌️
-Harper