Ghost Behind You

1.18. Division of Labor

Rose tilted her head, deep in thought. She tried to recall if she had ever seen a ghost before and then imagined what it would be like if she actually had that ability. The thought of waking up and seeing spirits floating around her room didn't seem like the kind of experience she wanted.

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head. "I don't want that. I'd rather stay a normal person. Anyway, back to the topic—can you get rid of these marks?"

Zach looked slightly disappointed but didn't press the issue. "I can't remove them directly. The only way to get rid of the marks is by eliminating the witch. Once she's gone, the marks will disappear on their own."

"Are you sure?" Rose found it hard to believe it could be so simple.

"I'm about ninety percent sure," Zach replied. "The black cat was her servant. Once the witch is destroyed, the curse should break, and the marks will fade. I believe these marks are part of the curse she left behind. When she's gone, so is the curse."

"A curse..." Rose sighed. "Alright, I'll trust you on this."

She then bombarded Zach with more questions—whether the marks would indeed attract the witch's ghost, whether others truly couldn't see them, and how long it would take for the marks to spread across her body. Zach's answers gave her some comfort. The marks only allowed the witch to sense her presence, but it would take time for the witch to locate her. Additionally, no one else would be able to see the marks unless they weren't ordinary people. If left unchecked, the marks could take up to a year to become fatal.

"Okay, I feel better now," Rose exhaled, visibly relieved. "As long as we deal with the witch, everything will be fine. And you've said I can count on you."

Zach gave a wry smile. "You think it's that easy? I'm going to need your help."

"Of course I'll help," Rose replied, though she sounded a little disheartened. "I can't run from this now, and I should be the one begging you for help. You could easily just leave me to fend for myself."

Zach didn't respond right away, silently watching Rose. Fresh from the shower, her pale skin seemed even more delicate, her wet hair sticking to her forehead. There was a vulnerability in her eyes that stirred something in him—he couldn't just leave her. Since arriving at the hotel and meeting Rose, Zach found himself more drawn to her than he'd expected. Part of his motivation had become personal, though his primary goal hadn't changed. The witch's spirit fascinated him, and he needed to capture it, both to help Rose and for his own reasons. Failure wouldn't be a major setback for him, but for Rose, it could be deadly. The marks would claim her life in about a week—not the year he had mentioned.

"You don't seem too confident," Rose said, hugging her knees to her chest as she sat on the bed. She noticed Zach deep in thought and wondered if he was expecting something in return. Was he hoping for some inappropriate reward? The idea made her uneasy. Then again, if they didn't succeed, any promise of repayment would be meaningless. Was this really her fate?

"Let's divide the tasks," Zach said suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts. "We've wasted enough time. We need to move quickly."

"Okay, you decide. I'll follow your lead," Rose agreed. "Although, if you'd said any of this to me yesterday, I would've had you committed."

"Yeah, yeah," Zach cut her off. "I warned you this morning. Let's not dwell on that now. You've got no choice but to face this head-on."

"Fine, fine. What's next?"

"Our biggest lead right now is the guest register. We need to find out who this witch was, when she checked in, when she died, and where."

"And after that?"

"After that, we find her remains, capture her spirit, and end this."

"I'll handle the guest register," Rose offered. With her background in law enforcement, it wouldn't be too difficult. If needed, she could enlist help from the local police. Her connections would make things go smoother.

"Great. I'll focus on researching the black cat and uncover more about this black magic—maybe find other ways to break the curse."

"Sounds like a plan." Rose stretched her arms. "Now I'm starving."

Zach blinked, a bit confused.

"What's wrong? I'm hungry. Hand over the bread," Rose said, holding out her hand.

"Oh, right." Zach handed her the rolls, thinking to himself, Ah, women...