The Ghost of Sander Jones

Chapter 21: Official

Everything changed so fast, moved so fast. One moment there was silence and the next there was a commotion. I whipped my head in the direction of the casket. There was an ear-piecing, splitting sound of the casket being busted open from the inside. White wood splinters flew everywhere destroying the surroundings. I looked around for my dad and mom but I couldn't see anything through the mass of people scrambling everywhere shouting, screaming.

"Mark!" I yelled looking around futilely. Someone came to my side and when I looked to see who it was, it was not who I expected. "Sander." I breathed. I couldn't see him, because he was invisible, but I could sense his presence. "Yeah, it's me." Relief washed through me at the same time dread did. The area was a deadly quiet, almost instantly. I dared a look around: everyone was suspended, frozen.

There was a man, a man that had not been at the ceremony a few minutes ago, a man who had to be Kalan, stood with his finger pointed in the air holding everyone up. A few feet from him stood my mother, who was trembling slightly, with her wand. Kalan snatched it from her and pointed it at me. He smiled lethally and I froze.

"LOOK OUT!" A voice boomed right before the bluish/green light shot from the wand Kalan was holding. I was tackled to the ground. "Are you alright?" Mark panted pulling me to my feet quickly. I nodded and searched the folds of my dress where I had stashed my own wand at but my search came up empty. I looked up with panic on my face. Kalan's smile was gone and he tossed aside the people that he held suspended within the air, watching them fall. Looking down I saw my wand several yards away from me and I realized that it must have fell when Mark had knocked me out of Kalan's way.

The sky started to darken and I looked up and the moon was moving sluggishly in front of the sun. Just like Kalan had predicted the Half Moon Solstice. I thought frantically. Kalan turned his gaze back to me and his smile was deadly again. "Come here, child." He said his voice smooth, killer smooth. It was like he was purring. I looked down at my distant wand then at Kalan and then shifted my gaze to my mom. How could she? Why wasn't she stopping him? I darted toward my wand but tripped over a wooden shard. Luckily Sander caught me, he was still invisible, before my head hit the ground and scooped up the wand in the same second.

"Cut the ruse, Sander." Kalan said, some of the calmness leaving his tone. Sander, who had not let go of my arm yet, flinched upon hearing his name. He did not reply. "I know you're there. You must have been here the whole time. Another mess up that Mary did – breaking the bond holding you to your body and letting your soul go." Kalan continued impatiently. He was baiting now, hoping to catch Saner and real him in. I looked to where I thought Sander's face was at, worried.

What are you doing? I thought toward Sander shaky. Don't worry... Sander thought back. I felt him take his hand from my arm and I heard him clap turning visible again. Kalan's dark smile returned. "I thought your soul escaped that night. You remember that don't you?" He didn't give Sander a chance to answer. His cold gaze flickered to me and my skin prickled. "Get over here now, child! Time is wasting." He barked at me.

I didn't respond to Kalan's order. I wanted to call him out of his name but the only words that escaped my lips were, "Mom, why? Mom?" My voice came out in a small whisper. My mother looked at me with troubled eyes. "Because –" Kalan cut in impatiently. "Because she didn't have a choice. I pulled all the strings. Because she does not have a backbone." Kalan started toward me and I took the wand from Sander's hand backing away from Kalan's advances. Sander stepped in front of me blocking any other movement.

"Move out of the way!" Kalan order to Sander but he stood his ground. Kalan pushed forward but Sander stopped him putting his hand in front of him. There was a brief flicker of shock on Kalan's face, shock from disbelief that Sander didn't pass though him, but that quickly dissolved into rage as he realized how Sander being able to stop physical items. "You read the Book of En-zar didn't you, you little runt?" He shoved past Sander seeming to be lost in his own fury. Sander caught Kalan by the collar of his shirt whirling him around punching him in the nose. "Elizabeth, run!" Sander said still holding the disoriented Kalan.