The Ghost Whisperer

Part 10

As the days went by, I found myself falling into paranoia. My guilt eating me away from the inside. Mind wrapped in chaos and fear. Heart filled to the brim with hatred and anger. Slowly but surely I was losing grip of reality. The world moved on as it always did but I kept running in that same circle. Revolving around that dark secret which, try as I might, I cannot forget or let go. It's not easy to move on but it happens eventually. I bet Tessa's parents are slowly learning to move on. It's been 3 weeks. Everyone freely carried on with their lives. So..why...? Why can't I break away from this cycle? I locked myself in my room refusing to go outside. Because whenever I'd go out, I'd feel eyes looking at me. Not to mention she'd always be there. Staring at me from a distance.

I went to karaoke a week ago with Irma and the others. Watching Irma act happy and everything made me wanna act properly too. It was fine I guess. Later on, I was actually having fun. That was what mattered to me. That moment, those friends, that life. I treasured it. I had for a brief moment, forgotten everything that had happened with Tessa. And I had thought, maybe this is what I needed to move on and forget. When it was my turn to sing, I went up on stage. As I held the microphone and looked over at the group. I suddenly felt as if blood had drained from my face. Those eyes....looking at me. I'm afraid if I open my mouth I might accidentally spill the beans.

"Everything ok Lisa? The song already started " calls out one of my friends.

I looked back at the screen. It HAD already started. I was too spaced out.

"Oh? Sorry about the " I begin to say as I turn back at them.

They're....dead.

The room gets silent with only the music playing in the background. Their heads are cracked and bloods pouring out of them while they sit there, lifeless, looking at me with bloodshot eyes without blinking. No... what's going on? Why are they like this? My breathing gets faster and my eyes dart around the room hopelessly. I don't get it!? What's happening!?

"Sing Lisa. It's your turn "

I turn my head to where the voice had came from. Tessa, sitting on the sofa in the corner, smiling at me.

"Why...are you doing this to me..." I blurt out. My hands clenching my arms, tightly and nails digging into the skin.

She doesn't respond. Just looks and keeps smiling.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?!? " I yell with my eyes shut. When I open them, I watch as everyone looks at me with confused and scared faces. My friends, now alive, gaze upon me with concern in their eyes. Tessa, already vanished.

" ....Lisa? " Irma asks with her hand over her mouth. For a second I suspect that she's trying to contain her laughter.

"Weren't you all...dead? " I manage to say. I know I look like an idiot.

"What do you mean dead? We've all just been sitting here while you were there going all crazy and shouting " Beatrix says with a frown.

As everyone quietly stares at me, waiting for an explanation, I turn red with embarrassment...and frustration.

" I......I gotta go "I say getting off the stage. I pick up my bag and walk towards the door. No one stops me.

"Thanks for inviting me, Beatrix," I say as I close the door. Once fully closed, I run. And I keep on running without knowing where. I just...wanna be as far away as possible from them.

Once out of breath, I stop and sit down.

I hate this

After that day, these types of incidents kept on happening. People started distancing themselves from me. Calling me names like "weirdo " or "Crazy ". It was becoming hard for me to distinguish between "Real " and "Unreal ". It got so bad to the point where once when Tessa appeared, I, out of anger and frustration went up to her and choked her. That had felt great. The harder I choked, the more satisfied I felt. Her gaging and cries of pain were music to my ears. When suddenly, two hands grabbed my arms and pulled me away from Tessa. I tripped and fell down. When I looked back up, I was horrified to find that it wasn't Tessa I was choking but...a classmate of mine.