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# When Love Hurts and Ghosts Linger

Robyn's Story

##

Copyright 2015 R.J. Adams - Smashwords Edition

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

## CHAPTER 1

When I was a little girl, from as far back as I could remember; I always imagined that when you grew up you would fall in love with your prince charming, get married, have babies and live happily ever after and that life was lovely and simple.

This is what we read about after-all or what we see in movies, look at Cinderella for example, she had a crappy life and then in the end all worked out perfectly, nice and simple, no hurt, no pain like blissful lovely fairy tale. As a kid, well, in my case anyway, I would play with my Barbie and Ken dolls and they would be happy in their make believe world.

I thought love was simple too, I thought once you gave your heart away then that man, whoever he was, would always be there to protect you or the heart that you gave to him, after looking at my parents who were together from a young age and still in love as I grew it seemed so easy, but I guess as you grow older you realise love isn't a fairy tale, love isn't some dream, love actually hurts and whether it was my family or some bloke I came to realise that my heart was never ever protected unless I chose to protect it myself.

Especially when I was, well you could say I was a little different and it was never going to be a fairy tale for me, well, not that I could see anyway, for me love was never going to be simple; I had a 'gift' you see and it made falling in love difficult because I was always the one keeping this huge secret, never to hurt anyone, I didn't want to tell them in-case I sounded insane, never did I think that they would hide something from me, something that would hurt me.

It all started when I was really little from as far back as I could remember, give or take eight years old was my earliest memory and I had my first boyfriend, he was a sweet kid I guess, you know when your that little you think it will last forever, aww, how kids can be dull!

But it wasn't all that simple, you see, I could and can now see ghosts and finding friends or boyfriends was a little bit hard at times, if I did meet someone then I had this huge secret looming over my head that drove me crazy, even at that age I knew I couldn't tell no-one, I would think telling someone that would make you sound like a right weirdo.

I was always told that sometimes I would be sat in class at nursery playing with the toys and I would randomly start chatting to myself, or what appeared to be to myself, I don't really remember that far back though. When I was younger, my parents and my doctors put it down to having an imaginary friend but then as I got older it seemed to get a bit weird for them to keep suggesting that this is still what it was, I mean what eight year old still has an imaginary friend? I even asked myself the same thing.

I began to think I was a bit of a freak and believe me; it's not nice for a child to feel that way so when I had a boyfriend at eight, if you could call them that at, at that age then I was relieved to have someone, a friend I guess. My boyfriend when I was eight was the sweet, caring and romantic type, I guess you can say he was a gentleman already, that came from being brought up well by his mother and father who, when you looked at them, were clearly in love and lovely people themselves.

He would write me little cards and leave them on my chair to find and would draw little hearts for me on a piece of paper that he would then pass over the table, wasn't that just cute?

But even then as he was doing that, some stupid bloody ghost person would pop up next to me, either for a chat or just to sit there and freak me out, always caught me by surprise, god knows what they wanted to chat about but hey, I'm not dead, I can only guess right. I would always know it was a ghost, the room would go cold and when I saw them they had a grey/blue appearance, sort of see through.

It came to the point my parents were so worried they sent me to see a specialist, because apparently I needed help with my delusions, even at eight I began to think there was something wrong with me, I mean, seriously, I was the only one who could see and speak to these people so of course I would think that.

I remember the doctor's office, plain walls in a cream colour with minimal décor a big huge desk and a chair for patients to lie on. Sat in the room with the doctor they tried to determine if I indeed did have a mental issue, I was fucking eight, how the fuck would I know? All I knew was that I could see people that clearly other people couldn't. I was poked a prodded having tests done to determine if my mind was abnormal and showed any signs of mental issues.

Countless stupid therapy sessions determined I was not insane nor did I have a mental problem, they concluded that because of my loneliness at home I had simply invented friends to make myself feel better. Don't get me wrong, I did have some friends and of course the sweet little boyfriend but at home I was an only child and as much as I longed for a sibling, my parents refused to have another, at eight I never understood why but this would become clear as I grew older when I was told they were not able to have any more children, kind of really sad I guess.

They believed I would grow out of this 'situation' they called it as I grew up, little did they know, it's not so easy to tell ghosts to go away or to get rid of the ability that I had. They'd hang around like a bad bloody smell, like dog poo that lingers on the bottom of your shoe, really annoying and even if you did manage to get rid of the buggers there was always another one just waiting to pop up in-front of you.

The room always tended to go slightly cold whenever one would appear, but it was only I who could feel this. Sometimes I would go to my room and stay in there for ages not wanting to come out, although most of them spoke and seemed very friendly, there were some that, well, what can I say, felt mean and dark, like they wanted to hurt me and at eight years old this would definitely make you shit the bed at night but I don't remember them ever hurting me.

They never seemed to want anything from me, well not that I could tell anyway, I'm not psychic and when they spoke they spoke like they were alive most of the time, I could have a normal conversation with them, except for the upset ones, they seemed to dwell on what happened to them, so I could only assume that they were lonely in death, I gathered after dying they went to a sad place and they just didn't want to be there, what did I know? I was eight! This was all assumptions I had made in my head.

However, one day I was at my boyfriend's house and we were watching a film, as families did back then, the whole family were gathered in the living room, nice family time together with the exception of me. I loved their house, it was a small bungalow located down some private lanes so it was always nice and quiet, their garden was covered in wild flowers and trimmed shrub trees and the house always smelled of some type of incense, like berries or winter, you always felt at home there.

Watching the movie and snuggled on the sofa something caught the corner of my eye, it walked passed the living room door. The living room door was made of that type of frosty glass so you couldn't see the hallway clearly but you could see things in a distorted way. I looked around the living room and could see we were all sat there so who could that have been out in the hallway?

I excused myself stating I needed the loo and as I walked out into the hallway I saw a woman walk into his parent's bedroom, well I wasn't going to go in there was I, my parents had always taught me that it was rude and you should never enter someone's room without their permission.

So I went into the bathroom and closed the door; I felt the room go cold, like an ice-cold snowy winter where you could see your own breath leave your mouth. I knew this woman or this ghost was close, I closed my eyes to see if it would go away but then I could feel as if something or someone was there in-front of me.

When I opened my eyes there she was! She was a grey/blue colour and see through. She was wearing a wedding dress and you could see the tears falling from her eyes.

"Why did he do this to me" her rattled voice echoed.

I looked at her; I didn't know who _'he'_ was and what was I supposed to say to her? I was eight years old for Christ's sake, I mean, what I supposed to do? Again, I closed my eyes so tight I could feel my top eye-lid squish down on my lower lid.

This woman scared me, although she seemed more sad than angry and I didn't feel like she wanted to hurt me, I could definitely feel her pain and was worried about what she would say or do next. I suddenly heard a loud knock on the door and as I opened my eyes she had gone. I opened the door and there was my boyfriend's mum, I remember the look on her face, she seemed scared and concerned but I didn't understand why, I was only in the bloody bathroom!

"My dear are you alright?" I could hear the worry in her tone.

"Yes thank you, I'm ok" I was confused as to what the fuss was about.

Now I have grown up, when I look back I remember that day well because I will always remember the first time I saw that woman and it definitely wouldn't be the last time I would see her and as time came she would need my help, my boyfriend's mum stated I had been in there for a long, long time and she was worried because she couldn't open the door.

To be honest I didn't hear her calling me or the knocking, I only remember hearing it the one time when she practically banged on the door to the point you heard the hinges rattle. Why I didn't hear her I didn't know, maybe it was the ghost blocking things out? Maybe it was me in some sort of scary trance as I focused on the situation, no idea, but that happened frequently if they scared me as I grew older.

I returned to the living room and we all continued to watch the film together. I kept looking out into the hallway but the woman wasn't there and I didn't see her again for the rest of that day.

How they found me was always a mystery to me, maybe there was a secret ghost code that told all the other ghosts that I could see them and then they would just seek me out and come after me. Seriously though, couldn't they have waited until I was older, I mean, this, seeing ghosts as a kid is enough to make you think your loopy let alone anyone else and it's certainly not a nice experience.

I still don't know why I followed that ghostly woman into the bathroom but since that day, they came to me more than before and the more I saw them, the more withdrawn and weird I became, so as I grew older, when it would come to falling in love and relationships, it sometimes never proved easy on dates when ghosts lingered.

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##

## 

## CHAPTER 2

As I reached the age of eleven, I had seen so many ghosts in my life time that I swear if I had one pound for every single one I saw, I would be a millionaire today.

I remember at this point I fancied a young lad in my street, he was the bad boy type, my mum and dad hated him and his family, they were known as the 'trouble' family that people tried to stay away from. But I didn't care, at a young age bad boys were my thing, it made me feel a bit accepted because they were outcasts from other families or school because of their reputation so I seemed to fit in with them.

I don't know if you could actually have a type at the age of eleven but I found this boy to be much better than the boyfriend I was still with. Yes, that's right, I still had the same boyfriend I had at eight years old, three years for a kid, that's pretty good I think, some marriages don't even last that long!

Our parents honestly thought that we were going to grow up and be together forever and at one point so did I, maybe I had read too many fairy tales? Who knows? But obviously that's not what was meant to be, he started to bore me and I wanted more excitement from a boyfriend, so I left him and started hanging around with the bad-boy of the street.

I lived in one of those streets where the houses surrounded a large green bank in the middle and all the houses formed a circle to face each-other. Sitting on the green we were always safe where our parents could see us from the windows and no traffic could enter to run us over, it was nicely closed off. Nice tight nit neighbours but as with all residential areas, there's always that one family no-one really wanted there and I so happened to hang round with them, you could see all the parents checking on their kids and mine looking at me but I refused to stop hanging round with him, I thought _'so what'_ ok yes his family had a bad reputation but he was a kid, like me, bit of a bad boy yes but that doesn't mean he was going to be like his brothers or his family does it. People can be so judgmental can't they, even if they don't know you!

It was a nice sunny day so we were all playing outside, sat in a circle playing a silly child's game of Chinese whispers. Now I know this was a little kids game but we used to have so much fun playing this that even now me and my friends, the ones I have left anyway, will have a couple of glasses of wine and play it, why the hell not? It's always a good laugh, especially after a few drinks.

There was about ten of us playing, I was last to be whispered to and was the one who had to reveal the whisper at the end and see if it was correct, so you could imagine how screwed up it would be by the time they had to whisper in my ear.

Everyone leaned to the person next to them and whispered something in their ear and then that person passed it on and so on, but when it came to me, the girl next to me leaned to whisper in my ear but she felt cold and it suddenly seemed to go dull outside, like rain clouds covering the sun. I looked around and everyone was giggling and smiling so clearly it was just me again who could see this and I knew one of them stupid ghosts was about to appear but I couldn't see where it or they were, I was too focused on the people in the circle.

As the girl next to me leaned in to speak she whispered in my ear I heard her say "we need you, help us."

I looked at the girl next to me and she just giggled, I didn't know why she thought that was so funny, I thought it was more creepy than funny, anyway I looked up and noticed that it was sunny and warmish again, I took another look around and thought that whatever ghostly person was around just then had simply disappeared without seeking me out. Thank god for that!

"Well say it then" they all shouted as they laughed.

"We need you, help us" I repeated looking a bit uncertain.

"Haha what? No that's not what we said, the words were I'm a fraggle and we live in fraggle rock with our fraggle dog..." one of the boys stated laughing holding his belly.

Everyone laughed because they had passed that round and obviously made some errors on the way so god knows what they heard but that was not what I heard. I knew then that some ghostly person or thing had whispered in my ear without showing themselves to me so they could tell me just that and their voice had drowned out the voice of the girl next to me. I did feel a little scared, why would they need me to help them? And what were they going to do? I couldn't help them I was just a kid, I could see them but I didn't know who they were or what to do to help them, why couldn't they just leave me the fuck alone?

I went home and went straight to my bedroom, I was lying on my bed which faced straight out onto the landing and I could see my bathroom directly opposite my bedroom door which in my line of view was the bathroom sink and the cupboard underneath. I must have stared at that for ages as my eleven year old mind raced around trying to figure out what this was all about and why it was happening to me.

I must have drifted off to sleep because I had a dream that to this day I can still remember, it really scared me and even now I shudder at the thought.

The under sink cupboard door opened slowly, I couldn't see anything because it was dark inside but as I stared at the cupboard, a black hooded figure came out, I couldn't see its face, just bone fingers, it charged at me with force and tried to pull me into the cupboard, he had an evil voice which when I think about it makes me never want to sleep again, he told me he was coming for something special and I was being taken with him. I tried to fight him but he had to tight a hold on me.

I started screaming and I remember being woken up by my mother shaking me to bring me out of the nightmare I was having.

"Robyn, Robyn wake up mummy's here, wake up!" she said raising her voice a little over my screaming.

When I awoke I looked straight at the bathroom and looked directly at that cupboard, why out of all the places in the world did a ghost have to try and grab me in my dreams by coming out of there. It made me terrified of ever going near the bathroom or that bloody cupboard.

As time went on I had the same dream of him or a man standing in my doorway, I would get up and tell him to go away and he wouldn't leave, when I asked what he wanted he would point to the room next to me. As a kid this was too much for me and after a while it did affect my sleep and I tended to want to sleep downstairs until my parents went to bed, I never wanted to be alone when I slept.

One day I was sat in our living room and from there you could see the staircase leading to the top of the landing, I was in there on my own, I think I had been told off or something and I was having a bit of a strop, kids aye!

I felt the room go chilly and I knew one of them was in the house, I stared out of the doorway and for some reason was focused on the staircase, I don't know why but something in my gut told me to look there and then I saw him. The man.

A man in a smart dress, you know, shirt, tie and trousers, walking up the bloody stairs. He had a knife in one hand and a huge cut on the side of his neck which appeared to be so deep his head looked like it was hanging off to the side. He too was a colour of grey/blue and see through; there he was casually walking up my stairs.

Terrified I screamed running out of the room and I explained to my mother what I saw shaking and pointing at the stairs. She honestly thought I was insane. I mean I had basically told her I saw a man walking up the stairs with his head hanging off and a knife in his hand, of course saying that out loud would make you sound insane, no matter hold old you were.

My mother had, had enough of this by this point, the constant nightmares which not only affected my sleep but affected hers and my fathers too, me constantly saying I could see something or someone that no-one else could see and it had started to take its toll on everyone.

They decided to research this and try and see if they could find me some help to get rid of these, well, delusions as they called them. The only thing they could find was either hypnosis or a religious thing which was kind of like an exorcism.

Now, I'm not being funny but at eleven, not just me but any kid, you know what an exorcism is if you read enough books and to hear that your parents were considering this definitely put fear through your body. I wasn't possessed, I just seemed to be able to see things that they couldn't, I wanted it to go away as much as they did but my god I didn't want some priest performing a scary ritual on me.

I remember begging them for the hypnosis, at least someone could make me forget this rather than try and terrify the shit out of me and seeing the fear in my face at the thought of that my parents agreed. They didn't want to hurt me in any way, they just wanted to help.

We had to travel to London and see a woman who claimed her speciality was dealing with issues of the brain and the hypnosis she would provide would get rid of my so called delusions. My mum and dad, bless them, didn't want to take me to a normal doctor in-case they sectioned me and like I said, they only wanted to help.

When we arrived at this office for the hypnosis it felt like everyone around me was staring and judging me, the receptionist looked at me as if to say _'what a strange child'_ as if the reason for my being there was written down in-front of her, charming!

I went into the room alone and the woman was very calming and friendly. You could see by looking around that she dealt with children a lot as there were children's drawings and toys everywhere. What did she think was wrong with me? I could only guess what was going around in her mind. I was extremely paranoid back then thinking everyone was talking about me or calling me weird.

I don't remember much about that appointment when I was in there with her except when we left I felt better and my mum and dad seemed very pleased.

As time went on I really did forget about this gift and I was not able to see the ghosts, I didn't even remember back then I ever had a gift, that I was ever able to see or talk to ghosts, I don't know what she done but it worked and I started to do better at school, I was more confident, I had friends and I wasn't weird around them and I didn't have any more nightmares, sounds perfect right? From eleven all the way up until I was sixteen I was living an amazing life, the life my parent's wanted me to have, with no stupid ghosts ruining it for me.

Even though back then I forgot about all the ghosts and when I look back I remember carrying on with life as normal like nothing ever happened, like my memories had disappeared and been replaced with happy ones but something inside me always felt like I was being watched, I couldn't see them but I never felt alone, I didn't understand back than what that was until I was older.

If only the hypnotherapist told my mother that there was always a chance all these bloody memories and my ability to see and speak to them would possibly come flooding back. But of course, she didn't and later on I would discover that I may have been able to block them once, but I would never be able to permanently get rid of them.

## 

## CHAPTER 3

At sixteen and in my last year of school I hadn't at that point seen a ghost or spoken to one in four years, but of course I couldn't remember back then that I actually could, I had a proper boyfriend at that time in my life too, my first proper non-childish relationship.

He was eighteen however and had a full time job but my parents didn't seem to mind him, he was polite and sweet and I was very mature for my age. I did like to act like a grown up but hey, I guess we all do when we're young until we're actually grown-ups and then we wish we could be younger, it sucks.

However, at sixteen when I believed I knew most things, like most teenagers do I guess, I was still a little naïve. His name was Alec and he seemed like the perfect man, well, what I considered at that time to be the perfect man. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, his body wasn't athletic, in-fact he was a little chubby but he seemed to treat me well. I only saw him at weekends and never during the week as I was still at school.

I was still a virgin when I met him and I hadn't even thought about having sex, I always thought that sex should be with the one you love, however, he was eighteen and clearly he wasn't about waiting as he always went on and on about it. I wish I knew then what I know now because I would have said no.

So one night we were out with his friends, all of them older than me and all old enough to drink but back then, sneaking into bars under age was a lot easier than it is in nowadays. Of course I had been drinking and being young I hadn't learnt when enough was enough, so I was pretty bolloxed if I do say so myself.

On our way home he was kissing me, but his kisses seemed different, they seemed, not forceful but more intense. I knew where it was heading but I wasn't sure that I wanted to go down that route. Of course, when we got back to his place he spun me the _'I love you'_ line and I believed him, I actually thought I loved him too. How stupid was I?

Lying there on the sofa he started kissing me and unbuttoning my shirt, he asked me if I was on the pill but of course I wasn't, I wasn't sexually active so why would I need to be?

So he pulled out condom and seemed to take control. I didn't remember how it felt, whether it was painful or nice and most girls I expect would like to remember their first time but nope, not me, I was too drunk to remember the feeling, sounds lovely aye!

When I woke up the next morning he was lying beside me all cuddled in, I honestly thought _'aww this is nice'_ as I watched him sleep. I believed I was happy, that this was love and that he really cared for me and would always be by my side. Those stupid fairy tale books!

I didn't dare tell my mum and dad that I was no longer a virgin, I mean they would have killed me and my dad would literally have killed him.

As months went on we had sex more and more and I started going on the pill, I didn't want a baby for sure but I always made sure he wore a condom, much to his protest.

It was seven months later and it had finally reached bank holiday weekend which meant I would go to Alec's until the Monday instead of coming home on the Sunday.

I thought great, one more day with him but when I arrived off the train that day he seemed cold and distant. He had never been that way with me before, he always hugged and kissed me whenever I arrived or I got off the train and I hadn't seen him all week so I knew that I didn't do anything to upset him, putting it to the back of my mind we went to his house and done our usual thing of getting ready for a night out.

When we arrived at the club he still seemed distant, he barely spoke to me or touched me or held my hand so I was starting to get pissed off and I left them all at the table and went to the loo. I must have been in there for ten minutes as I looked in the mirror trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

When I came out of the bathroom, to my surprise he was there waiting by the door, he grabbed me and kissed me so passionately that I forgot about his moodiness and weirdness and assumed that I was over-reacting, people have bad days I guess, even now I have them and think _'fuck off'_ to the world.

The night then went perfect and we had a really good time. Sat in the club though I began to feel nervous, I looked around and the music seemed to fade away in the distance, I thought I had, had too much to drink but I got the feeling that something was there with me that night and that it followed me home when we arrived back at Alec's. I could feel the shivers going down my spine but like I said, I wasn't able to see anything.

Throughout the weekend he seemed to blow hot and cold with me, one minute he would be kissing and hugging me and the next he would be distant, then we would have sex and all would be ok and then he would be back to weird. I swear to god it was like being on a merry-go-round, bloody ups and downs all weekend, it was mind exhausting trying to keep up.

On the Sunday we decided to take the dog for a walk, walking along he was quiet, not really saying a word and to be honest I had, had enough of the crap.

"Why are you being all weird?" I blurted out.

"I don't think this is going anywhere and to be honest it's over" he told me coldly.

What the fuck? All weekend he had been hot and cold but he had, had sex with me and now he was telling me he wanted to break up? Was I hearing this correct? I didn't reply I just walked off to our friend's house, well she was really his friend at first but since I met her we had become quite close.

When I arrived she could see I was really upset, I mean I wasn't crying or anything but I was a little hurt, it was all over my face, I thought he really loved me.

"Oh my god he's told you hasn't he?" she said straight away as she opened the door to me.

"Yeah he has...." I assumed she meant that he wanted to break up.

"I can't believe he cheated all this time I mean, we wanted to tell you when we found out but he insisted he would stop...." She blabbered on.

"Excuse me? He only told me that he wanted to break up not that he fucking cheated on me....all this time you say? WHAT? FOR SEVEN FUCKING MONTHS?" I shouted at her.

She looked at me with guilt; she had just given away his secret "Uhhh yeah, I'm sorry I thought you knew."

I ran out of that house so fast not even The Flash could have kept up with me and I ran all the way back to Alec's. He opened the door and let me in but before he could say anything I threw a punch at his face.

I then went upstairs to his room, I was full of rage inside, I couldn't believe he would do this to me, I never even thought about it, all that time he was away from me he had been sleeping with someone else or well quite a few from what I was told. I had completely trusted this man, what a fool I was aye.

I picked up his PlayStation and threw it out of the window, it made an almighty bang as it crashed onto the concrete below in the back garden and Alec came running into the room.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" he shouted at me.

"How dare you fucking hurt me like this, if you wanted someone else all you had to do was say not fucking string me along for seven months and then tell me after you slept around that it's over" I barked back as I threw things at him.

Tears were streaming down my face; I was inconsolable, hurt and broken. This never happened in a bloody fairy tale did it? No! The men were always decent and caring, they loved their princesses, is this what love was about? Pain and torture?

He came at me to try and give me a hug but instead I completely lost my temper, I punched that two-timing asshole right in the face again and this time I broke the bastard's nose. He screamed in pain but that was nothing compared to how I was feeling inside. I grabbed my things, ripped up all our photos and left.

All the way home I couldn't stop crying and I remember people staring at me as if to say _'is she ok'_ or _' what's wrong with her?'_ but I just hid in my seat and I didn't move until I reached my stop.

I walked home sort of like a zombie, dragging my legs and my bag as if it was all too heavy for me, I had my heart ripped out and had been cheated on by someone I trusted. The whole relationship had been a complete lie, everything he said was nothing.

When I got home my mother was sat there watching TV and she saw the redness on my face and my bloodshot eyes from where I had been crying and she immediately got up to hug me.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked so benignant.

I burst into tears again "its Alec mum, he dumped me and then I found out he had been cheating on me, mum....I thought he was the one for me I really did, he told me he loved me so I let him have me and it was all a lie."

My mum looked at me, she knew by those words I was no longer a virgin. I could see the disappointment in her eyes although she said nothing about it and just hugged me.

"Honey, I know it seems like the end of the world and I know you're upset but he isn't worth it if he did that to you, one day you'll find the right one but there is no rush" her voice was so calm and tender.

She kissed me on the forehead and went downstairs, I could hear her telling me my dad, and as dads do when their daughters are hurt, he kicked off threatening to go kill Alec for hurting his little girl.

Inside I felt a little happy to hear those words, however I'd never wish him dead of course not but I did wish he would have more pain inflicted on him so he could almost feel how I was feeling inside at that time.

As I lied on my bed trying to console myself I could hear a whispering voice, I got up thinking I had knocked the TV on by leaning on the remote but the TV was off, I didn't really think anything of it and lied back down.

I again heard the whisper and there was a slight chill in the air. I got up to check the windows but it was closed so I thought that maybe it was my mum and dad downstairs but then the whisper seemed close and my window frosted over as if a cold winter loomed outside. That wasn't normal surely, it was warm and summer time as it was bank holiday weekend, I felt confused and slightly scared. I backed away from the window as the whisper then became a voice.

"We're coming for you, we need you" the voice echoed in my room.

I looked around and saw no-one and as I tried to leave my bedroom door was stuck where it had frozen shut, I now felt like I was standing in an ice-cave, it was freezing and the cold air consumed the entire room.

I could feel my heart pounding and as I looked around several ghostly images or people appeared and seemed to reach out to me with one arm. Without thinking I let out a terrifying scream that caused my dad to run up the stairs and kick my door down.

Shaking and terrified I explained what I saw but as the words came out of my mouth I realised how stupid I sounded. Both my parent's looked at each-other and then looked at me.

"What? What is it?" I asked them worryingly.

They took a deep breath and my mother turned to me, she looked so scared "It's happening again."

When I looked at her face all those memories came flooding back, like flash images of a video playing in my mind, I knew then that this sort of thing had happened before and from that moment in my life the ghosts never ever went away, in-fact they became worse, what my future would lead me to would be one of the most terrifying experiences anyone would ever go through.

## CHAPTER 4

I was now seventeen and in that past year that had gone I had seen countless ghosts, been terrified to my very core and had rediscovered my ability.

My parent's wanted to have me hypnotised again but I refused, I had blocked all this out before but when that dickhead hurt me and my heart was broken, all of my inner defences shut down, all those walls she had built in my mind fell over and I didn't want them to go back up.

It wasn't because I wanted to see these dead people because believe me I didn't, but I didn't want to forget about this to then have something bad happen to me to then remember again and have the same experience as before, it would be a never ending cycle.

I would rather know what I can do and be prepared as much as I could, so I carried on seeing them regularly but done my best to avoid talking to or acknowledging them. I had hoped that they would get the message that although I could see them, and they quite clearly knew that, that there was nothing I could do to help and I had hoped that they would eventually go away and leave me the fuck alone, but no, it was never ever going to be that easy, they wanted my help and one day they would get it, I just didn't know that then.

I was at college now and I was studying history and child-care. I wanted to be a teacher or something to do with kids, I loved them and one day I planned to have at least two, being an only child all this time I didn't want to have just the one as I knew how lonely this could be.

I had, had a few boyfriends and it must have been a bad habit of mine as I tended to pick the assholes, the boy with the bad-boy image. I started to think that all guys were the same, a huge bunch of dicks! I had the abusive one, the cheater, which I already had, had before, the one that was nice then decided to be gay, the manipulator, so yeah, in my head, all men were the same.

