“He had changed. Evan was dying when I found him locked in the attic, starving to death. I tried to save him, but he fell and hit his head… then he’s spirit changed. It wasn’t suicide though. He didn’t want to die, it was an accident.” I stood up to face Elliot directly. He looked around uneasy as if he didn’t know how to answer me.
“If your actions lead to your death than it’s still classified as suicide, regardless of your true intentions. I’m so sorry Jordon, I was monitoring for signs of Reapers that I didn’t realise what was going on. I had thought that everyone was just out, I didn’t know someone was locked inside.”
“I must make sure no one takes him to Mother…”
“What else can you do Jordon? He can’t spend eternity living off hosts. He’ll be hunted, even if you don’t report him the Hunters will find him eventually.”
“I’ll find him first and protect him. I’ll hide him until…”
“Until what? You can’t do anything for him; he isn’t your brother anymore. Just like Melissa, she had no idea of who I was or who she was. You know what these banished are like, they turn feral or something. It’s not them anymore. She’s just a copy, she’s dead and I’ll never get her back. Let him go Jordon, we can’t do anything for them.”
“There must be another way; I can take him to the Drop Off instead.”
“We can’t, the system has been rigged to prevent Banished entering the Drop Off.”
“He can be an exception.”
“Just listen to yourself; you’re emotional right now that you’re not thinking straight. Come, I’ll make sure the ghost is looked after. Did you see his eye colour?”
“Yes, it was Green. Why does that matter?”
“Every Banished is tainted with the colour of a Sin; Green is Envy… at least that demon realm isn’t too bad.”
“Elliot; forget it. I’m not taking him to Mother!” I snarled.
“Well you can’t baby-sit him forever. He doesn’t know who you are! He won’t trust you and he will run from you every second he gets!”
I threw my face back down not accepting defeat. I kept thinking there must be a way… when an idea sprung up and I felt a small smile press my lips. He’s right, Evan wouldn’t trust me. I need to find someone who he would trust, someone who can watch over him and protect him when I can’t.
“I have a plan. If I can’t watch over him, I’ll find someone to do it for me.”
“Like who?” Elliot threw his hands up at me as if I were some stubborn old man.
“Another Banished Spirit. Let’s find Teresa, we’ll need all the help we can get.”
Chapter Sixteen:
I hadn’t ever thought how strange it was to be standing in a vast, smoky forest and not feel the breeze press against you. In the endless void that was the spirit world, how many other monsters and creatures lived in a world built only for them? I was of course, referring to Mother. Mother stood above us like a statue of bones and terror, her weeping black hair keeping her face concealed as her seven arms loomed over her hand grasping the seven masks. Elliot was at my flank and had his arms stubbornly crossed, his face scrunched in his disapproval to my plan. Teresa was beside him but was determined to give me the silent treatment. I had filled her in on my plan and I was lucky she didn’t try to punch me in the throat again.
“This is ridiculous. I had told you, I don’t even know if she is still even there.”
“Exactly, you don’t know. We need a spirit we can trust, right now Melissa is the only one we have connections to aside from Evan.” I pointed out before readdressing Mother, “What did you say her eye colour was?”
“I didn’t, and I’m not telling you.”
“Fine, I’ll just have to go into every realm and try my luck.”
“Why can’t you just let this go? I know it heart breaking, but you can’t help him. It’s out of our hands, we’re only Reapers so we can’t decide where the Banish go that’s up to either the Royals or the Blue Spirit.”
“Blue spirit?” I turned my head back sharply, “Why haven’t you told me about this before?”
“Forget I even said anything.”
“No, no, no, tell me now or I’ll taking us straight back to Wrath. I’m sure she’ll be very eager to welcome you.”
“I can’t believe you are making me do this. The Blue Spirit is some sort of divine creature that was meant to direct the fresh Polveri, or ghosts to the other Realms. Originally Reapers didn’t take the spirits just to the drop off, we took them to the Blue spirit first and she did the rest. But you can forget about finding her, she’s locked up tight in the Royal’s throne room and under heavy guard.”
