Friend

XIII

Once they made it to the park Mimi let out a joyful squeal before she took off running and joined the other kids in their game of hide and seek. Nico and Teresa walked to one of the nearby benches and sat watching Mimi play happily, "what is that on her neck Nico?" Teresa quietly asked as she watched her daughter. Nico leaned back on the bench and looked up at the clear blue sky "it has many names, it all depends on where you're from and what you call it. You don't remember but mother called it a spirit hold." Nico says as she closes her eyes enjoying the soft breeze going through her hair, "And what is it exactly? What will it do to her?" Teresa asked quickly, the fear for her daughter growing with each passing minute. Nico sat up straight cutting her eyes at Mimi before bring her attention back to Teresa. "It comes from a spirit attaching itself to someone in this case Mimi. It's used to feed off of the person." "FEED OFF THEM!" Teresa accidentally shouted her fear getting the best of her. Everyone in the park looked at her  strangely "oh, don't mind her people, she just found out why doctors use leeches on some patients" Nico tells everyone calmly moving  her hand left to right to show it's nothing to worry about. Most everyone went back to what they were doing, others gave her an odd look before gathering their kids and leaving. Nico gave a little chuckle "good job sis, scared that family away" Teresa turned fast to her glaring intensely "this is no laughing matter Nico! His thing is eating my baby?!" She asked frantically. "Not per say in most casing yes, the person the spirit attached itself too would feel fine at first, then they would get tired easily and began to get sick for no reason, and in some cases end with the person dying." Teresa's eyes went wide at that she looked frantically for Mimi before she seen her on the slide playing with a little boy. Teresa let out a small sigh of relief, "don't worry, he's not feeding of her life force like a normal spirit would" she heard Nico say. Nico leaned forward laying her elbows on her knees and placing her head in her hands. Teresa watched her sisters oddly "then what is he feeding off of?" She asked curiously, "he's feeding on her energy or gift if that makes more sense" Teresa thought about that for a minute before it clicked in her head. "You mean that thing that lets you see and talk to the dead?" "Yup" Nico replied popping the P as she did. "When it's gone he will then feed on her life force, so we need to get him gone before it's to late" Nico continues as she stands and stretches her arms over her head. Teresa watched her when she realize something "hey Nico, how come Mimi didn't see Friend or even listen to him?" Nico stopped stretching and let out a laugh "because I know what I'm doing and I came prepared" she tells Teresa as she brings her hands down and shows Teresa the inside of her palms. Each of her palms had the same symbol drawn on them, Teresa remembered Nico doodling something on her hands but she didn't expect this, the symbol had a lot of small different marks and weird things that almost looked like letters. She glanced up at Nico an obvious question written on her face "protection symbols" was all Nico said, Teresa raised an eyebrow at that reply "uh-huh, yeah that doesn't help me understand that at all" Teresa says slightly annoyed. Nico gave her a sly smirk " in layman's terms when I put my hand on both yours and Mimi's back it made like a barrier that kept Friend out, even with Mimi's strong connection with him. Her gift might be strong but mine is stronger so I can counteracted it with symbols like theses" Nico rattled off like it was a normal thing they talked about all the time. Teresa gave her a blank stare as she tried to take in everything Nico had just told her, she was beginning to get a headache from all of this Teresa rubbed her temple, as she did this  Nico sat back down, laid her hands facedown on her legs and closed her eyes, Teresa raised another brow at her sister's strange actions, she watched as Nicos breathing became slow and steady "ummm Nico whatcha doing?" She asked hesitantly. " shhh I'm trying to concentrate" was all Nico whispered back. Teresa felt the wind began to slightly pick up, she looked around to see if anything was happening but it was the same as when they arrived. Parents talking to each other kids playing she even seen Mimi on the merry-go-round laughing with some kids. When she looked back at Nico she noticed the spot in front of her looked odd, it was like the light was bending around something. Teresa leaned forward a bit and watched in amazement as a figure slowly began to appear in front of Nico, with each passing second the figure became easier to see. After a few minutes  a girl no more than fifteen stood in front of Nico, her reddish hair was in a long braid and she wore a light green sun dress Teresa noticed a thin red line that went from ear to ear on her neck. Teresa sat there mouth hanging slightly open in amaze, Nico slowly opened her eyes and smiled at the young spirit "hello Ki-" "KIRA!" Nico started but was cut off by Mimi who was happily running towards them, she latched onto Kira's leg and smiled at the spirit. Kira patted Mimi on the head "hello little one, it's been awhile" she says to Mimi happily. Teresa looked between the three of them trying to put it all together but falling to do so, Nico took pity on her confused look "remember I told you I had someone on the inside that told me about Friend?" Teresa slowly nodded. Nico held her hands in a ta-da manner towards Kira. "Oh," was all Teresa could get out, Nico let out a laugh "by the way is there a way we can get everyone out of the house for the night?" Nico asked. "Oh ummm" Teresa though about it for a moment before she remembered it was her in-laws anniversary tomorrow. "Yes, Jim and I were supposed to take the kids and drive down to see his parents for their anniversary" "uh-huh, and how far do they live again?" Nico asked hoping for a good hour or two. "Hmmm about four maybe five hours" Nico snapped her fingers "perfect, so Jimbo can take the kids and head on down and we'll stay here and deal with you know who" Nico says as she glancing down at Mimi the last thing she wants if Mimi to freak over Friend. "Umm okay, wait what?" Teresa asked serious Nico shrugged her shoulders "they need to be gone so they won't get hope" all Teresa could do was nod it did make sense but she didn't want to leave her children. "Anyway Kira is going to stay here and watch over you two while I'm going to the store to pick up everything we need for tonight" Nico said as she started to walk away back towards Teresas house. "You're going to walk all the way to the store?" Teresa shouted to her back. She watched as Nico held up her arm above her head and jiggled a pair of car keys "Nope" was all she shouted back. Teresa looked at the keys before her eyes went wide and she began patted herself down to find her keys, " seriously Nico how are we supposed to get in the house?" She yelled "that's the point Teresa, just stay here with Mimi and Kira and I'll come back and pick you all up when I'm done at the store" Teresa watched as Nico turned around fast and stuck her tongue out before turning back and continued her walking.  Teresa clicked her tongue in annoyance "you could have at least asked" she mumbled as she sat back down and began watching Mimi playing happily with Kira, well at least it's better than playing with Friend she thought. All she can do now is wait and hope that Nico doesn't destroy her car.

A/N so after horrible writers block and rewriting this part a total of 17 times, I am ecstatic to say that it is finally done!!! I honestly was just ready to skip this part and be like yay they magically got back home. But I was told people would noticed lol. Anyway thanks for reading and being patient, much love-skellington_girl95