I FELL IN LOVE WITH A LOST SOUL - the challenges of the afterlife.

PART 4

CHAPTER 3

KATHARINE

💀💀

"Hi, Kate. You good?"
"Hello, Ben. I'm good, how about you?" He gazed at me for a while like he was in deep thoughts. I couldn't help but wonder what was he thinking about. Finally, he said, "I'm not good. I'm...worried about you." Oh...
"Why is that? Come, "I gestured him," let's take a seat." He followed me to the table I picked. Sitting down, a waitress came over and took our orders. As Emma; our waitress walked away, I narrowed my eyes at Ben who stared at me funny. "Bennet, "I called out but he did not respond. "Bennet, what's wrong?" He blinked at me and said, "I'm worried about you, Kate."
I frowned, "and why is that?" He looked really worried, and it made me more concerned "Tell me, Ben."
"Look, Kate. Don't get me wrong but...I saw you in a very creepy place last night. That place is an abandoned place. You stood there under the tree alone. I tried calling out for you, but something trapped my voice." Wait...he might be talking about Christian's grandmother's house. But I was with Christian. Why didn't he mention him?
"I was scared for you. I didn't know what to do. I didn't spend much time there when the moonlight flickered. I felt unsafe and I ran away." I blinked at him in confusion. What the hell was going on in my  life? Was I possessed by some spirit?  I kept noticing how weird Christian's life was, so why was I still with him not running for my life? "Kate, it's been a while of me seeing you out at night. Are you sleepwalking?" Now that,  was an insult. I was not sick, crazy or sleepwalking! But apart from that, I needed to ask him this. "Do you perhaps see someone with me?"
He stared deep into my eyes, “no. Only you, Kate." I sighed. It was all confusing. He couldn’t possibly be lying with that face. He was really concerned about me. I tried thinking carefully but, "excuse me, miss Hyde. Chef Steven needs you urgently in the kitchen.
I nodded to Emma who pulled me from the train of my thoughts. Stealing a glance at Ben, "it's okay, Katharine. Duty calls."
"We'll talk later, Ben."

                                                                                                                    
💀💀

KATHARINE

Lunch time, I sat alone in the office; eating a burger with French fries and orange juice. Sorry, did I say I was eating? Well I was not eating but staring at my food. A lot was in my mind. Was this Christian real? Or I was just imagining things, like I had an imaginary boyfriend? Maybe he was only in my dreams right? Maybe I was sleepwalking like Bennett suggested? But why would a dream feel so real? So, I thought...Bella! Dialling her numbers, she answered on the third ring.
'Miss me already, Kate?'
"Yes, Isa. I need you." I heard her curse over the phone.
'If it makes you call me Isa, then it's deep my love.' I remained mute.
'Oh, baby, you seem down. What's up?'
"We need to talk. Can I come over after work?"
'Sure! It will do me good having someone around. Sleeping over?'
"I'm not sure. Wait up for me, that's all for now."
'Okay, baby. Kisses!' I sighed and hung up. Though I didn't feel like eating anything, my food was still glaring at me; pleading me to eat it.

                                                                                                                       

