THE SURFACE
Chapter Ten
Lexi was in for trouble when she
woke up the next morning. It was very early, so she got up to make breakfast.
Ashley and Melinda were up and had already started breakfast.
"I know what time Lexi got
home last night, Melinda," Ashley started.
"Yes, so do I, and she will
be grounded until the end of school now for being out so late," Melinda
declared.
Lexi looked at Melinda with a
quizzical look. "What? But…I…"
"No buts. You’re grounded.
End of story. The only place you will be allowed is at work."
Lexi turned around and went back
to her room, feeling that it was useless to stay out there. Ashley played with
the melting butter on her pancakes, smiling at it. Suddenly, she felt as if
someone were standing behind her. She turned around to look and saw the ghost
once again.
"Good morning, Ashley."
She smiled.
"Morning!" Ashley
smiled cheerfully at her, now that she was used to it a little more. "Can
I ask you something? What’s your name?" Ashley took a bite of her
pancakes.
"Rose. Ashley, it’s
me." Rose paused. "Only in a younger form. Where is Lexi?"
"Grounded until further
notice for her little romp around in New Jersey last night. Why have you come
back to us? I know you’re…eh…well…dead…but…" Ashley was not quite sure how
to word this to her, knowing that Rose thought she was still among the living.
"I’m dead?" Rose asked,
surprised. "Really?"
"Uh…Melinda!" Ashley
called from the dining room. "Can you see my Aunt Melinda?"
Melinda appeared.
"Yes?"
"Mel, can you see this ghost
sitting next to me?" Ashley pointed to the chair, which was empty. Melinda
shook her head.
"She cannot see me. Only you
and Lexi can." Rose began to fade slowly. "I’ll be back later."
With that, she was gone as mysteriously as she had shown up. Ashley looked at
the chair that was now truly empty with a quizzical look.
"Ashley, I think you might
be a medium," Melinda said as Ashley continued to play with the now almost
fully melted blob of butter on top of her pancakes.
"Mel, I think something is
burning." Ashley pointed to the kitchen.
"Oh, shoot! Breakfast!"
She ran back into the kitchen, leaving Ashley alone with her thoughts.
*****
Later that afternoon, Ashley was
playing her favorite car chase game on PSP when it suddenly went out. She put
it down and looked up, expecting Rose. She was met with another much
older-looking woman. Oh, snap. "Can I help you?" Ashley smiled
innocently.
"Yes. Keep away from Rose,
Ashley. I know what she is after, even if you don’t," she commanded.
"What is she after?"
Ashley asked, confused. "And who would you be?"
"Keep away from Rose, or I
will be your worst nightmare," she said to Ashley rather rudely.
Ashley felt an attitude growing
inside of her. "Well, it would help if my worst nightmare told me her
name, you know."
"Don’t worry about it."
She vanished even quicker than Rose had. Ashley’s PSP came back to life moments
later, just to be turned off again. Ashley rolled her eyes and looked to see
Rose this time.
"Someone was here a moment
ago…" Ashley started.
"Yes, I know. My mother.
What did she tell you?"
"That I’m not allowed to
associate with you. Sorry, Rose."
Rose sighed and sat on the edge
of Ashley’s bed. Ashley felt bad that she couldn’t help her anymore, but she
really could not afford nightmares due to her insomnia and restless leg syndrome
issues. "Rose, I have sleep issues, so I really cannot afford nightmares.
I don’t know how I’m going to help you here."
"Jack. All I need is for him
to move back to New York. Then I will leave you alone. Just please find him for
me."
Ashley felt tears come to her
eyes from the sound of Rose’s voice. Rose disappeared and Ashley went to get
Lexi and tell her about what had just happened.