Ghost Euanio

Chapter 5: Sarcophagus

Naemh couldn’t sleep that night, thoughts of the boy racing through her mind. He was there every single time. It wasn’t the dusty old camera that was cursed, it was Naemh herself. Naemh threw her phone against her bedroom wall, obliterating it. She prayed father wouldn’t hear the noise. The morning finally came around and Naemh dragged herself out of bed. 

She readied herself for school, but her body betrayed her and her fumbling hands made her nervousness all too obvious. 

“What’s wrong, Naemh?” Anabella asked her. Naemh looked up at Anabella blankly, barely registering she has spoken. 

“Yesterday, I…” Naemh started but then stopped herself and looked back down in defeat. “My phone broke.” There’s no way Anabella would believe the truth… Anabella didn’t seem to buy it, but she didn’t press Naemh any further. Instead, Anabella took Naemh’s hand to try and comfort her. If it was anybody but Anabella’s, the hand itself wouldn’t have been that comforting given how cold and clammy it was, but since it belonged to Annabella, this was the warmest gesture Naemh could’ve asked for. Anabella smiled softly at Naemh. Naemh smiled back, her eyes filling with tears that she quickly blinked away. “Thanks Bella” she said. Anabella squeezed Naemh’s hands tighter for a moment, “The bells going to ring” she smiled. And so it did, the first few  seconds of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” blared out over the school’s loudspeakers. Naemh rolled her eyes back into her skull, exposing the clear whites of her eyes, at the choice of music that had begun to deafen her further. The principal had no style left. Anabella chuckled at Naemh’s reaction before hurrying off to her own class, waving to Naemh as she dashed down the hallway.

Naemh had economics first, so she trudged towards E block, ready to face off with Mr. Jahusafet yet again. As the class slowly filled the classroom, Mr. Jahusafet begun to wake up. Naemh wasn’t ready to focus on class, she was still thinking about her interaction with Annabella. Her hands were so cold… Especially so, against Naemh’s warm hands. Together, they made the perfect temperature: lukewarm. 

Mr. Jahusafet sat behind his desk at the front of the classroom, laughing quietly at the ‘Hamish & Andy’ video he was playing for himself. He’d told the students to watch too, as it supposedly related to their coursework, but they knew it was just self-indulgent. Hamish and/or Andy said a funny and Mr. Jahusafet roared with uncontrollable laughter, shocking the entire classroom who had been trying to work quietly. Naemh overheard Gingermen and DeShawn talking quietly amongst themselves, discussing something about a box. Naemh whipped around to face the men, asking them what box they were so engaged with. 

“What’s it to you?” Gingermen snickered while DeShawn stared on at both of them, wide-eyed, like a soft doe in the forest. Naemh felt the fear building in her chest, horrified that they might be talking about her box. 

“DeShawn…” She started, staring him down with unspoken threats. DeShawn’s eyes somehow managed to open even wider with fear and confusion and his hands began to tremble. Naemh reached forward and gripped DeShawn by the throat. Before Gingermen could interject and defend his beloved, Mr Jahusafet roared again, though this time it was not the effect of Hamish and/or Andy. Naemh quickly dropped DeShawn back into his seat so she could use her hands to cover her ears. The roaring wouldn’t stop. 

Gingermen roared louder than the Jahusafatass, or whatever his name was, shutting him the fuck up, and then ordered Naemh to “stay the fuck away” from “DeShawn” and keep her “filthy paws” off his “delectable neck”. 

“YOU WRETCHED WHORE, THAT NECK IS MY NECK TO GRAB, BITCH TITS” Gingermen screamed at Naemh, his face going red as he pointed vigorously at Deshawn’s poor throat. DeShawn quietly sank down in his seat, his expression mirroring that of a startled baby rabbit, but Naemh was unaffected by the outburst.

“If that man told another MAN about my box, you don’t wanna know what I’ll do to him! Gingermen!” She sneered.

“Your box? YOUR BOX? No way, honey, he was talking about MY BOX! THE ONE THAT WILL CONTAIN THE ASHES OF MY DESHAWN AND I WHEN WE DIE IN EACHOTHERS ARMS ON A QUAINT LITTLE MINIATURE GOAT FARM IN ABOUT 76-80 YEARS!!!” Gingermen yelled, pointing a finger at Naemh while DeShawn blushed softly. The room went silent, the only noise to be heard was that of Hamish and Andy’s banter as what Gingermen was implying sank in for Naemh.

“Are you still mad about what happened the other day?” DeShawn asked her, “I just picked it up from the ground, Naemh…” Naemh locked eyes with DeShawn, angered that he even had the guts to bring up her box (the box belonging to her) again.

“What’s even in the box anyways?” DeShawn purred like a curious and excited puppy.

“That's a lady’s business.” Naemh told the mink coldly. DeShawn deflated, averting his eyes from Naemh and cuddling up to Gingermen. 

Her box, her business.