I was sat in history and we were learning about world war two, now no offence, I loved history but I had learnt about this shit in school, I had heard it all before, we all know what Hitler done already, it was just a repeat and to be honest I started to feel a bit bored.

I felt my eyes got heavy as I stared out of the classroom into the corridor outside the door. At that moment I saw a figure float by, I looked around and everyone was looking face forward listening to the teacher drone on about this bloody war, don't get me wrong, I wasn't cold and heartless not at all, I did feel for all those men who had fought for our freedom but I wanted to learn about other pieces of history.

The figure was pacing backwards and forwards and every now and then this grey/blue ghostly figure would pass the classroom door. I had ignored them up until now but I recognised this figure. A memory flashed in my head, I had seen that woman before when I was little, was she following me? I'd had enough and decided I needed to confront this woman or ghost.

I snuck out of the classroom but to be honest not one head turned, was as if they couldn't hear me moving, they didn't even notice me leave as I went into the corridor. I felt the chill straight away and the coldness ran through my body as if I was on top of a freezing cold mountain with nothing warm to cover me.

The woman looked at me and started floating towards the stairs that led down into the college basement. Of course she had to do that didn't she, I fucking hated basements, as far back as I could remember I would never ever go down into any basement, even in someone's house when they had it converted into a nice seating area with kitchen, no, no, no and hell no.

_'Get a grip'_ I told myself as I nervously followed her into the college basement. It was dark and cold, filled with unused and broken college equipment. Clearly this is where they hid all their crap so no wonder the campus looked very clean and organised, they had a secret shit pile place.

I could hear crying or sobbing of some sort, it was quiet and quite clearly the sounds of a woman. I followed the sounds down this dark barely lit corridor where I eventually reached a room. The room was full of drama equipment, manikins, props, costumes, masks, you name it, it was all in there, enough to freak you out.

In the corner the ghostly woman stood facing the wall crying in her wedding dress. I was shivering and scared. Why did I follow her? But before I could run away she turned around and looked straight into my eyes.

"Why did he do this to me?" her ghostly voice sobbed.

I could see the air leaving my body as I breathed quite fast in slight panic "Uhhh I....I don't know, who are you on about?" why did I even ask?

"My husband....he did this to me" and she held out her wrists which had been slit and blood began to pour from them.

I jumped back and very honestly I was shitting myself. I had never seen them bleed, I didn't know that they could, I mean they were dead for fuck sake and this one was bleeding out in-front of me.

"Please tell me what you want from me" my voice trembled with fear.

"Help me, we're all coming for you" she cried back.

Coming for me? What like coming to get me or coming for my help? I didn't know what she meant but I didn't dare ask her, I was afraid of the answer. She started to leave but I knew she would be back and I needed to stop this so I thought if I helped her then she would leave me alone.

"WAIT!" I shouted after her "please tell me who you are so I can help you."

She turned, she was so sad it almost made me cry "I'm Amy....tell me why he did this to me" and with those words she flew towards me.

It frightened me so much I fell backwards straight onto all the crap behind me but when I looked up she had gone. I ran out of that basement and I didn't look back. As I reached the top of the stairs I pushed the door open so hard it whacked someone straight in the face. As I looked behind the door I had knocked some poor guy over.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry" I extended my arm to help him up.

"Wow you pushed that open with some force didn't you" he looked at me rubbing his face.

"Yeah I'm sorry I didn't know you were behind there."

I had clearly hurt this man, the door had smacked him square in the face and you could see the red mark.

"Are you ok?" he asked concerned.

"I'm fine why do you ask?" I had hurt him and he was checking if I was ok?

"You look terrified is all...." He noticed my pale and scared expression.

I brushed it off and carried on helping him pick up his things that were scattered all over the floor.

This man was handsome; he had green eyes, dark hair, of muscly build and about six feet tall. We finished picking up all his things off the floor and he thanked me.

This guy was thanking me and he was being so polite after I almost knocked him out, kind of sweet you would say and he took me by surprise. He didn't seem like a dickhead like all the others I had met but I was cautious, I had been hurt over and over and I wasn't ready to have my heart broken again.

"I'm really sorry I hit you with the door, anyway, I have to go...." I needed to get to the library.

"It's ok, wasn't expecting anyone to come out of there" he smiled at me.

I smiled back and left and headed to the library. I had a name, an image, what I think was how this woman died and the clothes she was wearing, surely that was enough to try and find out who this woman was, so I went digging.

Sat in the library on the internet I searched for stories of dead people called 'Amy' and the search was enormous.

Thousands of names came up, I never thought that this many people all over the world could die in such horrible circumstances, but even with all that information nothing stuck out as the information I was looking for.

So tried another approach and typed in 'woman committing suicide on the day of her wedding day' I mean she had slit wrists and a wedding dress on, this seemed like a good guess.

The top search said _'Woman found dead in her honeymoon suit after her wedding reception....'_ BINGO! I knew this was the one I was looking for so I clicked on it feeling curious as to what it said about her death.

'Police officers were called to the King Fisher Hotel last night after a body was discovered in the bath tub of their honeymoon suite. Police identified the woman as Amy Clobber who was celebrating her wedding that day to Andrew Clobber at the luxury hotel.

Andrew stated he had left the room after his wife fell asleep on the bed and returned downstairs to the bar area, staff and other customers reported hearing a man scream not long after 12am and that's when they found Mrs Clobbers body in the bath tub with a crying Mr Clobber next to her.

Police were called immediately to the scene where they interviewed and questioned all staff and customers, police have determined that the young bride committed suicide but so far no reasons have come up as to why....'

OH MY GOD! I couldn't believe what I was reading, why would a woman commit suicide on her wedding day? It was so sad to read. Just then she appeared next to me out of the blue which caused me to jump and almost fall off my chair.

It was so cold. Why was it always cold when they were around, I mean literally freezing, it wasn't a nice feeling and sometimes it was so cold I would feel like I was being pricked with needles, why couldn't they bring nice feelings of sun or warmth, always the bloody cold.

"He did this to me" she said low and saddened.

I didn't know what I was meant to do at this point, the paper said she had killed herself but this ghostly woman was implying something else, I had her name and her husband's name but that was it, how was I supposed to find him?

My computer screen started going crazy, like flickering really fast between images and pages that I couldn't see anything, clearly she was doing this, I don't know how but she was. When it stopped it ended up on a page of a business owned by her husband and an address which wasn't that far away, _'well aren't you a clever ghost'_ I thought to myself being a tad sarcastic.

She obviously wanted me to go there and see him but what the fuck would I say? _'Oh hi you don't know me but I've seen your dead wife?'_ Oh yeah I'm sure that would go down well wouldn't it. I printed the information and left to go home.

On the bus on my way home my gut and my curiosity told me to go visit this guy. Why I don't know but I guess inside of me I cared about this poor woman and I wanted to help actually I was being nosey, I wanted to know what happened.

I swapped buses and made my way there with the help of Amy and before I knew it I found myself outside his home, there I was looking up at this large house. I could see a woman doing the gardening and a man came out to kiss her. He had a new wife? I didn't want to approach him I had a better idea; I was going to go to the hotel mentioned in the article.

In the hotel I went straight passed reception and headed towards the honeymoon suit. It was a huge hotel so no-one stopped you as they assumed you were a guest, unless you lingered then I suppose they would offer their assistance but I didn't, I went straight for that room as if I was staying there.

Luckily the room was empty and with help I was able to get in without a key. I guess this woman really did want me to find out. As usual the room was cold and that's because this bloody ghost was lingering around me, she wouldn't go away.

"Show me" I told her, my voice trembling, I was so scared.

With one breath images flashed in-front of me of what really happened, like someone playing it out in-front of me as if it were happening right there, right then.

## CHAPTER 5

The room seemed to change as if I was being transported in time, there before me was this woman and her husband. I stood there frozen too scared to move in case the images disappeared. I didn't know ghosts could do this and I wasn't sure if it was really happening or if she was just planting the memory in my mind but I saw it as if it was happening right there and then.

'She came through the door after looking for her new husband, she had been at her evening reception and he wasn't with her, she seemed happy, she had just gotten married. She walked in and there on the bed was her new husband having sex with some woman. She screamed in horror as she witnessed him cheating on her. Next to them on the bed were piles of cocaine and alcohol. This woman was no-one she knew. Her husband jumped off her and the woman looked at the new bride with a glazed expression. She got up off the bed and warned the man that his debt was not fulfilled. The woman screamed at him, what debt? The man was a drug addict and had been messing with a gang and drug dealing for them. He wasn't what he seemed, he was a criminal and to keep up with his debts he would regularly have sex with one of the drug dealers. His new bride was distraught and in a fit of rage during all the shouting and arguing he smacked her so hard she fell to the floor. Crying she stated she was going to report him and have him locked away but he couldn't have this, he had more secrets; he gripped a knife, pinned her down and slit her wrists. Blood trickled out onto the carpet so he quickly picked her up and placed her in the bathtub allowing her to bleed out.... He had killed her to protect himself, the marriage was a cover up for his lies and it was never real. He cleaned the carpet to perfection, wiped the knife and placed it in her hands. He then cleaned up the drugs and anything else suspicious before leaving the room and heading to the bar....'

Holy shit! This woman was murdered because her husband was a lying, cheating druggy? How could someone do that? Just switch at the drop of the hat, I mean he must have been loving or something otherwise why would she have married him?

I felt sick to my stomach. How did the police let this man go? I looked at her, she was still so very sad but I didn't know what she wanted me to do, I knew how she died by I couldn't exactly go to the police and tell them that some dead woman showed me that her husband murdered her could I.

"What is it you want me to do?" I asked her.

"Show him and save her" her ghostly voice replied.

Right so basically she wanted me to go this man's house to warn his new wife and show him that I know about this, exactly how the fuck was I going to do that? I was the only one that could see her.

"I need your help if I'm going to do this, look you brought me here which means you're coming with me understand?" I demanded.

I left the hotel and the cold chill followed me, I knew she was there although for some reason she decided to hide herself, why I don't know; no-one was exactly going to stop and shout _'GHOST'_ were they?

On my way to the house it started getting dark, I had been out all day and it was now turning into night, my parents were going to go bloody nuts but I had to help this woman, I was in too deep now there's no way I could have turned away at this point.

As I got to the street I bumped into that guy from the college, why did he have to be on this bloody street right then out of all the places he could be.

"Hello again" he prompted surprised and happy.

"Uhh hi...." I stuttered nervously.

"What brings you down here? Never thought I'd be running into you."

"Oh just visiting a friend....you?" I wasn't going to tell him the real reason was I.

"I live here....just over there"

Fucking great, he couldn't live elsewhere could he. I felt a pinch on my arm and the coldness now went artic temperature which made me shiver and twitch where she had pinched me, I knew she was hurrying me along, bloody impatient ghost.

"Are you ok?" he asked noticing my change.

"Uhh yeah I'm ok, sorry I got to go...." And without an explanation I left, quickly.

I ran as fast as I could so no-one else could stop me, not that they would but I wanted to get this over and done with.

Before I knew it I was outside this man's house on the porch. I knocked but there was no answer so what did this lovely ghost do? Show me where the spare key was hidden. _'Of course there's one there '_ my voice in my head stated as I rolled my eyes at this stupid coincidence.

I let myself in, now, I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure what I was doing at that point was in-fact illegal, nevertheless though, I carried on snooping through this guy's house looking for something to pin on him and settle this, god knows what I was looking for but Amy was there helping me.

Amy was floating in and out of rooms faster than I could run behind her; I think she forgot I couldn't go through bloody walls like she could. She led me to a wall that she had gone through and was clearly trying to tell me there was something behind it, but I'm alive so there was no way I was walking through it.

I looked at her in a _'duh'_ way "Uhh hello....I'm not dead there ain't no way I'm...." before I could finish the wall moved and I fell through.

I looked and saw the candle that acted as the opener that Amy had pulled on as I was leaning against the wall "Yes, clearly that was easy wasn't it."

Looking around I was in some secret room that was hidden behind the wall, obviously this man portrayed one image to the world but secretly he was someone else and then I heard whimpering and some sort of like clanging noise, like metal touching metal.

"Will you stop that already I'm looking aren't I?" I whispered to Amy trying not to make a peep.

But it wasn't her; she looked at me with her clueless expression you know the _'what the fuck you on about?'_ look, so why could I hear as if someone was crying?

I followed the noise and to my horror there was a woman chained to a radiator, gagged and blindfolded. I froze for a minute or so contemplating what it was I was looking at, it was as if I didn't believe my own eyes but when I realised it was real I quickly went to help her, this is what Amy meant when she said save her, well, I'm guessing she did, I still don't know now.

"Oh my god, it's ok, I'm here to help you" I whispered with fear and sorrow as I took off her blindfold.

"No you can't be here he'll kill us both" she warned me.

I could see the terror and tears in her eyes as she gazed at me hard.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, please go....." she begged me.

But I wasn't going to leave her here tied up awaiting death, Amy wasn't the only woman he had done this too and clearly he had no sympathy or morals. This man was a psychopath but what about his wife? Was she his wife? Did she know about all this?

I pulled out my mobile phone and called the police who answered very quickly, as I was speaking with the operative I heard him come through the front door, SHIT!

This was not good, the wall that led me to this room was wide open so he would know someone was in there where they shouldn't be, I whispered to the police he was there to kill us, I didn't put the phone down, I just hid it down my bra so the woman on the other end could hear everything.

"Ma'am, ma'am are you there? I'm sending someone over."

I heard the voice on the other end of the phone talking so I quickly stuck my hand down my bra and turned the volume down, didn't want her voice speaking and him hearing it did I, fuck knows what was going to happen at that point.

"Hide, please hide please" the woman begged me as she whispered.

I could see she was whispering as to not give anything away that someone was there with her but I didn't want to leave her so I hid under the desk, not a very good hiding place I know but where else was I going to go?

I couldn't run out could I because he would see me wouldn't he, such a cliché, some murderer was walking up the stairs and instead of running outside and screaming for help I hid under the bloody desk where he can easily find me. I heard him come up the stairs, his big stomping feet rumbled on the floor boards.

"WHAT THE FUCK" he shouted as he charged into the secret room.

The woman was still tied but her gag and blindfold had been removed by me and in a panic I didn't put it back on. She was then able to see him and he could see something was not right.

"Where are they?" he demanded as he grabbed her by the throat.

"I don't know...." Her voice was strained where he was choking her.

"Well, now you've seen me I guess there is one thing left to do...." And he reached for a knife.

I looked at Amy's ghost that was hovering next to the scared woman, this woman was about to be stabbed or god knows what so I looked at Amy and mouthed to her to help her.

Now I know she could do something as she pinched me and I felt it, as I did encourage Amy's angry ghost to help, she pushed him with force causing him to fall backwards and the knife flew out of his hand and landed right by the desk, I thought to myself then _'nice one Amy!'_

"WHO WAS THAT" he shouted.

I could hear the slight worry in voice but it was mixed with too much anger, I couldn't see him, I stayed still under the desk trying to control my breathing so he couldn't hear me, this domineering psychotic man was about to lose his shit and his bloody knife was right by me. Paper in the room began flying about in the air, the chairs started moving and the light began to flicker on and off, this man was becoming more scared by the second.

He leant down to grab the knife and that's when the fucker saw me. He grabbed me from under the desk and dragged me out holding the knife to my throat. Now I was only trying to help these two people and now some psycho was holding a knife to my throat, I couldn't think or speak; I just hoped that I would live through this.

"Who the fuck are you bitch" his voice was low and callous.

I could see Amy, she tried to inflict pain on him but it didn't work, the most she could manage was a slight pinch which made him jolt and he slightly cut me, lucky it was only skin on my neck where he had moved quickly and it didn't go any deeper.

"Will you be careful he has a knife to my throat...." I blurted out without thinking.

"Who the fuck are you talking to" he gripped me tighter, I could feel the blade pressing into my throat.

I stayed silent not wanting to respond, I was too scared that this knife was going to slice me open, he was going to kill me and this poor woman tied up, time had stopped, it felt like a lifetime, I felt as if I was in this mad man's clutches for hours, things were flying all over the room, Amy tried her best to freak him out but he grabbed me tighter and held the knife firmly against my throat, I dared swallow in-case the knife cut me, my heart was beating so fast, in that moment I thought that was it.

Suddenly please barged through the door, yes, they heard everything as my phone was still on hidden in my bra, thank god for that bright idea!

They stormed into the secret room and saw Mr Clobber holding a knife to my throat, a fucked up room with shit everywhere and a woman chained up, thankfully everything had fallen to the floor by the time they came in, Amy had stopped her ghostly crap when they barged in, paper, lamps and god knows what all over the floor.

He dropped the knife and tried to protest some innocence, honestly some men are thick because did he honestly think he was going to get out of this one? He had a knife to my throat and a woman chained up in house yet he had the nerve to stand there and try and claim he was innocent, I mean really?

Behind the police officers was the woman I saw him kiss in the garden, she was his wife after-all and she was horrified by what she saw, you could see it in her eyes that she genuinely had no idea what type of man he was or that he had this secret room.

The police carted him away and took me and the woman outside to be checked over. Then they wanted to take statements from both of us, how the fuck was I going to explain why I was there?

I told the policeman I had gone there to see if Amy's stuff was lying around and explained I got in with the key she gave me, I pretended to be her relative. I stated I heard someone crying and pushed on the wall following the sounds and that's how I found the woman, the rest was pretty self-explanatory.

I was being checked, this woman who had been chained and gagged thanked and hugged me for saving her, she had been raped and beaten by this man, he had kept her blindfolded so she couldn't see her attacker, sick!

I looked up and saw Amy's ghost, it changed from a grey/blue appearance to a white peaceful one, her husband was a psychopath and had killed so many women, she wouldn't have rested until he was caught, now that was done she was able to move on. She gave me a smile as if to say thank you and she disappeared.

I felt happy knowing I had managed to help her and save another woman from this dangerous man. I felt something inside, like peace and warmth; I guess at that point in my life it felt good to help someone in need, even if they were dead, I would go on to help another but something more evil was coming for me and I didn't know this back then or the place I would be taken to in order to fight for my life.

## CHAPTER 6

I was now eighteen and since saving Amy that night things seemed to be going well. I had started to date Jay a few weeks after that, the guy from the college and he was seemingly perfect, I was still wary though and had this huge secret over my head, it did cause arguments at times as he felt I was hiding something but I didn't want to tell him and sound completely mental.

I got a job working part-time in a department store and as nice as things were for me then, still the ghosts kept on coming. Sometimes though like I said before, they didn't need my help, they just appeared to want to chat to me or were just floating around as if still going about their day to day routines and this I never understood, why had these ghosts not moved on yet? It was very strange.

After all these years I decided I was going to go and see a psychic and see if they were able to help me understand why I had this gift and why these ghosts seemed to seek me out. My mother and father never had such gift so I never could quite understand completely why I did.

One night Jay and I were sat in his bedroom watching a film. I knew that in the past year he had seen me talk to myself or disappear without warning and I knew he had questions in his head but he never said anything about it, we just normally argued about me keeping secrets.

He always had that sort of puzzled look on his face or dazed look in his eyes that said he had something on his mind, I would literally be like _'uhh got to go'_ and wouldn't tell him why nor nothing, I'm surprised he even stayed with me.

I didn't have any friends at that point because I just didn't have the time to bond with them, if I wasn't with Jay I'd have no-one, except my parents.

"Do you think I'm weird?" there it was, word vomit, without thinking it just popped out.

"Yes but that's why I like you" he smiled at me.

"Don't you ever wonder why I do all those things; talk when no-ones there or suddenly rush off?" I asked him checking his reaction.

"Yes but I figured you'd tell me when you was ready, even though it bugs the hell out of me and we argue sometimes" his tone was calm as he moved the hair from my eyes.

I looked towards the TV at that moment and saw a boy sat on the edge of the bed "Well I'm ready now...." I told him as I sat up.

He looked at me intensively and I knew he wanted to know what was going on with me.

"What I'm about to tell you may sound crazy and I understand at any point if you want to leave" I told him.

He looked at me confused, like I was being stupid, as if to say _'why would I leave?'_ But I was so sure in my head that after I had told him he would want me gone or run out that house himself thinking he was with a crazy person.

I took a deep breath "Ok....here it goes....I can see ghosts, speak to them, wherever I go one always appears and sometimes I go help them."

He looked at me eyes wide open, eyebrows raised in disbelief "Really?"

I tutted "I knew you wouldn't believe me if I told you so instead I will show you, well, kind of...." I shuffled on the bed "right now there is a little boy sitting at the bottom of your bed, he has blonde hair and blue eyes, give or take he is about two or three years old, he's giggling because he thinks bouncing up and down on the bed is funny when it's not because I'm the only one who can feel it and you can't, he's pointing at the necklace around your neck because he is wearing the same one too, he has blue jeans on and a checked shirt, underneath that is a scar across his chest, but he seems happy...."

I turned and looked at Jay who went as pale as a ghost and seemed to be frozen on the spot.

"What is it?" I asked him as his face looked horrified.

He cleared his throat, his voice hoarse "that boy you described, well the one you said you can see is my nephew, he's buried with a necklace like this that I gave him the day he died in hospital, he was two, the scar you described is where they cut him open to complete the heart surgery but it failed, he used to sit on the bottom of my bed when he was alive and bounce with me as we watched TV."

Wow, that certainly did put a lump in my throat when I saw tears well up in his eyes. I had described to him his dead nephew I had never met nor heard about, I could see he believed me but I wasn't sure if at that moment he was going to run out the door screaming or stay. Thankfully he did choose to stay with me, lying there in his arms we spoke in detail of my gift and how I was planning to seek help, he promised he would be with me every step of the way.

Now this certainly felt like a fairy tale, a strong man who had come to save me and be by my side to protect me always. My god I was extremely stupid back then because that's not what would happen at all, and it turned out he wouldn't leave me like the others but something was going to take him away from me, not that he would hurt me and leave of his own accord, I just didn't know at that point.

We had been dating over a year since I had told him my secret and things were going really well. We spoke on the phone every night when we were not seeing each-other and if we were with each-other then it was like his whole world revolved around me.

Not in the clingy or needy kind of way but in a way that made you feel like there was no-one else but the both of you. It was nice and I'm sure other girls had, had the same feeling.

I had been out shopping in town buying a new outfit for a night out, now I had been in town all day long, in and out of shops because I had a specific outfit in mind and I couldn't bloody find it, typical girl aye.

It was around six in the evening before I started to head home and my bloody feet were killing me. Sat on the train on the way to Jay's house it felt like the longest journey ever. I was staring out of the window watching things go by when I felt the temperature drop and the windows frosted up like an ice-cold freezer in a supermarket. _'No not now I'm not in the mood'_ I thought to myself as I closed my eyes and hoped it would go away, but it didn't.

I got up from my seat, train passengers sat there in their seats, reading their books, listening to their iPods blissfully unaware there was a frigging ghost on the god damn train.

I walked slowly down the carriage carrying my items to try and move away but as I entered the second carriage the temperature become so cold it was painful, like I was in the ice-cold sea and needles were piercing my body. I began to shiver and I could see people staring at me like _'why the fuck is she shivering'_ or _'she's acting a bit weird.'_

Great, just great, that's all I needed was people noticing how strange I was. I looked up and I could see red eyes glaring at me. These eyes seemed cold, evil and scary. This was no ordinary ghost I had ever seen before; this ghost was sinister and frightening.

I didn't say anything; I didn't want these people on the train looking or watching me talk to myself so I kept quiet but this ghost kept eye contact and started walking towards me slowly.

From behind it looked like he was pulling some sort of cloak, the scary thing about that was through the window reflection you could see that this cloak was attached to hooks that were under his skin in his back, it looked painful. I started to step backwards, I had forgotten at this point I was on the train.

"I am coming for you" he said.

It wasn't shouting but his voice echoed through my body and before I could speak his arm launched at me sending me flying down the train carriage way.

My back smacked in to the sliding doors that joined the two trains. The lights went off and I heard people gasp and moan, this was nothing unusual on these crappy trains but all I could think about was this bloody ghost.

I felt something around my neck, I couldn't breathe, it was so tight, I was lifted off the floor and in the darkness I saw those red evil eyes.

"You will not take them away from me, their souls belong with me, I will have what I need from you" his voice echoed in the darkness.

"I don't know what or who they are" I strained as his hands gripped my throat.

"You will never beat me and I will have you too" his cruel monstrous voice roared at me.

Then he suddenly let go of me which made me crash down onto the floor all a mess and then the lights came back on again.

I looked up to see the passengers on the train all staring at me, I was gasping for air trying to breathe normally again as the train came to a stop, I wasn't sure if they heard me choking, talking or the bang I made as I fell to the floor but I got up and left the train as quick as I could when the doors opened.

I got off one stop early, I didn't want to be seen as a freak and I definitely didn't want to remain on the train with some psycho ghost. I had no idea what the fuck he was on about, I hadn't taken anyone away from him, I didn't plan to either, the only ones I had helped were those who had not yet moved on because they had something to do before they did, they sought me out not the other way round, but I didn't intentionally steal anyone and even if I did how the fuck was I supposed to know?

Also he said he would have what he needs from me, I didn't have anything to give him, this thing would be the reason I had to fight for my life and that of another, I had no idea at that point though. I walked back to Jay's which was a fair distance away trying to work out what had just happened to me.

My neck felt sore, he had grabbed me so tight, I never thought ghosts could inflict pain on you, Amy once pinched me but that was the most I had ever felt and when she tried to hurt her, well, husband I suppose, she simply couldn't do it, so how the fuck was this ghost able to hurt me, and even more so how was he able to lift me up?

When I arrived at Jay's he looked at me in panic, a frightful expression all over his face, I didn't quite understand why he was so scared.

"What the hell happened to you?" he shrieked as he ran towards me.

"What do you mean?"

"Your neck babe, it's purple...." He pointed.

I went to look in the mirror and saw the bruising around my neck, you could see that someone had, had their hands on me and had gripped my neck with such force that it had left a mark.

I looked at Jay who had dread all over his face, he could be such a worry-ass sometimes, even though I was stood in-front of him and I was now OK, he was still scared of whatever it was that happened to me.

"I was on the train coming here, usual thing, coldness....ghost....anyway he uhhh, he gripped me and told me to not take them away....oh and uhh that one day he was going to have me too" I spoke too quick.

"Took who?" he asked apprehensively.

"I don't know" I shrugged.

I was trying not to look so scared, terror ran through my veins like a wild fire spreading in the woods but on the outside I put on a brave face.

"We need to get help; it cannot go on like this...." He stated a tad angry.

"You think I want this? Ghosts following me everywhere I go? What? You think I want them hurting me? Well I don't, I can't help it's something I've got to bloody live with" I cried.

I didn't want this, I wished all the time it would go away but I had accepted that I had this gift and that there was pretty much fuck all I could do about it.

That evening on our night out things between Jay and I were a little tense. I knew it was just because he was worried about me; I could see it in his eyes and all over his face but the fact of the matter was there was nothing he could do to help me.

