Snap

Chapter 7

"What??" My eyes go wide.

She shows me all the photos again...

In each photos I took the figure is in the background and seemed to be getting closer and closer in each picture...

At first all we could see was a face mixed in with some of the tree branches from afar.

The next photo it seemed to have moved closer and was standing in between two skinny tree branches located behind the big tree my friends were posing in front of.

On the last group photo of Jade, Kai and Brooke the figure had moved and was standing on that new path in the shadows.

It wasn't in any other photos besides the group photos I took of my friends...

"Jade... what?" I said as she was staring at me worried.

"I have a feeling... and it's not good, I think I know why it's only in those photos.." she awkwardly says as she rubs the nape of her neck.

"What is it?? Please tell me" I desperately say to her.

"I'm not 100% sure but I think... I think its some sort of spirit and... and it wanted to get your attention... and only your attention" she intensely stares at me.

"Why me?? Why not you?? You're more connected to this spirit stuff than I am... why not even Brooke... why me out of everyone?" I start to babble.

"If I'm not mistaken... I think this spirit saw you as a challenge and wanted to have some fun seeing if it could scare you, get your attention, just make you notice it's presence".

I was speechless, I sat down completely flabbergasted and shocked next to Kai who also looked just as shocked and confused as me.

"The spirit was tormenting you... I think... which brings me to my next point..." she states.

As Jade is talking, myself, Kai and Brooke are all listening very intently and making sure we don't miss a single world she says.

"You see how in the photos Lily is shining and is very bright compared to the rest of us who look dull/ matte and in the dark... I believe that the spirit is responsible for that as well..."

"You think that spirit thing made me shiny?" I cocked an eyebrow.

Jade continues on with her explanation of what she believes to be happening in the photos.

"Yes Lily, I also think the spirit only wanted Lily to see it and not the rest of us so it has somewhat I guess hid behind her or made her look extra bright so the rest of us taking the photos would not see it in the background.."

"Woah woah woah.... so you're saying that thing could've been BEHIND me hiding, like it was close to me, so close it could've touched me..."

"Well err... yes?" She tried not to make me worry.

"Why is the spirit trying to torment me??" I blurt out leaving my mouth agape.

"Like I said before, it sees you as a challenge..." she says.

We all sat in silence for a few seconds trying to comprehend what we were just told by Jade.

Jade walks over to me and takes off her crystal necklace, she puts it over my head and puts it on me.

"I want you to wear this, I wear it to keep me safe as I am so spiritually involved... I guess" she paused for a second.

"My grandmother gave it to me, she talks to spirits and she said that it would keep out unwanted ones from contacting me" she started to explain and go into more detail about the necklace.

"She also said that the crystal helps heal the soul of the wearer, so please wear it for now" she started to walk away.

"Wait no... you need it, I can't wear this" I was about to take it off.

"No! Leave it on... you need it more than I do right now, please just leave it on for now okay?" She says in a serious tone.

"O-okay..." I slowly pull my arms away from the bale of my neck and place them in my lap.

"Everyone stay here, I will be back, no one leave the gazebo" Jade said sternly.

Kai, Brooke and I sat in silence staring at each other waiting for Jade to come back.

The wind was howling and we were restless, when Jade finally returned the wind started to die down and the night became peaceful again.

"Where did you go?" Kai asked Jade.

"Oh... I... is I just went around the campsite... to see if I could see or sense anything..." she replied nervously.

"Did you?" Kai started to twiddle his fingers.

"No" she smiled.

"Oh that's a good sign then" Brooke let out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah it is, that means that the spirit wasn't able to attach itself to Lily" she let out an awkward laugh as if she wasn't sure if her answer.

"WHAT.... what do you mean attach!?" I whisper shout.

"Well it means that the spirit wasn't able and/ or didn't to connect to your body..."

I look at her very confused.

"Spirits usually attach to someone because they find comfort in re-living some of the physical aspects of human life, or spirits can be confused and not realise that they are actually dead and want to get close to a living person so they attach themselves to them." Jade tries her best to educate me on this topic.

I listen to her explain why and how sprits attach to people.

"Attachments can range from temporary/ short-term and unpleasant to long-term and extremely terrifying." Jade continued to explain.

"So it's a good thing it didn't or wasn't able to attach itself to you, so now you don't worry about having to deal with unpleasant or uncomfortable situations.

"Yeah... yeah..." I trailed off.

We all sat in the gazebo letting all the information Jade had given us sink in and also the events form tonight, I started feeling drowsy and tired when..

"I think we should all go to bed... we have had a rough night..." Brooke said as she left the gazebo.

"You read my mind" I got up and followed her inside the tent.

Brooke and I were getting ready to sleep when suddenly Brooke came over to me and back hugged me.

"I'm glad you're okay" she whispered in my ear before she let go and turned away and got into her bed.

A small smile crept up onto my face as I felt butterflies in my stomach.

Kai and Jade made their way into the tent shortly after and I was still getting ready for bed, Brooke had already gotten into bed.

Jade and Kai put their pyjamas on and Kai quickly got into bed.

Before Jade and I headed off to bed Jade pulled me into a hug and when she pulled away she looked into my eyes and slightly smirked.

"Goodnight Lily" she walked off and went to bed.

I felt my face fill with pigments of pink/red as I turned on my heel to meet Kai in our side of the tent to sleep.

Everyone slowly drifted off into a deep peaceful slumber while listening to the soothing and relaxing sounds of nature...

"Night" a voice whispered.