The Ghosts

Chapter Two, Part Three

I went back to my car and held my phone in my hands, wondering if…maybe…

I dialed the still familiar numbers and hit send without hesitating. It went straight to voicemail where a mechanical woman told me the intended callee was busy and couldn’t take my call. I thought about leaving a message and actually recorded one. But when the woman gave me menu options, I deleted the message entirely and ended the call.

I looked at my phone and the date caught my eye.

August 23rd.

The first time Aidan and I decided to date. It was our anniversary. I slammed my open palm against the steering wheel and I couldn’t help the tears that flowed down my face then. The new recruits had come in earlier that month but I hadn’t thought much about it.

I called Luke.

“Gee, are you alright?” he asked, teenagers calling out in the background. 

“No,” I said, tears making my voice crack. “No, I’m not.”

“What’s wrong?” The voices faded and I heard a door slam.

“I don’t…Michael was in my dream last night and then…it’s the 23rd and I don’t…”

He sighed and I could just imagine his eyes closing and his head hanging.

“What did he say?”

“It doesn’t matter…Luke,” I whispered. “I don’t think I can be this person anymore. I don’t want to be this girl.”

“You’re talking about the Guild?” his voice turned concerned. “What happened?”

“I slept with someone. Last night. I’m becoming that girl I swore I never would…”

There was a pause. “And that’s why he was in your dream?”

I nodded. “Yes. He told me…it doesn’t matter what he told me. I just…don’t want to be…I don’t think…”

“Georgiana, I need you to take a deep breath, a couple if you have to. You need to calm down. “

I did what he asked and instead of finding my breath calming, I found my heart racing and my breath coming in quick, short gasps.

“I can’t breathe, Luke. I’m suffocating.”

“No, no, no. Georgiana, you’re not. It’s just a panic attack. Try to…”

Something slammed against my window and I yelped, whipping around to look. A homeless man stood there, a cardboard square pressed against the glass. Written in black permanent marker was…

“Georgiana? What was that noise? Georgiana?!”

I ended the call and stared at the message. I looked up at him after memorizing every word, every letter, every curve and loop. I thought his eyes would be clouded over or he would look…different, crazy. Instead his eyes were very clear and he stared at me like he knew everything about me.

“Do you understand?” he said, his voice muffled by the glass.

I nodded hesitantly and he joined me. “Ok.”

He walked off, leaving me sitting there, stunned. The phone was ringing, shrilling really, in my hand. I hit the answer button and put it to my ear.

“I’m ok,” I said in a monotone voice. “Everything is going to be fine.

One day HE will come. One day the world as you know it WILL change. One day there WILL be love again. You WERE loved. You ARE loved. You WILL BE loved. Forever.