The Unseen (ONC 2023)

Five (Nina)

The dark look in his eyes chilled me to my very core. I start to shiver underneath his frigid gaze. I grip my phone in my hand my eyes begin to trace the cracks on the screen. My mom promises me we'll get a new one when she receives her first paycheck. I reassure her its fine. I hold and release three deep breaths. I got him to speak, this is my accomplishment.

"Are you a ghost?"

He raises an eyebrow his red eyes lock onto me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were glowing. The temperature around me begins to decline, I pull my hoodie cautiously out of my bag and pull it over my head.

"No, I am not a ghost." His voice is still cold.

"If you're not, then why do you have an echo?" I glance at him. He goes unnaturally still eyes stalking me like a lion stalking their prey.

"It is none of your concern." He snaps. "You should not be able to see me. If I were you, I would avoid me entirely."

"Are all ghosts complete pricks or is this just my bad luck rearing its ugly head again?" I ask, hearing the bitterness in my tone. I wipe away a tear that has managed to fall down my face. My companion flinches, the red flickering out of his eyes leaving a pool of darkness behind. His very presence piques my curiosity. I want to know more about him, although he's made it abundantly clear that I shouldn't be able to see him.

We sit in silence for a few stops, he rests his head on the window glaring daggers at the outside world. I pull my unfinished homework out of my bag. I got most of it down before my mystery travel companion entered my mind. I started doing research on what I'd seen, coming across something called a death echo, which seem to be what I witnessed every morning I rode the bus.

"Not all spirits are, as you say, complete pricks."

I jump, casting a sideways glance. He appears calmer now, his eyes show loneliness, and also relief. I continue working my hair concealing my victory smile. My new goal is to keep him talking. The sound of his voice, the way that he speaks, it's unlike anything I have ever heard before.

"To answer your previous question, I went against my guardians wishes meeting my end at the hands of a cruel man, the Fates deemed this a worthy punishment for my actions." He leans back staring up at the ceiling.

"Which Fates? The Greek or the Norse?"

"You ask peculiar questions." He turns to face me.

"Sorry, my friend Henrietta is playing through these games called God of War. I'm fascinated by the lore." I smile to myself withdrawing a book of Greek Mythology I checked out from the school library.

"I could not give you an accurate answer I am afraid. Not even my guardian has met the deities." He shrugs. "You have quite the curious mind."

"I prefer books over people, books don't have it in them to be cruel." I rest my hand on the cover. "They don't fault you for your imperfections, they accept you for who you are, and when you read the words inside they take you to a whole different world."

"There is certainly truth to your words." He bites his lip. "I must ask that you heed my words."

"Which ones? You've spoken quite a few of them." I smirk at him. He goes to protest, chuckling softly instead.

"Whilst I admire your wit, I will say this. You should not be able to see me. It is unwise to continue this conversation." His face grows paler, the bus coming to a complete stop.

I look out the window, wishing I had more time. In a handful of moments he'll exit the bus and be lost to the flames. His death must have been traumatic to have left such a mark on his soul. In a death echo, if a spirt experienced a severely traumatic end they ran the risk of reliving their death over and over again. Some of what I read stated the pain alone would drive the spirit mad. Yet my travel companion remained strong, he slowly stands taking great care to avoid touching me.

"Wait!" I grab his arm.

A jolt of electricity shoots straight up my arm, around me several students scream in terror. My travel companion's eyes go red, his lips curl back to reveal razor-sharp teeth, and equally sharp canines.

"What did you do?!" He hisses, his voice dropping several octaves. Our eyes go straight to our wrists where the Roman numeral for seven has appeared. Lenny, the bus driver escorts everyone off the bus quickly. He doesn't seem fazed by the boy standing in front of me. In fact, he looks to be more worried about me.

"Nina? Everything okay?" He asks.

"F-Fine." I stutter. The boy's skin is freezing cold to the touch my fingers are beginning to turn blue. I pull my hand away watching him walk out of the bus and stand on the sidewalk. I follow behind him, fully prepared to see him burst into flames. When nothing happens, he stares back at me, his eyes hold a mere spark of adoration. I blush slightly, tucking my hair behind my ear. In my rush to check on my travel companion I threw caution to the wind running out to him without even bothering to be careful. Lenny hands me my bag.

"Here you go, Miss Winters. Enjoy your day!"

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Mr. Hecat, Ms. Winters, if you'd follow me?"

My travel companion tenses beside me his eyes have narrowed at a young man standing in front of us. His white hair is shoulder length, held back by a black ribbon. His entire attire is black from head to toe. Even his eyes are bottomless pits watching us with an amused expression.

"Who is this?" I ask moving behind my travel companion. I can't explain away the fear that pierces my heart like a knife. My fellow classmates pay no attention to the young man as a scythe appears in his hands.

"My name is Elijah." He bows. "I have been waiting for you Nina Winters."

*Word Count 5818*