Don't Call Me Dead

7. Separated

The man stares at me, then at Jack.

"Come here," he says.

"Dad, this is..." Jack gestures at me and then, as if finally grasping the situation, starts babbling, "See, I told you, she's real! I mean, I'm sorry I went into the forest, but you see now, I didn't lie!"

"You lied when you said you're going to school this morning. And yesterday, too. I heard you've been skipping quite a few lessons lately." The man is talking to Jack, but he keeps his eyes on me.

"But Dad --"

"I said come here."

Jack throws an apologetic look at me and walks over to his father. He stops by his side, looking guilty. Brownie stretches its neck and licks his hand.

"Now, you," the man says to me. "What's the deal with you? Hanging out in the forest, talking young boys into following you into the swamps?"

"I was talking him out of it," I say, "not into it."

"I've heard enough to come to my own conclusions, young lady." He frowns. "Now, do follow us. I prefer the authorities to take care of you."

"But she can't, I told you," Jack says. "She's a ghost. If she goes out of the forest, she'll evaporate."

"Enough." The man squeezes his shoulder. "I told you, enough of this nonsense."

Jack looks at me pleadingly. "Can you show him the hand in the tree thing?"

I'm not sure it's a good idea given the man's attitude, but I can't let Jack down. I reach for the tree I have recently used for a similar demonstration, and make my hand go right through the trunk.

The effect it has on the man exceeds all expectations. He gasps and stumbles back, dragging his son and his dogs with him. Brownie bursts into barking.

"You see?" Jack says. "I told you she's a ghost!"

"You told me," the man mutters, letting go of Jack and Brownie and searching for something in the deep pockets of his coat. "And I took precautions. There!" He retrieves a silver cross the size of his palm and points it at me. "Don't you dare come near us!"

I gape at the cross, then at Jack, who looks thoroughly embarrassed.

"Dad," he says. "She's friendly. No need in that. Just talk to her."

"You stay close to me." The man keeps backing away, holding the cross out like a shield. "And take that for good measure!" He retrieves something else from his other pocket and throws it in my direction. The object lands by my feet and I look down to find it's a braid of garlic.

"Dad, she's not a vampire," Jack says pleadingly.

"How do you know?" the man snaps. "You hang out here, talking to such a creature?" He throws one last look at me and points the cross at me like a gun. The dog backs away, too, stopping and growling every few steps, but not attempting to attack.

I just stand there and watch the spectacle.

Jack looks back at me, points into the woods, and makes a hand heart gesture. The next moment, he's dragged by his father behind the trees, and they disappear from my view. It takes me a second to interpret his sign language.

Go to the swamps and come back. Meet me by the tree with the heart.

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