The Ghost Upstairs (A Ghost Story)

Chapter 12

I have nothing to say except...yep.  I have nothing.  ENJOYY

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*Noah's P.O.V*

I glanced behind me as I ran across the street to Leanne's house.  I poised in front of her door, and raised my hand to knock on the door, then decided against it and walked in.

"Hey Eli." I said, deadpan.

"Hey Noah.  Ashleigh and Lee are in there." He pointed to Leanne's room.  I nodded.  I took a double take, as I just realized Elijah was standing.

"Uhm..." I pointed at his legs.  He glanced down.

"Oh yeah," he said, "I got my crutches early."

"Good for you." I said, and walked into Leanne's room.

"Hey Noah, we were beginning to wonder where you went." Leanne said, she smiled warmly.  Ashleigh stared coldly at me, which was unlike her.

"Hello." She said, her voice dripping with bitterness.

"What's wrong?" I asked, I was starting to worry.  She didn't reply, she just stared for a few seconds longer, and then turned back to Leanne.  I shook my head and sat down beside her.

"So, what'd you find out this time?  Sorry I had to leave." I said, glancing at Ashleigh as she jumped up and walked to the other side of the bed.

"Here," she said, she tossed the notepad at me.  I flipped through it, and cursed to myself. 

"What?" She asked.

I looked up quickly.  "Huh? Oh, nothing.  There's just so little here." 

Ashleigh had been silent the whole time, besides for the greeting.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Leanne looked at Ashleigh.  She just shrugged her shoulders, and turned to face the wall when she noticed me looking. 

Everyone simultaneously got up, though Leanne was a little unstable.

"I'm just light headed." She said, swatting my offered hand away.  "So, who's coming upstairs with me tonight?" She glanced at her watch.  "It's eleven."

Ashleigh volunteered quickly.  "I'll do it.  I've been here for a while." she looked back at me.  Boy, if looks could kill.  I clenched my jaw.

"Wait, I want to do it." Elijah piped up. 

"Can you even keep your balance?" Leanne asked.

"Yeah.  I'll just have to lean against a wall or something."

"Can Ashleigh still come?  It's not that I don't trust you...it's just..."

"Yeah totally.  I understand." He said, nodding his head.

They filed out the room, leaving me sitting in the recliner and staring at the blank television screen.  I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.  I had to get to work.

*Leanne's P.O.V*

I followed Elijah up the stairs, keep my arms slightly raised, ready to catch him if he fell.  A few seconds later, we were standing in front of the door. 

"You two go first." I said, motioning to the door.

They nodded and marched into the room.  I took a deep breath and followed them in.  I closed the door behind me.

We all stood for a few minutes, no words were spoken, though the air hung heavy as if someone was yelling and hadn't stopped.  We glanced at each other, confused that I haven't passed out yet.

I opened my mouth in attempt to speak, but words wouldn't form in my mouth.  The same happened with Ashleigh and Elijah.  I tried to walk forward to hug them, because something felt wrong.  Oh so very wrong.

My legs wouldn't move, it was as if I had stepped into a small vat of concrete, and it had dried around my lower legs.

I watched in confusion and slight terror as Ashleigh and Elijah fell in slow motion towards the ground, their mouths open, their eyes full of fear.  What was happening?  The air didn't just feel thick, it was thick, as if we were in deep water, and the water pressure was slowing us down immensely. 

Soon the spirit walked in.  I looked at it, and grimaced.  This wasn't Frank.  It was someone else, someone evil.

Somehow my tongue found my voice, though I sounded slow and my voice was slightly deeper.  "Who are you?"

The spirit started to materialize from the feet up.  This was making no sense whatsoever.  I asked him again.  All I heard was a malevolent chuckle.  I was beginning to panic.  The materialization suddenly stopped.

I fell to the ground in real-time.  The spirit was gone, and Ashleigh and Elijah were groaning in pain. 

"What the heck was that?" Ashleigh said, her eyes wider than I'd ever seen them.  "I couldn't walk, or talk, or move, and then suddenly I just dropped."

Elijah couldn't talk, he was gripping his broken leg, he was biting his lip so hard I'm surprised he didn't bite right through it.  I could tell he was trying not to scream out in agony. 

"It was someone else.  Did you see or do anything besides passing out?" I asked them.

"No.  You were the last to fall, I think, what happened?" Elijah said, stopping every couple of syllables to bite his lip again, he sounded so strained.

"It was weird.  I could talk, but I sounded like someone put me in slow motion.  However, the spirit started to materialize.  It wasn't Frank either, it was someone else.  He just started to have color, and a definitive shape, and then he stopped, and I fell, and now here we are." I explained.  I glanced at Elijah.  "We have to go back to the hospital."

Elijah slowly got up with Ashleigh's help, as I walked to get his crutches. 

This was so confusing.  What was the meaning of this?