The Ghost Files

Chapter Twenty

"Would you look at that?" Mason points to the stage. The table beside the podium, which bore a variety of different machines, is now lit up like a Christmas tree. Even the professor pauses and looks at it. His eyes go out and sweep the audience, coming to rest on me. I know my face is a frozen mask of horror.

"Dan," I whisper. He's not listening. He's too busy watching the equipment. I poke him in the ribs. "Dan."

"What?" he turns his attention to me and a look of concern crosses his face.

"Get me out of here," I tell him, my eyes never leaving the ghost walking with purpose straight to me.

"Mattie, we can't just leave in the middle..."

"Now, Dan." My fingernails dig into his hand and he winces. My voice takes on a note of desperation. "Please, I need to leave right now."

He nods and stands up.  I try to get up, but my ankle is not working properly. Dan lifts and pretty much picks me up by the waist. My feet are hanging suspended off the ground. He carries me out of the row and towards the entrance, all the while apologizing to anyone he's stepping on.

I can barely breathe by the time we hit the hallway. I feel hands closing around my throat and squeezing. The harder I try to breathe, the more difficult it becomes. The invisible hands just grip my throat tighter. Tears spring to my eyes and I'm clawing at my own throat, but there are no hands there. Dan is shouting at me, but I can't hear him. Black spots appear before my eyes and I know I'm going to pass out soon.

Black eyes swim up in front of my face. They are gleeful and enjoying my pain. The boy from the stage. He's doing this to me, but why? What did I do to him? My vision blurs, the light narrowing down to just pinpricks and my lungs burn from lack of air. He's killing me.

That's when I get mad. No one, especially not some freaking ghost, is going to murder me. Been there done that and I won't do it again. Okay, concentrate, Mattie, I tell myself. I'm desperate, but force my mind to calm down enough to think. I focus on the hands around my throat and I shove with all my mental might. The ghost grips my throat harder and I snarl at him. With the last little bit of energy I have, I put every thought into making him back off.

A white flash of light flares between us and I can breathe. I gulp air as fast I can into my oxygen-deprived lungs. I slowly became of aware of voices, muted at first, but then realized they were shouting. I blink and look around.  Dan and Mason are yelling at each other, not more than a few inches from where I am lying.

"What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to Mattie!"

"Then how the hell did she get all those red marks around her throat? It looks like someone tried to strangle her!"

 "D..D..a..." Even though it's a whisper, he hears me and is instantly there, helping me to sit up.

"Shh, don't try to speak yet, Squirt."  He glances at Mason.  "Go find her a bottle of water or something."

Mason gives me a worried look and then heads towards the left hallway.

"Are you okay?" Dan sounds just like a worried mother. "You scared the hell out of me, Mattie."

"Me...too," I whisper. My hands go up to my throat. I can still feel those fingers gripping my neck, squeezing. I close my eyes and all I can see are those crazed eyes. Who was that boy and why was he so angry? No, Mattie. You will NOT start asking questions like that. It will lead you nowhere good. Just stop it.

"Here." Mason shoves a water bottle at us. Dan takes it and removes the cap before handing it to me. My hands shake as I sip at the water. When did ghosts develop the ability to hurt a person? First Mirror Boy and now this guy. I so don't wanna spend the rest of my life getting attacked by angry ghosts.

"Is someone gonna tell me what the hell is going on?" Mason demands.

"No," Dan tells him. "Why don't you go back inside? I'm taking Mattie home."

"NO!" My shout is more a strangled whisper than anything else. But, at least my voice is coming back, but slowly.

"Mattie..."

I shake my head. I came all this way to talk to the spook specialist. One lousy ghost isn't going to scare me away. "I... have... to... talk... to... him."

Dan is frowning and I glare at him.

"Look, why don't we all go over to the coffee shop across the way?" Mason suggests. "Mattie sounds like she needs some hot tea with honey."

I nod vigorously while Dan shakes his head. "Don't make me hurt you," I whisper.

Mason laughs at this. I send him a glare.

"It's no joke, Mase," Dan tells him. "The girl's got some skills."

Mason scoffs. "She's too tiny to do much."

"Yeah? I just watched her bring a guy three times her size to his knees."

Mason sizes me up and then grins. "I like a girl who can handle herself."

This guy Mason amazes me. He is either insane or one of the coolest guys I've ever met.

"Give me your phone." Mason holds out his hand.

"Why?"

"I'm putting my number in it so you can call me, duh!"

I hand him my phone with a hoarse laugh. I'm not sure what to think of Mason. Dan isn't glowering at him, he just looks resigned. Not that it'd matter anyway. I'll do what I want.

While Mason is busy, Dan helps me up. I'm limping, but at least I'm up and walking. Mason hands me my phone back and gives me his. "Your turn."

"You do remember I'm only sixteen, right?"

"I'm only eighteen."

I frown. Eighteen?

"How do you two know each other?" I ask, curious as I program Mason's phone with my number. I like Mason. I feel a little guilty too, especially since I'm not sure what is going on with me and Jake, but there is just something about this guy standing here grinning at me like a goof that I can't shake off. I like him. It's an instantaneous feeling, like what happened with Dan, only different.

"I know him from around." Dan is looking anywhere but at me when he says that. Mason laughs out loud and then says, "I'm his Chemistry tutor."

I smile at them both. Dan is embarrassed and Mason is enjoying being the cause of that embarrassment.

"Mattie, are you ready to go?" Dan grouches.

"Coffee shop," I remind him. I need to talk to Dr. Olivet.

He sighs and nods. "Can you walk or do you need help?"

"I can walk. Mason, I'll call you later, okay?"

"Sure you will, Jailbait, but that's why I have your number." He pats his phone. "Promise to tell me what the hell happened out here when I call?"

Absolutely freaking no way. Mason will run faster than Forest Gump if I tell him I almost got strangled by a ghost. I'm still shaking, but Mason made it all a little less scary with his insane chatter. Dan makes me feel safe and Mason just makes everything seem less frightening. Odd.

"Maybe," I lie.

"She has no intention of telling me, does she?" Mason asks Dan.

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Dan tells him. "Go back inside, Mason. I'll take care of Mattie."

Mason eyes narrow ever so slightly. He gives me a wink, though, and then saunters away into the hall. Dan looks like he is ready to start arguing again, so I turn and walk out of the theater, leaving him to follow and head to the café I can see from here.

Dan is not going to let me get away from explaining things and I need something to fortify myself. Tea would be great right about now. I start hobbling towards the street.