💀💀

KATHARINE

Knocking off at three pm, I headed straight to Bella's house. Hopping off the cab, I walked to her door and rang the bell. The door swung opened, and Bella snatched me into her oh-so-lovely but uncomfortable embrace. "Baby!"
She yelled in jolly, serving me her everyday squashing hug. I groaned in discomfort, but she held me longer. "Bella, you're crushing me!"
She giggled before she let me go. "I can't help it, I missed you! How do you do, Kate? Come in!" I stumbled following her in before she closed the door behind me. "You okay, baby?" I let out a deep defeated sigh. "I'm fine, baby. It's just that I -"
"I'm all ears, Kate. Take a seat." We settled in our seats in her living room. "I... I think I fell in love with a lost-"
"Wait a minute, "she stood up, "I'll get us some snacks and a drink." I waited patiently for her until she came back with a tray full of snacks and wine.  "Now I'm all ears. Strong understanding will kick in with a bit of wine." She giggled while I chuckled lowly. I couldn’t bring myself to laugh. When she noticed, her face dulled a little, "o-kay. Out with it."
She handed me the glass before she sat down. I took a huge gulp, of Vintage. Her gape satisfied me; I knew my point was made. "So, remember the guy I told you about?"
Bella gazed at me in visible confusion. "The guy I used to see at the bus stop, Bella. That Christian weirdo."
Realisation flashed on her face, "oh, that creepy guy. Christian is the name?"
"Yes, it is. BUT...there's more into that." Her eyes narrowed, "which is?"
"We're seeing each other." Bella gasped with her mouth dropped open, "what!" I didn't blame her. The last time we spoke about Christian was when he was new in my life. He was cold in socialisation. And he was not even friendly with me until fourteen days after our first meeting.
I nodded at he in shame; not that I was ashamed of Christian. But to the fact that I was not telling her about our meet-ups and so on. "But how...why didn't you tell me?"
"I did not know how to tell you, Bella. And that guy is strange. Though, I live regardless anything. He treats me with respect." Isabella did not respond, but she blinked at me; her face unreadable. "Does he have any red flags?" I nodded at her question and said, "he's like a ghost." Isabella cracked out in amusement. Like - seriously? What was she laughing at? "A ghost."
She continued laughing, "really, Kate?" She laughed some more, tilting her head backwards. I found myself laughing too. "Ghosts do not exist, Katharine. They're a myth. Maybe your man is practicing witchcraft." I glared at her and we laughed out loud. Really, that is why I loved Isabella. "Baby, I am serious. That man is really suspicious. I cannot put a finger on what he is hiding; it's big."
Bella refilled our now empty glasses, "tell me."
"When he talks about his life, he uses the past tense. And he calls his life as, 'the afterlife.' I remember this one day when we were out at night, he spoke to a whooshing wind. he said, 'leave her alone. She doesn't belong to the dark.' He meant ME, Bella. He's terrifying sometimes."
Bella dragged her face into a serious expression, "are you serious, Kate?" You wouldn’t miss the disbelief in her voice. "I am dead serious. His voice can completely change in seconds. He controlled the wind with his fists; took me to his old grandmother with nails as long as thirty cm. One silly day he promised me a blessing and then suddenly I was promoted on the same day he assumed! Even his body is cold!" I took a huge gulp on my wine, and I ended up drinking all of it. Bella held back her laugh; burrowing her face in the pillow. Her brown curled hair fell along. Was my story that  funny? "Bella it's not funny!" She rose her face to look at me; grey eyes blazing in humour. "I just can't-"
Her statement cut off with laughter. And there it went; I laughed my irritation along.

"Bella this is not  some sick joke, okay? He took me to this strange house to meet his, "I air quoted, "grandmother." Bella paid more attention. "That woman was way too old to be alive. She looked like a zombie; her white extra-long hair, her long nails, her extra saggy wrinkles and foul smell. She was scary!"
"Damn," Bella frowned," and the next thing, Bennett pitched up at work saying he thinks I'm sleepwalking. I seem friendly with walking at night these days. He said he saw me standing alone in a creepy place but then he called out for he, his voice got trapped and something scared him away." Bella finally stopped laughing and looked at me while she wiped her tears. "Katharine you're serious." I nodded," like death, Isabella." Bella swallowed; gawking at me.
"Stop gawking. I am not the one who's a ghost."

                                                                                                      💀💀

KATHARINE

I finally left Bella's house. And when we got to the door, she looked at me in pity. "Are you going to be okay, Kate?" I nodded sadly, "I think so." She pulled me for a hug, "I love you, sister."
"I love you too, Kate. Promise me you will be okay."
" I promise." After uttering those words, I walked away. A part of me was scared. I had come to realisation that my man - was a ghost. "Wait!"
Isabella shouted behind me. I turned to look at her, she stood by the door, holding a paper. "Come back!" I walked back to her, and she waved the paper at me which was written, 'Katharine,' outside in something that looked like charcoal. Bella unfolded it, "to the prettiest woman I've ever known inside out, Katharine. I miss you so much my love. But sadly, I can't see you today. I planned us something nice for tomorrow. It's my day off, so I want to spend it with you. I love you so much...C -A." Chills ran down my spine as I stared at her reading that letter. When my eyes met the floor; a red rose laid there. "There's also a flower, Bella." I picked it up slowly as my heart drummed in my chest. "Katharine this is written in charcoal. And it was not here when you arrived. He should be at work by now, right? How did he know you were here?"

                                                                                                                                        💀💀

KATHARINE

I finally finished the movie I was watching. And so, I stood up; taking the dishes to the kitchen. As I finished packing them away after a wash, I wiped my hands with a dish cloth. Arriving in my bedroom; my body suddenly felt heavy. It felt like someone was staring at me. I felt uneasy as I quickly went to brush my teeth. I was scared, and my heart drummed in my chest. When I was done toothbrushing, the lights in the house started flickering. Everything in the house started trembling. I ran back to my room and hid under the sheets. I was never turning the lights off. I am home and I am safe; I convinced myself. "Dear God. Don't forsaken me."
A few seconds later after my prayer, the tension died down. I, also, finally gained courage to uncover myself from the sheets. BUT, I thought I saw Christian leaving my room. "Christian!"
I yelled after him; got out of bed and ran after him. "Christian, wait!" When I got to the passage - he was gone.