He couldn't see them like I could and he didn't have the power to make them go away. I knew then that seeing a psychic was an important thing and I needed to speak to someone urgently and find out what this was and if there was a way it could be controlled.

All night ghosts were in the club but they weren't bugging me, they seemed to float around, I could tell they had died here or somewhere near and had just not been able to leave but after what happened to me that day I was in no mood to try and help them.

Jay and I tried to act like everything was ok but the tension could be seen between us and our friends could see it too, I didn't want to lose him so I was going to go on my own and seek answers.

## CHAPTER 7

A few weeks later I had sought out a psychic that wasn't really well known and rumour had it people tended to stay away from her from what I had read about. She had the reputation of being scary and telling it how it was, whether it was bad or good luck. I needed straight answers, not someone to pussy-foot around the matter; I left my house and made my way to the address I had written down on a piece of paper.

As I approached the building, I could see it needed some serious TLC. It was old and shabby and had bushes overgrowing on the outside brick work. There was a light in the window and a sign that read 'Psychic – Reading Appointments Available.' Taking a deep breath I walked up the steps and knocked on the door.

A gust of wind blew passed me and then the door opened by itself. Now in normal situations, when shit like that happens, your gut tells you to run away as normally something bad will happen if you enter, but I had been seeing bad things all my life and I needed answers, so very slowly, I entered the building.

"Hello" I called out a little scared.

But I didn't get a reply, I looked around and there were candles everywhere, no normal lighting, just rows of lit candles, like a scene from Carrie, the décor looked like something from a world war two movie and it was dead silent, just the wind chimes moving from the breeze coming from the open window.

I walked through until I came to a room where there was a really old woman sat by a large round table. This was all a little too typical, something you would see in a horror movie, what was next? A demon was going to jump out of the fire?

"Uhhh hi, I'm...." but she cut me off.

"Robyn, Yes I know, please take a seat...." She told me in her old croaky voice.

Obviously that didn't prove anything, I mean I had called her to see if she was free so obviously she knew it was me. As I looked at her I realised that this woman was blind. Her eyes were white with no colour but her eye balls seemed to look up at the ceiling as they couldn't fix themselves on a particular object; she had grey frizzy air and give or take she was well into her nineties.

She wore what could only be described as a very old and tatty lace nighty from something out of interview with a vampire. In my head I was honestly thinking _'what the fuck.'_

"Don't be scared my dear, I will not harm you, however I know you're afraid they will...." Her voice was so croaky and creepy.

I hadn't said anything at this point and I still hadn't sat down, I was observing my surroundings so I could leg it the fuck out of there should I need to.

"They?" I repeated.

"They my dear, spirits from the other side, you have the ability to see them don't you, here, give me your hand...."

She extended her wrinkly arm across the table waiting for me to place my hands in hers, but her hands were grey and to be honest I was like _'oh hell no I don't want to touch them'_ but then again what choice did I have?

I needed answers and she had already said all this stuff without me even opening my mouth. I was hesitant at first but then I did eventually place my hands in hers. I didn't say anything; she just went off my touch, as if she could see all these things around me and in my mind.

"Oh wow, you do have a powerful gift, they have been coming to you your whole life, they were there the day you were born, Ohhhh, they seek you out, they know who you are but something more sinister is coming" she looked worried.

"Is that bad?" fear could be heard in my voice.

"You are stronger than he who comes for you, he craves life, something inside of you is very special and he needs that from you....." she went on.

"But not all of them are mean...." I told her.

"No my dear, some of them wander the earth because they don't want to move on just yet, some of them are harmless, but there is one that is taken the dead and keeping them, the more souls he gains the more power he has in the spirit world, he wants to be in our world where he can live again, but you, you're the key to this, only you can prevent this by setting them free and only you can stop him, wait.... I see a child, a boy, he will be beautiful but you must protect him, this boy, he needs the boy, only you can give him that...." She started shaking.

"What boy?" I asked her confused.

"Your son" she replied.

I was shocked, one I was eighteen and at this point kids were not on my mind and two there she was telling me that a horrible ghost was going to come for me because I was some sort of key he needed to cross over into our world and that I would need to protect a child I didn't even have, this was fucked up.

"My dear, remember you are strong, you can beat him, you have the power within you, he is nothing but darkness and evil, don't let him drag you into his world, your gift is a powerful thing, it will help you my dear...." And with that she took her hand away.

The building started shaking, ornaments and objects went flying off the mantelpiece and the candle light started flickering. My heart was pounding so hard I felt like it was going to leap out of my chest at this point but before I could ask the old woman what was going on she had disappeared.

I wasn't going to stay in this creepy house any longer and I ran out of that house into the street. I looked back trying to catch my breath and bring my heart back to a normal speed but to my own shock the house was all boarded up as if no fucker lived there. Well that couldn't be right as I had just been in there.

I gripped a passer-by "Excuse me but this house, I was just in there, who lives there?" I pointed.

"That's impossible, no-one lives there, no-one has lived there for years since the old lady died...." He answered me looking at me like I was some sort of idiot.

"Old lady?" now I was panicking inside.

"Yeah, an old lady used to tell fortunes in that house but she died a while ago and since then the house was boarded up to stop squatters going in there until its sold, not that they will the tale states that the house is haunted" he smiled sarcastically at me.

Yeah cheers mate, I felt like a right dick, I had just told some random person I had been in the house but yet there was no fucker there. So who was I speaking to on the phone? And who was I in there with?

The man went to walk away "WAIT!" I shouted after him, "can you tell me her name, you know, the woman that lived there?"

"Yeah sure, she was listed as psychic Madame Richmond but her real name was Agnes Millar," he gave a polite goodbye nod and walked away.

I had sought her out, I found her number in the yellow pages and I had rung and spoke to her and now I was being told she was dead. So why did the phone ring and why did someone answer?

As I looked up at the house I pulled out the piece of paper from my back pocket where I had written down the address and the torn out piece of yellow pages with her number on it. Before my eyes I swear the whole page changed and her number seemed to have disappeared and left only words _'believe in yourself.'_

I felt the same gust of wind again and leaves swirl around my feet. I realised she just wanted to help me, I was grateful and scared all at the same time. I returned back to Jay's house as I hadn't seen or spoken to him in a few days and from the amount of texts I had received from him I could see he was worrying about me.

His mum had gone out for the evening and we had the place to ourselves, it was nice as we could catch up and talk about what the psychic had said. I didn't give him the whole truth, I just told him that she said I had a gift and that I needed to believe in myself to help set them free.

"Robyn I love you....." he told me as he leaned over me to kiss me.

"I know you do" I replied as I kissed him back.

His kisses were deep and passionate; I could feel his emotions through his kiss, so powerful and so connected with me.

He started moving his hand up my body until he was slightly gripping my breast and rubbing it. I moaned as he kissed me, he always said he loved it when he could hear the moaning vibrations on his lips.

He moved his hand gently caressing and teasing my nipples as they hardened under my top. I moved my hands up and down his back slightly. I could feel his kisses become more intense and his erection pushing against me.

Slowly he slid my jeans and panties off as he slid his off and threw them on the floor beside the bed. When he entered me I felt a rush of pleasure shoot through my body. It felt amazing, so pleasurable.

He moved his hips slowly as his hard erection went in and out of my vagina, he could feel me dripping all over him and it was intense. I moaned and he groaned as our bodies rubbed against each-other intimately and I could feel his heartbeat on my chest beat harder as he was close to climaxing.

As he drew closer he pushed inside me a little faster, he was breathless and I was biting my lip to keep from moaning out loud. As he reached orgasm I came with him, it was sensual and loving. We laid there in bed afterwards having a chat, cuddled up in each-other's arms before we couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep. I felt that night that our troubles in our relationship had been forgotten.

That night, whilst I was sleeping peacefully, I heard a noise, like rustling which disturbed me and woke me up, I rolled over and noticed Jay was not in bed with me but the bedroom door was open and so was the window.

The rustling was the net curtain brushing against the window sill as the wind blew in. I felt cold, too cold for it just to be the wind coming from the open window. I quickly chucked on some of Jay's jogging bottoms and my top and made my way downstairs. The temperature had plummeted even more by the time I got downstairs.

"Jay...." I called out quietly but nothing.

I heard a bang coming from the kitchen, none of the lights worked so I was walking through the house in darkness, bloody typical, why couldn't the bloody lights work!

As I reached the kitchen I remember the back door was open and the blowing wind was making it bang against the counter. I put a jacket over me, slipped on my UGG boots and went out into the back garden.

The wind was strong now and the temperature was below freezing. Leaves and debris from the garden were flying bloody everywhere as if a storm was taking place. How this didn't wake the neighbours I do not know but no-one came out to help, no-one looked out of their window when they heard me call out for Jay who was standing butt naked at the bottom of the garden.

"JAY!" I screamed worried.

As I approached him he turned to face me, his face was evil and eerie, like it had been transformed somehow, his eyes were red and his teeth seemed pointy. Was he possessed?

"Jay...." My voice was trembling with fear.

"I claim this boy now, haha, this soul is mine, and you ghost hunter you can't stop me" Jay spoke but it wasn't him, it was something else.

"I'm no ghost hunter, please let him go...." I begged this thing inside him.

"This being believed he could help you defeat me but he was wrong, now I will keep him, you think you can challenge me? You have NOTHING!" he shouted with such force.

It was so strong that I flew to the other end of the garden. I looked up to see Jay levitate into the air, still looking at me with that face, that face that would haunt me, this thing inside him, it broke him in two and let his lifeless body fall to the ground.

"JAY!" I shrieked as I ran down the garden.

Only then did someone hear me and neighbours looked out of their windows to see me running down the garden at someone lying on the grass amongst the nasty weather swirling outside and a fallen tree on the grass.

They came over quickly and found me in sobs of tears as I held him in my arms. Blood poured from his mouth as a tree from the garden was lying over him. People called for help but it was too late.

Jay looked me in the eye "Don't let him beat you, I....I love you" and with his last breath he died.

How could this have happened? I had done nothing to make this ghost angry, yes I sought help but that was it, Jay had done nothing and now he was gone, but I remembered what that thing said, he said that Jay tried to help me defeat him or it, but how did he do that?

He wasn't with me when I went for help. I needed to know what he had done but in the meantime police and ambulance crew had turned up at Jay's house.

## CHAPTER 8

It's weird when I look back on that night, I can remember each and every little detail as if it only happened yesterday.

I was sat with Jay's mum in the living room; I remember everyone around me moving like a hundred miles per hour, his mum was in tears as they carted the body through the house out to the coroners van.

The police man sat in-front of me, I guess he wanted answers, when a guy dies in the garden of his house and he is butt-naked, of course they are going to come looking for answers.

"Excuse me miss, I'm detective Jones from homicide, I'd like to ask you a few questions if you're ok with that" he seemed very sympathetic.

Jay's mum shook her head as she continued to cry holding my hand really, really tight.

"It's ok I'll help you, look, officer, detective person, he went out into the garden and tree fell on him, can't you see that" I blurted out trying to contain my hurt and anger.

"Yes ma'am I can see that however we have to cover all bases" he told me.

"I understand that, but you're from homicide correct?" I seemed to be avid.

"Yes ma'am that is correct but...." He tried to explain.

I didn't let him finish, I cut him off, "Well I know what that means officer and this isn't suspicious, he was killed by a bloody tree and if you can't see that then well, you're not very good are you...." I was a little rude.

"I understand this is a difficult time for you, if you could just answer some questions I will leave you be...." He was very professional.

"Fine" I snapped.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked with his notepad ready.

Oh great, in my mind I was thinking _'well Mr Officer I see ghosts he did something to piss one of them off so the big nasty ghost man came and fucking killed him'_ but of course I couldn't say that.

So I rolled my eyes and I told partial truth "We were relaxing for the evening, I had been out all day and I came here and Mrs Klein was out, we watched some telly, we uhhh, we had sex and then we fell asleep, I woke up and noticed he was gone, I heard banging downstairs so I went down and saw the back door open, I went outside and saw him standing there, I called him but then lightning hit the tree and it fell on top of him before I could get there...." My heart was pounding with nerves.

"Was he awake?" the policeman asked.

"I don't think so, he didn't hear me when I called him" I replied trying to hide my nervousness.

"Has he slept walked before?" he looked directly into my eyes.

What the fuck was with the questions, just go away I thought "No not that I know of but I'm usually asleep, I only woke because the window was open and I was cold and I heard the banging."

The detective jotted everything I was saying down, he knew he had nothing to go on, Jay was lying under a tree, leaves and debris all over the garden from the strong winds and the neighbours verified hearing me scream out his name and then run down the garden.

He gave his condolences and said goodbye, everyone started to clear out and as it was a home death there would still be an autopsy before we could bury him.

I went upstairs back into Jay's room and looked around for something as to what he was doing that made this ghost come after him. I looked everywhere and to be honest I didn't have the slightest clue what I was looking for.

I pulled everything out until something in the bottom of the wardrobe caught my eye, a brown wooden box with a symbol on the front. Now I had seen everything in Jay's room but I had never seen this before so obviously I was going to open it.

Inside was a coin and what appeared to be instructions, so I looked and it said it was the coin that could help you speak to the dead, heads was yes and tails was no, you ask questions and flip the coin and it would give you answers.

Well this seemed fucking stupid if I'm being honest. I had heard of Ouija boards doing this kind of thing but a coin? I mean really? So being me I decided to give it a go and followed the instructions.

"Is there anyone in the room with me" I asked and then flipped the coin.

It landed on heads, could have been coincidence, so I tried again, why I don't know, I could bloody see ghosts or at least feel when they were around.

"Is there someone here" I asked again and flipped the coin.

It again landed on heads but I felt no coldness and no temperature drop. I was getting sick of playing this stupid game, yes I had only flipped it twice but what was point.

I stood up and became demanding "Look if you are bloody here then I know for a fact you can hear me and I don't need this stupid coin so whoever you are come out and face me."

As I said that the temperature certainly plummeted quicker than I could blink. Something was here with me, as I turned, to my surprise, it was a little girl and she looked beautiful. Although she was of the grey/blue ghost colour you could see her long flowing curly hair and her stunning features but she wasn't happy, she had one arm missing and a wound on her neck. This poor little girl had suffered something horrific.

"Who are you" I asked quietly as to not scare her away.

"He tried to help you but it was too late, don't come to the darkness...." Her voice seemed faded and scared.

"Who tried to find me?" I asked her still being slightly cautious.

"The man, he was here, he called out to us, I tried to make him stop because he could hear him and he tried to help you...." She babbled on, she seemed so upset.

"Ok, who tried to help me and who heard who?" this girl was confusing me.

"Him...." She pointed at a picture of Jay and I "he tried to find you but the evil man took him away, don't come into the darkness" and then she looked terrified and disappeared.

The temperature went back to normal and my heartbeat slowed to a reasonable rate. So I gathered from all that that Jay went outside trying to help me in some sort of dream sleep, he must have been following something in his dream but this thing, this monster found him after he had been speaking to the dead girl.

"Who you talking to sweetie?" a quiet voice behind me questioned.

I turned and Jay's mum was by the door "Uhhh no-one just myself wishing he was here with us."

That night I stayed at Jay's for the last time helping his mum organise things ready to call in the morning, sort through Jay's clothes for the funeral and inform all the friends and family. She didn't want to wait and drag it out, she felt the quicker she told everyone then she could grieve better. Inside I was heartbroken but what could I do? I couldn't bring him back could I, no matter how much I wanted to.

The day of the funeral arrived, it had been two weeks but they didn't find anything in the autopsy and the death was marked as an accident, everything was set and ready to go. Family and friends were all arriving at Jay's house to comfort both me and his mum and before we knew it we were heading off to the church.

It felt slow, like the cars barely moved, maybe it was because in the past few weeks I had shut everything and everyone out, it was as if time had stopped lately. Arriving at the church everyone was crying as they carried the coffin inside but all I could see were bloody ghosts, churches and graveyards were a pain in the ass because they popped out of their graves as if to say hello and have a cup of tea and a chit chat.

_'Not today fuck off'_ I screamed in my head, now was not the time to be seeing ghosts or them to come at me. We sat at the front as the vicar led the service about Jay and his life. I couldn't fight it anymore and I let the tears fall from my face. But then, there, stood by his own coffin was indeed Jay.

I swear I shit myself and all the air left my lungs. His mum gripped my hand thinking I was just a bit distressed, if only she knew then what it was I could see. Looking at him though, he looked exactly like the little girl; he too had one arm missing and a wound on his neck. He definitely didn't die that way so how the fuck did he end up with that?

Before I knew it he was stood right in front of me, his one arm reaching out to touch me. I tried to keep cool because I was the only one who could see him. The vicar's voice faded in the background and I could only hear Jay.

"He takes us to the dark place, do not come here Robyn, he's after you" his ghostly voice told me.

I moved my eyes _'please say you can hear me'_ as I looked directly at him, I couldn't exactly speak out loud, I was at his funeral, I'd look insane.

"Yes Robyn I can hear you" he smiled at me.

_'Thank god for that, who is this thing? Where are you and why do you look like that?'_ my inner voice was all jumpy.

"He takes a piece of us, I don't know why, the cut, it's so painful, I don't know why he does this, seriously Robyn, leave it go...." He begged.

_'Who is he? What does he want with me?'_ even the voice in my head was sounding annoyed.

"He wants you Robyn, he wants something you have, I don't know what it is but I can see how badly he needs you, it's like I can feel it but don't come here Robyn," he placed his ghostly hand on my shoulder, it was ice cold.

_'He wants my son but how can I give him something I don't even have yet?'_ my inner voice was now giving me a headache.

"He will make you trust me, don't give into him Robyn, you are stronger" and with that he disappeared.

I looked around the church, my heart was beating fast, shivers were going down my spine and I was slightly panting. This thing was coming for me and for what? Because I would apparently have a child it wanted? I didn't understand any of this, I had been able to see ghosts since I was a little girl but I never thought it would be like this. I was never able to communicate with any other ghosts that way and Jay and I never did that again.

Things would become clearer as I grew older and at some point I would be brought into a fight I'd have no choice but to take part in.

## CHAPTER 9

It had been a few years since Jay's death and I hadn't been back to his house since or been to visit his mum. I just couldn't face going back there; it hurt too much thinking of all those memories and the fact that I actually had a decent guy for a change who had died because of something to do with me, he was taken, he left me and not by choice.

Jay visited me though; the more he did though I felt like he couldn't move on, like he was still trying to protect me.

I was twenty one and living the party lifestyle, living life to the full you would say. I had seen ghosts with the same appearance since Jay and that little girl, all with one arm missing and all had neck wounds.

I didn't know back then what that was all about, random ghosts with the same arm missing and a wound on their necks, I just wanted to try and have a bit of normality and stay off the radar from this evil monster that seemed to be coming for me.

That's when I met Pete, he was a nice guy and seemed to be there just when I needed someone to lean on, he owned a local book store which to honest was a little bit run down but he seemed to be doing ok. I swore to myself I would never tell another soul about my gift, well at that point in my life I believed I never would so when I met Pete things seemed to be going well and nice.

He knew nothing of my past and the things I could do and I wanted to keep it that way. I had moved away from my parents so that they wouldn't be hurt over what I could see and I hung out with people that I didn't really have ties to which I then became friends with and still are today.

So although I was dating Pete, I didn't intend to get close to him, but unfortunately I did. We had been seeing each-other for a few weeks when we were lying in bed watching a film. He had a small grubby apartment above the shop that was minging and filthy so you never sat in any other room apart from the bedroom and that was only because I cleaned it.

He told me he loved me, like out of the blue, no prompting, just word vomit coming out without thinking. I didn't know what to say, I mean I didn't love this man at all; I felt like I cared for him sure but love? Definitely not!

"Aww ok" was the only thing I could say back to him.

He fell asleep cuddled into me, he didn't say much about the fact I didn't say _'I love you too'_ which was a good thing I suppose as I didn't want to have that conversation at that time.

He told me a few times after that, that he loved me but I never said it back, no matter how much time went on I just didn't see him that way, he was more like someone who was there when I needed someone to lean on.

My friend and I were on a night out one night after a long week at work, we were letting off some steam because we had, had people screaming at us all week, I mean, every job has its downers but when moany customers think its ok to abuse you down the phone and think they are always right when they are wrong then alcohol was needed.

I was in the loo at the club washing my hands when I looked up to see the mirror freeze over, like your window does in the snow. It cracked as it had become so cold, _'no not now'_ which is what I always thought when these fuckers were around, but to my surprise, there in the reflection was Jay behind me.

I turned quickly but he had gone and instead was a little boy, arm missing and a wound to the neck. Nice! Stood in the girl's bathroom staring at a ghost by the cubicle door. The loos were full as drunken girls came in and out to do what girls do so I didn't acknowledge him I just turned back to face the mirror.

"Help me...." His innocent voice whispered behind me.

I closed my eyes and counted to ten hoping that when I opened them he would be gone but it didn't work.

"Please help me, I want my mummy" his voice pierced my heart.

I gave the boy a sort of nod that told him to follow me and I made my way out of the loo and to a store room in the club. I knelt down to his level, you could see the sadness on his face, the tears falling on his grey/blue cheeks and it was heart breaking. This little boy must have been about three and there he was, no arm and a neck wound, I wanted to cry.

"I want my mummy please help me" he begged.

"I don't know who your mummy is, where are you?" I asked him.

"With the man, its dark and I don't like it, I want my mummy" he sobbed.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me where you are" I pried for information that the others refused to give.

"Robyn....don't...." a sweet voice behind me whispered.

It was Jay, why was he warning me not to go to this place? Ok yes some scary monster ghost person wanted me for something I didn't even have yet but these ghosts were in pain and this poor little boy, his mother would have been searching for him if he was missing, not that I knew that he was I mean he could have just died and then been stolen by this thing and even though I tried to avoid them little dead kids got to me and I wanted to help.

"You must stay away!" Jay's ghostly appearance ordered at me.

"It's not that simple when you all keep coming after me" I snapped back at him.

Then the door opened and someone came in making them both disappear.

"You ok miss?" the staff asked.

"I'm fine thank you" I smiled politely and left quickly.

I went back to the club where my worried friend was looking for me, she looked at my expression and thought I was a bit pale, well I had just seen two ghosts but I didn't tell her that, so for that reason we headed on home.

Time went on and I went back and forth the library to see if I could find any information on this ghostly man or maybe something about souls crossing between worlds.

All I found was the same information over and over about how ghosts wander the earth with unfinished business and blah, blah, it was exhausting, surely I wasn't the only one with this gift, we had heard of ghost hunters and I had seen that stuff on TV so why did this thing, this monster want me and why could I not find anything on this particular ghost?

I felt a bit weird sat in the library and thought maybe it was because it was too warm for me, you see I don't like the heat, well, I don't like being too hot, it seems to overpower me and make me feel a nauseous so I left and went home.

Pete noticed a change in me and noticed I was looking a bit peaky and red in the face. I certainly didn't feel very well and we went to the doctors. I thought maybe I had some sort of stomach bug or something, I felt sick and drained like someone had come along with a hoover and sucked all the energy out of me.

The doctor checked me over and I had to do a urine sample to make sure everything was ok but when he checked it, what he came back with was not what I was expecting.

I was pregnant. Pete and I had only been together a year or so by this point and I felt it was a bit soon, much too soon.

I didn't understand how I had become pregnant when I was on the contraceptive pill but as the doctor explained it was only ninety nine percent effective and sometimes these things could happen.

Bloody great, as if I didn't have enough going on in my bloody life at the moment! Pete however seemed happy with the news; it didn't faze him that this seemed to be happening rather suddenly.

In times like this I went to see my gran, she was always there for me whenever I needed her and even though I had distanced myself from my family, no matter what I could always rely on her to be around.

When I arrived she knew instantly something was up with me, I always thought she had some sort of sixth sense but it could just have been that we were so close she knew instantly when something inside of me had changed.

"I'm pregnant...." I told her sounding upset.

"Oh my girl that's wonderful news, but you don't seem happy" she replied so sincere.

"I don't know, it's too soon and there's just...." I paused; I didn't want to explain the reasons.

"Oh sweetie it's ok, I know what you're going through and I know about your gift but don't worry everything will be ok...." She smiled softly at me.

"Wait.....you know?" I was shocked.

"I course dear, I've known all along and I didn't agree with your parent's treatment of it but you got all your memories back now and I'll be here for you...." She was always so calming.

"Nan, why didn't you say anything?"

"I couldn't, I had to let you be you my dear, I knew you would come to me and tell me but seeing how upset you are I gathered this was playing on your mind, and now you have me to lean on about it."

But the sad fact was she wasn't going to be there, unfortunately a few months later when I was around five months pregnant, my nanny passed away after suffering a heart attack.

I was destroyed inside, I felt like I had lost a part of me and I became withdrawn from Pete. It wasn't intentional of course not I was just deeply distraught by it. I know better than anyone that people don't live forever but she went before her time.

At her funeral I remember seeing her next to her casket smiling at me as if to say _'I'm ok, don't cry for me I'm here with you'_ and luckily I never saw her with an arm missing or a neck wound so I believed she was in a better place, but that still didn't stop the fact that my heart became slightly more broken than when Jay died.

When I needed Pete the most he done something to me I would never be able to forgive him for, I guess when some people tell you they love you they really don't understand what love is.

## CHAPTER 10

I hadn't even given birth yet but Pete was beginning to act strange, you know, the taking his mobile phone everywhere he went, talking quietly when he was on the phone, spending more time out and about but in all honesty I thought nothing of it at the time.

I had been a bit distant since my nanny died and ya know with all the dead people in my life and the pregnancy, I would have thought this should have been expected, ok maybe not the dead people thing because he didn't know about that but the pregnancy and dead nan should have been enough for him.

I had been out all day shopping for baby stuff and my back and feet were killing me. This bump was bloody huge I thought I was going to have a giant of a baby or twins, my god it was tiring walking round all day.

I approached the book shop and noticed it was closed early which was unusual as Pete never closed the book shop early, all the lights upstairs were off so I assumed he had gone out. It wasn't mega early, like half an hour but still he was always in work until the last minute so it was a bit odd.

I went upstairs into the flat and put my things down and I heard kissing noises coming from the bedroom. Now you know what kissing noises sound like, that lip to lip sound as you go in, so I tip-toed to the bedroom without making a sound and to my horror there was Pete lying on our bed smooching some other woman.

I stood for a minute and froze as if everything around me stood still, like in extreme slow motion. Was I seeing this right? I couldn't fucking believe it but before I could scream he saw me and jumped off of her.

"Oh my god Robyn this isn't what it looks like?" he said panicked.

Oh really motherfucker? "Then tell me what the fuck this is?" I demanded seething through my teeth.

"Uhhh, well, uhhh, she.... She is just a friend" he lied to me.

"Try and lie quicker ass hole and you...." I pointed to her my face red with anger "Get the fuck out before I rip your fucking face off."

