Legacy's Ghost

Episode 16: Haunted by the Ghost

It took me a long time to drift off to sleep after the poker game.

I spent most of the night tossing and turning, analyzing every step of that stupid game, trying to figure out what I had done wrong.

When I drifted off to sleep, I was no closer to an answer than I was after Lucien's two sixes were turned face-up on the green felt. I'd have to ask the Ghost the next time I saw him. Or maybe Edmond.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I jerk awake and open my eyes. I stare into the darkness. Near my door stands a shadow of a man. He doesn't move though. Did he see me wake up? Is he waiting for me to go back to sleep?

I watch him, afraid to move.

He just stands there, not moving.

Is it the Ghost? Rigel? One of the other Trinity or TAG groups? I slowly loosen my coverings from my body in case whoever is in my room decides to attack. Just to be safe.

Slowly sliding my hand out from under my covers, I ghost my hand over the grass, looking for something to use in case I need to defend myself. I'm one of the youngest in our group, and easily the smallest. I'm sure not getting three square meals a day for most of my didn't help with my growth either.

My hand rests on the pants I'd worn under my robe earlier today, crumpled next to my bedding. That will have to do.

The shadow slinks toward me.

Fear grips my chest as I watch the shadow stalk me like a predator. I wrap the leg of my pants around my hands a couple of times and slowly move my legs out from under the bedding so I won't be pinned under it.

Hopefully, the intruder can't see in the dark as well as I naturally can. I've heard other people talk about how they struggle to see in the dark, but I have no problems with it. Even in the blackest of nights, I feel like I'm seeing the world at dusk.

As the shadow gets closer, its features become clear.

My blood chills.

It's Rigel. And the look on his face leaves no question that he's out for blood.

My mind races a million miles a second as scenarios scream through my mind about how to deal with him.

Should I run for the door? He'd probably catch me. Then I'd be at a disadvantage.

Yell and hope someone hears me? That might work but he would still have time to get a few strikes in, and he'll be itching to get me again later.

I have to fight.

Oh my stars, I have to fight.

It'll be like David and Goliath. Except I don't have rocks or the luxury of distance.

When he's within two paces of me, I whip off my covering and jump to my feet. I have my pants in my hands, and I'm crouched, ready to fight.

Rigel straightens, then steps back, letting out a bark of laughter. "What are you gonna do with those, kid?

He lunges for me and I side-step him, then swing the pants around my head once and whip him in the face with the waist-side of the pants where the metal button and zipper are positioned. THWACK!

Rigel hisses and rubs the back of his head with his hand and turns.

If his expression had been angry before, now it's murderous.

I take a step backward, then turn and ran for the door.

Change of plans. Run like hell!

I get two steps in before his meaty arms wrap around me and tackle me to the grass, shoving me face first into the sod. I wriggle and turn onto my back, wrapping my legs around his waist.

He rears back and cocks his arm as if to punch.

I dodge his fist and his hand hits the grass near my face with a solid thump.

"I'm gonna make you wish you were never born," Rigel says, pulling his arm up.

I grab his shirt while he's still hunched toward the ground, then I pull him further off balance until he's laying on top of me.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I squeeze as hard as I can, ignoring his yells and each time he punches me in the ribs with one hand and the face with the other.

If feels like getting pounded with a jackhammer. My ears ring. My side screams. Rigel's limbs slow.

Soon, he's passes out on top of me.

Panting, I grunt as I squirm out from under him. I don't have much time before he comes to. I've got to get out of here. Get help.

Running, I pull the door open, preparing to escape to one of the corners of the treehouse I used to go to before Edmond made me a Ghoul.

"Stop!, a voice says from behind me, still in my room.

But it's not Rigel's.

Someone else is in the room?

Terror ricochets through my veins and I run. For my life. I can fight one guy off but two. No way I'll survive the night.

I bolt from the room and didn't look back.

With all the adrenaline surging through my body, blood dripping from my face, and my limbs shaking from the fight, I need to get as far away from my room as I can.

Twisting and turning through different halls, over bridges, and into familiar territory, I finally stop in the main building where the kitchen is located, taking in the warm wood on my bare feet, the scent of baking bread, and the folk music playing in the kitchen while Cook works.

I hate Cook, but I know every square inch of her building. And I can get lost in this building if I need to. They won't find me for months. Maybe years, if necessary.

I need to clear my mind.

Glancing over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't followed, I stop at a window near the kitchen and climb onto the ledge.

I'd discovered the latch was broken a few years ago, and it became my favorite place to hide.

Going slow enough not to make the hinges squeak, I push on the window, and open it enough to slide outside onto the branches of the Monastery's treeouse.

Being one of the biggest trees in Legacy, this giant sequoia also has one of the best views of the colony. The breeze that hits my face is cool and has the ever-present scent of scorched dust.

Despite Legacy's best efforts, they have been unable to completely mask the smell of the dust that comes from outside the bubble.

I climb several feet along the branch until I reached an opening in the massive tree that enables me to see nearly the entire colony and well into Planet Exodus' landscape.

Inside the biodome, the colony still sleeps.

Above me, the graphene dome is just overhead and feels almost close enough to touch. Below me the bushes look like tiny dots, and the pathways look like little more than a line drawn by a pencil.

I settle into the crook of one of the branches that's about as thick as my entire body.

Nobody is crazy enough to follow me out here. If they fell they'd most certainly die. But it's worth it to me, to have a safe place that's all my own.

I close my eyes and listen to the breeze rustle the tree around me, and try to figure out my next step.

Was Rigel trying to kill me? Rough me up a little? Scare me? He accomplished scaring me all right.

What will happen if I return to classes tomorrow? Will it be worse? Will he come at me again? What happens if I tell Mr. Francois? Will he believe me? Will he even care?

Probably not.

Mr. Francois never liked me.

Nobody likes me.

They just put up with me because Edmond tells them to.

"Hello," a deep voice calls.

I jerk to the side, practically falling off the branch, and my eyes fly open, my limbs shooting out in all directions to maintain my balance.

On the ledge several feet away stands the Ghost.