Chapter 7: Run Don't Walk

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I didn't even recall falling asleep

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I didn't even recall falling asleep. I only remembered waking with a terrible headache pounding my temple and the remnants of the unexplained red wine stains on the pretty white tile of the kitchen floor.

I recalled witnessing the humanoid shadow rush across the room toward the wine bottle before it hit the floor, but much of what happened after became a blur. Thankful that I got some much-needed rest, I left Nolan furiously trying to scrub the stain from the tiles and entered the brightly lit studio. I noted his irritation and thought it best to slip out of the room without interrupting.

My curiosity led me to my computer at the lone desk in the corner of the massive, empty room. I secured the terrycloth robe around me and chuckled at the comically sized workspace compared to the room. It made sense why it was there, to keep our work professional, efficient and convenient. Plus, the perfect white backdrop was great for showcasing my wardrobe when live streaming. Despite that, I couldn't help but snort at the disproportionate setup.

Nolan's muffled voice could be heard from across the short distance between the rooms. From the sound of it, he was in a business meeting. I could tell by the clear, concise demeanor and the lack of curse words which he used while speaking to himself when picking up stray pieces of glass from the floor.

I went online to search for ghosts and hauntings. Anything that could explain what I was experiencing and why. I sought information that linked hauntings and headaches, the meaning of mirror phantoms, and the dangers of ghosts that closely resembled oneself. Nothing seemed helpful and a lot of the material contradicted each another, but I continued my online investigation because I'd become determine to find something, anything, that could help.

Mentions of salt, circles, candles, and crystals all seemed pointless in my logical mind. What I really wanted to know was why this was happening to me?

Being related to stress or even a brain injury was out of the question after Nolan seemed to see it and it interacted with our physical environment.

I continued to search as the single door across the studio opened to Joselyn and a tray of two iced coffees and one hot black in her hand.

"Rhea!" she squealed. "Look at you, beautiful. You ready for today's photo sesh?"

The door closed and automatically locked behind her, and she only continued to strut toward me, balancing the tray expertly in one hand and the keycard to unlock the door in the other. Her high heels click-clacked as usual, and her handbag dangled from the strap that was tucked in the crook of her elbow.

"Hey, Jos." I turned in my seat to receive the refreshing chilled drink. "This may sound so gross, but I haven't even showered yet."

"Still beautiful, even while stewing in your own filth." She chuckled. "Where's Nolan?"

"I think he's in a meeting in the other room." I nodded at his coffee. "You can just leave it here."

"Cool beans." She sat the tray down. "Don't we have makeup coming in less than an hour and a shoot to set up?"

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