A Monster Was Born ✔️

Your Shining Light (Part II)

Suri could only stare at her in shock. She felt confused and overwhelmed, as though this must have been a dream. Only she kept rubbing her eyes and pinching her skin to find the girl with red eyes was still there, staring back at her. The ghost floated higher, then closer to Suri, whose mouth was gaping open. After moments of silence, she grasped courage and finally spoke up.

"Who are you?" Suri asked the ghost. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

The ghost's expression didn't change. It stayed emotionless, blank, frozen, the tiny lips pursed in a frown, as she cocked her head to regard her.

"Who am I," she murmured, almost to herself. "Who am I, who am I. It appears this isn't to my knowledge, unfortunately. I don't understand where this place is. I don't remember travelling. I am unaware of your identity. To be honest, everything seemed so distant, I don't know how to engage with those questions."

Suri pondered this. Their interaction was getting awkward and the ghost girl seemed to be searching Suri's face and belongings, trying to see if she recognized anything. To Suri, her speech seemed strange and convoluted and even though the girl herself seemed strange enough, she also wanted to help. If this person really was lost, she should be helping her to find a way back, or at least find out why she was here. She could help her find peace.

"I could try to help you," Suri said. "I'm not sure who you are myself, and I don't know who sent you here, but I will do my best to help you find the answers you are searching for."

The ghost looked at her with her blood red eyes, unflinching, and for a moment, Suri was nervous about what would happen next.

"You," the ghost said. "You would help me? A stranger?"

Although her expression didn't change, her eyes seemed to soften a little, even as they pierced through Suri's soul. In the eyes of most people, she still looked demonic, like a blood spirit who feasted on the dreams of children. Despite this, Suri thought she saw something in her that was comforting.

Nodding encouragely, Suri smiled as she expressed her relief. The ghost girl was the same as everyone else. She looked frightening and different with those eyes and her glow, but she was just as scared and confused herself. Just as human. Suri would not abandon her just because of her appearance.

"But I don't know where to even start."

"We could go to the streets and look around to see if you will remember anything," Suri suggested. "I'm familiar with the area around here and it won't be a bother at all for me to go with you. The people here are really nice as well. I could introduce you to my frien--".

"No, no, no!" The ghost interrupted, shaking her head fearfully. "No people, no meeting anybody that can hurt, that can hurt..."

"Fine, no people. It will just be the two of us."

Suri was surprised. She was sure had the ghost been human and alive, she would be shaking and trembling with fear. Was it trauma? Could it be part of the reason why she was still here in this world? Nevertheless, she had caused someone to suffer and she felt terrible because of that.

"It's fine," she repeated. "I'm not going to hurt you, and you don't have to feel pressured to meet anybody who you are not comfortable with."

"I'm Suri, and I promise you we will get through this together."

For a moment, the ghost girl's form flickered and Suri suddenly panicked if she was disappearing. But then she realized the girl was blushing.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You are a really kind person."

"Not really, I'm just doing what anybody else would do."

"When should we leave?"

"We can leave in just a few hours when the sun rises," Suri said. "I'm sorry if that is inconvenient, but I think it is better to go at a time when it's safe out."

The ghost nodded, but seemed confused.

"Is it not safe right now?"

"It's probably safe right here, but not outside. When it's night, that is when all the crimes go up: drugs, robbery, murder. It's all because the ones who cause crime think it is easier doing so under the cover of the dark, when no one can clearly see their features, when most people are asleep in their homes."

"Crime...night...people," the ghost whispered one by one, shifting uncomfortably, as though terrified. "That sounds like something I want to forget..."

"Forget, forget, no, no, no!"

Suddenly, she raised both her arms until they covered both sides of her head, and floated to a corner, trembling with utter terror. Suri couldn't see her, and was worried. She raced to where the ghost was, who was still repeating words over and over incoherently till no end. Was this sign of her memories returning? Either way, it was confirmation of her trauma, and might be a reason why she was here.

Suri shook her twice, gently saying words of comfort. "It's going to be okay, you're safe, you're safe..." And eventually, the ghost ended up being alright, although still solemn and spooked after what had happened.

"We will be going first thing in the morning," Suri said firmly. "And I promise no one is going to hurt you. Be brave."