Beyond (Niall Horan) (COMPLETED)

Chapter Nineteen

Mariana's POV

Though I'm still recovering from what just happened between Niall and I (how the hell was it even possible to kiss a ghost?!) I realize that my brother, though he may be the biggest idiot on the Earth sometimes, is actually right about this. What was going to happen now?

I look at Niall, hoping that it would be possible for him to give us some sort of answer. He is biting his lip and I notice that he has gone back to being transparent. If I tried to touch him this time, he would simply pass right through me.

"Please," my brother practically begs him, "you need to let us know how we can help."

Niall sighs and looks at me before speaking. The words that come out of his mouth put me in a complete shock. "You...you need to leave. All of you."

"What?!" I exclaim, widening my eyes at him. "I'm not leaving you!"

"You have to," Niall says, looking down at the ground.

"Why?" Eric looks just as confused as me, but I feel like an entire shock has just gone through my body.

"It's not safe," Niall replies. I shake my head, refusing to accept his answer.

"Niall, that's bullshit. What is this, some cliché romantic movie? I'm not leaving until you give me a fucking valid reason to leave. And even then you'll probably have to force us, seeing as our parents won't even believe us anyway," I point out. Eric, though silent, nods in agreement.

Niall looks at me again, silent. It seems that my comment about our parents made him realize that making us leave will be harder than he thought, but he finally speaks up again after a few minutes.

"There's something I still need to tell you," he admits.

"I think we've already figured that out," Eric points out. Normally I would have laughed, but I'm too confused and a little frightened to even think about laughing right now.

Niall sighs again. "You need to leave before...before they take me away."

"What?" Eric frowns.

"Who's taking you away?" I ask Niall.

"You see, when I realize that I had died, I tried to get to Heaven, but...but I was stuck. I was told that I had lived a mediocre life and would have to stay in this house until I could prove that I was worthy of going to Heaven. But if I broke any of the rules...like...like telling somebody my situation or...or developing any sort of relationship, platonic or romantic, with a living human being," Niall looks directly at me as those words leave his mouth, causing chills to run down my spine, "they would take me away. Away to...to H-Hell."

I force myself to swallow a lump in my throat and I look over at Eric. His eyes are wide and I can see beads of sweat begin to form on his forehead, but he forces himself to spit out another question.

"Who are...who are they?" Eric asks.

The room is silent for a long time and I look over at Niall, wondering if he has vanished. He's still there, floating a couple inches off the ground, but he's looking away from the both of us. It takes me a few more seconds to realize that he was sniffling. He was...crying.

"B-Before my family and I moved to this house, there was a group of people that would sneak onto the property every night. They were...they were Satan worshippers and every night they would practice spells and try to contact the Devil himself. My family and I never knew of this, it was only until after I died that I found out. And..." His voice drifts off. He looks completely terrified.

"And what?" I ask softly. I felt like I was watching an episode of A Haunting, but the terrifying reality was that...I wasn't. This was actually happening. To me. To my brother.

To my family.

Niall's voice begins to shake as he speaks again. "The S-Satan worshippers practiced s-sacrifices too. It w-was mostly just animals...like d-dogs and cats and e-even things like birds and r-raccoons. But o-one night they decided to try...to try to s-sacrifice a human. So...S-So they sacrificed one of their own."

I feel like I have just been dipped in a bath of acid. My skin is crawling and I pray for it to stop.

"They...they left after that night and never came back. But his name...h-his name is Stephen. Stephen Crawley. A-And he's...he's still h-here too, along with one other guy that he a-attacked. Lukas Creed. And they...th-they told me.."

"That if you didn't listen to them, they would drag you down to Hell." I finish for him in a whisper.

Niall nods, letting out a sob.

Suddenly, my world comes crashing down around me. All the things that Niall said...it's all a reality. I want to believe that this is some sick nightmare, but it's not. These people are actually coming for him...and it's all because of me.

Most people who believe in ghosts portray them as soulless creatures that cannot cross over because they are stuck and so, as a result, they want revenge. Most people are terrified of the dead because when the dead is restless, they will terrorize the living. But that's not the case. Ghosts are simply people who lived and died and, just like the living, they can feel emotion. They have personalities. Some are bad, but others, like Niall, were good in their living life and are equally as good in their afterlife. They're just lost, and are in need of a person who loves them. Who can help them and guide them and maybe even lead them into the light, into the world that they were meant to join. Some ghosts, a person cannot help falling in love with. Just like a person can't help falling in love with another living person.

And I love Niall.

But it is because of my love...that he may risk burning in flames for all eternity.

I feel tears brimming in my eyes and shake my head, furiously wanting them to go away. But before I can focus, I hear a low rumble...that slowly becomes louder...and louder...and louder.

"What is that?!" Eric shouts over the noise, covering his ears. I seem to be in a trance...my arms feel like two deadweights at the sides of my body.

"It's...it's them," Niall whispers.

"RUN!"

Sorry I haven't updated in forever! Busy with school, but I took my APUSH exam today and Junior year is over on the 28th so I can update more then! Comment and vote if you want!