“Then we stick with plan A. Now, are you going to tell me what her eye colour is or not?”
Mother purred impatiently above us but I kept my stance firm with him. Elliot glanced around before letting his bottled breath rush out, “Her eyes were pink, which is the colour of Lust. Before we do this one more thing if we don’t find her within two hours, or if things get too dangerous I am taking us back, regardless if you agree or not.”
Teresa abruptly huffed unable to hold her tongue back anymore, “You two are both morons. I refuse to risk my safety for THAT woman. You can forget it.”
“We’ll need your help Teresa but I’m not going to force you to come with us.” I said but tried my best to appeal to her nurturing side.
“Elliot, you’ve already gone in there plenty of times and you’ve failed every single one of them. Why is this any different?”
“Because he won’t be alone.” I answered as Teresa sighed heavily again.
“I’ve now saved you twice and been marked as a traitor for doing so, I owe nothing to you guys, absolutely nothing… but it’ll be a waste if I let you go through with this plan now and you end up throwing your lives away. Just note – I am not speaking to this Banished witch, we get in we get out.”
I smiled widely, figuring Teresa was more curious about what her love rival looks like more than anything, before commanding Mother to take us into the realm of Lust. I caught glances with Elliot just as the vacuuming darkness sucked us into an empty void, and he was wearing a look of forbidden hope before abruptly spitting us out onto a cold marble floor. We were inside an empty hallway that led us down towards some untied rep drapes concealing a door. Once we lifted the curtains behind us, we were welcomed by a vast blossomed pink sky with red grass painted beneath it. In the centre of the land was a large fountain filled with crystal water and a lone statue of a woman with a vase against her neck letting the water spill into the pool below.
She had her palm raised above her head with her palm open, reaching for what I wasn’t sure. It was almost like she was offering food out to the insects fluttering around her head. Above the water sprinkled hundreds of butterflies that mimicked the movements of the rainbow painted fish in the water below. Despite the uneasy churn that upset my stomach, I had felt at peace within this realm. Unlike Wrath that had me on my knees as soon as I landed, Lust didn’t overpower us with foul play. It was almost like a sort of strange heaven.
“Is this the right place?” I asked where Elliot nodded his head. “Then where is she?” He then pointed at the statue and indicated with his head to follow him.
“We have to request to see her.” He led us to the rim of the fountain, where he stepped over into the water before approaching the statue. Teresa and I exchanged doubtful glances before following Elliot in where he placed his hand on the stone woman lightly.
“What is this Statue?” I asked.
“This is where Lust waits for her victims; she enjoys luring the souls towards her, it’s like a game to her. Of course, she is tricky as Lust comes in many, many forms. This is just a piece of her. She is known as the Stone Woman.”
“What do we do now?” Teresa asked.
“We ask to go see her… ” Elliot said.
“Go to Lust directly? That’s not the best plan, don’t we want to avoid the one creature here th
at could trap us forever and use that voodoo magic spell to control us?” Teresa bickered.
“We’ll never find Melissa if we don’t get Lust to help us. It’s the only way...” I nodded at Elliot which he in turn turned back to the statue.
“Lust we wish to see you.” The statue titled her stony head downwards, and I couldn’t sworn I catch a glimpse of her lips pinch upwards into a smile. Within moments the stone woman dropped her vase and cradled into herself, wrapping her arms around her body as if she were trying to tear her skin apart and unearth the creature behind the rocks. The peace within the realm shattered as the fish in the water went still and the butterflies’ overhead bursts into ash puffs.
The earth surrounding the fountain was shifting and cracking along the surface, breaking apart to let hundreds of clawing limbs lift themselves upwards from underneath. The warmth unravelled into aching coldness as a flock of oily feathered black crows overtook the pink skies. The statue was wailing as the vase was dropped into the black water that surrounded us and pricked our skins with their frosty fingers.
