Crossing the Line

Chapter Thirteen

Wow I actually got a chapter done in LESS THAN A MONTH HAHAHA what a miracle!! Also another miracle; I graduated high school on Thursday! After about a month's time, after the HSC, I can devote a lot more time and energy to this story! 

Please don't forget to let me know what you think, I really appreciate it! :D Hope you're having a lovely day <3

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The others had found safety in the room, and Mikhail continued to run on for a bit, in hopes of distracting the onlooking ghosts. A fair distance away from the room, he stopped, and, trying not to over-exaggerate, he looked around, eyebrows furrowed, as if wondering where on Earth the others had gone. He hoped it was convincing.

The banshee had stopped chasing him, and was nowhere to be seen amongst the others. Perhaps it had recognised him from the previous night, and did not wish to fight him again.

However, his problems were not over, as his plan to reunite with the others once the ghosts lost interest was cut short when a small group of them crowded around him. Some of them looked to be older than he was, even adults, but some of them appeared to be even younger – what a terrible fate to befall someone so young... Mikhail began to tense up; perhaps he had not been convincing enough, and they knew he was with the others...

"What's the point of chasing them?" one of the older ones asked with a smirk. The others nodded in agreement, varying degrees of smiles, smirks or laughter coming from them.

"They... uh, they were looking for their bodies," Mikhail answered, relieved. If he had any, he would've let out a breath he'd been holding in. They didn't know he was with them. Thank goodness for that, he thought. More of the ghosts laughed at his words.

"They really think they can make it?"

'As if! There's no way they'd make it past the third floor!"

"The third floor?" Mikhail asked.

"Uh, yeah," another ghost replied, as if Mikhail should know. "Y'know, where-" He was not allowed to finish his words, as a nearby ghost stormed over to them, covering his mouth with her hand.

"Oi!" she shouted, angrily. "The living ones might be able to hear us; I didn't see where they disappeared to. We do not want a repeat of November '56." A few of the original group of ghosts rolled their eyes, groaning.

"When the kids escaped, because they found out how to get their bodies back," one of the younger ones said with a groan. "Yeah, yeah, we know, Martha. That's all you ever talk about."

"Wait – that's possible?" Mikhail asked, trying to hide his hopefulness.

The ghost who had joined the others, Martha, finally withdrew her hand from the young ghost's face, and sized Mikhail up with suspicious eyes. Surely everyone knew that was possible? But perhaps he was new – he wasn't with the humans, she thought. She had seen him before... Thinking for a moment, she gestured him to follow her down the hallway. He hesitated a moment, eyes darting back in the direction of the room the others had hidden in, before realising he could get some valuable information if he did follow her. If she was leading him away, that probably meant she didn't want information to be overheard.

She led him to another room, and a few of the other ghosts filed in too. They were bored, and teasing the uptight Martha was always fun.

"Of course it's possible," she answered, as soon as the door had been closed. "You just walk back to your body – that's not the hardest part. Which is why the third floor is so dangerous for everyone. The bodies need to be guarded."