THE SURFACE
Chapter Nine
Lexi and Gabby went out, but
Ashley did not feel so well in the form of a headache. Melinda was not home
yet, so Ashley took two Tylenol and lay down on the couch. She searched for the
remote when the ghost from earlier appeared again, holding the remote.
"Oh, thanks!" Ashley
said absentmindedly before realizing a ghost had just handed her the remote
control. She spun around and the ghost was still there.
"What do you want from
me?" Ashley pleaded as she flopped in the middle of the couch and grabbed
a huge pillow for security.
"Can you see me? I know you
can hear me," she said.
"Yeah. Yeah, now, what do
you want? Please tell me!" Ashley pleaded again, petrified of the
supernatural. She felt the color drain from her face as she looked at this
ghost. "Who are you?" she whispered.
"Ashley, who are you talking
to?" Melinda called, and walked into the room, where she saw the look of
fear in Ashley’s eyes. "You look like you’ve just seen a ghost."
"I did! Melinda, she has
blood red hair and green eyes and is as tall as you! You have to believe
me!"
"Calm down, Ash. Come here.
I have something to show you." Melinda went into the other room and came
back with a photo album. It was filled with pictures of Lexi with her dad
before he died and Ashley and Lexi at horse shows when they were younger,
holding the ribbons or trophies they had won. Then they came to some older
pictures, which Lexi would consider the prehistoric times.
"That’s her! That’s the
ghost who keeps haunting me!" Ashley pointed to a picture of Rose on a
horse on the beach in Santa Monica, California.
"Rose?" Melinda
questioned skeptically.
"What? No. Not
possible." Ashley took back what she had said earlier.
"Well, what other ghost do
you know of who looks exactly like this, is as tall as me, and only a few years
younger?" Melinda asked sarcastically.
"None, because I have never
seen her up until last night. She stole all my cell phone’s energy!"
"It takes lots of energy for
a ghost to make itself appear. Don’t be surprised if the power goes out when
she comes," Melinda advised. "She’s not going to hurt you, either, so
why are you so scared of her? It’s just your great-great-grandmother in a
younger form. She knows exactly who you are."
"She don’t look like a
Casper. Sorry," Ashley mumbled sarcastically.
"She may not look like
Casper, but she won’t hurt you. I just can’t understand what she wants with
you, is all," Melinda said, perplexed.
"I’m going to go on the
computer. I’ll be in my room if you need me." Ashley got up and walked
slowly, dragging her feet to her room that she shared with three little
beagles. When she entered the room, she saw them up on her bed, all lined up
back to back looking outside. Quickly, she grabbed her camera, but it would not
turn on. "Maybe I forgot to charge it," she assumed out loud.
Suddenly, the dogs turned around and all began whining and crying to get out of
the room. Confused, she let them out into the living room area.
*****
"Lexington!" the voice
called again as Lexi entered the door to the apartment, not looking to get in
trouble for being out so late.
"Aw…come on. I hate being
called that. Call me Lexi, please!" Lexi said in an annoyed manner.
"It’s three AM, in case you
don’t already know," the voice called again. "Where have you
been?"
"Out. Nuff said," Lexi
replied with a mischievous smile on her face, knowing it was not Melinda
asking.
"Your mother has been
worried sick about you."
"Okay. Will you at least
show yourself so I don’t look psychedelic?"
Even though it was not her,
Ashley strolled into the kitchen in white pajama bottoms that came well over
her feet and a green camouflage tank top. "Who the hell are you talking
to? And where have you been? It’s almost four!"
"I went out…to Jersey with
Gabby, and we just got back a little while ago. Someone was questioning me. Was
it you?"
"No!" Ashley said,
insulted, as she grabbed a soda from the refrigerator. "Why would I care
about when you get home and that Melinda’s been worried sick? ‘Cause you know
she has been."
"It was so you. How else
would you have known that?" Lexi protested.
"Maybe because I’ve been
home all night. Good night, Lex." Ashley went back into her room.
Suddenly, the voice sounded again. "Go to bed, Lexi."
"Whatever." Lexi
groaned as she went to her room and went to bed.