A Man in a Woman's Body: The Story of a Habentem #Wattys2016 #JustWriteIt

Chapter 16 - Crystal voice

Julia shook the dropper bottle then opened it and put some of the liquid onto the pendant. Then she put the dropper away and opened the grimoire with the pendant in her other hand. She flicked through the book to a place that I could tell was further on in the book than I had read. Then she started speaking in latin. She was stumbling with her words and checking back on the page.

"Perdis animam tuam, clauditis in lapidem, meus in aeternum" she repeated over and over. Then I heard that odd gravely voice again and I felt a strange vibration in my throat.

"Obliviscaris omnia quae voverat!" said the voice and then Reggie gave me an odd look and I realised that the voice was coming out of me all along.

"What did you say bitch?" shouted Julia at me.

"Just keep her journal and we can all go home. You're being childish." said Regina.

"Ha you haven't even told her have you?" said Julia suddenly realising that my friend wasn't fully aware of what was going on.

"Told me what?" snapped Reggie.

"Cherry isn't Cherry she is possessed by a spirit and that spirit has been playing you as a pawn."

"Don't be stupid there's no such thing."

"This isn't her journal. It's her grimoire detailing how she has lived for centuries by possessing unwilling victims. Don't let her touch you or she'll be able to control you." Reggie rolled back from me as if it were a reflex.

"No you're crazy" said Reggie.

"Go on and ask her something only Cherry would know?"

"Easy, what is the name of my dog that died last year?" I knew I shouldn't of done it but something made me not want to lose what I had with her so I reached over towards Reggie and made out to hug her. I was going to partially possess her at least until this situation was over.

"How long have you not been Cherry?" said Reggie with tears again welling in her eyes as she pulled away from me.

"Don't be silly, I told you already that I'm not Cherry" I said in desperation.

"Then what was my dog's name?"

"I don't know."

"Get away from me! How long?"

"I'm Hugo" I said quietly and reservedly.

"Cherry loved that dog. I don't know who you are!" Reggie huffed and turned away from me. Then Julia took a deep breath and puffed her chest out for her triumphant rant to begin.

"Now what are you going to do? I've got my men here to protect me and you've got nothing!" Adin stepped forward and cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"So have you got your boyfriend under your spell so he will love you?" Adin clutched at his head, obviously I was right and he was experiencing a headache due to the contradiction between his not wanting to be there and her making him comply.

"We were always meant to be together he just couldn't see it!" snapped Julia.

"Oh you are so deluded it's sad!" I said.

"Reggie will forgive me and love me for who I am but you will never have anything other than your own greed!"

"You are the creature of ultimate greed, a Habentem, living only to feed off others!"

"You've got it wrong I'm not the Habentem I'm just someone who found the book like you." Adin began to move forwards towards me.

"Well that doesn't matter any more." Adin lunged forward to point the gun directly in my face. It was very scary to be seeing right down the barrel of the gun.