The Ghost of You

Chapter 3: Tawan

Love sat on the couch, her face still pale but her resolve hardened. After a long and serious talk with Lingling, she finally agreed to help. Lingling had promised her protection, vowing not to let anything happen to her, no matter how dangerous things got. Orm, who had been silently observing, stepped forward, offering her own promise.

"I will protect you from any bad spirits," Orm said softly. "As long as you're willing to help us uncover the truth."

Love glanced between them—Milk, her ex with whom things had always been complicated, Lingling, who seemed fearless in the face of danger, and Orm, the spirit who was both mysterious and vulnerable. She took a deep breath and nodded.

Love stood up from the couch, her shoulders still tense, but her determination unwavering. She glanced between Milk, Lingling, and Orm, knowing this wasn't going to be a simple mission. There were risks—huge ones. Still, she had agreed. There was no turning back now.

"I'll gather my things," Love said, her voice steady. "We'll need to go now, while it's still daylight. At night, the spirits will have the full advantage of the darkness. Trust me, we don't want to be caught there after sunset."

Lingling nodded, the urgency clear in her eyes. Milk, standing by her side, let out a deep breath of relief. "Yes! We've got this," she said with a grin, holding her hand up for a high-five. Lingling laughed softly and smacked Milk's hand, the tension lifting slightly for a brief moment.

But then, Orm quietly reached out, her fingers brushing against Lingling's hand. The touch felt warm, surprisingly human for a ghost. Lingling looked down at their joined hands, then turned to face Orm with a curious expression.

"What's wrong?" Lingling asked gently.

Orm shook her head, her lips curling into a small, wistful smile. "Nothing... just felt like holding your hand."

Lingling's heart skipped a beat. She could sense the vulnerability in Orm, the weight of her centuries-long imprisonment. Lingling squeezed her hand softly, offering a reassuring nod. "We'll get through this together."

Milk caught the tender moment, raising an eyebrow but choosing not to comment. Instead, she cleared her throat. "Alright, let's stay focused, yeah? We've got Love onboard, we're holding hands... what could go wrong?" she added, half-joking, but the nervousness in her tone was unmistakable.

Love returned with her bag filled with various items: incense, herbs, protective amulets, and a few other tools of the psychic trade. She caught the tail-end of Milk's remark and smirked. "A lot could go wrong, Milk. But we'll be prepared."

As they stepped out of the apartment, the weight of the task ahead settled in. The mansion awaited them, and with it, the answers they needed to save not just Orm, but Lingling as well. Time was running out, but for now, they were together. And that gave them hope.

The drive back to the mansion was tense. Lingling sat in the driver's seat, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter than usual, while Milk fidgeted in the passenger seat, casting anxious glances toward Love in the back. Orm was there too, though her presence was less intrusive, a quiet comfort for those who could sense her.

"This time, we'll do things differently," Lingling began, her eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead. "We have to be cautious. The spirits in that house aren't just restless—they're aggressive. And with the bond between Orm and me, we can't afford any mistakes. If the evil spirit gets to Orm and ties her back to that mansion..."

"P'Ling," Love interrupted, her voice tight with concern. "You do realize if that happens, your soul will be tied to the mansion too, right?"

The car went quiet. Milk's face contorted in shock as she absorbed the information. "Wait... P'Ling, you didn't tell me about that part."