Ghost Behind You

1.16. The Mark

Rose felt like her world had completely unraveled. On the surface, everything seemed normal, but deep down, she knew something was off. There was a growing weight in her mind that she couldn't shake.

She had seen Zach off, but his words still echoed in her mind: "I'm not sure what the witch will try to do to you, but you must be careful. Tonight, I'll place another talisman on your door to ward off evil, though I'm not certain how long it will last. As the witch's power grows, she'll be able to manifest anywhere in this empty hotel, even during the day. Although she can't harm you in daylight, nightfall will bring real danger. Whatever happens, don't leave your room."

Zach had also suggested that Rose could return to Beijing if she wanted to, but he believed the witch would find her no matter where she went. Without any protection, she'd be defenseless. His advice? Stay and confront the witch head-on, learn her background, and then deal with her once and for all. "That's the only way to end this," he had said. "But it will take time, and we need to uncover the witch's story first."

Rose was left grappling with how to approach the entire situation, especially as she struggled to wrap her mind around the existence of spirits. Even after everything that had happened, she still found it hard to believe. Zach had tried to explain that spiritual science couldn't be tested or proven in the traditional sense, which is why most scientists avoided the subject altogether. But for people like him, exploring the mysteries of the soul was essential.

"Think of the soul as conscious energy," Zach had told her. "It's not some mystical force—it's simply energy formed by consciousness. Most souls dissipate after death, but under certain circumstances—especially for people who die with strong emotions or unresolved issues—souls can persist and influence their surroundings."

He had gone on to explain the concept of ghosts. "Ghosts are souls that have enough energy to interact with the world. While all living beings have souls, it's rare for a soul to become a ghost because it takes a lot of energy to manifest physically. Ghosts linger in places where energy accumulates—what you might call haunted locations. And when a ghost is strong enough, it can affect people."

Zach had also explained the talismans he used, saying that he infused them with energy—similar to practices like qigong. "It's not foolproof," he warned. "If the ghost's energy is too strong, it can break through the protection. That's why I don't know how long the talisman will hold."

After dropping all this information on her, Zach had left her with a protective amulet and a stern warning to be cautious. Rose now found herself in a state of mental overload, her mind spinning with unfamiliar concepts. None of this aligned with the education she had received her entire life. She hadn't fully grasped the danger she was in, but Zach's warnings lingered in the back of her mind. Still, part of her felt like she was caught in some bizarre nightmare, unsure of what was real.

As evening approached, Rose wasn't feeling particularly hungry and decided to skip dinner. She wasn't used to eating large portions, and since she had eaten late in the afternoon, missing a meal didn't seem like a big deal. Besides, her mind was elsewhere.

She decided to take a shower, thinking it might help her relax and clear her thoughts. She knew she wasn't going anywhere tonight, so a shower seemed like a good way to calm herself. However, she realized she was down to her last set of clean clothes, meaning she'd have to do some laundry after she was done.

Rose gathered her final clean outfit and headed into the bathroom. But as soon as she undressed, she froze in shock. On her pale, smooth arms were dark black marks that looked like thick ink stains. They stretched across her skin, long and rough, as if someone had smeared her with tar. They were unmistakable—deep, dark lines, as though her skin had been bruised or burned.

Frantic, she scrubbed at the marks in the shower, but no matter how hard she rubbed—until her skin turned red and raw—the marks wouldn't fade. Leaning closer to inspect them, she noticed that they didn't smell like tar or oil. They weren't stains or dirt; the marks were embedded in her skin, more like birthmarks or scars than anything external.

What are these? How did they get here? Rose's mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. Had they been there when she woke up earlier? Was this something Zach had done? She checked her reflection in the mirror, but strangely, the black marks didn't show up in the reflection. Her skin looked perfectly smooth and unmarked in the glass. Only the red patches from where she had scrubbed too hard were visible.

Her heart began to pound as a realization hit her. The marks were in the exact spots where she had felt the invisible presence earlier—the sensation of something wrapping around her, constricting her body. She quickly examined her legs, and sure enough, the same black marks were there too, following the same pattern.

She turned back to the mirror, leaning in closer, but still, the marks didn't show in the reflection. It was as if they existed in some realm beyond physical sight, visible only to her and not to the mirror.

Rose's mind went blank. Was this the black cat's curse? Was she marked for death? What had Zach said about the witch's power growing stronger? Could these marks be a sign that the witch was getting closer?

Her legs felt weak, and she sank down onto the bathroom floor, her hands trembling. What should I do? How do I fight something like this? Panic crept in as she stared at the black marks on her body, which were as dark and permanent as death itself.

Rose pulled herself together enough to get dressed and leave the bathroom, her mind still spinning. She sat on the edge of the bed, gripping the protective amulet Zach had left her. She had to find him—she needed answers.

But there was something else gnawing at her, something she hadn't fully acknowledged yet: she wasn't just afraid of the marks on her body. She was afraid of what they represented—the growing influence of something far more dangerous, something ancient and malevolent, slowly closing in on her.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her from her thoughts. It was a message from Zach: "The witch is growing stronger. Whatever you do, stay in your room tonight. I'll come to you first thing in the morning."

Rose stared at the message, her breath catching in her throat. She knew Zach was trying to protect her, but would it be enough?