Dancing with the Dead ✔

Chapter Ten - Teenage Rage

It is that exact moment when I suddenly hear a snickering voice behind me. With an obvious frown on my face, I turn around, only to see John still standing with half of his body below the island.

"What?" I cry angrily.

In a haste, he closes his mouth and shakes his head. "Nothing." He presses his lips together as he tries to stifle a laugh. "I just didn't think you're so... Uhm... badass," he continues mumbling to himself. Still trying to hold his laughter, he gestures at the boy and says, "Go on then, don't let me stop you." He flashes a wide grin to my clear annoyance.

I shot him a bite-me look before turning my gaze to the stunned boy. "What are you looking at, huh?" my loud voice echoes through the room.

In return, he shakes his head real fast. The palpable fear in his eyes makes me realize the weirdness of what I just did. To him, I must've looked like a crazy lady who ran away from the looney bin and takes cover in a haunted house. Well, at least if he's afraid of me, he won't try to kill me anymore.

I avert my gaze and clear my throat. Trying to act as mature and serious as I can, I turn my gaze towards the boy and snort.

"You," I say, pointing my pan at him. "What is a teenager like you doing with a gun?" I try to take control of the situation by changing the subject. "Didn't you know you could've killed someone with that?" I wiggle my pan at the gun in his right hand. "You could've killed me!"

He stammers, "Well... well, I thought..."

"You thought what?" I reprimand him.

His gaze shifts rapidly back and forth as a shot of guilt is seen in his eyes. "I thought you were a ghost..." His voice trails away to nothing as his gaze suddenly stop at my jeans' pocket. With his jaw dropping, he drops his gun to the floor. Then, as if an unknown force has taken over his body, he begins to approach me slowly.

"No... That's impossible..." He shakes his head before narrowing his eyes, unable to believe what he's seeing.

"What?" I blurt. I glance at my pocket, only realizing now that the source of his bewilderment is the phone strap and charm dangling from it.

"That's Jill's..." His gaze fixated to the item in my pocket while his hand reaches out for it. I find myself taking a step backward, trying to dodge him. Before I know it, the rage in his eyes return, only this time it's much worse than before; it's as if a fire has been lit in his eyes. I can hear his breathing gets heavier while tears rim his grey eyes.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a—"

His strong jaw clenches as he grit his teeth. "What have you done with her?" He clenches his fists. Before I can say anything, he repeats himself, his voice getting louder and angrier after each word, "What have you done?"

I continue to take another step back as I try to defend myself, "No, no, you've got the wrong idea. I—"

Before I can finish my sentence, he stomps angrily towards me. Biting my lower lip, I continue to drag myself backward in a frantic move, trying to get away from the obviously disturbed kid. Gritting my teeth, I curse inside as I ponder my thoughts for what to do. I glance at John's direction, asking for help in desperation. John returns my plea with a gasp, followed by his eyes roaming the room in search of anything that can help me.

"You killed her, didn't you?" the boy points at me, his voice filled with anger.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Let's talk, okay?" I say in a desperate attempt to reason, holding one hand out towards him.

"I knew it. When she left me that message, I knew her life was in danger, and you..." A shed of tear falls down his cheek.

"Look. Whatever you think I've done to that girl, I didn't do it. In fact, I don't even know who this girl is!"