The Kiss of Life

Chapter 2 ~ Fantoma Cautator

Chapter 2 ~ Fantoma Cautator

“Zac, wait up!”  My breathing is shallow and it has me worrying I’ll go into an asthma attack.

       “Awhh, you’re no fun.  You never make it all the way home,” he whined while suddenly appearing by my side.

       “My house is two miles away from the meadow!  If you haven’t noticed Zacariah,” putting extra emphasis on his name, “I’m not the most athletic girl out here.”

       “It’s Zac,” he grumbled under his breath.

       My house is nothing special; it’s actually quite small with three bedrooms and one bathroom.  There is just enough room for me, my parents, and my brother Aiden.  There’s no fancy pool, we don’t even own a hot tub, but the scene is gorgeous.  It’s the one of the reasons my parents bought the house. 

       The house is about three miles from town and just two from the meadow.  Our house is concealed from the outside world; you would never even know it was there.  The road leading to our house isn’t traveled on much and it splits into three different roads.  One continuing its path to a neighboring town, the second leading to my house, and another path for a cemetery.

       The other reason they chose this house was because of the cemetery.  My mom is slightly crazy; I guess I have no room to talk though.  My grandmother told me at first she thought mom was going to inherit the gift, but for some odd reason the light disappeared from her and came to me.  The person intended to receive the powers literally has a glow to them.  Legend has it that it’s the person’s aurora shining through. 

       Grandmother has no idea what happened, this is the first time it happened in history.  As an effect though, it’s as if my mother can sense the ghosts.  She becomes slightly edgy whenever a ghost is in the house, Zac being the exception.  He’s kind of the abnormal ghost; he breaks all the ghostly rules.  For some reason cemeteries, morgues, and funeral homes have always been able to calm her down, never all the way though.  I guess she used to have panic attacks and other problems, so this was the best option for her health.

       Clearing my thoughts of my mom, I noticed the road to my house coming into view.

       Zac whistled, “You’re going to have a lot of fun raking!”

       “I don’t mind, I love being outside.  Besides Aiden snuck out to a party and was busted, I guarantee you he’ll have to help.”

       “Why would he sneak out?  You have the coolest parents ever!  They let you go to parties no questions asked.”

       “They let me go to two parties, I don’t see the big deal in that and they were both at the ending of senior year.  I’m their mature responsible daughter, they know I won’t drink or wind up pregnant.  Aiden…well, Aiden’s Aiden.  He’s responsible to an extent, just not very mature.  He will drink, which isn’t bad in moderation, and knowing him he’ll find a way to get pregnant himself!”

       “He isn’t a seahorse Chrissie,” he shot back chuckling.

       “Actually, did you know a lot of people have that wrong?  They think the male is impregnated, when actually it’s the female!  They just-ummm…”

       “They do it again?” he smirks.

       “Y-yeah,” I stammered, my checks flushing.  “The babies travel up his, well you know, his thing, and he keeps them until they are ready for birth.”