Ghost Perfume | ✔

Chapter 19: Kiss Me (Part 2)

The portal flared a terribly bright gold, twisting around anxiously.

She ignored it.

She pressed her hands to her face and down her new body, slowly, letting out a deep and shaking breath. She looked around and seemed to decide to run upstairs. There she found the mirror in the bathroom. She considered herself. Her reflection showed a stark, white face.

Her eyes reddened, and tears dripped down her cheeks.

Get. Out, I shouted, but she ignored me so expertly, I began to doubt whether she could hear me at all.

She took gulping breaths. Savored the air. Put her hand on her chest and felt her heart beating.

My toothbrush and toothpaste lay on the counter. She started brushing her teeth, relishing the simple fact of the taste of mint on her tongue.

Help me, I screamed as loud as I could. If you can hear me, come to me!

She made no reaction. I realized she truly couldn't hear me. At the volume I'd used, she couldn't have pretended otherwise.

Did that mean no one else would hear me?

I was silenced.

She turned to the shower. She fiddled with the knobs till hot water rushed out of the showerhead, and, after tearing off her clothes, stepped under its spray. The heat of the water nearly scalded her skin, but she relished the shock. She might have stepped into fire, I thought, if only for the taste of it.

She stayed under the spray for fifteen minutes at least, her head thrown back. The tips of her fingers pruned up.

With sudden impatience, as if a thought had come into her head and she had to act on it immediately, she turned off the water and stepped out. She put on my towel-robe, the soft grey one that Alexander had given me once I'd moved in. She picked up my brush and slowly ran it through her wet hair. Her eyes closed with bliss at the sensation of the plastic bristles on her scalp.

"Rose, we saw the funniest thing,'' said a laughing voice.

Jane! Ellie!

Jane swooped into the bathroom. "Listen to this -''

She and Ellie froze, staring at us.

"Oh my god,'' my attacker muttered. "Leave me alone,'' she said louder. She toweled at her hair.

Jane! Ellie!

They didn't act like they could hear me, either.

"What in the actual fuck?'' Jane whispered, squinting. I wondered what they saw when they looked at my body. Another ghost, overlapping with me?

"Seriously, go away,'' she said, brushing past them and stepping down the stairs.

"Rose!'' Jane shouted. Ellie followed close behind her, wide-eyed.

I'm here!

"What have you done to Rose?'' Ellie whispered.

Puck and Robin flew into the kitchen with us. I guess they'd heard the cries. They stared. Robin grabbed at her face.

"I don't know who you all are, but leave me alone,'' she said flatly. "Look, I'm being nice now, but if you push me -''

"Are you a revenant?''

"Ooh, big girl words. Have the normies been learning new things?''

"Rose knows about you,'' Jane spat. "She fights you.''

"I wouldn't say she put up much of a fight. Well, she's young. And so are you.''

My attacker opened the fridge and stared at its contents. She moved to the cabinets and drawers, looking through them all. Kitchenware rattled. She was almost in a frenzy, leaving things open, making a mess.