Ghostly Love

Tree Trunks

Chapter 13

*Travis POV*

After Gemma told me what she found in the red snakey book, we lay under a nearly naked tree for a good while. A cool winter breeze crosses the meadow and causes Gemma to shiver. Curse my transparency and inability to keep her warm in my arms, I think with a sigh.

"You alright?" Gemma asks pulling the white snake eyes book from her face.

"Huh? Oh yeah, yeah," I say sitting up and clearing my throat. "Did'ya find anything that could help us?"

"Yeah, it says here that you or the witch in this case, can store objects inside larger objects, seemingly unnoticed --camouflaged even --to save for later," she says propping herself up with an elbow.

"So like the jars at Agatha's she puts things in them to save for later."

"Yes but it's a body inside a much larger jar under lock and key. The spell is practically a safe for the object."

"What would be big enough to hold a body?"

She sits up and leans her head back on the tree. Thunk!

"You okay?" I ask laughing a little.

Gem looks at me rubbing her head, "I think so... But that tree sounds ...hollow."

"Hollow?"

"Listen." Knock! knock! she runs over to another tree and repeats knock! knock! "Do you hear that?"

She walks back to the tree we were sitting at and takes out a key. She begins to carve into the tree. Nothing happens at first so Gem tries a little harder this time. Not a scratch appears on the wood.

Running back to the other tree she carves into it with her key. She manages to make a good size cut into the wood. Gem repeats carving into a few more surrounding trees until coming back to the original.

"Why won't this one cut?" Gem asks in bewilderment.

I'm just as stumped as she is. I stand up and face the unmarked tree. The tree stands towering over me at impressive heights.

I reach a hand out as if a force is pulling me in. I touch the rough bark and then I feel extremely light headed. An immense pulse rushes through me, like someone or something is calling for me. I then drop to the ground as the world spins and goes dark.

"Travis!" I hear Gem scream frantically.

But I can't hold on, I surrender. I'm so tired, I think to myself. I've been going on for so long. And for what? This isn't a life! My body was stolen! Everything would be so much better if I just disappeared into nothing. Dematerialize. Gone and never woke up.

In this darkness all I can feel is anger but then I hear something. Soft at first but then clearer. Gem is whispering to me.

"No Travis don't leave. We'll get through this! We'll get your body back and it will all be okay. Please! Please... I-- I love you. You can do this! But only if your spirit sticks around for your body! Oh Travis!" She begins to cry gently."

I struggle to open my eyes and see her hugging my torso. "Gemma..." I say weakly.

"Oh my gosh! Travis!" She sits up with relief washing over her. Gem's eyes look so scared but are beginning to return to normal as I get up. "I though I almost you! Don't ever do that again!" She yells playfully punching my arm.

Her genuine concern for me makes my chest tighten in a good way. Without thinking I cup two ghostly hands around her pink fleshy cheeks and kiss her. She's tensed at first but relaxes into it. I pull away realizing that I meet to stay here just a while longer.

"What was that?" Gem asks once we were both calm.

"I dot know..." I say looking up at the unmarked tree. "Well, remember what you were saying about the safe holding object, safes are pretty secure and hard to get into. Do you think..." I trail off.

"...your body is inside the tree?" She finishes.

I shrug. "It could be!" I say a little more enthusiastic now.

"How are we supposed to break into that wooden prison?" This --this is just too much," Gem says backing up slowly.

"Gemma, I can't do this alone. I need you. I've been here so long and I've had a lot of time to think. When I first woke up like this," I say motioning at my spectral body, "I though I'd be like this forever, doomed to roam these woods like a rejected spirit. I've tried to escape but I always end up returning to this tree somehow. I only remember some of what my human life was like. Do you know what it's like being conscience but only being able to see the world through a fog? It hurts, Gem, and there's not a thing I can do about it.

And then you showed up and everything changed. When you came back to the woods a second time I thought maybe having some flesh and bones to help me out of this nightmare would be to my advantage. You were never supposed to meant this much to me; I was never supposed to fall so hard. But you know what? I did and that's the truth, that's what keeps me holding on because it hurts like hell to let you go. Gemma, right now you're a I want and a I need."

She's gawking at me blurry eyes. "Oh, Travis," she says softly. "I'm not going anywhere. We are going to get your body back!"