She could see I was about to explode, all the anger was written all over my face and yet somehow I was staying composed. She picked up her shit and ran out of the door and now it was just him and me alone. I didn't know what to say, I was emotional, angry, hurt, annoyed and upset. I was pregnant with this guy's baby and he decided to do this to me?

"Tell me why!" I demanded trying to hold back the tears.

"I don't know, I felt lonely and she showed me some attention, you haven't been giving that to me, you have been distant and I needed something" he tried to blame me.

Typical fucking guy, they cheat on you and then state it's your fault because you weren't 'loving' enough. Even if I wasn't being loving the way he expected that wasn't an excuse to go fucking cheating on me was it! I mean what a total fucking idiot but being pregnant and scared of being alone what did I do?

Like an idiot myself I forgave the dickhead and stuck with him and I wished I hadn't because once the trust had gone you were never able to really get it back. As months went on he repeatedly hurt me to the point where I was so low I found it hard to pick myself back up again.

When I finally went into labour, thirty two hours later I had a beautiful baby boy and it hit me, there he was, my son, my baby this monster would come for, Jay was there hovering by my bed as usual and I had never felt so scared.

"You can do it Robyn" he told me so full of confidence in me.

Pete and I had this beautiful baby boy which we named Jack and I tried to focus my attention on him. I had lost my parents in a car accident about a month before Jack was born and I had no brothers or sisters so without him I felt completely alone and like I had no place else to go.

It was like he had caught me in this web which was full of lies and deceit but no matter how hard I fought there was no way out and I was trapped. I had tried to go off the ghosts' radar for little Jack's sake as I didn't want him getting caught up in all of that but it wasn't so easy. Jack was born with the same gift.

At first I thought it was just baby stuff you know like when you catch a baby randomly smiling at nothing, just air, but as he grew older he would have conversations in his room when he was the only one in there. Now I knew from that moment he had my gift because I used to do the same thing. I did finally find the strength to leave Pete when Jack was four years old. I couldn't go on anymore with the heartache.

He had cheated on me more times than I care to remember and then always tried to make out it was my fault, he had broken my heart over and over and enough was enough. At that point in my life I felt free, I felt stronger than I had felt in a very long time.

I got a little cottage in the country and worked in a care home where I could take Jack and put him in the nursery nearby when I was on shift.

Life seemed like it was going perfect right? Well not for long, you see now they weren't just coming for me, they had started coming for Jack too and all those words from that dead psychic were going around in my mind.

One night on a late shift I was helping down in the morgue underneath the care home. Yes I know, mega creepy, but it was there for when the elderly died and they were waiting to be collected by their loved ones and let's face it, no-one likes the smell of a dead body and sometimes we had these dead people for weeks whilst we awaited funeral organising or family collection and sadly some of them had no family to speak of so they would remain there until we or someone arranged a burial for them.

I was walking down the corridor; it was a little cramped down there, broken beds on the sides and broken equipment against the wall all the way down to the exit. Mess! As I was leaving I heard a child crying. It sounded like Jack so being a mother I went towards the crying sounds, but with caution.

"JACK!" I shouted out but my voice just echoed.

The sounds become louder as I approached the end of the corridor where dead people were lying on ice-cold slabs waiting to be put in the fridge, they were covered with plastic sheets to stop the smell leaking out and to try and compose their dignity, but as I got there the sounds stopped.

I felt the temperature drop to ice-cold and I could see the air come out of my mouth. I knew one was there with me somewhere but it could have been one of the dead bodies in that room.

I tried not to freak out but my heart was thumping so hard I swear heavens could hear it. Then one of Jack's toy balls rolled from behind a curtain and hit my foot. I thought Jack was behind the curtain so I walked over to it and moved it quickly, to my horror there he was sitting in a high chair. My head spun _'who the fuck would put a high-chair down there?'_ I didn't know but as I went to grab him I was hit and thrown across the room away from him.

"He's mine...." This dark monstrous voice spoke.

"GET OFF HIM" I screamed as I got back up and ran towards him.

This thing tried forcing me back but there was no way I was going to let anyone take my son away. I fought back as much as I could, pushing myself to get to him until I was by Jack's side and I had him in my arms.

"Stay away from us...." The terror was in my voice as I cradled my boy.

"I will have you...and him...."

And with a gust of wind this thing had gone. I looked around and there were so many ghosts, all with arms missing and all with neck wounds coming towards me. The seemed to be aiming for me and Jack and not in a friendly way!

I closed my eyes and cried, yes they were ghosts but right now I was scared, scared for me and scared for Jack, this monster could throw me across the room, fuck knows what these could do.

"Robyn" a voice whispered.

As I opened my eyes there was my Nan, she seemed to be surrounded by light. Feeling she was there to help I ran towards her and she led me out of the morgue and back upstairs to the main office. I looked at her trying to calm my breathing and holding on to Jack extremely tight and just gave her a smile, she smiled back and again disappeared.

I went home after telling them I wasn't too well and I didn't let Jack out of my sight all night. I took my clothes off to have a shower and that's when I noticed the bruising on my arm where this thing, whatever it was, had gripped me and across my back was marks from where I had hit stuff flying into them. I couldn't believe it, this thing was somehow able to hurt me and I had no idea how to stop him.

Was I weak? I mean, I had, had my heart broken, not just by men but by death, I had a baby which made me protective and soft, I saw ghosts daily and I had no-one around to support me. I didn't know if he was picking me because I was an easy target and that all the things the psychic and Jay had said to me was just bullshit, that I was simply the easiest person to go after because I was weak and I could see them, that was honestly how I felt.

I needed more help and this time I wasn't going to go and see a dead psychic, I was going to go to and see one who could do a séance and try and communicate with someone or something that could explain all of this and of course was still alive.

I researched and researched until I found one in a small town called Hollow in Georgia. I decided I was going to take Jack and go there looking for answers, yes it was a bit far but what choice did I have?

## CHAPTER 11

When I arrived in Georgia I had to hire a car to get to the small town as no buses or public transport seemed to go down that way.

When I got to Hollow I saw it was a town well out of the way, it had a population of around three thousand odd people and was very dull and eerie, it seemed like the sun just didn't shine here and was misty and cold.

There was only one bed and breakfast, no glamorous hotels or variety to choose from, just this one that was shabby on the outside and looked a bit run down. When I got in there I thought to myself that this bed and breakfast had probably not had any guests in some time as I doubt this hidden small town got any passing trade,. It needed some serious redecorating and some more windows as the inside seemed dim and lifeless, quite creepy if I'm being honest.

People went on about their business but it seemed like a dead town, people seemed miserable and stuck, I wouldn't want to live there and the only reason I was here was to see this woman. Why such people couldn't live in nice places like Miami or Jamaica, you know, nice places to go, not creepy cold ones like this, I mean honestly!

I settled in and called her straight away, she demanded I come to her that evening for the séance and advised me there were going to be several other people present. She stated to me she wanted to have a chat with me first and then also to have a look at Jack.

I didn't really want Jack involved in this, I was going to take him with me and then put him down for a nap out of the way until it was over, I mean, I couldn't exactly leave him at home and I couldn't leave him at the hotel by himself, of course I felt bad about it, any mother would, but when you're left with no choice you do what you have to do.

I arrived at her house not long after seven o'clock and it seemed darker outside her house than it was when I was in the bed and breakfast, clouds above were grey and turning black, the bushes surrounding the garden were of shade of dingy green, as if sunlight was not their friends, the garden had no flowers or anything to make it pretty, just patches of dead grass and a gravel pathway leading to the front door.

When I got inside the house it seemed beautiful, large open rooms with plenty of space, gorgeous sparkling chandeliers hanging from the ceilings in the rooms, and the big hall in which the séance was to take place was marble floored and stunning architecture all-around of angels and children, was unbelievably divine.

"You must be Robyn" an old lady prompted rather friendly.

"Uhhh yes I am nice to meet you" I smiled at her and shook her hand.

"This must be Jack" she said smiling at him.

Jack smiled at the old lady and waived at her but I could see he was a little bit shy. She held Jack's hand, he didn't seem to mind and they seemed to connect, I watched Jack giggle and the old lady smiled at him, it was weird, like they were sharing something in the mind that I simply could not see.

After she was done she ordered one of the ladies to take Jack into another room out of the way, naturally I was worried but the old lady assured me that Jack would be fine and that was the reason for this woman being there, to look after my son whilst we proceeded.

We were stood outside these huge double doors when she stopped and looked at me, her face seemed puzzled yet amused "your son has a great gift, he is just like you, a wonderful little boy, you should be proud."

I smiled but was confused, "I am of course but tell me....what did you see?"

"His gift but something puzzles me, there is a connection between the two of you that I do not understand...." She started rubbing her hands together as if solving a mystery.

"Well he is my son of course we are connected" I looked at her like _'duh.'_

But she said that's not what she meant and that's what this séance was going to help us figure out. A man came out and said everything was ready and we all took a seat around the round table and joined hands as instructed.

There were six of us in total but they were all there for the old lady, they worked with her and each brought their own unique talent. The old lady, I still to this day can't remember her name, she was the psychic, the one who could communicate with them and deliver the séance, one woman was kind of like her and assisted her, two of the men were holy men and prayed as it all took place and the youngest of them all was the one who documented everything that was happening, he didn't hold hands with us, he just sat behind the old lady writing all the time about what she was saying and the things she could see.

"I call out to you to talk about this girl Robyn, I know you have followed her here and we would like to speak with you" the old lady called out into thin air.

Now I believed I was going there to seek answers, not to speak to this bloody monster that had been chasing me and my son who I assumed she was speaking to and now she was willingly inviting him here? I couldn't exactly run could I! We were strongly advised not to break hold of anyone's hand. I felt scared, frightened, I was shaking and I swear at some point I think my heart stopped.

"We need your guidance, we need your answers" she carried on.

Guidance? I didn't want any fucking guidance from this thing, my head was spinning and I just wanted to cry. The table started shaking and the chandelier above us started swinging, there was a breeze in the room but no windows were open, at that moment as scared as I was whatever was in there with us that day, right then it made me feel calm for some strange reason, I was no longer scared.

I looked at the old lady who then was looking directly into my eyes, her eyes had gone grey, like clouds were floating in them and her voice had changed.

"He comes for you Robyn, you are the key, you and your son are the connection he needs, this ghost does not want to be dead, he wants to be reborn and he needs your sacrifice to come here, he needs your soul, he will use your son to get it, if you give him your soul, you give your sons too, that is the key, with no soul inside your son he will take possession and be in the human world again....you must not go into the darkness, you must not go after him, you must do all you can to save your son...." This supernatural voice echoed.

"How can I make him go away, how can he get something from me if I don't know how to give it? Why can't he just leave me alone?" I growled at this thing speaking to me.

"There is a connection, he seeks you out, he will follow you but you are stronger, you have the will to fight him off, deep within you, you will find the answer, in the darkness he is stronger, you need to stay away, it is a place of terror and manipulation...." And then the old lady's head fell low.

So basically this thing was coming for me because I was the key along with Jack because that was our connection, our souls and if I willed mine away I would will his away too and that way he would claim Jack's body and be alive when he should be dead oh and some other sort of thing which I didn't quite understand.

And me? Well that was it, I guessed I would be forced to wander this dark place then forever if he had my soul I guess, I don't know, I was just guessing, I couldn't believe it but then again I had seen far too much in my lifetime to not believe that something like this could actually be true.

The old woman looked up, this spirit or whatever it was that had spoken through her had gone and things seemed to be ok, but by inviting one for questions we had accidently invited him too, or maybe this thing that was after me just came anyway, I don't know, however the circle was broken as I was lifted up by my throat and again thrown across the room.

I got up and looked around, there floating above me was this black and grey thing, looked like a man with a goats head, sounds crazy I know but that's what I saw, it was looking at me with those red eyes laughing and smiling callously at me.

"You can't stop me, one way or another I will have you and your son" he sniggered at me.

"Who the fuck are you? Why do you need me? WHY? Are you going to do to me what you do to them?" I screamed at it, my voice trembled with fear.

"I am he who will not tolerate this existence, I want to be free, to be born again, to fulfil that which I was denied before, Ivan the Fearless will rise again, and those souls you seem to be so fucking worried about, their arms are my trophies, with their souls incomplete they cannot move on, they are under my control....." he told me harshly but still smiling.

"And their wounds?" I snapped back.

He came so close to me it was as if I could smell dead flesh "pain...." his evil voice rumbled lowly.

"Look, I don't care who the fuck you are, Ivan the, what, for fuck sake, whoever you are, you may try and gain as many souls as you want but you will never ever have me or my son" I screamed feeling a bit confident.

Lights all around flickered on and off as we all looked around for this floating monster that seemed to have disappeared, but all we heard was the echoes of his malicious laugh.

I remember after that I ran to the room where the lady had Jack, he was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world and thankfully he was untouched and unharmed. I took him in my arms and held him so tight I'm surprised I didn't squeeze him to death. I was shaking all over like a washing machine, my insides were trembling and my heart was beating harder than a hammer on a nail.

I sat with the old lady who tried to make me understand and said that there was something else she was not sure of but she gave me the name of the ghost written on a piece of paper. I didn't actually want his name, I didn't care, I just needed to find a way to make him go away but when she gave me that paper she gave it to me for good reason, at the time I just wasn't thinking clearly.

I had his name which meant I could research who he was and hopefully learn how to defeat him. If I done that then maybe he would just go away, the people or souls or whatever he had would be free and Jack and I could be happy, just seeing normal ghosts I suppose, if there was such a thing.

I left Hollow the following day, I didn't want to stick around, although those people in that house were friendly, others in the town were not as I had been to visit the _'witch'_ as they called her and therefore I was bad to them too, some people aye, they simply have no fucking clue.

## CHAPTER 12

A few months went by before I saw another ghost after my visit with the old lady. It felt nice not to see them for a while, I felt normal, like everyone else going on about their day to day lives. I didn't understand why but I didn't question it at the time, I just lived in the moment that I felt free from all the death and misery. I didn't understand where they had all gone, I hadn't even felt a chill in such a long time and did the old woman help? I wasn't too sure but I was enjoying just being a mother to Jack.

The night in that house though replayed over in my mind and it still haunted me, this thing, this demon, ghost, whatever he was, he was after me and my son, there was no way I was ever going to let that happen.

I had to find a way to stop him; I had to learn about who he was. I pulled the piece of paper from my pocket with his name on it, yes I know I said I didn't want it but I never let it out of my sight, I knew once I was thinking clearly I would want to investigate this man, or thing further so I held onto it, carrying it with me so I never lost it.

I was sat in the library looking at history books, funny thing about this man was he was actually a historic legend, in the way that Vlad the Impaler was a legend, there was a whole book on his written by historians of this evil man and the history that came with him.

This Ivan the Fearless, as he was known, was born in the fifteenth century in a small town called Rusk, just off the Romanian border. Typical aye, a century after Vlad, what? Where there no nice men during those times?

So this Ivan was apparently like Vlad, he marched with his armies across the lands killing innocent men and women who refused to bow down to him, he challenged the king and when he won he claimed the land as his own, people feared him as if they refused or disobeyed him he would then take their lives, he didn't care who they were, men, women, children, he'd kill anyone.

Pictures in the book showed bodies on spikes outside his castle that were put there as a warning to traitors and the people of the land. It was rumoured he had fathered many children through raping women and he would kill the husbands of the women that he wanted.

It stated that he was killed by one of his own men who had betrayed him, the man was a spy sent by his enemies and stopped him fulfilling his ultimate goal, to the rule all of England, I assumed they meant the whole of the UK, and that everyone would be under his rule, like a dictator, like Hitler.

Bile rose in my mouth, how could someone be that cruel? I mean you and I all read stories on how Vlad would impale heads on a spike but come on, not women and children surely. Was this Ivan trying to prove he was fiercer and that people should be more terrified of him than anyone else?

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, like someone trickling cold water down my back, I shuddered slightly and yet again I knew that there was someone there. I hadn't seen or heard from them and they chose to spring up when I'm in the library.

"You're not usually the one for reading."

I jumped out of my skin "Jay...what are you doing here?" I whispered.

I didn't want people to hear me talking to myself, I looked at his grey/blue ghostly complexion but he looked different this time, like he was beginning to rot, kind of made me feel a bit sick, was like someone dug up a partial rotting corpse from the grave and then sat it next to me.

"I'm watching you...." His smile is soft.

"I don't need you to watch me, besides, you look like hell."

"That I do, what you reading?"

"Umm just a book...." I closed it quickly.

"You don't just read Robyn, tell me...." Even as a ghost he still showed concern.

"If you must know I'm reading up on that thing that has you."

His face turns from worry to shock "You know who he is?"

"Yes, I went to see someone and he followed me there, he told me himself who he was, so I thought I'd look him up, turns out he's after me and Jack."

His phantom appearance looks right through me to Jack who was on the other side of me sleeping away on the chair next to me; before I could look back he had passed right through me and was hovering over him, sort of protectively.

"I can't let him hurt you or Jack...." His voice full of sadness.

"No-one is going to hurt us, I won't let them, I have to give up my soul to give him Jack's and I won't do that"

He shot towards me like a bullet from a gun "Don't let him, you are stronger than he is"

"For god's sake Jay calm yourself...." I said a little too loudly.

The librarian heard me and promptly gave me a _'SHHH'_ and a frowning look wondering who the hell I was talking to, not that I could blame her I mean I technically I did look a bit weird sat there talking to myself. I felt a slight warm breath on my neck and someone sit next to me.

"Are you ok miss?"

I turned and there sat next to me was a beautiful man, he had blue eyes that seemed to twinkle, a sort of beard that was more like stubble, shaven but not completely gone and dark hair. He completely took me by surprise.

"Uhh yes thank you I'm fine...." I whispered shyly.

I could feel my cheeks burning red as if I were embarrassed, he was looking right at me but behind him I could see Jay's ghost, observing the man who seem to have made my cheeks flush. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't talk to Jay without looking like I was either talking to this man or to myself.

"Would you excuse me....?" I smiled politely at the man.

I left and went to the bathroom, I could feel the cold chill follow me and I knew Jay was hovering behind. When I entered the bathroom I checked the cubicles for anyone else and locked the door. Surely then Jay came floating through.

"Look, I know what I'm doing, actually no scratch that, I don't know what I'm doing but I will figure it out, now you have to trust me ok" my voice slightly raised and annoyed.

"I'm worried for you, I can't help you"

"I know you are but I need you to have faith in me, even if you are on the other side, speak of which, how do you get away?"

He looks at me confused "I don't know, I think of you and something wills me to get here, I can't really explain it, it's darkness down there, he has us in some sort of grip, every now and then I manage to think of you and bam, here I am, I'm learning more and more as I go along though."

Figures aye, even in death he is still protective of me; I couldn't help but feel a little happy with that knowledge. As I calmed and Jay disappeared my brain alarm goes off _'SHIT JACK'_ I had excused myself and left him there by the table. I ran back to the table and luckily Jack was still there and still sat on the chair next to him was the beautiful man.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry" my voice sounded nervous.

"It's ok" his smile was attractive.

I cradled Jack in my arms "You must think something awful of me"

His lips were pressed together as he gave me side smile "Not at all, happy to help a beautiful lady..."

Oh wow, his words, his voice, his look, it was all so captivating, was this man even real or just the figment of my own imagination. I placed Jack in a comfortable position to carry as he was still sleeping, collected the book I had been reading and went to reception to check it out. He followed beside me chatting away as I left the library.

"So, you always run off and leave your child with a stranger?" I sensed the sarcasm in his voice.

My laugh was skittish "No of course not"

He laughed at me "I'm only kidding, anyway I'm Levi" he extended his hand to shake mine.

I shook his hand, they were so soft "Oh I-I'm Robyn."

We walked for a while, he actually offered to carry Jack for me but I refused, this man, this beautiful man walking by my side, he was so enchanting, I couldn't take my eyes of him. We reached my flat and both stood outside.

"Well that was a nice walk" his eyes gazed into mine.

"Yes Levi it was thank you for walking me back here"

"You seemed liked you could use the company"

I smiled at him softly pushing my lips together "Well your company was nice"

I couldn't believe I said that, I was embarrassed and I felt all the blood rush to my cheeks, I remember him looking at me, smirking, it was so sexy.

"Well this may be forward of me but can I have your number?"

Wow, I wanted to see this man again, something inside me told me to go for it, I don't know what it was at the time, I don't know how I knew but I knew that from the moment his eyes caught mine I would never want to let this man go.

We exchanged numbers and said our goodbyes, I felt like I was in heaven, I spun towards the door like a gloating fairy and made my way inside.

My happiness was soon darkened by the cold chill in my living room, seeing the air leave my mouth someone was in my flat with me, I turned and there were two little boys and a man, an old man who protectively stood by them, their arms were missing and they had the wound on their neck. I gasped as they moved closer towards me; I knew this thing had got to them. The little boy looked up at me, pain and fear in his ghostly eyes.

"Help me" he mouthed.

I knew something was happening in the spirit world and I, well, I was the key to all this, I just hadn't figured out how to stop this yet.

## CHAPTER 13

A few days had passed and I had been texting Levi constantly, he was eager to meet up with me again and I the same but I was worried about Jack, could this man accept I already had a child? I guessed time would tell.

I looked over to the window and sat near the table were the two boys and the old man. They hadn't really left me which was unusual because normally that monster had them under his control, Jay always managed to get away but every time I saw him he seemed to be disintegrating, could a ghost do that?

I suppose they could from what I had seen of him. I never understood at that moment why it was only him and never any of the others, then again I never saw them again, I usually saw these tortured spirits only once; it was only Jay I saw more regularly, and now these bloody three seemed to refuse to leave me.

Jack was playing happily with his toys, the ghosts seem to watch him with amusement and the two boys tended to join in with him, I didn't mind, they weren't hurting him, they were simply lost, frightened and I'm not surprised judging by their ghostly appearance.

My flat was always cold with these frigging ghosts around and I tell you, at that time my heating bills went through the roof, I had to have it on all the time to try and feel a tad warm but even then you could always feel the ghostly chill.

I had been working all week and then I was coming home to these three, as I said they just wouldn't leave, I had made plans for that weekend to meet up with Levi and go for a walk with Jack.

To be honest I felt really excited, more excited than when I was with Pete or Jay, I mean don't get me wrong I still cared for Jay and deep down I always would have but he was dead and Pete, well, Pete was a dick.

My phone went off and I got excited thinking it was Levi and to my disgust it was Pete.

**Hey, I'd like to see my son if that's possible*

So he hadn't bothered texting me in all this time about his son and now all of a sudden he seemed interested, why? Why now? I didn't care, I had to put Jack's interests first and I wouldn't like it if I was never allowed to see my dad if my parents had broken up, so, thinking of Jack I agreed.

I mean, I wasn't a heartless bitch and I would never take a child away from their parent, I wouldn't like that done to me so what gave me the right to do that to someone else, he did after-all help create him.

Jack was almost five and all little boys need their dads, well, unless they're abusive but no matter how much of a dick Pete was to me or the fact he couldn't keep it in his pants, he would never hurt Jack, so I texted him back.

*Well I don't see why you want to bother with him now after all this time but hey, if that's what you want then yes, you could see him this weekend*

I hit the send button and took a deep breath, I felt a little furious inside at this man, normally when a guy does that to you, you cut all ties but I couldn't do that, we had a child together. My phone beeped again.

*Thank you, I've missed him, I will pick him up at 4pm*

Sorted, Jack was going to spend the weekend with his father and I could take a break and also spend some time getting to know Levi, that may sound a little selfish I know but when you are hounded by ghosts and you spend your time protecting your child and working a normal day job, a break is sometimes much needed.

I texted Levi.

*Hey babe, change of plans, no Jack this weekend so just me and you if you're ok with that? Xxxxx*

He texted me back rather quickly.

*Hey babe, not a problem, can't wait xxxxx*

His text put a huge smile on my face, I was so excited and I hadn't felt this way over a man ever, I mean when I was with Jay I did love him and I did feel close to him but I never felt the way I was feeling when I thought of Levi.

Jack and I spent the evening cuddled up on the sofa watching films, I couldn't hide the smile across my face, it felt nice cuddled into my boy except those darn ghosts were still lingering so Jack and I were cuddled under the blanket with the heating on.

I woke up around two in the morning, the air was colder than it had been with them three ghosts around, I felt the sharp pin pricks in my skin and the windows were iced over.

I knew something was wrong at that moment; I kept Jack in my arms too afraid to let him go. The windows seemed to have some sort of frost or mist appeared on it, like someone was on the outside breathing on the glass.

I felt the blood rush from my face, I felt scared, I couldn't see the three ghosts of the two boys and the old man who had seemed to have moved in with me. I put Jack down and put the blanket over him to sort of hide him I guess and then I walked towards the window, I didn't know why I even did that, normally you would run away and hide I guess but my curiosity told me I had to look, I had to see what it was.

As I approached the window a hand appeared on the glass, it banged so loud it frightened me and made me jump backwards falling straight onto my ass. I then saw a shadow, some sort of figure through the frosted window, my heart was beating hard with fear and I was breathing fast, almost hyperventilating.

As I looked at this hand still on the glass the room filled with ice cold mist, like the sea in a foggy winter, it surrounded me, I got up and went to Jack, clutching him tight and frozen on the spot, he started crying. I tried to sooth him but this atmosphere was evil and cold and he could feel it. I looked up at the window and in the mist I saw letters appear, it spelled out _'I'm coming for you.'_

I moved backwards scuffling my feet across the floor as fast as I could, the window broke and this thing came lunging at me trying to pry Jack from my arms. I screamed and fought as much as I could, there was no way I was going to let Jack go, it wasn't Ivan, it was something or someone else.

The neighbours must have heard my screams because there was a sudden banging on my door and voices outside screaming my name as if to want to help me. But they couldn't help me. This thing heard the banging and then looked down at me. Whoever this thing or ghost was, he was coming for Jack, he looked so deep into my eyes I felt like he looked into my soul.

The front door barged open and two neighbours came running in as this monster disappeared. They found me in the corner of the room on the floor holding on to Jack tightly and breathing heavy. The window was smashed and the curtains were blowing everywhere from the wind.

"Robyn are you ok" the neighbours voice concerned.

I slowed my breathing and looked at them; fear filled my eyes "Ye-Yeah I'm fine just something broke my window that's all."

"I could hear your screams, sounded like someone was attacking you."

"N-No, I'm ok really" I lied.

They helped me to my feet, helped me tidy up the mess and the glass and boarded the window for me.

Now this fucker was coming for me in my own flat? I didn't know what to do, I mean, at that point I was thinking _'how will I stop him'_ but I hadn't figured that out yet.

Friday had arrived and I had tried to put all of that behind me ready for a nice weekend with Levi. When Pete arrived to collect Jack I was scared and I didn't want to let him out of my sight, but I promised Pete could see him and even though he was a dick I wasn't a heartless bitch.

"Is he ready to go?" Pete asked all cool and calm.

"Yes, all his stuff is in the bag, be careful, watch him and do not let him out of your sight" I tried to contain my panic and fear.

