Destined Demons

Chapter Fifty-Five | Little Alaina

ALAINA'S POV

I stare at the boy with narrowed eyes and he stares right back. We both sit on the ground now, criss cross, and me inside the circle and him outside. Carson remains behind me, still ignoring us and staying silent.

"Dayle," I murmur, his name feeling odd on my tongue.

"Yes?" He says in a polite voice.

"How old are you?" I ask quietly, making sure not to offend him in any way.

Eliza told me that when I was a kid I had an imaginary friend named Dayle. And that when I was ten years old he disappeared.

"I'm ten," he tells me.

What a coincidence.

Maybe Dayle wasn't an imaginary friend...Maybe...Dayle was a spirit.

"Dayle?" I say his name again.

"Yes?"

"You said...that we were best friends, right?" He nods and I return it. "But...I grew up...and you're still a little boy."

"Well, I used to be older than you. But then, yes, you grew up," he informs me and my brows draw further together.

"You used to be older than me?" I ask just to make sure I heard correctly.

"Yes."

"Dayle...Are you..." I don't know how to politely ask him if he's a ghost. Is there a polite way?!

"It's okay to ask," he states suddenly and my eyes widen. "Go ahead."

"Okay," I mumble and push a strand of my hair behind my ear with my good hand. "Are you a spirit?"

"Yes," he says softly and nods.

I stare at him for a couple of seconds, trying to regain any memory of him. But I can't. "How did you die?" I ask, keeping my voice soft and sweet.

His dark eyes flicker to the floor and he frowns. My eyes widen and I raise my hands up, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!"

"No, no. It's okay. I don't mind talking to you about it. I haven't talked to you in forever. You've been gone for so long," he tells me, his eyes finding mine again.

"I'm sorry," I say again. "How did you...die?"

"I drowned in the river," he states with a small shrug and my eyes widen.

"Oh," I mumble. "How did you get here?"

"Here?" His brows furrow. "I died here. In the river in the backyard."

My face pales and I feel like I'm asking him way too many personal questions.

"It's okay, though! I like being a spirit. I get to do a lot of cool stuff! Watch!" Dayle demands excitedly as he jumps up and I observe him as he marches over to the wall and walks straight through it. A minute passes and he doesn't return.

"Dayle?" I call out, but no one answers. My  brows crease and I pull myself to stand. "Dayle!"

"You're awake."

I spin around to see Carson leaning against the table and now facing me. I don't say anything as I stare at her, my earlier thoughts coming back to me of wanting to kill her.

And I still do.

"How long have you been awake?" She asks, brow raising.

I grip the knife in my hands as my jaw ticks in annoyance, my lips refusing to open. "Let me out," I demand after a couple of seconds in silence.