Book One:The Happier Land is Beyond Us

Chapter 4

"You" Anaville gasped between giggles, "really think you can leave!?" "With believing, us humans can do anything.""Oh really now!?"Julia teared up and Ashley quickly shushed her."I know your secret." Ashley said sternly."I have tons of secrets!""You are not Anaville."Anaville flipped her hair and frowned, "Why would you think that maid?" Ashley cleared her throat and smiled. She did indeed know something that nobody except her and Anaville knew."I have been studying your past for many years to help Allie." She teared up when she said Allie. "Without Allie knowing, I had many psychics come and see if this '"ghost" had stayed, herself being very accurate, she said "no" and that the only one that had stayed was her husband, Garfield Lepson, I played along with it though. You were pretending to be your wife to live. Don't lie to me Garfield." Ashley pointed her finger to Anaville. Anaville nodded and then morphed into the old Garfield. Strikingly handsome he grabbed her hand and whispered into her ear, "I must take Julia." Ashley was entranced by his scent of roses. She then whipped her hand back and hit him in the temple. "You filthy inconsiderate joke! You will never take my best friend!" Ashley kicked him."I thought that Allie was your best friend!"Ashley thought about that and nodded, "Well I used her!" she then transitioned her voice into a whisper, "After she used me." Her words were bland. Ashley was right, Allie used her as back up- she abused her as a friend. Between the many smacks and terrible words that Allie had screamed at Ashley, they were still friends. Ashley had felt as if she had no secrets until she kept all of her secrets to herself. Like, Allie's dog wasn't lost, Ashley brought it to the pound. Never suspected though.Garfield then nodded and yawned, "You need to go, before you escape and if they found me..I would charged with holding you girls hostage." "What do you mean? You are dead!"Julia then jumped in and whispered, "He's not dead.""I am not dead." Garfield nodded."How?" Ashley screeched."I just don't feel dead, I can be hurt."Garfield then froze at his words. He had given them the power, all of it and it must have been fifteen seconds before Ashley had realized it. Power. She jumped on him and scratched him on his arms.He was struggling, something he shouldn't have done as Julia watched. Soon later, he was dead. It was over. "COME ON!" Ashley screeched as she pried open the door and for once, it worked. She wondered why Garfield hadn't fought back. He was done.Out ran Julia and Ashley out of the house and far away were they.

~ 20 years later ~ This just in. One of our favorites, Ashley Mertil has died of complications in the hospital. She was surrounded by loved ones at the hour of her death. Her story and her life will be greatly missed in our community. Please call 756- xxx- xxx to donate to her fund and to preserve her memories. At last, the last and only one who knows about this story and was there is Julia Frankton. Please email her at 948748hhj@xxxxx.com to learn more about this story and her wonderful life now. Hope that we can--Julia shut off her television and shook her head. Ashley died on their 20th anniversary at the haunted house and to think of how sad she was when she thought Ashley had died in that house. How terrible. But now as a young mother of five and a traumatic past, she can not remember from the age of eight to age twenty all of the things that she should or could have done. Sure, they had kept close contact and all but.......she was gone now. Julia then quickly called the radio station, "Excuse me, this is Julia Frankton and I have a question." She could feel the radio lady press a button. "Yes, you are on live right now." "No, no, no don't!" Julia pleaded, "I beg! Take me off!""Sure mam."Although she didn't hear the beeping of the sound that she took it off, she didn't worry too much. "Don't put this information out there!""Why?"Julia was furious, "I have a personal life too!""Mhm I'm sure you do, what is your question.""To keep to your own business! Get out of my life! Did you know I have children? And that I have a good life with my family.""Yes mam. I have a life too! But yes we will try our best to keep the spotlight off of you and your "life." "Thank you, but do you have any idea what I had to go through in that haunted house!?""I have read your story." The lady said breathlessly."Then you'll understand." "Goodbye.""Yeah, you too."Well, that phone conversation was over...finally. That was over. She still was getting over the shock that Ashley was dead. Oh..was she going to tell her children? They were at school but...ohh, life seemed terrible. Ricky, her husband, then walked through the door. "Oh honey! I love you. I was waiting for you to get done with work!" she deeply embraced him as he kissed her on the top of her head."I love you too, is there something wrong?"Julia nodded sadly and looked up to her loving husband. "Ashley died today."Ricky looked down at her with his beautiful eyes and touched her tears running down her cheeks. "Don't cry babe, it's alright." "No it's not!" Julia fell upon the ground and put her face in her hands. Ricky kneeled down and rubbed her back. "I know it's har--.""No you don't!" Julia quickly rubbed off her own tears and shook her head, "Listen Ricky, I'm sorry, I am just having a hard time with my best friend dead."Ricky nodded and lifted up Julia as if she was a pillow. He then sat her on the couch and planted a kiss onto her cheek. "What can I do to help?" "Fly you and me to Florida and we can go see Ashley's funeral.""But the children....""Can go to their grandmothers, you know Sheline would gladly take them." Julia put her hands together and prayed."I suppose."Julia laughed, "Yay!" and kissed him right on the lips, "I love you."He laughed and Julia got up to make some pizza right as Jaden walked through the door, trailing behind him were Vivian, Sherrie, Willy and Aundi."Hey beautiful children of mine! Take a seat please.""Mommy! Daddy!" "What's wrong!" "Am I in trouble?" "I love you guys!" "What happened?" were all the phrases said by her children.Julia sat down again, resting her head against Ricky, she patted the seats next to her. "You know Auntie Ashley?""Yes!" all of the children yelled with excitement.Julia figured she had just better get it out there. "She has passed away because of her surgery."