"Of course I will he is my son too you know"

"I know that I'm just saying"

"I will look after him" he smiled at me and stroked my cheek "I wish you could see how much I miss you"

I pulled away "I don't miss you, you're here for Jack and that's it, not to try and spin me a web thank you"

He looked shocked and hurt "I love you Robyn, I want our family"

Doubt was all over my face "You should've thought about that before you went dicking around."

I gave him Jack's things and sent them on their way. I couldn't believe he had tried coming onto me, claiming he loved me and all that crap, I was stupid once, I wasn't going to be stupid again.

It was around seven in the evening when Levi finally arrived, butterflies were swirling round in my stomach, this beautiful man was coming over to my flat to spend the evening with me and I was nervous and excited all at the same time.

He looked amazing, light blue jeans and a tight t-shirt with some funky logo on the front complimenting his slim and slender body, hair brushed back showing the shaved sides, arms out with all his tattoos, could this guy be any sexier?

We sat and had a chat for a while, laughing and joking, it was nice, I felt so relaxed, at ease, no ghosts around. It was as if all that went away, I felt so at home with Levi, I didn't understand why when I hadn't known him for long at that point but I guess they say, when you know, you know, and I knew I never ever wanted this man to leave my life.

"You look really pretty" he was smiling softly at me.

I blushed "thank you"

He leant forward and kissed me. His kiss was soft and sweet yet so powerful I went weak at the knees. I let him take me right there on the sofa, I couldn't deny him; I didn't want to, it felt too good.

## CHAPTER 14

I remember I awoke the next day with him beside me, cuddled up behind me; arm around me all snuggled in. I felt like I was in heaven, which was nice until Jay appeared. I jumped back and screamed as his ghostly head appeared right next to my bed.

Levi woke suddenly "what, what you ok?" he held me close.

Trying to not look at Jay's ghost hovering next to the bed I turned to Levi and kissed him.

"Yes I'm ok, just a scary dream, I'm just going to go to the bathroom."

I shut the bathroom door, my voice low almost a whisper "What the hell are you doing?"

"Coming to see you, you seem nice and cosy"

"I should have known you were here, its bloody freezing Jay...." I wrapped my dressing gown around me in a huff.

"Who's that" his head pushed through the door.

"He's with me obviously" I spoke quietly so he wouldn't hear me talking to myself.

"Wait, isn't that that guy from the library?" Jay looked at me cocking his eyebrow.

"Yeah....so....what's your point?"

"For fucks sake Robyn you barely know the guy"

"So what? It's none of your business Jay now will you leave please I don't want to stand here arguing in the bloody bathroom" I groaned in frustration.

"Robyn I'm just trying to look out for you" even his ghostly face looked concerned.

I sighed at him "I know you are but honestly I'm ok, please Jay, you look terrible, he's going to think I'm weird standing here whispering to myself if hears me, you know, you really need to try and move on."

"Move on from you?" he looked puzzled.

"No you muppet, like on, on you know?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"I wish I could but I can't, as long as that thing has a piece of me I'm stuck here, well there."

SHIT! I totally forgot about that, Jay's floating there in his ghostly appearance that seems to be rotting away with an arm missing because that monster had it.

"Jay I...."

I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Robyn you ok in there?" I see his shadow against the glass pane.

"Uhh, ye-yeah I'm ok coming out now"

I looked at Jay who just gave me the _'I'm always here for you'_ look and a soft smile before he disappeared.

I opened the bathroom door, there Levi was stood with just his boxers on and they sat nicely on his hips. His body was toned nicely, he had messy bed hair and he still looked sexy. He pulled me towards him and wrapped his arms around my waist. I swear he could feel my heartbeat beating against his chest.

"You ok?" he asked me softly.

"Yes, I'm ok now....."

He kissed my lips softly and he took my breath away. He lifted me up so my legs were around his waist and he carried me back to the bed. I looked into his eyes with a cheeky smile on my face as if to say _'you have me now what do you plan to do with me.'_

He pushed his body against me and I felt his hard erection digging into me. I pushed my hips up so he could feel that I wanted him to. This sexual connection between us at that point was something I had never ever felt before, not with anyone.

He kissed down my face and onto my neck which made me gasp slightly, my back arched upwards and I grabbed his hair. He slid off my pyjamas and with my feet I pushed his boxers down and off, I remember lying there underneath him feeling rather impressed with myself that I could do that. He rubbed his stiff erection over the entrance to my vagina, he wasn't entering me, he was teasing me, I cried out with pleasure, I wanted him so bad, my vagina was throbbing, I needed him inside me.

"What do you want baby" he whispered seductively.

"I want you" I whispered back looking into his eyes.

He slid inside me slowly, filling me; desire was running through my body. He eased in and out of slowly, it felt so good, I moaned loudly to which he kissed me, I could feel the vibrations of his moans on my lips and it sent shockwaves of pleasure through my body. It was intense; I felt something in this man I had never felt before. He pushed in and out of me slowly and I remember never wanting this feeling to stop.

"Faster Levi, I need you"

Then oh my fucking god did he really move, I felt him so deep inside me I swear my body began trembling with pure pleasure.

"Robyn I need you"

And with that I climaxed all over him wrapping my legs around him as he then followed suit. The sex was amazing with Levi, I felt connected to him and yes I know it was only a short space of time but I don't know how to explain it now and I couldn't explain it then either, this man was mine and mine forever.

He lied on top of me afterwards panting trying to control his breathing, he buried his head in my neck and I could feel the warmth of his breathing against my skin. I didn't move from under him, I let him lie there on top of me as I played with his hair. This felt like heaven, I wasn't in love with him at that point but I certainly felt complete drawn to him, devoted you would say.

When the weekend was over it was Sunday evening, I didn't want him to leave but he had a job and his own flat and I had a job and also Jack was due back that evening. I had been so relaxed all weekend I hadn't worried about anything which made a change and apart from Jay I didn't see any ghosts, it could have been that I was caught up in my own little world but hey, I had the best weekend ever.

As Levi and I were cuddled up watching a bit of TV before he left my phone beeped.

*Hey I'm on my way back now*

It was from Pete, which was fine, I couldn't wait to see Jack, it was the first time he had spent a weekend away from me, I read the message though and sighed like I was annoyed which Levi picked up on.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, the ex is on his way back with Jack"

"What, you don't want to see your son?" His eyes glazed down at me.

I looked up at him "What no of course I do it's the ex I don't want to see."

Levi offered to stay with me until Pete had dropped Levi off which I was grateful for, I didn't want to be alone with Pete so he could try and worm his way back into my life. Shortly afterwards the buzzer went and I went over to let them in. Jack came running up the stairs towards me.

"Mummy!" he was so excited to see me.

There behind him followed Pete.

"I really enjoyed this weekend, I want to have him every weekend if that's ok, you through the week me on the weekend" he seemed genuine.

"Uhhh yeah well, I'm ok with that but if I want him home then he will stay but we'll play it by ear"

He leaned in my door to touch me but I pulled back, Levi was in my kitchen right next to me, out of Pete's sight but he was clearly in mine.

"Robyn I wish that you knew...."

He stopped suddenly when he saw Levi appear behind me.

"Levi this is Pete, Pete.....Levi" I introduced them.

I saw the look of horror on Pete's face as he realised I had a new boyfriend, deep down I did feel a sense of pleasure knowing that right at that moment I was hurting that man by being with someone else.

I didn't care though, I didn't want to be with Pete and being the child that he was he told me he would see Jack the following Friday and he stormed off, what did he expect me to do then? Jump into his arms and be like _'oh I love you lets be together forever'_ fucking like hell was that ever going to happen.

##

## 

## CHAPTER 15

### 1 Year Later – Present Day

So Levi and I had made it to one year together and he we were, happy. Because he wasn't living with me he didn't see all the weirdness I would get up to, like talking to ghosts or being thrown around the room every now and then and disappearing to go help them.

My job as a carer had stepped up and I was now in the office running the care home rather than being the nurse, it was nice and it reduced my hours meaning more Jack and Levi time. Pete was being his usual dickish self telling me that Levi was just a _'faze'_ I was going through and that I was really too stubborn to see that I wanted him.

Seriously this guy was so full of shit it surprised me how much crap could actually come out of his mouth. I woke up on a cold fresh morning, I had to go to work and Jack had to go to school, rushing around as I normally was trying to get us both ready a cold breeze filled the air.

"What you doing?"

I jump out of my skin "For fucks sake Jay I wished you wouldn't creep up on me like that"

Jay looked different now, his ghostly appearance was becoming thinner, like he was disappearing, he looked like he had almost completely decomposed and yet he soldiered on constantly popping up in my life.

"Jay I don't have time right now I have to get to work" I am faffing around trying to organise myself.

"Hello Uncle Jay" Jack spoke smiling at him.

"Hello little feller...."

"Jay stop it, you'll frighten him, you look like shit"

I am now running late and so is Jack and them two are sat having a nice chat which was annoying me. The room temperature fell colder.

"Jay please go its frigging freezing in here" I snap.

He looks confused, even for a ghost he seemed to not know what it was, he turns to me "That isn't me"

I quickly grab Jack's hand and pull him towards me. I can hear breathing, fierce breathing like someone was angry.

"THERE YOU ARE" it shouts.

I feel as if the ground is shaking before me, but it isn't, the shaking is me, a mixture of feeling cold and scared.

"Mummy!" Jack whimpers behind me.

"It's ok baby mummy got you" I have him behind me protecting him.

Jay is hovering in front of me, even he looks scared, but before he or I can say anything to each-other those evil eyes appear.

"You're coming with me" that thing is talking to Jay.

I get in-front of him "NO! Leave him alone, he is already in enough pain can't you see that you don't need him go away...."

What I don't know is outside my door Levi is listening as he is coming to get me and surprise me and take me to work, obviously he can't hear Jay or this thing shouting he can only hear me screaming, so he starts banging on the door, which I don't hear.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY, I TOLD YOU THEY ARE MINE, HE WILL NEVER ESCAPE ME AGAIN"

"NO!" I scream back defying it.

"Robyn, if he doesn't take me he will go for Jack" his ghostly eyes gaze into mine with such care.

"Jay please fight him, please" my eyes begin to fill up.

He smiled at me softly "I won't let him hurt you I...."

Before he could finish that thing swept him away and Jay was gone and this thing was screaming in my face so forcefully it was as if I had wind blowing through the flat.

I hear someone scream my name "ROBYN" and a bang on the door.

"I will be back for you, one day, you will surrender to me" and he vanishes.

Jack is crying, my heart is pounding and Levi comes barging through my door. I am in my living room shaking, Jack is clutching on to me for dear life.

"What the fuck Robyn are you ok" he scans the flat, his face worried.

"Ye-Yeah I'm fine don't worry"

"No you're not look at you you're shaking"

I try to control myself "I'm fine Levi just leave it"

"Fine, how can I help you if you won't tell me" His eyes narrow, he is annoyed.

_'Because you can't help me'_ my mind stated "Look Levi please just drop it, I'm late for work"

"That's why I'm here to take you and then to take Jack to school"

I give him a soft smile; I can see in his eyes he is worried about me and that he is only trying to help but there is nothing he can do.

In work I feel sad and you can see it written all over my face. Over the past nine years since Jay's death he has been coming back somehow to see me and now he was gone, that thing took him and Jay was so willing to go, still willing to protect me and Jack even though Jack came after his death.

I guess not all the guys in the world are bad, there are a few that are sweet and I had the lucky chance of having two of them in my life, Jay and now Levi.

Sitting at my desk I begin crying, I hadn't really mourned over Jay because he was always around, I cried at his funeral but when I saw him and then kept seeing him I didn't really grieve. My phone beeped and I look down to see a text from Levi. Oh god, I feel panicky thinking about what he is going to say.

*Hey babe hope you're ok, look, I don't know what was going on this morning but from what I heard outside that door frightened me, I love you and I don't want anyone hurting you, I'm here when you're ready to tell me xxxxxxxx*

That puts a smile on my face, I want to tell him I really do but I simply can't, the last person I told died because of me and I didn't want the same thing to happen to Levi.

*I love you too and I'm ok, just leave it there xxxxxxxxx*

I hit the send button not knowing if I should say more, but I can't I don't know what to do and now that Jay has gone, I'm betting it won't long before he will be coming back for me and Jack. Finally it's the end of the day and I can't wait to go get Jack and go home. When I arrive at the school to get him to my horror he isn't there. Bloody drains from my face and I feel my knees shake.

"Where is my son?" I panic questioning the teacher.

"Uhh gone miss, he's not here, someone collected him"

I grip her by her collar "YOU LET SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW TAKE MY SON"

I let go and run out of the building and I run all the way home. I thought that thing monster this thing has my son. When I arrive outside the flat I fumble around for my keys dropping them on the floor because my hands are shaking so bad, at that moment my door opens and there is Levi with Jack in my flat.

I launch at him "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

He seems shocked "Woah I picked him up for you and thought we would surprise you...."

Panic is all over my face and I'm waving my arms around like a loon "why didn't you fucking text me and tell me then you idiot do you know how scared I was that that thing had taken him and I wouldn't be able to find him I....."

I can see his puzzled face looking at me, all he did was take Jack home which I guess would have been fine but I was panicking and probably over-reacting I guess.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he's frowning at me.

"Nothing, nothing, I was just worried that's all, I'm fine" I state quickly trying to hide the tremor in my voice.

"No you're not Robyn something is up" he looks at me for answers.

I manage a smile "I'm ok really...."

Levi is looking at me with the look that says _'I know something is up I want to help'_ but I love this man so much, I don't want to tell him my reasons for being edgy and concerned, I don't want to lose him. We carry on with our evening, Levi cooking and Jack playing with his toys whilst I am avoiding the subject of why I'm so weird.

Standing in the kitchen I feel a chill, I look around and see the window is open so I close it thinking that was the reason, as usual though I'm wrong. I feel the hairs go up on the back of my neck and the shiver run down my spine.

"Help me"

I hear the whisper and I know there is someone there with me, for fucks sake, Levi is in the kitchen with me as I'm helping him cook and this has to happen now. I turn and see the old man, he's back, somehow I don't know.

"Help me" he whispers.

I look into his ghostly eyes, they are clouded almost, no colour, no pupil just clouds.

"I don't know how" I whisper back.

"You talking to me" Levi asks as he's cooking.

I look at the ghost and then at Levi "Uhhh no, excuse me."

I leave the flat and go outside into the back secluded garden, the coldness of this ghost follows me. When I turn around he is there hovering, he looks so sad, his arm missing and a wound to the neck.

"Help me" he repeats to me.

"I can't help you I don't know how" I close my eyes to stop from crying.

I see the sadness in his face, his boys are gone and it's just the old man, what am I mean to do? How am I meant to help them?

## CHAPTER 16

I'm outside for a while and it starts to rain, I feel the cold water trickling down my skin but I can't move as more and more ghosts appear. In the garden I'm surrounded by them. All with their arm missing and all with wounds, what the fuck am I meant to do?

"Please help us" their ghostly voices speak to me in unison.

"I can't don't you see that I can't" I'm panting nervously.

They all seem to organise themselves into rows, one row behind the other on different levels all staring down at me. Their faces change, they become still, expressionless, their eyes fixed on me and not moving.

"They call him the Fearless, he takes us and keeps us so that he can use us to make to make him stronger, he wants your son so he can live again, he wants your soul so he can cross over, he will come for you, he will take you to the darkness, in the darkness we all suffer, we suffer in the darkness, we endure all the pain...."

Bile rises in my throat as I suddenly feel very sick, I'm shaking, their ghostly voices are frightening the shit out of me.

"He can try and take me but he will not get my son, please help me please" tears well up, my voice pleads with them.

The rain pours heavier and the wind picks up but the ghosts are not affected, just me. My hair is flapping all over the place, is it the weather or is it them? My god I'm so confused, I just want this to stop.

I shout to them over the sounds or the wind and rain "I DON'T WANT THIS ANYMORE, I CANT HELP YOU DON'T YOU GET IT, HE WILL NEVER TAKE MY SON NEVER!"

At that moment Levi comes outside, he could hear me shouting obviously as our window looks directly onto the garden. There I am stood there, on my own as far as he can see, wet and with a wind-swept look and I'm screaming into thin air. Fuck knows what I look like right now.

He walks up to me "Robyn come inside its raining."

I hold back tears as he wraps a coat around me and leads me inside. The house is freezing so I'm shivering, Levi is looking at me weird, the heating is on but I feel so cold. I look and there on my sofa is a little girl, her face filled with sadness and pain, her arm isn't missing and she doesn't have a neck wound. I stare at her, I can feel Levi's arms around me but I'm fixated on this little girl, unable to move.

"I want my mummy" she cries out.

I turn and look at Levi "Can you go put Jack to bed please"

I need to get him out of the room, I give him the _'I'm ok look'_ and I think he guesses that I'm telling him to give me some space because without question he goes into Jack's room and gets him ready for bed.

I slowly approach this dead girl on my sofa "Where is your mummy?"

"She was in the park and then I got lost" she doesn't stop crying.

I whisper checking if Levi is still in Jack's room "do you want to show me?"

Why the fuck am I helping her? I don't know, I guess it's because she's a little girl and her mother is probably distraught, I would be too if it were Jack. She disappears through my front door, without saying anything I sneak back out and follow her.

Damn this ghost moves fast because I'm practically running behind her to keep up. I don't know where I'm going or where she is taking me but she's eager to show me. She leads me to an open rugby field, it's dark and the mud is soppy and getting all over my feet, not a bright idea to wear fucking ballerina type shoes in this weather.

I see her ghostly image in the distance; it stops and just hovers next to some bushes. I walk over and I almost throw up by what I can see. There in the bushes is a body of a little girl, lying down as if she is sleeping, she has on a pink t-shirt and blue jeans, her hair is blonde and messy and she looks the size about seven or eight, I can't see her face though, it's covered in leaves and it's dark, but I am guessing this is her.

I turn and she's hovering behind me, "Is this you?"

She nods yes to me "I want my mummy."

I look around, it's dark but there's lights from the houses that surround the field and next to it is a park, how could someone do this to her in such an open space without being seen. I get out my phone and call the police.

"Police how may I assist you?" the woman seems formal.

"Uh h-hi I....." I pause, I'm jittery and you can tell in my voice.

"Hello? You still there?" the voice prompts.

"Sorry yes I'm here, I need help; I've found a body...."

"I'm sorry ma'am, did you say a body?"

I hear her typing on the keyboard, "Yes, a little girl, please someone come...."

"Where are you?" her voice is alarmed.

"I'm in the field next to the park by Richmond Road...."

"I'm sending someone; police are on their way ma'am"

I hang up and put my phone in my pocket, this little girl is still hovering next to me, the sight of her body lying there on the floor is making me feel sick, I try and claw back my emotions.

"What's your name?"

Her expression changes to friendly "Lucy, is my mummy coming?"

My voice is soft, "No sweetie the policeman is coming to help ok and I will help find your mummy, I'm Robyn."

She smiles at me as if I'm her friend, like she trusts me.

"Lucy, how old are you?"

"I'm eight"

I don't know what I'm doing, I guess I'm gaining her trust but I have no idea how she ended up here, I'm not sure I want to know but if this was my son I guess I'd want anyone to help.

"Can you tell me what...."

I'm cut off by the swirling bright blue lights and siren sounds pulling up next to the field. Police officers come over quickly, torch lights all aimed at me as I'm standing by the bush, dogs barking, oh it's all going on right now.

"Ma'am I'm detective Shufflebottom" he calls out as he approaches me.

I push my lips together trying to laugh at his name, who the fuck has a name like that, sounds like he graduated from Hogwarts, the voice in my head is pissing itself right now. But I dare laugh out loud; this is actually quite a serious situation.

"Hi I'm Robyn...." I put my hand up to block the bright light coming from the torches.

They all walk over and see the lifeless body of a child lying there in the bushes, next to her is a teddy and a necklace. The detective and the police all gather round, pictures being taken, he turns and looks at me, I know he is going to start questioning me but waiting for them I had a chance to think of something in my head.

"Ma'am you ok to speak to me" his voice seems stern, like I'm guilty.

"Yes of course...." My voice a little hoarse.

"Can you tell me how it is you come across this..."

I cut him off "Look before you go jumping to conclusions in your mind that I have done something wrong I suggest you listen to me, I will give you anything you need,"

I see the look in his eyes that says he thinks I'm guilty, he takes out his notepad and pen and looks at me like _'well go on then.'_

I tut and roll my eyes, Lucy's little ghost is hovering behind him "I came up here for a walk, I needed some fresh air so I came up here for a walk, I walked across the field and something caught my eye, like a twinkle, I walked over, out of curiosity I guess, and then...." Lucy distracts me, she's pointing at her own body, my eyes drift to her to which he clearly notices.

"Ma'am?" he prompts for the end of my sentence.

"Ummm sorry, yeah I found her and then I called you guys straight away...." My heart is pounding, I'm lying through my teeth but honestly what was I meant to say.

_'There's a dead girl floating behind you and she led me here and showed me all this....'_ Oh yes I'm sure that would go down well wouldn't it. I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket but I ignore it, off the top off my head I can guess that it's Levi ringing me but I can't deal with that right now. My attention turns back to the detective who's still fishing for information.

"Do you know the girl ma'am?"

I look shocked "No of course not"

Lucy's ghost speaks up "Yes you do I told you"

I look at her a mouth to her to _'Shhh'_ I see her scowl at me, like the child she is, you know, when a child doesn't get their own way, they give you that face. The officer is looking at me strange, I guess he's trying to figure out if I'm lying to him or telling the truth, like I had something to do with this obvious murder of a little girl.

I feel like I've been here for hours, talking to the detective who's name makes me chuckle whenever I think of it, people all around, police, forensics, dogs, like a massive police parade of people. I still feel my phone buzzing in my pocket, Lucy is hovering next to me and won't go away and I know Levi is ringing me, what am I going to say to him?

## CHAPTER 17

The air turns ice-cold; I look at Lucy who looks terrified all of a sudden, fear all over her face. Something else is here, it's not just her, there are people everywhere, if I run I will look suspicious, so I don't move.

I see them, those evil red eyes peering down at me through the black clouded night sky. There are no stars, just black clouds and those evil red eyes. I feel like I'm suddenly short of breath, like something is restricting my airways, I gasp for air but try to keep quiet.

Lucy is hovering behind me, frightened, I don't know why I mean she's dead, I'm alive, surely that's worse. The wind picks up around me and I see the officers scramble as they try to protect the crime scene.

"I want her" this beastly voice echoes.

Of course only I can hear it.

"You're not having her" I speak breathlessly trying to get some air.

I feel my feet leave the floor and a grip around my neck, before I know it I'm being thrown across the field. I land in all the mud sliding across before friction finally slows me down. I'm in pain, which really fucking hurt, my arm is really sore and my back hurts. I look up and see Lucy's ghost coming for me.

"NO LUCY HIDE, GO AWAY!" I scream at her.

I don't want this thing taking her, its dark, there are no lights down this end of the field.

Lucy's gone, thank god, he can't get her if he doesn't know where she is although weird thought, how did he get to all the others he has claimed?

"BITCH!" the voice is callous and cold.

I'm lifted up again, this time high into the air, I look down, I can feel my heart beat faster as this thing, this thing I had seen before, the goats head, silly I know but I swear this is how he appeared.

"Give him to me"

"Give who to you"

"You're son" his grip tightens.

"NEVER" my voice is strained.

"I will have the life I was destined for, one way or another I will get your souls"

I see the lights of the torches being waved about, I think they are looking for me. This monster lets me go and drops me to the floor. As I come crashing down I feel a surge of pain through my body. I wake up, I'm wet, and cold but normal cold, I'm lying on the muddy grass. Feeling dazed I can slightly hear the detective.

"Miss, can you hear me"

His voice seems so far away yet I see his blurry image right in front of me.

"Miss....Can you hear me"

"Y-ye-yeah" my voice constrained and low.

I wake up again, I'm in the hospital and I'm all alone, my head hurts, my back hurts and my arm hurts.

The detective is outside my room, can't this guy fuck off? He comes in and I see a look of concern on his face but doubt in his eyes.

The doctor checking me over, asking me if I'm ok, telling me my vitals are good and that I have a broken rib, a fractured arm and a concussion, awesome!

"Do you have a minute ma'am?" the detective asks nicely.

I feel a bit hazy and sore but sure, I nod in agreement.

"What happened?"

Oh right to the point detective, well done, thumbs up for you.

"I don't know, one minute I was talking to you, it got windy, it's a bit of a blur" I'm lying.

I know exactly what happened and I was actually really scared, but I couldn't tell him some ghost monster that's after me and my son attacked me now can I.

"Is there someone we can call for you?" the detective kindly asks.

'SHIT' "Uhh yes my partner, his name is Levi, his number is in my phone, the pin to open it is one four zero three."

My god he must be going out of his mind right now, I left the house with no explanation and I ignored all his calls. _'OH MY GOD JACK'_ thinking too much is making my head hurt. I can feel myself nodding off as the room turns cold, for fuck sake can't I catch a break. Lucy appears next to my bed which makes me jump, I grip my ribs, the pain hurts from jolting.

"Lucy...."

"Are you ok" aww her sweet caring voice.

"I'm ok sweetie, what are you doing here?"

"I came to find you, you told me to hide, mummy used to tell me to hide and then she'd come find me but you didn't" her grey/blue ghostly face looks sad.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't playing a game, I wanted you to hide from...."

"The man?" she finishes my sentence.

"Yes, you saw him?"

"Yes, is he going to get me?"

"No sweetie, when I feel better I will help you ok"

I done it once with Amy so why couldn't I do it with her.

"Another man took me, mummy said not to talk to strangers but he took me away"

Oh god, she's going into details about how she disappeared, she tells me she was playing in the park and a man asked her if she wanted a sweetie, she said that she said no and went to call her mummy but as she turned she said he took her away.

She told me she didn't remember anything but she couldn't breathe and it was really dark where she was and then she found me. Tears fill my eyes as I listen to this ghostly girl tell me her story, then Levi and Jack walk in. I can see Levi is angry and hurt and worried, all the emotions are streaming across his face like he can't choose which one should come first.

"Mummy" Jack cries out with happiness.

He jumps on the bed to hug me, as pleased as I am to see him it hurts and my face winces in agony.

"Where were you? Do you know how fucking worried I've Robyn for fuck sake" he runs his hands through his hair trying to contain his emotions.

"I know you were, I'm sorry, I got caught up in the middle of...." I pause.

I look and there is Lucy just staring at me from behind Jack, she's playing with his hair and he's smiling at her.

"I know," he starts before I finish, "I saw the detective, he called me and told me to come here, I know about the body you found, but how the fuck did this happen to you" he looks hard at me.

I don't know what to tell him, I lie and tell him I don't remember, I see the doubt in his eyes like he can sense I'm lying but he knows now is not the time for a fight, I'm too tired, I feel weak and drained. I see several ghostly people walking through the corridor, I hate hospitals, this is where people die and they wander around for a while as if they're lost or waiting for a lift, it's annoying and it's always cold.

