This is a work in progress of a new story I’m writing!
“So you said the cat’s been dead for how long?”
“Uhuh, and how long has it been like this?” I pointed my pen towards the empty husk that was hovering in front of me and my sister.
I flicked my deerstalker cap and looked up just far enough to where the light flooding through the torn drapes of the room shaped my shadowy figure. The pulsating light coming from this spirit was much stronger than usual, especially for a simple house cat. Something was off, I could feel it. And my instincts are never wrong. Almost.
“Wow, so we got here early for once?”
“Hey I’m not the one with a driver’s license!” She had a look on her face that screamed that I was in the splash zone for when she pops a blood vessel. This fun sized package of rage is my little sister, Eliza, a 10 year old genius with a fuse that’s as long as her attention span. Her chestnut toned skin came in deep contrast to her bleach blonde hair as it spiraled past her shoulders.
“Okay, okay, cool it! I’m not trying to throw any shade!” I gave her a small pat on the head, without even turning to acknowledge her. I was more intrigued by the growing presence of the ghost of this cat.
There are 3 unwritten rules I’ve learned when it comes to ghosts. Rule number one, ghosts will only manifest on earth if they have perceived unfinished business. If you show the ghost that the business has been resolved, then they will be able to either rest peacefully, or act as a spirit bond with people, places, or, in rare cases, works of art. That’s why you never say Macbeth in a theater. Because the actor who played him originally was absolutely bonkers.
Rule number two, no one (except for myself) should be able to see a ghost. If a ghost becomes visible to others, then that means they are corporeal and able to harm others. The cause for this is unknown, but I do know that it makes my job a hell of a lot harder although normally it never usually happens.
Rule number three, if a ghost chooses to spirit bond, it fuses the subject. This will increase the power of its soul, or in the case of non-living subjects, it increases pent up power. Eliza and I had to learn that the hard way when a family portrait with about 10 generations worth of pain decided to make one of my classmates into a human sock puppet.
“Alright so what seems to be the problem Bea?” My sister looked up at me with an expression of cluelessness. She wasn’t able to get much out of these cases, as she doesn’t have the Glow. That’s what we call my condition of having glowing white retinas and being able to see ghosts of all types. Doctors say that it’s harmless, just a medical anomaly, and it has been like that since I was born.
“Well most likely we’ll need to check around and see if there is any unfinished food or drinks, then probably do what we did last time”
