Esterville (Book 1)

Chapter 5: Neighbors

Oliver stared at the demon, trying to understand what he had meant.

"What did Allison do to you?" he asks.

The demon looked at him with black eyes, and said: "that's for me to know, and for you to find out."

Though restraining Allison, Amelia looked at Oliver, who gives her a patient stare.

"Do it," she insisted. "my arms aren't going to hold her much longer."

He thought back to the books of spells in his room, then reluctantly looked at Allison.

Though Oliver remembered the exorcist spell, he doubts that it might work.

Nevertheless, he is dealing with a ghost raging inside an innocent woman.

"Ecce Crucis signum, giant phantasmata cuncta," said Oliver.

Allison cried at the words, moving her body vigorously. Her demon black eyes stared into the clouded sky, to which Amelia had to grab her neck and make her face Oliver.

"Make it stop!" she wailed.

Before Oliver could continue, he checked to see that he isn't being watched.

His green eyes stare at the seemingly peaceful houses: lawns are cut down perfectly, fences are painted white, and every single window is shielded with blinds.

"Stop it!" she begged. "It hurts!"

Reluctantly, Oliver focused on the woman, did a Holy Cross in the air and chanted: "In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask thee to flee thy ghost out of the vessel. As Holy Father, as Holy Son, as our PROTECTOR!"

Instantly Allison's demonic eyes have faded into a soft brown color, crimson immediately began to form on her cheeks.

Allison quickly passed out, allowing Amelia to release her at last.

"You did it!" squealed Amelia. 

Oliver blushed.

"No, we did it together." he said, kindly correcting her. "Now, let's find the ghost."

He whisked his head furiously, trying to catch the spirit in the act. His green eyes searched for the supposed spirit, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Try using your sixth sense," suggested Amelia.

"Maybe you can find him."

Nodding, Oliver closed his eyes for a minute, then opened them.

In that quick moment, his pupils vanished, and his irises are in a grayish-white color. Oliver had trained himself to focus on the environment around him.

"Be like the environment," he thinks.

Oliver thought about the gentle breeze pulling his clothes, the smell of flowers fluttering underneath his nose, and the lovely shade of gray spreading across the sky.

As his sixth sense begin to activate, Oliver's five senses remain the same; however, the color isn't.

From the dark trees to the tips of his fingers, Oliver saw nothing, but light gray. It was like walking around a century-old photo, where ancestors never discovered the rainbow, until now.

Though his ability is impressive, Oliver's sixth sense has a limit of twelve minutes.

Within these minutes, Oliver has to make this confrontation quick, or else he might start over again.

Looking around at the colorless world, Oliver shouted angry words across the gray sky.

His vampire companion gives him a slightly frightened look but didn't object.

Like Oliver, Amelia can see ghosts, though, she doesn't have his sixth sense. She once explained to Oliver, that she has powerful senses: hearing, eyesight, smell, touch, and taste.

Because of this, Amelia can easily track her prey, just like an ordinary bloodhound.

The minute she caught their scent, she sank her teeth into their necks, drained the blood, and dump their bodies in the ocean.

"Alright, you've had your fun." he snarled at the invisible air.

"Show yourself!"

A white figure stood behind Oliver; it took the shape of a male construction worker: the ghost is tall, looks like he's in his early thirties, has dark hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.

His outfit consists of a neon orange vest with yellow stripes, blue jeans, and dark brown men shoes. Covering his shoulders, are white t-shirt sleeves.

Though he seemed normal, Oliver noticed splashes of blood, white dust, and some type of oil caked on his vest.

"Who are you?" questioned Oliver.

"My name is Michael Jefferies." answered the ghost.

Oliver and Amelia looked at each other in surprise: this spirit has a Southern accent.

"So, Michael Jefferies," said Oliver. "why are you possessing Allison?"

The ghost walked up to Oliver, then stared him in the eyes.

A toothy, creepy smile smeared across his face. Pale veins popped from the side of his large forehead.

Though scared, Oliver tried numerous ways to calm himself down.

Mentally, he tried counting backward, but he froze when he got to five. Either Oliver forgot, or he didn't like staring at his horrendous face.

"Like I said," he chuckled. "that's for me to know and for you to find out."

Amelia tries to step in, but Oliver blocked her.

"What do you mean by that?"

Mike lets out a sigh, then turns his head to the unconscious woman.

Her eyes were closed; her brown, wet hair shimmer against the grass.

"Let's just say that she and I had...problems."

"Problems?" scoffed Oliver. "Dude, it's the 21st century, we all have problems."

Mike shoots him a look, then traced his eyes at the attractive vampire.

Uncomfortably, Amelia takes a careful step back and stood next to Oliver.

"Hubba Hubba," he whistled at her glamorous legs.

"Who is this little slice of Heaven?"

Amelia Parker let out a disdainful hiss.

"This 'little slice of Heaven' is going to kill you unless you don't cooperate with him."

"Damn, you're feisty." chuckled Mike.

"Focus," snapped Oliver, "you said that you and Allison had an issue. What is it about?"

But just as Mike opened his mouth, a hand touched his shoulder.

Disturbed, Oliver turns his head around and finds his mother, looking at him with concern.

Her blond hair is tied into a ponytail; Caitlin wears a blue t-shirt, jeans, and had black sneakers.

"Oliver, are you okay?" she asked.

Her son nodded, as he closed his eyes and reopened them.

However, the minute he opened his eyes, Oliver finds his neighborhood surrounded by police cars, news reporters, and of course, stressful neighbors.

He can see people, young and old, screaming at men in navy blue uniforms.

"I have been hearing this boy squawking all day!" yelled one of his neighbors, Mr. Clementine.

He had dark gray hair, a blue shirt, and black boxers. As he spoke to the cops, his pale finger angrily pointed at Oliver.

Following his gaze, everyone stared at Oliver and Amelia in confusion.

"Oh, shit." Oliver thought miserably.