Levi kisses me on the forehead, I can see he doesn't want to leave my side but he is ordered to. He made plans for me that Jack would go and stay with his mum for a few days as he had work and I was in hospital where I would remain for the next forty eight hours and then I was told I would have to take it easy whilst my ribs healed.

Lucy is still there, she won't leave, she has latched on to me like I'm the mother she needs in the after-life.

I see her slowly float down on the edge of my bed, as ghostly and lightly as she is the bed dipped as if it would when a human sat there. She seemed so beautiful, so peaceful, I don't know if ghosts sleep but she stayed at the bottom of the bed, I couldn't fight it any longer, my eyelids are heavy and I fall asleep.

## CHAPTER 18

I'm awoken by a cold brush across my cheek; although cold it feels nice, caring almost. I hear a sweet whisper.

"It's ok my dear you're safe"

I recognise that voice, I feel comfort all of a sudden. I open my eyes, the sun is peering in through the window, it seems like a nice day outside.

There she is, my Nan, next to my bedside stroking my cheek with her ghostly hand, that's what the feeling is. She used to do that to me when I was ill and I would come home from school, lie on the sofa and she would stoke my cheek to make me feel better.

"Nan?" I can't hide my happiness.

"Yes my dear I'm here, shhh it's all going to be ok...." She's trying to make me feel better.

"It's not though Nan, how can he do this to me? No-one else has ever managed to hurt me before, only him, he's done this three times now and this is the worst. I don't know what to do"

Her face is compassionate and soft "Remember what I said, you're stronger than he is, he has them to make him stronger on this side but he's not of the living, you are, you will figure this out."

I feel her ghostly hand runs through my hair, she makes me feel at ease, god I miss her and wish she was here with me, for real, not in her ghostly form. I need my Nan, I need someone to talk to. She's relaxing me by stroking my hair, I want to cry, I want to go home, I want this to stop but it won't will it, not unless I stop him.

I wake up, its afternoon, my Nan's stroking of my hair relaxed me and sent me to sleep. My phone is buzzing on the table next to me. I pick it up to see a message from Pete.

*Hey, went to get Jack but no-one was home, I thought you were going to let me see him?*

Shit what day is it, I can't think, I look at my phone, its Saturday. I forgot about Pete to be honest he is the last thing on my mind.

*I haven't been home, not well, Jack is staying at Levi's mums for a few days*

I hit send and put the phone down just as Levi walks in. I give a half smile, I'm relieved he is here, I was scared he was going to leave me.

"You ok baby?" his tone soft.

Oh his voice, I've missed him, I want to jump up and wrap my arms around him but I can't I'm hooked up to an IV for fluids, I assume it's because I haven't eaten anything.

"Yeah I'm ok, I missed you...." I whisper.

He leans down and kisses me softly on the lips, I feel a rush of love surge through my body. I realise I have put him through hell, I wish I could tell him but I don't want him to get caught up in all of this.

"Have they said when you can go home?"

"Should be to today I guess, I've been here long enough."

"You feeling ok though?" I hear the worry in his voice.

"I'm ok, a little sore still but I'm ok."

The doctor comes in, she's seems lovely and caring, she examines me and gives me a smile telling me that I can go home. I can't hide the relief that's all over my face, I want to go home and be with Levi and see my son. Levi helps me get dressed, my ribs are still a little sore, I realise Lucy is nowhere to be seen, I'm not sure if has been here since she curled up on the bottom of my bed but I can't see or feel her anywhere.

"You ok" Levi prompts.

"Yeah why?"

"You look like you've lost something, your face is confused...."

He's picking up on the fact I'm looking around the room looking for Lucy, I know I don't want to do this and I don't go seeking ghosts out but she's a little girl. I saw her dead body, I will never get that image out of my mind.

I just want to help her so she can move on and find some peace. I'm sure by now the police would have identified her and informed the parents, I can't imagine what they are going through, the pain of losing a child must be unbearable.

Levi and I leave the hospital, I'm so glad to be out of that place, the death everywhere, it's depressing I tell you, if I wasn't sleeping I was awake, ghosts floating in the hallway, it's morbid. Driving home I stare out of the window, mixed things running through my mind, like how I'm going to stop this thing? Will Levi leave if he found out? Is Jack safe? How did my Nan come to me? When we arrive home my flat is empty, I look around but neither Jack nor Levi's mum is there.

"Where's Jack" I ask worried.

"With my mum at her house, don't worry I'm picking him up tomorrow," he smiles at me as if he saying not to worry.

"I thought you might want a night in your own bed and relax before he comes home"

I smiled at him, I know he's trying to help but I need to speak to Jack.

"Can you ring your mum so I can speak to him please, I miss him."

Levi agrees and dials his mum; she answers quickly and asks him straight away if everything is ok.

"Yeah mum she's much better now; she wants to talk to Jack"

He passes the phone to me, he smiles saying to me don't worry he is ok.

"Mummy" I hear Jack's excited voice.

"Hello my baby you ok?"

"Yeah, we're making cakes"

"Aww that sounds nice" I smile.

"Are you coming home mummy?" he sounds a little sad.

"Mummy will come get you tomorrow ok"

"Ok mummy I love you"

"I love you too"

I try and hold back my tears, not because I'm sad but because I miss him so much. I'm scared for him but he's with someone new, maybe this monster can't find him when he's there, maybe he can only find him when he's with me.

"Feel better now" Levi says to me.

"Yeah" I smile back.

I can see Levi is still worried about me, after all he knows I'm hiding something from him but I'm so confused in my head right now I don't know if I should tell him the truth, he might think I'm insane if I do.

I'm in the kitchen making a coffee when I feel the cold chilly breeze, all my windows are closed so I know that again someone is here.

I turn and there behind me is Lucy. Still grey/blue appearance, still sweet looking and her ghostly image all intact.

"Hello"

"Hello Robyn, can we go find mummy now"

I breathe out "Ok sweetie"

"Levi...." I call out to him.

He comes from the living room quickly "What is it babe?" he looks worried.

"I have to go out" I'm shivering.

"Why?"

I look at his face, I don't know what lie to tell, I'm stumped actually as all the words leave my brain and I can't think of anything to say.

"Robyn tell me....." he prompts a little annoyed.

"I can't....." my voice is low.

"For fuck sake Robyn, I know you're hiding something from me and if you can't trust me and tell me then tell me what is the fucking point in us being together"

Oh no, he wants to leave, now is the time I have to be truthful, hearing those words and seeing how mad and upset he is I have to, I don't want to lose him but then the truth may cause him to run, I have to do it, I have to do it now.

"Ok, Ok I will tell you but please listen to me, I do have a secret yes and I've not told you because I don't want you to run or think I am insane"

"Robyn please, I'm here for you just tell me" he places his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes.

"Ok," I take a deep breath "I uhh, well, there's no easy way to say this I guess except I can see ghosts, that little girl's body I found, she led me there, when you see me talking to myself, I'm talking to them, when I disappear without a word, it's because they are around, this, these broken ribs and bruises, it's from one of them because he wants me, he wants Jack."

I stop; I can see the horror and disbelief in his eyes.

"I know you think I'm bullshitting you but I'm not." I look at Lucy.

"Lucy please help me here, I need you to help me ok"

Levi looks around with a _'who the fuck are you talking to'_ look.

Lucy smiles at me, I don't know what she is going to do or even if she can do anything to make him believe me. She goes towards the kitchen sink and slightly knocks a cup. Levi see's it but his eyes are clouded, confused almost.

"What was that?" he seems panicky.

"Lucy, the little girl who I found dead, she's here, that's why I'm shivering, it's so cold."

"I feel nothing" he looks at me confused.

"Well no you won't because you can't see or feel them, it happens when....."

I stop suddenly and my eyes widen, the temperature drops even colder, I feel the pain of needle pricks it's that cold, I look at Lucy. I know it isn't her. I look at Levi as I begin to feel breathless.

I feel the tight squeeze on my neck, oh no.....he's here.

## CHAPTER 19

The kitchen becomes dark, I'm not sure if Levi can see this but he can see that I'm struggling to breathe.

"Robyn what the fuck are you ok" his voice filled with sheer panic.

"WHERE IS HE" the voice screams.

"I'm not telling you, I will never let you have him"

I'm lifted up of the floor again, in the air head touching the kitchen ceiling. I see the look of horror on Levi's face, he's tugging on my leg trying to pull me down but Ivan has got a strong grip on me.

"You will give me your soul" his red eyes pierce into mine.

I struggle to breathe "I will give you nothing"

He drops me and leaves and I cough trying to get the air back in my lungs. Lucy is gone, I can't see her.

"What the fuck was that? Did....did you....I mean did I....." he stutters with his words.

"That was the thing that is after me, I told you that you can't see them."

Levi helps me up and looks into my eyes, I can see he actually now believes me but he is also terrified by what he just saw.

"You're going to leave now aren't you; I'll go get your things."

As I go to walk away Levi grabs my hand. He looks at me so lovingly it makes my heart melt.

"I'm not going to leave you, I love you and I'm here for you no matter what because that's what love is...." He smiles softly.

I try to hold back the tears, my god I feel like an emotional wreck right now. I can't see Lucy still and the air is mildly warm, I'm not sure if she disappeared in fear or he has taken her, I hope he hasn't, she's just a little girl, I had already seen the children he had stolen, I didn't want that to happen to her too.

Levi kisses me, it's deep but soft, his tongue enters my mouth as he devours me, I feel his love for me in the kiss and I go weak at the knees. I look him in the eye and then kiss him again, it's intense, I love this man so much. He pushes me backwards and I feel my back press hard against the kitchen unit.

I can't wait anymore; I want him right now, right here. In the heat of the moment I rip his shirt off as he quickly pulls down my jeans and panties. He undoes his jeans and pulls his hard erection out, he quickly lifts me up so I'm wrapped round his waist and he fucks me there and then in the kitchen.

It's fast; he grips me hard, thrusting in and out of me as I feel the sexual excitement run through our bodies.

"Oh baby" he cries out.

"Yes" I moan.

His thrust deepens and I cannot hold back any longer, as I explode around him he follows and explodes deep inside me, I feel his release as he holds me tight.

Breathless he looks into my eyes, "I will never let anyone hurt you, I love you."

I smile back catching my breath "It's not that easy, but I love you too."

I rest my forehead on his as our heartbeats start to return to normal. I'm so distracted by him that I don't notice Lucy has come back; when I see her I jump and fumble trying to compose myself.

"Oh my god what you doing, you shouldn't do that....."

"What, what I didn't do anything...." Levi replies confused.

"No not you, I'm not talking to you I'm talking to her....." I point behind him.

But he sees no-one.

She's giggling "That's naughty, has the man gone now....." she says observing the kitchen.

"Yes sweetie he has gone now" I quickly put everything back on.

Levi is looking at me, he tells me he feels weird seeing me talk to myself but also finds it slightly comical. I made a promise to help Lucy and I know I need to fulfil it, so I tell Levi what I'm doing who of course jumps to come with me and I follow Lucy to her home.

Its ages away and it's a good hours walk, Levi offered to drive but I said no because I wasn't sure we'd be able to follow her that way.

She leads us down a lane which comes out onto a closed off street kind of like the one I lived on as a kid, memories come back in my mind of a happy time when life was simple, when ghosts were simple. I smile at the thought of them.

She shows me her house, there is a swing and play set in the front garden, it's a typical house, white on the outside and a back roof, nice clean windows and reasonably sized. Levi is following me closely, after being dropped on the floor and our fast sex session I'm feeling slight pain in my ribs, I should be more careful really, these broken ribs will never heal otherwise.

I start to walk towards Lucy's house when I feel her pinch me, _'Ow'_ I wince.

She's frozen, she looks scared almost and she's pointing at a different house where there is a man coming out and making his way to his car.

"That's the man who took me away from mummy...."

Holy shit! She was kidnapped by someone who lives a few houses down from her and no-one fucking saw anything?

"What you staring at" Levi prompts.

"That man over there, she's saying he took her"

We both stare at him and he catches us looking, I keep eye contact with him but the smug bastard gives a twisted smile, like he knows we know what we shouldn't know but we do know and we can't prove it. I mean after-all I can't exactly tell the police that a dead girl pointed out her kidnapper with no proof can I.

"We have to go in there" I whisper to Levi.

He looks at me in shock "We can't just walk into someone else's house Robyn, that's illegal...."

I look at him, "Yes I know that but we have to! Look, he's leaving...."

His car leaves the drive way, as he drives pass he stares at us, I see the careless look on his face, he's almost smiling at us, smug bastard.

"C'mon..." I grab Levi's hand and pull him following Lucy.

"Babe seriously we can't besides how the fuck are we going to get in"

Lucy manages to find the strength then to open the front window.

I smile sarcastically at Levi, "Like that" and climb through.

I can see Levi stood around outside observing the surroundings to see if the neighbours can see us climbing through the window.

"Hurry up" I call out.

Levi climbs through, I see the panic on his face and right now I find that comical, I've done this before, of course that was a more dangerous situation, I was young and alone and the man was a psychotic murderer, but seeing the terror on Levi's face right now does make me chuckle inside a little.

"What are we looking for" he whispers.

I shrug "I don't know, find anything you can"

We creep around the house quietly, I don't know why; I guess it's just in-case someone else is there in the house we don't know about. I look through the house, it's a right bloody mess, there's crap all over the floor, tables and units, nothing is organised, just dumped.

"Robyn" Levi calls out.

It makes me jump and as I turn I hit a huge pile of clothes and books off the table and they all fall on the other bits of crap on the floor.

"My god you scared me don't do...." I stop.

There on the table is a bag, it's a child's backpack, it's open, I look inside and there are what I believe to be books for school.

"THAT'S MINE" Lucy shouts.

"Ok you don't need to shout I'm right here"

I see Levi look at me and he guess I'm not talking to him. Lucy trails off through the walls, she seems upset but before I know it she's back.

"Robyn come with me...."

She takes me arm and pulls me, how she has managed to grip me I don't know, then again I've never understood ghosts in all this time, some can touch me, some can't. She pulls me and I go smack into the wall and fall backwards.

"Oh my god you ok?" Levi comes to help me up.

"Ow that hurt, I'm ok, she forgets I can't go through walls"

I scramble to my feet, falling as I trip over crap that is just everywhere and make my way through the hallway to the room. The door is locked. I push it but can't get through. Why do people do that, try the handle, it's clearly locked but then keep trying to open it, just silly I guess, but we all do it. I hear a click and the door swings open.

"Do I want to know?" Levi looks at me his eyes wide.

"No babe, just go with it" I smile at him as I shrug.

We enter the room, it's like a study, it as a desk with a computer on it, chair and shelves with books on, this room is actually quite tidy compared to the rest of the house, but I don't get why the door was locked.

I can see the computer is on sleep mode so I tap it to bring it on, to my horror what came up was something I was not expecting. There on the screen in-front of my very own eyes are CCTV images of three little girls in a very small and dark room. They are blindfolded and tied by their hands and feet all sat next to each-other.

My hand covers my mouth, in shock and to stop me throwing up all over the floor. I dare to think how old they are or what the fuck this sicko has been doing with them. I look over and Lucy is pointing at the floor underneath the desk, there's a rug underneath and you can the miss-match floor boards where the join is a bit off.

I push the desk and there underneath is a door in the floor and an unlocked latch. I look at Levi in shock, we make our way down the stairs using our phones as light, it's pretty dark.

"You know this man isn't very fucking bright, no lock on his computer and no lock leading down here."

Levi senses my disgust and sarcasm.

"Babe, he hasn't been caught for that girl and no-one suspects him so he must be good at something."

Shivers go down my spine at the thought of it. We get to the bottom and have to bend down to fit, the top of this, well, hidden basement you would call it is very low, we follow the dim light, I'm guess this trail is leading us to another part of the house, when we get there, there they are three girls all tied up.

Bile rises in my throat and my eyes fill with tears, how someone can do this to three little girls is just sick, sick and even more fucking sick. I help the girls, they're terrified bless them and I'm not fucking surprised. They all look like Lucy who is floating next to me looking just as sad.

"Is this what he did to you" I look at her.

"I don't remember....." she looks horrified.

Maybe even as a ghost you can block out a memory of something awful that has happened to you resulting in death, I most certainly would.

"Levi call the police"

He gets his phone out but pauses, "how will we explain this"

I look at him, "Uhhh, I don't know just call them."

I untie the girls and take them upstairs into the house; they are crying and holding on to me for dear life. Within minutes the police are there and this fucker hasn't come home yet. They barge in and see me, Levi and three girls.

"Well, Miss Brooke, here we meet again"

Oh great, its fucking detective Shufflebottom whose name still makes me want to burst into laughter, surely with a name like that you go and change it by deed pole.

"I found these girls in basement under the house, please help them...."

The police are around me, they act quickly and they find the room, the computer, files and files containing indecent images of children, the little girls tell them I saved them.

The detective looks at me suspiciously "Isn't it odd how you again pop up in the scene of a crime like this....."

I look back at him raising my eyebrows "Maybe so detective, but I couldn't let what I saw lie and done my own digging, scumbags like this shouldn't be able to get away with this shit and someone had to stop him so that's what I did, now if you have a problem with it then arrest me other than that I've done fuck all wrong."

Both Levi's and the detective's mouth fall open. They find enough evidence showing the man who lives here is guilty and they plan to wait around to catch him whilst other team members go to find him.

I leave the house, I have to go and see Lucy's mum, I'm sure she will want to know that her daughter is at peace.

## CHAPTER 20

I get outside and I hear my name being called by that persistent detective.

"Ma'am...." he comes up behind me.

"Yes detective" I sound annoyed.

"I don't know how you did it and quite frankly I don't think I want to know, you have saved the lives of three little girls and their parents will not have to suffer the pain of losing their children, so for that I would like to thank you...."

My lip curls up in a slight smile and my inner voice is like _'I know dickhead.'_ I turn to leave.

"However....." he prompts "If I see you at another crime scene ma'am, then we will be having words."

I look into his eyes, a sort of _'I doubt it'_ look, turn on my heel and walk away. I walk over to Lucy's house, she is still there hovering behind me, she knows her daughter was murdered, she had to go identify her, my god, the pain of having to do that, no-one should have to suffer the pan of having to identify their own dead child. I hope that fucker rots in hell but right now I need to give Lucy's mum some peace. I stand outside the front door, Levi by my side holding my hand.

"How we going to do this?" his voice a little uncertain.

I inhale deeply, "I don't know, just roll with it I guess."

I knock the door softly, Lucy's ghost hovering beside me, I feel her cold hand touch mine as if to hold it. The door opens, it's her mother.

Her eyes are red and puffy where she has been crying constantly, she's wearing pyjama bottoms and a thick woollen cardigan that looks far too big for her, her face is gaunt and thin, this woman is clearly destroyed.

"Uhh hi, are you...Lucy's mum?"

Her eyes widen "Yes"

"May I come in; I need to speak with you...."

She's hesitant but she invites me in eventually. Pictures of Lucy are everywhere; she seemed a happy little girl, full of life and so beautiful.

I look down and whisper to her "you'll have to help me if you want mummy to be happy ok"

She nods in agreement. We go to the living room, it's a mess, this woman obviously hasn't done much since Lucy died and not that anyone could blame or judge her on that matter.

"Please take a seat" she says politely.

"Thank you"

Levi and I sit on the sofa, he's a little agitated and he's making me feel nervous. I look to the other side of me, Lucy is giving a soft smile and I can see she is trying to grasp my hand, I'm bloody freezing with her around but I can't stop now.

"I'm sorry to disturb you and what I'm about to tell you will probably have you screaming and shouting at me, I completely understand if you do but there's something you need to know" my voice is soft.

She shifts uncomfortably in her seat "Yes, go on...."

I look at Lucy and take a deep breath "I'm here because of Lucy...."

She goes to talk but I raise my hand up politely and stop her.

"Please let me finish....."

She looks at me, her face shifting from sad to angry but I have to tell her, any parent would want to know, well, I'm guessing they would, so that they can find peace.

"I know this is going to sound completely insane and trust me, I've said it aloud so many times I know that it does, I ummm.....I'm able to communicate with the dead" I guess that's a nice way of putting it "Lucy is here with me, I know that you must be feeling so much pain and believe me I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here because she wants me to help you, show you that she is ok....."

"Do you have any fucking clue what happened to my daughter?" she snaps.

"Yes I do, that's why she has brought me here....."

"My daughter is dead and she is never ever coming back" tears stream down her face.

I move off the sofa and kneel before her placing my hands over hers in her lap "I know this must be hard, I have a little boy and if I was going through what you've been through I would be just as distraught if someone came to my house saying the things I am saying to you now....."

She cries, small sounds come out from her mouth as she breaks down.

"I know this is hard, she's here and she will show you she is here through me...."

I look at Lucy who knocks a photo of her and her mum off the unit; it falls onto the floor and makes her mother jump. Lucy starts telling me about that photo and I relay that information to her mother.

"Lucy says that's your favourite photo, she said when the man took it that day you turned to her and called her your beautiful princess."

Her mouth drops open but I can see she is still a little weary.

Lucy shows me something else; a card falls from above onto hers and mine hands as she clutches me tight.

"This is a card she made for you on mother's day in school, she said when she brought it home your cried, when she thought you was upset you hugged her and said she was your shining star sent from the heaven's so you could be her mummy..." I see belief on her face but Lucy isn't done.

"She tells me she's never had a daddy and that daddy went before she was born but you promised her that your love was enough for two and you told her this every night before she went to sleep and the necklace she has around her neck, her father bought it before she was born, it has a picture of the both of you inside."

"I did, how do you know that" she looks into my eyes shocked.

"Because she's here, she wants you to know the bad man has been caught and he can never hurt anyone else and that she's ok, she's found peace and she wants you to find peace too."

Even my eyes are filling up now, this woman's love and the love I can see from Lucy is overwhelming, nothing is stronger than that of a bond between mother and child. Lucy comes by my side and kisses her mums cheek; I smile softly as she is saying goodbye. It gives Lucy's mum shivers, as if she can feel her daughter's lips touch her cheek.

"Lucy" she whispers as she touches her cheek.

She looks back at me and wraps her arms around me embracing me with a hug and sobbing as she feels a sense of relief. I look behind me and Levi is smiling, his eyes are a little red where he is trying to hold back his own tears. I look at Lucy, her appearance changes to that like Amy's was when Amy found peace, she gives me a smile and disappears as a gust of wind passes by us.

Lucy's mum looks at me "she's gone isn't she?"

I nod in agreement; finally they are both at peace and with the evil in this world and in the afterlife its nice knowing that I have helped these two people. My heart aches with sorrow and happiness all at the same time.

We say our goodbyes and as we leave I look back to see Lucy's mum smiling holding what I believe to be one of Lucy's tops, she can move on now. We see the police are still at that house and we are not sure if that fucker has actually been arrested but knowing they are there and they know who is, he will never be able to hurt another child and those three girls will be safe back with their parents.

"Well done" Levi says as he smiles proudly at me.

"That was intense" I breathe deeply.

"I know, but you gave a mother peace that even though her child is gone, and might I add horrifically, she is happy and safe in the after-life" he puts his arm around me.

"I know, if only it was always like that,"

He looks at me knowing what I mean, there are some evil spirits out there and one of them is after me and Jack. Levi clutches my hand tightly as if to say _'I'm with you all the way'_ and I feel my heart skip a beat.

I'm sore, I'm tired, it's been a long ass day and very eventful I might say, I just want to go home, curl up with my man and feel bright eyed ready to see my beautiful boy tomorrow, in this moment, right now, I feel peaceful, fuck Ivan, I have what he wants and I am not going to let him take it from me.

## CHAPTER 21

I open my eyes, my sight is blurred, not quite awake yet but my god I'm hot and in a bit of pain, I look and Levi is cuddled into me, wrapped around me like wrapping paper, his body is on my ribs and it hurts.

Today I get to see Jack after all that palaver and I'm so happy, the sun shines through the window so brightly, I must have forgotten to shut the curtains, Levi is dribbling as he's asleep, he looks so peaceful and I don't want to wake him. I sneak out of bed and head to the bathroom, bless him, he's been through so much, me being hospital and my big secret oh and not to mention the paedophiles house we broke into. I don't want to think about him and I'm hoping the police caught him, I'm not going to check up on it, Lucy is at peace now and so is her mother, that's the main thing.

Looking in the mirror I notice that my hair is dull and bags under my eyes, wow, the stress this is causing is now starting to show. Why can't I be normal? Why was I chosen to have this gift? I don't know, fate I guess, maybe God bestowed it on me thinking I was the best one to help, is there a God? I don't know! Mind is racing with a million things, like how I'm meant to stop Ivan. I mean, Jack is growing up; surely he would want a baby not a five nearly six year old boy. If you were going to start your life and be reborn wouldn't you want the use of a baby?

Why Jack? He has nothing special to offer, yes he has the same gift as me but does that mean some monster has to try and take him from me? And does Jack have something I don't know about?

Wow, thinking of all this can make a person go crazy, I know I have to find a way to stop him and I know that one day he won't just be attacking me, he will want to take it further, but how do I do that? He wants my soul but how does he take something not even I know how to give or for that fact, stop him from taking it.

"Babe?"

I hear Levi's voice on the other side of the bathroom door, I open the door to see this love of my life stood there, bed hair, boxers on and a naked body, he is mighty fine.

"Hey babe, you ok?" he asks me.

I smile at him "I'm fine, just using the bathroom, what time can we go get Jack?"

"Well we'll have breakfast and a shower then we'll go straight to him."

I can't hide my smile, I have missed my little boy so much and inside I'm so worried about him, it's a nice sunny day. Levi kisses me and I can hear my phone vibrating on the bedside table, it's from Pete.

*I'd like to see my son please... can I have him this coming weekend? Oh and what's wrong with you*

Look at him trying to act like he cares when really I know he's being nosey, so I reply;

*Yeah not a problem, you can have him this coming weekend and nothing is wrong with me I'm fine now....*

Quickly he texts back;

*You can tell me, I just want to make sure you're ok, I care about you...."

I tut and get all huffy and Levi notices my reaction.

"Who is it babe?" he asks.

"No-one, just Pete trying to pretend he cares...." I show him the message.

I don't hide things from Levi, he is welcome to see my phone, messages, pictures, anything because I want no secrets, ok yes I did have that one big secret but that wasn't because I was being sneaky, that was something that could possibly harm him, ya know?

"What the fuck? He's texting you that knowing you're with me?" his face goes red, angry.

"I know, but he does things like this, tries to show he cares because he thinks I will give up and you and then I will go back to him because he believes in his twisted mind that, that is what I want"

Levi frowns angrily; I know this isn't sitting well with him.

"I'm going to speak to him...."

Without hesitation I hand Levi the phone, he is texting furiously, he won't ring him as there is not point, Pete will hang up as soon as he hears it's Levi and Levi won't be able to get his words across.