“It’s okay, they won’t hurt us.” Elliot reassured as Teresa squealed at the ghoulish arms reaching out to snare her, moaning in inaudible groans. Whatever beauty was left of this world was crunched underneath the cold darkness that bombarded us, and despite my nerves begging me to run I kept firm in my spot in the fountain. Within moments the ground beneath us buckled before hurdling us downwards into an abrupt descent.
I inhaled a harsh gasp, praying that our landing would be cushioned before hitting the ground with a loud thump. I had just missed the landing pad where both Elliot and Teresa bounced and nearly head butted each other on the rebound.
Immediately I noticed the display of cages mantled on pedestals and pockets of tiny flames positioned around the walls of the large empty hallway, and columns of marble stretching above our heads into an open dark sky. Nailed to the walls like art were varies toys, whips and other suggestive objects that still smelt like fresh skin. Inside the cages like dying birds were young females, their ankles tied to the bars in chains and their bodies slumped over in a state of exhaustion. It had looked like they were sleeping, until I notice their eyes had been plucked out and scarred terribly. It was soundless besides our breathless panting. Each woman was dressed provocatively, shamelessly showing off their skinny figures or whatever was left of them. On the other end of the hall awaited a throne with golden large wings unfolding from the centre.
“She is usually here.” Elliot pointed towards the throne.
“This place smells really weird.”
“Come on, she can’t be that far.” I walked forward cautiously just as the drowsy caged girls jolted awake and started a slow, lethargic dance within their cells. It was heart breaking and sickening, watching them shuffling from foot to foot and wishing for release from their endless torment.
Soundless smoke filtered down on top of the throne before filling out into the silhouette of a glowing woman, and like most ghosts her body filled with the bright lights till she was completely solid again. A woman of grey skin and long silver hair perked up from her seat before kicking her legs over the arm rests so her bare feet could touch the floor. With shifting long, shiny hair the woman was a ghostly flicker that bedded butterflies in my stomach. Just in her presence I could feel my heart rate pick up and sweat bead along my hair line and at the back of my neck. Even my voice box felt tightened that I had to clear my throat a few times before speaking.
“Lust, I command you to show us to one of your prisoners. We are looking for a banished spirit by the name of Melissa, this is important reaping business.”
“My, my, my, is it my birthday?” Her voice purred as her hair pressed against her body like a shifting drape. “Not one but three little reaping spirits come to play with me and my toys. Don’t be so uptight my little darling; you Reapers have no power here. I have the perfect remedy to ease that…tension if you wish to indulge with me.”
“This is serious.” I commanded again by which she threw her head back and laughed.
“Sorry precious, I don’t know who you are seeking, no one goes by their living names here.” Her voice echoed and further sank her spell into my thoughts, the shape of her naked body though concealed by her hair had my mouth numb and drool forming from the corners of my lips. If this was an anime, blood would have burst through my nose by now. She was so beautiful, even though I couldn’t see her face past the piercing pink eyes; I could feel my insides melting to the floor. She touched the tips of her fingers together before running her hands through her hair. She was stepping closer and closer and the tension was only building heavier and heavier that even my blood felt like lead.
“She has a tattoo of a butterfly on her chest. I do not know what her banished name is.” Elliot said. I glanced over at him to see he had directed his gaze down and away from Lust, which was the best thing to do to prevent being trapped under her hypnotic spell. Regardless he was sweating with the struggle to keep his attention down, whereas Teresa forcibly held her hand over her eyes.
“They are a dime a dozen here kitten. I shall take you to where they play, but I doubt any of them would want to follow you after getting a taste of me. I do not keep spirits here that are unwilling; give it time; you’ll beg me to allow you to stay as well.”