I read the message he has sent;

*Hi Pete it's Levi, I have just read the message you have sent Robyn and read others and I am not happy about it, she is with me now, my girlfriend and not yours, we are happy to allow you seeing your son as let's face it, you are his father, but Robyn does not need your concern, she has me now so stop texting her bullshit or you will have me to deal with*

Well it's actually calmer and politer than what I was expecting to read.

"I'm not going to call him names, what's the point? Besides I have you in my arms and that's all that matters and Jack is mine as he is part of you" he smiles softly and kisses me.

I smile at him "I am yours baby, all yours and I'll never be anyone else's."

My phone buzzes again, no surprise it's a response from Pete.

*This has nothing to do with you Levi, I speak to Robyn about OUR son which also has nothing to do with, you maybe the current guy she is sleeping with but I DO care for her and I DO love her so I will always make sure she is ok, don't threaten me with your little school boy words, Robyn won't let you hurt me*

What a deluded fucker, Levi is practically on fire with the amount of anger cursing through his body right now; I can practically see the steam coming out from ears.

"Babe he doing it to get a rise out of you, he thinks he can push you away" my voice is low.

"Well I'm not going anywhere" he snaps.

"Wow, ok, look I will text him...."

I lift my phone, Levi behind me so he can see what I am typing.

*Pete, it's Robyn, I don't give a flying fuck that you care or love me because I do not have the same feelings for you, believe me, as for Levi, yes he is the man I am sleeping with but he is also the man I love and the man I plan on spending the rest of my life loving, get it into your thick skull that I will NEVER EVER come back to you, that I will NEVER want you again and my life is with Levi, I will not stop you seeing Jack but if you continue to cause issues then the only way you will be seeing him will be through a solicitor. You can pick him up on Friday as agreed, now kindly fuck off and stop trying to butt in on my life, oh and I can't stop Levi hurting you and quite frankly I don't care if he does*

I press send, now I'm a little furious, we wait a while but there is no reply, maybe the dickhead finally got the message. I mean what woman of sound mind would give up someone amazing for a two-timing asshole? No-one I hope.

Levi and I shower together; it's heavenly, the water running between our bodies as we are up against each-other, kissing under the fine sprinkles of the warm water, lovely.

We get dressed, have our breakfast and head over to Levi's mums. My stomach is swirling with excitement, I can't wait to see and hold my little boy.

The drive isn't that far away and we will be there shortly, a worrying feeling comes over me, for some reason some voice in my head tells me something is wrong with Jack.

Mother intuition maybe? I don't know but I know that when I walk through that door I will run over to him and check him all over.

## CHAPTER 22

We arrive outside the house and I see Jack's little head pop up in the window with a huge smile and a wave. I unclip my seatbelt and head to the front door.

His mum opens the door and Jack comes running towards me. He leaps into my arms and the pain hurts as his body bashes against my ribs, but I don't care, he's worth feeling this pain just to hold him tightly.

"Mummy I missed you" he says sweetly.

"Aww mummy missed you too sweetheart" I say happily smothering him in kisses.

I put him down and give Levi's mum a kiss on the cheek and say thank you. She offers us to stay for dinner and I can't say no, I feel that would be being rude, I offer to help but she insists she does it, she's such a sweet woman, now I know where Levi gets his kindness from, I smile at the thought.

"Where's Jack?" I prompt looking for him.

"Oh he's probably playing upstairs, sweet boy has a wonderful imagination and loves to tell stories when playing with his toys" Levi's mother states happily.

This is true, Jack does have an imagination, wait, hang on, I'm confused "What stories?"

"Oh you know of the man who comes to visit to play with him and promises to take him to a magical land...." She laughs "I think he's creating someone from Disney."

My stomach flips, she doesn't know it but I know it, some ghost has been talking to my son, sounds weird but I just know. I go upstairs to find Jack when I hear him talking, I feel the cold air and the hair rises on back of my neck, I know he's not alone, for fuck sake now they found him here? I don't go in the room, I just listen, I can hear both of them speaking.

"No, mummy doesn't like me going with strangers."

"I'm no stranger little one, come with me and I will show you magical things"

"Can we take mummy and Levi too?"

My heart sinks a little that wherever this thing wants to take him Jack is thinking of Levi, I'm glad they have bonded.

"We can take your mummy but this Levi person will have to stay"

"Ok, I will go get mummy first and then...." Jack stops.

I open the door quickly to see him sat there and a black hooded figure sat at the edge of the bed.

"Who are you...?" I ask scared.

"I am he who collects what is needed" this voice is deep, manly almost.

"Well he who collects what is needed, why are you bothering my son?" I'm annoyed.

"I am he who collects what is needed...."

I cut him off "Yes, yes I know you just told me that...."

"And what I need is him" and he points at Jack.

My mouth goes dry; this black hooded figure I swear from memory I have seen before. He makes his way towards me and I walk backwards until I hit the wall and am unable to move any further.

"I always get what I come for" his voice callous.

"Look, I don't know who you are and quite frankly I don't care, but you will never ever lay your hands on my son do you hear me!" I tried to hide the fear in my voice.

This black hooded figure doesn't move, he just leans in on me, he's so close I can smell sewerage or something just as vile. He looks up and I can see his face, it makes me scream, it's ghostly with maggots and flies all over him, blood everywhere, I feel very sick.

"Babe?"

I hear Levi calling me, this thing takes a look at me, he sort of gives a crooked smile and then he disappears.

Levi bursts into the room "you ok?" he seems worried.

"Uhhh-uhh-, y-yeah, yeah sorry I'm fine" but my voice is shaky and giving away the fact that I am scared.

I can see the worried expression on Levi's face; I place my hand on his cheek tenderly.

"I'm ok babe, I just need to speak to Jack a second ok, go help your mum, I'll be fine" I smile softly.

He kisses the palm of my hand and leaves, hesitantly.

"Sweetie, can mummy talk to you a sec" I ask as I sit beside him.

"Yeah mummy" he replies so nicely.

"Who was that man you were talking to?"

"My friend mummy, well, he is a stranger but he is my friend" he babbles.

"A stranger cannot be your friend, that's why we call them strangers, because we don't know them" I advise my voice stern.

"Ok mummy,"

"Where was he going to take you?"

"To magical place where he says I will grow big and strong" he smiles childish at me.

"Where too?"

"I don't know" he shrugs.

My heart is beating fast, those fuckers have stepped up their game, but what I don't understand is why Ivan the fucker has sent someone else after my boy and not come after him himself? He can surely attack me he's had no issues doing that so why not attack Jack? I don't want him to of course I don't but I don't understand.

"Dinners ready" Levi's mum calls from the bottom of the stairs.

"Uhh yeah coming" I look at Jack "Sweetheart we need to keep this our secret ok, mummy will find the man and ask him ok, now be good at the dinner table."

"Ok mummy" he kisses me and heads downstairs.

At the table everyone is entering in polite nice conversation, smiling and laughing with each-other, Jack is being such a good boy and using his manners well, proud mummy moment there. But in my head all I can think about is that bloody ghost and what game they are playing. The question keeps repeating in my mind _'Who is he'_ and the words he used _'I am he who collects what is needed.'_

What? He needs Jack? I know what Ivan needs Jack for I have already been told this but to get that they need mine too so why send someone else. Ahhh for god's sake I wish I had the answers right here. I need help, more help, my head is screaming out for someone to help me but who? Do I go and see another psychic or spiritualist or what? What do I do?

"Are you ok my dear," Levi's mum asks concerned.

"Yes thank you" I smile back.

"You seem a million miles away" she tilts her head smiling.

"Sorry, just listening to you all" I lie.

Levi can sense there is something wrong with me and he knows it's something to do with me and Jack, he can guess what it is, I see it on his face how he is trying to work it out but deep down he knows it wasn't a normal ghost and he knows that my mind is trying to put pieces together and figure this out.

We have been at Levi's mums all day and Jack is starting to get tired, so we get Jack wrapped up, give his mum a kiss, say thank you and our goodbyes and head on home. In the car I can see Levi has something on his mind, it's written all over his face, he has that look when he's thinking something and his brow crinkles.

"You ok" I ask him softly.

"Yeah just.....I don't know" he sighs.

"Tell me" I push.

"This thing, this thing with you, I know it was happening in my mums and the thing with Pete, just a lot babe you know and I'm trying to keep my cool but it's hard," he runs his hand through his hair.

I swallow a lump in my throat, "I know and if it's too much I understand if you want to leave" my head lowers.

"No, no, no I don't want to leave baby, it's me and you, it's just trying to wrap my head round it" he places his hand on my knee.

"I know it is babe but I don't think I could find the strength without you...." I smile softly.

We hold hands on the way home; I can feel how much he loves me just by holding my hand or the way he looks at me. When we arrive home its gone eight o'clock and Jack is fast asleep, we get him out of the car and quietly make our way inside and out him to bed.

I'm so glad to have my boy back safe and sound where he belongs, I stand in the doorway for a while and stare at him, even though his father is a complete knob head, this little boy is a perfect creation.

Levi appears behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and looks at Jack with me, he tells me to let him sleep and that we should go to bed too, he has to go back to work tomorrow and then he will be going back to his apartment, I wish he didn't have to leave me, I hate being on my own and even though he can't protect me I feel safer when he's here with me.

We lie on the bed, he cuddles in behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, this is my safest place in the world, here in his arms, I hear him breathing, I think he's asleep already, very early but I don't care, I snuggle my head into my pillow and nod off.

## CHAPTER 23

I feel cold and it wakes me, Levi is sleeping soundly wrapped up in the blanket, his arm still over me, my ribs still hurt a little, when will these blood things heal? I climb out of bed quietly not to disturb him, its freezing, my toes feel numb it's that cold. I make my way out into the hallway to Jack's room to check on him, he's sleeping soundly all cuddled up in his quilt.

I walk through the flat, fuck me it's like a frozen winter in my flat right now, icicles will appear from the ceiling if it gets any colder. I hear whispers so I head towards the kitchen but I see no-one. I switch the light on and look around, I can feel my body shiver and my heart pound, I'm scared but my body is too cold for my brain to notice.

"Robyn"

I jump out of my skin, there he is, Jay, in-front of me.

"Jay what the....."

"Listen I don't have much time," he's looking all around him as if to be expecting someone.

"You look like shit Jay, how are you here...." I'm so confused and he looks awful, he has a wound to the head now and what appears to be holes in his ghostly apparition.

"I'm here for you; I had to come tell you, I know you need help"

"How do you know that?"

"He has sent someone for Jack, to befriend him, earn his trust, once he has that he will bring Jack to the darkness, he knows you'll follow, he knows you will go after Jack, he wants Jack to come willingly so his soul is easier to take...." He says fast.

"But he needs my soul to have Jack's" I'm confused.

"Yes, he will wear you down until you give it but remember, you are stronger, if you give yours it means you surrender Jack's he is trying to befriend him so that Jack thinks it's safe to go with him, that's why he needs his trust, so Jack will say yes to him but he won't fear him...." He sounds so panicked.

He quickly turns his head as if he hears something.

"I have to go, I don't think I can come back I will try though, don't let him get Jack Robyn, remember you are stronger" and before I know it he's gone.

Ok, I know I was screaming for help in my head but there is no possible way he would have heard that and how the fuck did he get here? I don't get it! And what the fuck happened to him, he looks awful, like he has endured so much torture and pain.

For a moment I feel sad for him but then something clicks, Jack is a five year old boy, he's six soon and over time when he spends time with people he trusts them, this thing sent to get him is befriending him so they can take him easily. Ok, so I understand that bit but how do I stop Jack befriending them, do I block his memories like my mother done with me so that he forgets he can see them and therefore they can't contact him, but wait, no, I can't do that, I remember what it did to me, how I felt them and thought I was going crazy and when they did reappear how frightening it was, I couldn't do that to my little boy, the only way I guess I could help him is to try and teach him not to go with anyone, dead or alive, you know, the strangers thing we teach all kids, even if they seem nice always come see mummy.

I go back upstairs and quietly climb back into bed, I hear the trees blowing outside, I see them almost tap on the window, they form shadows on my ceiling, its normal temperature but I know they are watching me, I snuggle into Levi and go back to sleep.

I roll over to cuddle into Levi but he's not there, I open my eyes and its morning, I hear Jack and Levi giggling and talking, they must be in the kitchen having breakfast. It's nice knowing they have bonded, I know Pete is Jack's father but I wish everyday Levi was, he's so much better for him and isn't a complete asshole.

"Morning beautiful" he smiles at me.

"Morning to you too" I sit with them.

I'm feeling rather blue to be honest, Levi is going back to his apartment and I really don't want him to plus my mind is racing about last night, I feel time is running out and something is coming now, like a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn't quite right.

"Go get dressed sweetie mummy has to take you to school...." I kiss Jack on the forehead.

He skips off very happy to his room. Levi is looking at me, his blue eyes twinkling at me, I want him right there on the kitchen table but I can't.

"You don't seem happy babe" he looks sympathetic almost.

"I'm fine babe, just a lot in my head right now..."

He pulls me across so that I sit on his lap and he kisses my knuckles softly. I see the _'tell me'_ in his eyes.

"You can talk to me you know"

"I know, it's just, I don't want you to leave and ghost stuff" my voice is low.

"Ok, well the ghost stuff I can't say much on but....if you don't want me to leave....then I don't have to" he smiles.

I look at him, eyes wide open "wait....you'd move in?"

"Yes of course I would"

I fling my arms around him and kiss him passionately, why I didn't just ask him this in the first place I don't know, maybe I was scared that he wouldn't want to live with me, ya know, ghosts and all. I feel excitement running through my body, like a little school girl with a birthday present, mega excited and I know Jack will be pleased.

"I need to get dressed baby" I smile and kiss him.

"Me to" he smiles back.

We head to what is now our room, oh I smile at the thought and I can see Jack getting ready and playing with his toys so I hurry him along, he can dawdle at times and sometimes needs a bit of push, then again what kid doesn't I guess.

I feel happy inside, Levi and I are getting dressed and discussing the fact he will be moving in this week, we have to arrange to have all his stuff transported here, it will be a squeeze, it's not a huge flat but we will make it work and hopefully we won't be here forever.

Things feel good right now; it's as if my mind has forgotten all about the ghosts and the trouble in my life, why can't it always feel this way? I don't know, they say that you get good luck with one hand but something bad always comes along after it. I feel a gust of wind as I am in the bathroom and I take no notice because I'm not thinking straight, my head is in the clouds of loveliness.

"Babe close the windows its cold!" I call out.

"No windows are open babe"

I freeze, something has just drafted into my flat again, but it's not cold, its normal temperature, so what the fuck is it?

I make my way into the hallway slowly, walking down I can see my bedroom at the other end and I see Levi dancing around getting ready, oblivious to anything, not that I can blame him I mean how is he supposed to know anything at all anyway. I hear Jack talking, I know he's in his room on his own as there is only us three in the flat and Levi is in my room.

As I approach his bedroom door then I feel the coldness, I feel my toes and fingers go numb and the cold rush of winter through my body. Something isn't right, I stand next to his door, I want to hear what's being said.

"Mummy said I have to speak to her first"

"Mummy wants you to little one, you can trust me, I am your friend"

That voice, that dark deep voice, I recognise that voice.

"Ok, will we come back for mummy?"

I push the door open to see Jack walking towards the wall and he has his hand touching it.

"Jack...." I call out.

"Don't worry mummy he's my friend, we will come back for you"

I see the black hooded figure standing next to him he takes Jack by the hand and gives me an evil smile with that disgusting face.

"NO!" I scream.

I lean forward to grab Jack but it's too late, I fall flat on my face, Jack is gone. I don't know how or where, he's just not there anymore, like he disappeared through the walls. I bang on the wall screaming for him to come back but nothing. Levi comes running into the room panicking and worrying at the sound of my scared shrieking voice.

"What babe what is it?"

"Jack, he's gone, that thing, someone, the beast I don't know he's gone"

I'm shaking with fear, my boy, my baby, he's gone and I know he has been taken to that thing.

"Babe you will find him"

But I'm not in the mood for a pep talk right now, I know he is trying to calm and help me but I'm all over the place, I need to figure out where he has gone and I need to figure out how to get there.

## CHAPTER 24

"Babe calm down, you've have done so much and tracked down people, you can do this you just need to focus" Levi says encouragingly.

I hear is words but I can't focus, my little boy is gone, my one duty was to protect him and make sure this didn't happen, Jay clearly warned me last night and I was so wrapped up in my own bubble of happiness this morning I didn't keep him safe.

This is all my fault, if only I had been in the room with him, keeping an eye on him like I was supposed to then this thing would not have been able to get his evil hands on him.

My god my mind is racing round doing a million things right now, I can't go to the police and report him missing, what am I going to say _'excuse me officer a ghost has stolen my little boy please help me find him!'_

No, No I can't do that, this has to be me, only me, only I can go and save him, but how, where there fuck have they taken him and how do I get there?

How long is this going to take? Will they hurt him? Oh god no please, please don't hurt my boy, wait, they won't hurt him, they need him, I can't think they will hurt him.

They know I'm going to follow after them somehow and they need me to break our connection to get to him, so at least in my head right now I need to think that wherever he is they won't hurt him.

I hear the flat buzzer go, who the fuck is that? I never get visitors this early on a weekday.

I go down to answer it and to my surprise it's the psychic from Hollow in Georgia, still cannot remember her blimming name.

"How the fuck...." I'm confused.

She cuts me off, "I figured you'd need me, I sensed a shift in the spirit world and tracked you to here."

She walks in and up into the flat, now I know she is a psychic but that shit she just said to me makes no sense at all. Such a cliché isn't it, a moment of need and then this woman turns up to help! What are the odds of that?

She walks in and stops by Jack's bedroom door, a look of worry comes over her face. I stop behind her looking trying to observe and guess what she is thinking but I'm stumped.

She turns and looks at me "let's go sit down shall we" she seems so cool.

We all sit in the living room, she has those people with her that I met when we had the séance and Levi is now looking extremely puzzled.

He sits next to me and takes hold of my hand, I squeeze his tight, I'm so scared right now my heart feels like it's about to leap out of my chest and right on to the floor.

"Why are you here" I ask her confused.

"My dear, when I saw that thing, that night, I knew you would need further assistance, I have been watching you, in my head of course" she smiles "but I felt something sinister was coming and I knew I had to get to you."

"I'm sorry who are you?" Levi jumps in.

"She's the woman I saw in Georgia when I went for that séance I told you about remember?" I tell him.

Levi sits back in his chair with a face of _'oh ok got ya but why is she here'_ and I know what he's thinking because I'm thinking that and more.

"I appreciate you coming all this way; I don't understand how you found me"

She smiles softly "I have my own ways my dear and I am here to help you."

I get up quickly all panicky "Look I don't have time for this someone...."

"Took Jack...." She finishes.

I look at her, my brows frown but not meanly "how did you know that?"

She stands in-front of me "like I said my dear, I felt something sinister."

In a way I feel some sort of comfort knowing she is here, she is good at what she does and she managed to contact that thing once before and he came right us. I'm sure it will not be so easy this time, he already has Jack, but then again, he needs me to.

"Now before we get started on all this we need to both be on the same level" she advises softly.

She sits me down on the sofa and sits next to me; Levi has his arm protectively around me and her, well, followers I guess, all gather around. We are all sat close together as if awaiting a camp fire story.

"Now, tell me what you found out from that night...." She shifts in her seat.

I take a deep breath and try to recall the things I had read about him.

"Ok well, his name is Ivan, as we found that out, I read in a book he was known as Ivan the Fearless, uhhhh, he was born in the fifteenth century in a small town called Rusk, just off the Romanian border, nothing frightened him, he showed no fear and no mercy, he marched with his armies across the lands killing innocent men and women who refused to bow down to him, he challenged the king and when he won he claimed the land as his own, people feared him as if they refused or disobeyed him he would then take their lives, he didn't care who they were, men, women, children, he'd kill anyone. I saw the picture in the book of bodies on spikes outside his castle that were put there as a warning to traitors and the people of the land but I have seen that before with Vlad, I read about him in history."

"Yes, it is said that their bloodline was connected" she advises, "go on...."

I look at Levi, he looks shocked by all this but I continue "ummm it was rumoured he had fathered many children through raping women and he would kill the husbands of the women that he wanted. It stated that he was killed by one of his own men who had betrayed him, the man was a spy sent by his enemies and stopped him fulfilling his ultimate goal, to the rule all of England....and I guess that's all I know really."

"Well that's a lot and his goal wasn't to rule England, it was to rule the world, it is said that he possessed dark magic, that he worked with the devil which is why he was so good at winning battles, he had a demon army on his side."

My eyes widen in shock, am I hearing this right? Surely such things are not real.

"Ummm, I don't believe that...." I shake my head.

"Really Robyn, after every-thing you have seen or endured you don't believe that maybe there are other forces out there, something beyond our own world?" she looks into my eyes.

I guess she is right, I have seen so many things in my life how can I be so naïve into thinking that it was our world a ghost world and that's it, surely you go somewhere nice when you die, if you're good of course and I have seen that light when Amy and Lucy found peace, I have also seen darkness when they have come to attack me.

"Ok so then what...." I prompt.

She gets up from the sofa and starts talking, placing her hands together like she is telling a story to children "so, as I said, dark magic, and yes, it was rumoured he fathered many children, some of which he apparently used in his armies, history tells us that such man may have existed however there are those who believe it is nothing more than a scary legend, it states he was killed by a an enemy who had infiltrated his army and his body was buried with a knife wound and one arm missing, the villagers kept a part of him in gods church, control they claimed so that his soul could never again be whole."

Holy shit, firstly right now I feel sick and now this makes sense, Jay was like that and countless ghosts I have seen have all been like that too, he said it was for control and he must be doing it because it is what they done to him.

She continues "it is believed that after his death a note was found advising his enemies he would return and a war will start until he has ultimate power, when they went to the church to destroy the arm, it was gone."

"Who took it?" Levi asks, his eyes wide open.

"Some say followers, some say it was lost and some say it was never there, we don't know but my guess is Ivan has what he needs, a strong army to help him cross over, Jack and now all he needs is you" she looks at me and sighs.

"I have to go get Jack" my voice low.

"My dear, once you go to the other side, it's not all flowers and lightness, its dark and you will be going to where he wants you to go, a place full of sadness, darkness and pain" she looks worried.

"I don't have a choice; he's my son I have to go get him"

"When you go there you must always remember that you are stronger than he is, you have life, he does not have that" she grips my hand.

"Wait Robyn you can't do this alone" Levi says worried.

"I have to" I touch his face "You need to trust me"

"We must form the circle" she prompts.

We all gather round the kitchen table, it's the only place I can think of where we can all sit and hold hands. We all prepare ourselves, what's going to happen I don't know but I know it isn't going to be pleasant.

## CHAPTER 25

We're all sat there and questions are still swirling around in my head. I have to ask them before we start, I have all the knowledge of him, I'm not going to forget that in a hurry but I need to know everything else before this goes any further, I need to be prepared.

"As we're all sat here I just need to know a little bit more" I prompt.

"Yes of course" she replies.

"Why Jack? Why now, it's been centuries since his death surely he could have done this sooner no?" I put my head in my hand.

"In-fact, legend has it he has tried before"

I look up in shock "What do you mean?"

"Well it has been stated he has tried this, many times before, he has always chosen special children, taken them and tried to possess them but he was never able"

"And the children" my voice sounds worried,

"They died" she says her voice low.

Tears come into my eyes but I hold back, I have to be strong "Ok, why now?"

"Because there is something about you and Jack and he has discovered whatever it is you have he needs, I'm not quite sure yet what it is, all we know is what legend tells us and now he needs you, you and Jack are the key to this."

Now I'm fucking confused, I look around at everyone as if this is making sense but they look just as confused as me, what's so fucking special about my soul? Or Jack's for that matter? Maybe we can clarify that later, right now we need to get on with this, I need to go get my boy.

"Will everyone please join hands" she asks kindly.

"Levi you don't have to do this" I whisper to him.

"I'm here for you no matter what" he smiles and whispers back.

"Are we ready?" she asks.

Everyone nods in agreement and Levi squeezes my hand, bless him he is so scared right now, he's never done this before but then again, how many do you know or I know who have done this before?

This is something you see on the TV, not something that should be happening to me, yes I can see ghosts but does it really have to go to this extreme?

She starts like she did before "I call out to you to talk about this girl Robyn; I know you are here, we need you guidance."

Again with the guidance, all I want is to get to the other side. The lights flick on and off, Levi looks terrified but he doesn't run off.

"Roooooooobbbbbyyyyyyynnnnn" a voice whispers my name.

My heart starts to pound and the table starts shaking, this seems scarier than before.

"Speak to me, I am your voice" she calls out.

But I don't think whatever it was needed her, the room goes cold, freezing almost and for the first time I can see that Levi feels the cold too. He looks at me, terrified, as if to say _'is this what you have to put up with'_ I just nod yes to him and grip his hand.

"Robyn, he has your son in the darkness he dwells, he awaits you, he wants you"

I look around, I see no-one but I feel the coldness like its cutting through me like a knife. Levi is looking around; he's shivering as he holds my hand.

"Where is he?" I say loudly but not shouting.

"He is in the darkness, where the land is grey and misty, where the pain and torture is inflicted on those he has stolen"

I break the circle, fuck this!

"ROBYN NO" the psychic screams.

The wind picks up; it's fierce and raging through the flat like and angry storm set out to kill anyone in its path.

"WHERE IS MY SON" I shout over the sounds of the gustily wind.

I look and things are flying everywhere, Levi is suddenly picked up by something that I cannot quite see.

"LEVI" I scream out.

I try to make my way over to him but things in this fucking hurricane are forcing me back. I use every part of me that I have to push through it and finally I reach him.

"LET HIM GO"

I try to pull on him but this thing has too much of a tight grip, I want to cry and beg and scream and shout but I need to save Levi, how is all this fucking happening right now.

"I COMMAND YOU TO RETURN FROM WHENCE YOU CAME AND LEAD US TO THAT WHICH WE SEEK" the psychic screams out with her hands in the air.

There is a sudden burst and the windows smash causing everyone to duck down to protect themselves. I look up and this thing is taking Levi, before I can save him he's gone too.

The storm inside the flat calms and things are a complete mess, paper, furniture and god knows what all over the floor.

"WHAT DID YOU DO" I scream at the woman.

"You broke the circle Robyn, I told you before not to do that...." She says harshly.

I breakdown, my son and m partner, both gone, if they are trying to break me it's beginning to work, I don't know how I can do this, what if I have to choose? I will choose my son all day long of course I will but letting go of Levi will break my heart.

"I have to get to them" I panic.

The psychic grabs me "Yes my dear you do but you're a mess right now and you need to calm, going into the darkness like that will only make you weaker, he will play on your emotions, your mind and your fears."

I take a deep breath "Ok, I can do this, I know I can do this, I think I can do this"

"There is no room for doubt, believe in yourself, like your son and Levi do" she looks at me with warm eyes.

Levi has always said how much he believes and Jack dotes on me, I know this, I feel it when I'm with him, I know I can do this, I don't know how exactly but I can do this.

My Nans words echo through my head _'you're stronger than he is, he has them to make him stronger on this side but he's not of the living, you are, you will figure this out.'_

Once I am there I'm sure it will all come to me, well I hope it will, I won't let him hurt my little boy and I won't let him hurt Levi, I'd die for them.

Maybe that's what he wants, he wants me to die so he can have my son, I won't give him what he wants, I will fight until I know Jack is safe and I will try my hardest to get Levi out. I'm going in with the intention of saving them both, not one or the other.

"Now we have to call out to them and they have to take you, that's how to get there"

"Ok" I nod.

My body is slightly shaking, from fear or the cold I don't know.

"I'll take her" a voice speaks behind me.

I turn and there he is, Jay, looking just as minging as the last time I saw him. He floats towards me.

"I told you Robyn...." His voice is sad.

"Yes, yes I know I don't need a lecture from you right now, I need to save my son and I need to save Levi now are you going to help me or just float there having a go at me?" I snap back.

He looks shocked "Of course I will help you, I learnt a lot travelling back and forth, that's why I came here, now before we go, it's different there, it's cold, it's dark, I never wanted you to go there you know that"

"I know, but I don't have a choice" I look at him pleading for his help.

"Ok, I'm only here because of you, I snuck out as he is, well, occupied, so I want you to take my hand" he holds out his disintegrating hand.

I go to take it but my hand falls straight through, he's a ghost silly of course I can't grab his hand.

"I can't you're a ghost, you're just nothing" I state frustrated.

"Robyn concentrate, if you can't take my hand how do you suppose I get you there or you defend yourself if you believe you can't touch us? You have to believe you can touch us!" He looks serious.

He's right, they've all been able to touch me somehow, I've never worked out how but I have always felt their cold chill whenever they touched me and they have been able to move things and Ivan has even attacked me.

I take a deep breath and think of my Nan's words, I reach out once more to grasp him, I feel his hand close around mine and I feel my hand in his as if he was alive.

I look at him pleased with myself and he gives me an approving look, a sort of _'well done I'm proud'_ look in only the way he can.

"Before we go, once we are there, you are on your own, as soon as I step back there I will be pulled to the darkness, it's like he sucks us back to him, to where he needs us, it takes so much strength to get here but I do it for you, remember Robyn, you are strong" he says encouragingly and warning me.

I will be in this place all on my own, with no help, just me, I have to do this, I have to do this for my boys.

"Remember you are strong" the psychic repeats behind me.

"You ready?" Jay asks.

I nod in agreement and feel the hurricane once again, the wind swirling around fiercely that it takes my breath away. Jay is looking at me, I try to keep my eyes open but the wind is strong, I close my eyes and it goes black.

## CHAPTER 26

I feel cold but I'm ok, I feel slightly weird, I open my eyes, its grey and misty all around, like a fog has fallen, the trees are black and the place seems ghostly, empty almost.

I know I'm where I am meant to be, I look around observing my surroundings, behind me is road that seems to go on forever, I think that is the way I came in, in-front of me is what appears to be an old town leading up to a black castle on top of icy mountains.

Mist surrounds me with the distance sounds of screams, it isn't loud, they sound really far away, must be coming from the castle.

Above me is nothing, just blackness, not a sky, not a star just pure blackness. I cannot see Jay anywhere but then again he did say I would be on my own for this and I don't know how long I have been lying on the floor.

Even I look grey here, I look at myself, my clothes are dull, no colour, my skin is pale grey, it is as if this place, this world, whatever it is, has an effect on you, it makes you feel like you are nothing, I feel like I shouldn't move from this spot, like I should just give up, where the fuck have those feelings come from? It's here in this miserable place.

I shake of this feeling, this thing that is trying to make me give up, why would it want to do that, they need my soul. I walk through the ghostly town, I see grey/blue images in the corners crying, they all have one arm missing and that neck wound.

Ivan is keeping them here against their will, how can they become his army when it is clear that they just don't want to, does he force them to do his bidding because he has some sort of control? I don't know and to be honest I don't want to stop and ask.

I walk slowly through the mist, I can see the lights flickering inside the castle but it's hard to see anything at eye level, it's just too foggy, I can see but not very much.

A dog runs passed me, it stumps me for a moment, why would there be a dog down here? Maybe he is just trying to play with my mind, _'this isn't real'_ I tell myself in my head _'it's just an illusion'_ but the thing is, this place, it is real, it's a ghostly world I have been dragged into because some fucking ghost can't accept the fact he is dead.

This town is long, boarded up houses on either side of me, ghosts floating all around with such sadness on their faces. Something catches my attention, a woman in the window of one of the houses, I don't know why but I'm drawn to her. I make my way towards the house, the door opens easily, go figure!

Entering I see furniture, it's all covered up with black sheets, they could have been white at one point who knows, this town isn't exactly what you would expect to go wandering in on a daily basis is it?

There is what appears to be dust everywhere on everything and the floor boards' creek as you walk over them. I make my way up the stairs to the room I saw the woman in. As I approach the landing I hear heavy breathing and a sigh.

Why am I doing this? I need to find my boys! But for some reason I keep walking towards this room.

There by the window is a woman, she is dressed in what can only be described as her pyjamas and she is missing an arm, of course she is otherwise she wouldn't be stuck here. She is old from what I can see behind her and her hair is a mess, like she was sleeping and then brought here.

"You have come finally" she whispers.

"Uhhh yeah, I'm here" I reply cautiously.

"Jay said you would come"

I frown confused "You know Jay?"

The woman turns, to my horror it's his mum, "Oh my god, Ruth?"

I didn't even know she had died; I'm such a bad person for not going to visit her but so many things were happening, tears fill up in my eyes and I push my lips together to stop from screaming in shock.

She smiles at me softly, "Don't be sad my darling, you need to be strong, I have seen who they have brought and you will get them back, I know what happened to Jay and I know you did what you could, I'm not mad at you, please my darling, don't cry."

Her words are sort of soothing, of course at the time I couldn't tell her how her son died no matter how much I wanted to.

"I should have been there for you, I'm so sorry" my voice low.

She lifts my head "Shhh, it's ok; I know you will free us all."

Well that's just added to the amount of pressure, am I meant to free all these ghosts too? I didn't even think of what would happen to those he already captured and those who had asked me for help, then again I was told once I will free them.

I give her a soft smile and leave, I have to make my way through this shithole and get to that fucking castle. Many obstacles are in my way, floating ghosts, things running past and then things seem to come to life and if people are relieving how they died. It's awful but I cannot let it distract me anymore.

Finally I reach the bottom of the mountain, it looks a long way up, there are what appears to be steps to climb all the way up to the main entrance.

"Fuck me" I state to myself.

I can't remember the last time I went to the gym and now I have to climb all these steps, I take a deep breath, I'm doing this for Jack and Levi, I've made it this far without so much as a peep from Ivan or that hooded figure yet, I'm not giving up now.

I make my way up the steps, it's exhausting, they seem to go on forever and ever, maybe it's just my mind, maybe they don't and here it just appears like they do.

I move a little faster, thinking of Jack and Levi is giving me the strength to do this. I hear something behind me, I don't know what it is but it's some weird sound.

I turn and to my horror behind me are what appears to be thousands of black spiders heading fast towards me, I fucking hate spiders, I start running up the stairs as fast as my legs will take me but these little critters out run me and before I know it they are all over my feet and then up my legs.

I'm screaming and shaking trying to get them off me but they don't seem to be shifting, my heart is pounding and I feel like they are crawling inside of me.

"GET OFF, STOP IT" I scream as loud as I can.

I shake my body and tell myself it isn't real and with that they disappear. I'm breathing so heavy I need to calm down before I begin to hyperventilate. This place, wherever I am, it plays tricks on your mind.

_'Think of Jack, think of Levi and get up'_ I think to myself. I get up and look around, I can't believe it, I'm almost there!

I hear the sounds of screams and crying getting louder as I get closer to the top, I don't know what is waiting for me beyond those walls but I can't show them my fear, even though right now I am fucking terrified.

After what feels like forever of climbing I reach the top, I catch my breath, I don't want to be out of breath when I walk in there. I hear someone call my name from behind me.

As I turn there are dead heads surrounding me on spikes, suddenly I'm in the middle of them all and I cannot see a way out.

They are covered on blood, their eyes closed and guts and god knows what is dripping from their neck wounds.

"AHHHHHHHHH GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!" I scream in fear.

They are gone! Another illusion to frighten me, I am scared, in-fact I am beyond terrified but I am not letting them take my fucking son.

I get to the castle, it's huge, I'm by the door, these big tall brown cast iron doors. I'm going in, in my mind I wish right now I had help but I don't, I'm alone, just me, I hope I make it out of this.

## CHAPTER 27

As I enter I am in a grand hallway, it goes on with a red carpet underneath, candles burning all the way down the walls and yet it still seems dark, the walls are black that's why, black and running with blood.

This is seriously twisted, it's like a horror, but then I suppose he wants it to be like this, to remind you of who he is and the pain he can inflict, like he is the worst there is.

I walk down the corridor slowly as I don't want to make any noise just yet, I have a plan in my head, sneak in, find Jack, snap him up, find Levi and run and get the fuck out of here.

Ok I know it's not the best plan in the world but it was the first one I thought of and I'm going to stick with it. The sounds of crying and screaming are much louder since I have walked in here, the pain and sorrow these souls, ghosts or whatever they are, are feeling must be horrible, I dare to think about it or what they are doing to Levi or Jack!

I hear a slight giggle behind me, not a giggle, more of an evil snigger, I freeze and turn and there he is, the black hooded figure that took my son.

"You!" I whisper slightly scared.

"So you found your way here, think you are strong? Think you can save them?" his voice low and evil.

"I don't care what you think, I will not let you take my son" my voice slightly shaky.

"And what of your lover?"

"I will fight for both of them" oh god I hope he doesn't sense how terrified I am.

With one swift move and a laugh he sends me flying down the hallway until I hit the wall at the end and come crashing to the ground.

_'Ow'_ I think it my head _'that fucking hurt.'_ I look up and he's coming towards me, I know his game, wear me down, no, no, I can't do this, I find strength and I get up and run.

I run into strange places and then seem to end up back in the fucking hallway. I need to get a grip, they are playing with me and I feel like I'm getting nowhere.

I run to the left, he finds me, grabs me by the throat and tries to throw me again, this time though I hold on to him as he tries to launch me with all that strength I fall to the floor with him on top of me.

Jay's words spring to mind right now _'You have to believe you can touch us'_ and with that I throw a punch directly at his grim face.

Holy fuck! It works;, he cries out as my fist hits his face. He's on top of me wrestling with me right now, we're struggling as I'm trying to break free and he is trying to keep hold of me, he is strong but I'm not going to let him take me and beat me.

I fight back as much as I can until I am able to free myself and run, I run down a corridor and down some stairs, I can hear him screaming and shouting, he's angry, my fucking ribs hurt and now my back too.

I run into a room and shut the door. Well this is fucking stupid! I lock myself in an enclosed room rather than running for the open space. Wait, I can't I have to find Jack, this place is huge and right now I have no idea where he is or how to find him.

This room is cold, dark and morbid, there are people hanging from the ceiling, are they people? It's dark, they look like people, there's no possible way people can be here, it's a ghost world!

I can hear the sounds of me breathing, I need to control myself. I look around and I hear something rattle. Oh shit! There is something or someone in here. _'Be brave'_ my inner voice tells myself.

Wait, hang on, I'm in a room surrounded by death, Jay told me that they were all in the darkness, that's what I have to find, the darkness, surely this isn't it. I stay by the door, I hear no-one outside and I'm not willing to go and inspect who the fuck is in here. I need to get to Jack.

"Mummy" I hear him, but how?

I don't know, I get out of the room and walk down the black corridor. As I get closer the sounds of screams become louder, I must be close, I wish I wasn't here, I want to be home, Jack in my arms, Levi cuddling me, _'think of that and you will get through this'_ my inner voice speaks.

I get to the end and there is nothing, just an edge and below me is nothing but pure blackness. There is no way back, I can't go back, I hear Jack, I hear him calling me, he doesn't sound upset, he doesn't sound in pain but I hear him calling out to me, he must be wondering where I am.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, with my heart pounding and my brain telling me I'm so scared, I leap off the edge.

I feel like I'm falling slowly, on my way down in the darkness there are ghosts all around me, floating by, sadness in their faces, pain in their eyes, I feel it, I feel their sorrow, their pain, their hurt. It touches my heart, they are trapped here, there must be hundreds of them, are these his army?

I finally reach the bottom, I was falling slowly it seemed but I crash onto the floor hard. It hurts, I don't know how much more my body can take, I'm hurt and bruised, how much more do I have to endure, I know they are trying to wear me down but I can't let them.

I get up and try to hide the pain running through my body and put it to the back of my mind, I see something in-front of me, it's human shaped and it's stuck to the wall, I walk towards it to find it's Levi, he's chained, covered in cuts and bruises like he has been beaten and left for dead.

"Levi" I whisper sounding surprised.

"You're not real, go away....leave me alone...." He replies sounding unsure of what he sees.

"Baby it's me I promise you it's me" I touch his face.

I let him feel my warm loving touch on his cheek. His face rubs into my hands as he looks into my eyes, I can see the tears, the shock and the disbelief.

"Robyn, is it really you?"

"Yes baby, it's me I promise it's me, how are you like this, you have only been gone a few minutes before I came here"

"I don't know, they played on my mind, I thought you were with me, it was a trick....it was all a trick Robyn I...." tears fill his eyes.

"Shhh baby its ok, I'm going to get you out of here." I tell him, love and panic in my voice.

I untie him and get him down, he seems weak but he refuses to lean on me.

"Where is Jack" I ask.

He points "down there where it's so dark."

Levi refuses to leave my side, I have him now I have to get Jack, we make our way to the darkness, however there are ghosts that seem to try and stop us getting there.

They grab us, throw us and chuck us about but neither of us give up, we find the strength to keep walking, wounded and sore but we have to keep going.

I tell Levi to go back and try and find the road but he refuses, he wants to stay with me, this beautiful man once again is trying to save me. I feel my heart skip a beat and then I realise, that's it, that's how to defeat this asshole, strength and love, he may be able to hurt me and he may be able to take us down here to the place no-one would dare to be, but he cannot take my love for these boys and he cannot take my strength, with all of that inside me I finally feel ready to face the beast.

We make our way through until finally we reach a room, well what appears to be a room. Inside it are ghosts all wearing red robes, their heads lowered and I cannot see their faces. The room is of a grey colour, like stone and surrounding it are cages, the cages seem to have fire burning in them. In the middle of this congregation is a stone perch and on top of that is Jack.

"JACK!" I scream out.

All heads turn to face me as I run towards him. I try to grab him but something is protecting him, like an invisible force field, as I get to him and touch it launches me away and I smash into one of the cages.

I look up, there he is, Ivan, walking towards me with a callous smile in a red robe, he actually looks like him, like the picture I have seen and not the goats head he appeared as before.

This is it, this is where he wants me, I feel this is going to be one big fight.

## CHAPTER 28

He lifts me off the ground and stares directly at me, he's smiling at me, why the fuck is he smiling, there's nothing to smile about asshole, wait, for him there is, SHIT. I look over and see his minions have taken hold of Levi and then I look over Ivan's shoulder and can see Jack is ok, he is unharmed, thank god!

"You, you will give me what I want" he speaks.

"I will give you nothing" I snap back.

He puts his hands around my throat and tightens, he squeezes and I'm choking, he then throws me onto the other side of the room.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Levi shouts.

Ivan just gives him a cold stare and proceeds to make his way towards me, he grabs me again, this time he pulls me in-front of him gripping my neck from behind and forcing me to go where he points.

"You see this...."

I'm looking at Jack and Jack is looking back at me. My little boy, I need my boy.

"His body belongs to me...."

"He is mine and I will never let you take him...." I reply, my voice a little hoarse where he choked me.

"Ahh but he is, do you know who I am?" he looks at me, those fierce red eyes.

"A coward"

He launches me across the room again. I don't need to hear this shit I've already heard this crap before, well, read most of it anyway. I look up at him, right now I feel a bit too sore to move!

"I am Ivan; I was once betrayed by he which I trusted"

I roll my eyes.

"I will be born again through this boy who shares the same bloodline as I...."

"Same bloodline, you're lying" I cut him off angrily.

"Why would I lie, you see you my precious you are a family decedent of mine, you are the daughter of generations that of my father's bloodline and your son is tied to you and me," he smiles.

That's it, that's why we are the key, the psychic said there was something about us that he needed and that he had tried to do this before and it never worked. That's why all those others never worked, he needs our blood, family blood and the body of someone linked to that bloodline to live but because his soul is tied to mine he cannot take the body until I break the connection, in all honesty right now this sounds fucking crazy but it's all I've got to work with.

I find the strength to stand to my feet "I don't care who you are of what fucking blood ties you believe we have, but you are not taking my son, do you hear me? Never will I let you take him and never will you be free from this shithole where you belong."

He launches at me but I fight back, bloodlines my fucking ass, this guy is a murderer, a rapist, and myself and my son will never be like that.

A fight ensues between me and Ivan and before I know it I lose sight of him and he's got me, hands behind me back as he is leading me to the fire.

"You will give me what I want or I will throw your son in here" he states angrily.

"Throw my son in there you asshole and you will never get what you want" I snap.

I look to the side of me; one of the hooded figures is Jay, why isn't he helping me? Wait, he did say he could only break free sometimes and that he was under Ivan's control. I need to snap him out of it; I need to make him think of me.

"JAY! " I scream "JAY WAKE UP PLEASE JAY THEY HAVE JACK PLEASE DON'T LET HIM DIE" as I struggle to get free.

It works, his head lifts up quickly as if something in his dead brain clicks, he charges towards me knocking Ivan off guard and I fall to floor inches away from the fire. I roll away and head towards Jack, ghosts come in and before I know it there is a fight. Ghosts he has captured somehow he has lost their control on them slightly and they find what they need to attack him and his followers, the army that seem to be loyal even in death.

We try to free Jack but I'm grabbed again and pinned against the wall.

"You will give me what I need" he snaps, his voice deep and evil.

I see the ghosts around him, he is stronger than they are and although they are fighting his followers they seem to be losing, I can see Jay protecting Levi stopping him from running towards me.

"I HAVE TO SAVE HER" he screams over all the ghostly chaos.

"NO, SHE HAS TO DO THIS ON HER OWN!" Jay replies.

Ivan is looking directly at me, as if he is peering into my soul, I know he wants me to give it to him right now but I won't I'm not letting him take my son!

He reaches inside me as if he is trying to pull my soul from my body, it hurts, I feel pain, I feel the strain as I'm trying to not let this happen. I look at him and he is struggling to pull it from me. He needs me to will it away, which he thought I had by all of this.

"We may have the same bloodline and you may have once been fearless, but I will never ever give you what you want, you can burn in hell" my voice struggles as his hand is around my throat.

With that he falls backwards, like he doesn't have the energy or the power anymore. I fall to the floor, Levi runs to help me, Jay by his side, I push them out of the way and run towards Jack, I don't care what is surrounding him, I force through it and grab him, I got him in my arms, he's safe, he's here with me.

"Mummy" he smiles.

"Mummy needs you to hold on to me ok and don't let go no matter what don't let go"

He nods and agrees and we leg it out of there as fast as we can. Jay is guiding us back to the top of the castle grounds and outside.

I am in so much pain but I don't care, getting out of here right now is more important. I look behind and Ivan is chasing us but he seems weaker than he was, like he is struggling to keep up.

"GIVE IT TO ME" he shouts behind us.

I'm not giving him fuck all and I don't want to stay here, we keep running until finally we are outside, I see mist below, they greyness covering the town we need to get to.

"Robyn, you can do this" Jay encourages me, "Go, be free"

We run down the steps, funny, there doesn't seem that many on the way down as there was on the way up, things try to stop us, spiders, worms, dead heads on spikes but I grab Levi's arm, I clutch Jack tightly and we keep on running.

Wait, this isn't right, I can keep running and running but Ivan will come for me, he will come back for me, all he needs is strength, we get to the peak of the town, mist surrounds it, like a dark thick fog.

"Levi, you need to take Jack home..."

"What I'm not leaving you here...."

"Just shut up and listen to me...." I snap "Please just do as I ask, this isn't over, I can feel it, you need to go, go through to town to the end where there is a road, I don't know how you get back but you will I promise you will"

"NO" he snaps back, "Look for fuck sake Robyn I am not leaving you here alone, we will stay together where we can both protect Jack do you understand me"

Wow I'm slightly shocked, I thought he would have been happy to get out of this place but he wants to stay here, with me. I see Ivan, he's coming.

"Ok fine, I don't know how to end this"

Ruth appears "You have life, he doesn't so use it"

Ghosts appear behind me, like they have found some sort of strength to fight him, they are backing me, maybe it's because he couldn't take my soul, maybe it's because I fought him, I don't know but they are there, behind me as if to help me. I see some I recognise, ones I have seen before.

This is it, I have to end it now and then get the fuck out of here.

## CHAPTER 29

He approaches me slowly, he seems cautious of me and those around me, the souls or ghosts he has captured are no longer bowing to him, it could be my presence.

"No matter what happens, keep hold of Jack and stay out of the way" I tell Levi.

Everything is quiet; we are all still, stood there facing each-other in a stand-off sort of thing. I'm waiting for Ivan to make his move but he doesn't budge, he just stares. Then, silence is broken, he speaks.

"You think you have the power to defeat me...." He laughs.

"I don't claim to have any power but I will not give you what you want" I stand my ground.

His face turns and its evil, angry, in a blink he is there in-front of me grabbing me and throwing me across the floor. I look up at Levi who seems to want to run out to save me but I tell him no, he knows he needs to protect Jack.

"You are nothing, I will rise again and I will reign once more" he states as he lifts his hands into the air.

I stand to fight, I'm in so much pain, I got cuts and bruises all over from being thrown about, I see that, that thing that took Jack is behind me, he is watching with an evil smile on his face.

"You will rot in hell" I tell him.

He comes towards me and grabs my neck, why always the fucking neck!

"LEAVE MY MUMMY ALONE!" Jack screams.

He turns to look and I find the strength to punch him in the face, he cowers in pain and drops me. I stand before him, I find every piece of courage I have inside my body, I feel the wind of the hurricane blowing, it's like an angry storm, it's trying to distract me.

"You can conjure whatever storm you like but you will not beat me, he is my son, I love him, I will never let you take that away from me, you deserve to burn in hell, do you understand, you cannot have me and you cannot have him either, you have nothing, you are nothing, and you do not have the power to take my soul from me" my words are strong.

Ivan falls to the floor, it's as if he has lost all strength, his followers retreat, I think I done it, they all seem so weak, in-front me they start disappearing as if they are or were nothing.

I turn to the ghosts behind me "You're free, go now, leave this place" I shout.

Without them he has no strength, no power, nothing, without my soul or Jack's he is weak, he begins to waste away before my eyes, like he is nothing. I see Jay, he comes towards me, he seems, well, whole again "You have to get out of here"

"Wait why hasn't the wind stopped" I ask.

"Because his soul is dying, this place will collapse, it's only a figment of his ghostly mind, RUN!" he shouts.

Ghosts seem to be whole again as they start to rise in the darkness above and leave. I grab Levi and Jack and we rung through the town, through the wind and the storm to get out. We end up back by the road where I was when I first got here.

"How do we get out?" Levi asks worried.

"I don't know" I panic. "Jay how do we get out" I ask worried.

"I can only take one of you, I can't take you all" he looks sad and scared.

"Don't worry baby-girl we are here for you" a calm voice speaks.

I look "Mum? Dad?" tears fill my eyes, "But how are you here?"

"We are here to help you, everyone hold hands"

They smile softly at me; it makes me feel warm, loved, safe. We all hold hands and the wind is so strong I almost feel breathless, I close my eyes tightly and it goes dark.

I feel warm and I feel a light, I open my eyes, I'm lying on my kitchen floor, Jack is beside me in Levi's arms.

"Oh thank god you're back" the psychic hovers over me.

She helps us all up and I look around, they've gone, Jay, my Mum, my Dad, they have gone.

"Wondering where they are aren't you?" she asks.

"Yes" I whisper all upset.

"They brought you here and went back to where they are at peace, you did that, you defeated him, now they're all free" she smiles.

"But I wanted to say goodbye one last time" I sob.

"I'm sure they know that"

"How did I defeat him, how did I set them free?" I ask confused.

"Because you found strength against him, it weakened him and you weakened him to the point he could no longer fight back and those ghosts or souls he had captured felt his hold over them break, that's how they managed to be free, plus the tie between you and Jack never broke" she smiles and strokes my cheek.

I look and see Levi, my heart skips a beat and then Jack comes running towards me so happy to see me.

"Mummy" he leaps wrapping his arms around me "I knew you would come and get me" he smiles.

"I will always come for you sweetheart and I will never let anyone take you away from me again" I hug him tight.

Levi joins us wrapping his arms around the both of us, it hurts but I don't care, this is the best feeling in the world, that evil man, ghost, thing tried to destroy me and it was easy to drag me into that world because of my gift, which by the way I still have as the psychic gladly told me.

I now know that I have a bloodline direct to that psycho but I will never become like him, we are who we are because of the choices we make, there are good choices and there are bad choices, only we can decide which road to go down, we are in charge of our own future. I will always make sure I try and do my best to make the right choices.

"I love you" Levi says warmly.

"I love you more"

"Not possible" he smiles.

"And I love you and you and you" Jack giggles.

Now, I know love isn't a fairy tale, love is hard work, Levi and I have had our arguments and I'm sure in all of the years to come we will have many more. I have been hurt so many times and my gift made my life difficult, but I guess that I just had to wait for the right one to come along, the one who fits into my strange and weird puzzle.

Jack will continue to see Pete and we will continue with our awkwardness and arguing and things won't always be easy, but that's what I have come to learn as I've grown.

Everyone is sat around the kitchen table, they are smiling and laughing and maybe now things will be a little more normal, I know I will always have this gift but now that Ivan has gone maybe it will be a tad more normal.

I don't know what I will see but I can hope it will not be anything like I have seen over the years. I go towards the window, the sun is shining brightly in the sky, I would have thought it would have been dark.

I need fresh air; I go down and out of the flat and stand outside the door. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, Levi and I will need to go to the hospital and get checked out I guess, how the fuck will we explain this? I giggle at the thought.

I feel a calm breeze go passed me, leaves surround my feet in an unusual way, like they are being guided, they lift into the air, swirling around up and up as they head towards the blue sky.

There in the clouds I see their faces, Jay's, Ruth's, Nan's, Mum's and Dad's and faces of those who had asked for my help, they are free, they are at peace.

They are looking down on me, I smile knowing that no matter what, they will always be there to watch over us....forever.

##