Lust was so close now that her every exhale moved tingles across the nape of my neck. I had kept my face down as well, but a part of me couldn’t control the overwhelming urge to look at her. Second by second I felt my neck inch upwards right before my eyes rolled up into an upturned gaze, just catching onto Lust’s downwards stare. Immediately the control I had been clinging onto was ripped from my hands and I felt my shoulders drop in my submission. Lust’s features bore down onto me, her lips pouting like moist pedals as her skin glowed with an internal light. As if letting me taste her power, Lust held me captive before breaking away and letting me slump back into my shoes. She was right… Reapers hold no power here, and she wanted to make sure I understood that.
The room warped as it flooding with gas before the tiles melted and the caged women broke like pixelated images. Built up over their place was an open space filled with hot steam and wild ferns. I wasn’t sure if I had just stepped into a sauna or a rainforest filled with pockets of hot springs as a soft pink glow illuminated the grass below. It was night time and the pink moon shone like bleeding gems through the lifting steam. It was lucid warm like a waiting bath and I could feel myself itch in my clothes, wanting to strip down.
“Have you been here before?” I asked Elliot but he could only shake his head in surprise.
“I haven’t seen this place before.”
“Let’s be quick. She may still be here.”
We moved quickly and quietly through the large pane, stepping over the drowsy spirits that were either basking in the steam or crawling on top of each other. I tried my best not to look and I could hear Elliot clearing his throat out of awkwardness. As neither Teresa nor I knew what Melissa looked like, we had to go off Elliot’s vague description. Long black hair, dark purple pyjama silk dress and a small butterfly tattoo on her chest.
The longer we waited the more the temptation crept under my eye lids and had me itching in my clothes, and I could see the struggle as both Teresa and Elliot couldn’t stop pulling at their collars and running their wrists across their foreheads. We decided to split up after half an hour to cover more ground, but agreed to stay within eyeshot of each other in case something went wrong. A further hour or so into our wondering I hadn’t come across a single spirit matching Elliot ’s description, it was like looking into a sea of black hair and pink eyes that rolled over me as if were some exotic prey to catch.
“Over here!” Teresa called out excitedly as both Elliot and I bolted to her spot. Once we got there, Teresa was pointing at a young male who was flexing his muscles at her and running his tongue over his bottom lip. Elliot grumbled annoyed and turned away.
“Teresa, you’re g
etting distracted. We’re looking for Melissa remember.” I tried to steer her away from her new found friend, but she refused to budge.
“No you idiots, look!” Beyond the male was another spirit who was curled in on herself and turned the other way. From the back of her she matched Elliot’s descriptions, purple silk gown with long black hair twisted into black pool locks behind her head.
“Melissa…” Elliot stumbled over towards her before crashing to his knees by her side. She remained unresponsive, her legs tucked into her chest and her hands held over her face to hide her eyes.
Elliot was shaking as he leant forwards, his fingers gentle as they touched her shoulders before very slowly lifting her hands away from her face. She still had a mess of hair tossed across herself as Elliot then shifted the loose strands behind her ears. Once he saw her, his face broke with pain. Leaning over his shoulder I caught a glance at the spirit, who was emotionless with a hideous black scar blackened across her right eye.
Teresa lifted her hand to her mouth, and despite her ferocious rivalry, felt heart break at the spirit’s treatment and abuse. Like many of the banished here, birds had attack their eyes and peak them out leaving behind a messy patch of black scars.
“Melissa…” Elliot barely whispered just as the spirit pushed off the ground sluggishly. We all moved out of her way as her left eye darted onto each of our faces, burning us under her glare.
“Get away from me!” She hissed in a feather soft voice.
“We have to get her out of here.” I also knelt down beside her, “You can trust us; we are here to save you.”
“Why?” Melissa’s face was scrunched in suspicion.
“We need your help.” I told her truthfully, “My little brother is back in the living world and I need someone we can trust to look after him”.
“Why does it even matter why?” Teresa bickered from above us, “Do you want to stay here banished?”
My Demonic Ghost Book two (The Reapers 2) Page 15
