Beyond Her Final Breath (Book 1- Shadowland Duology) | Wattys2015

.Chapter Nine.

“Go away, Evelyn. I told you, I can’t help.” Nathan gritted his teeth and his eyes shot daggers at her.

               She sat on his bed, starring intently at Nathan. “No. Not until you help me.”

               A thick calculus book lay spread open on his desk, papers scattered everywhere. Nathan rested his hands in his hands, his fingers massaging his temples. “Leave me alone. I’m trying to do homework.”

               Evelyn absolutely refused to leave him alone. She followed him like a shadow, always a few steps behind him. Remembering the incident at the track meet, Nathan shuddered. What would’ve happened if she’d been there?

               “And I’m trying to pass on! Why won’t you help me?”

               “I just can’t, okay? I can’t.” Nathan shot her one last glare before returning to his homework. The numbers and words blurred before his eyes, and he sighed. “How exactly can I help? This doesn’t mean I will help, it just means I’m curious.”

               Evelyn’s eyes glittered, and a smile split her face. “Well, you could answer some of my questions. And you could tell me what I was like.”

               Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I… suppose I could help you, but on one condition: you leave me alone during school and whenever I say so.”

               “Alright. It’s a deal. Thank you so so much, Nathan.” Evelyn beamed at him and lay down on his bed.

               “Nathan?” A soft knock on the door. “Are you alright?” Sage stood in the doorway, concern evident in her eyes.

               “Yeah. I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

               Nathan could’ve sworn he saw her stormy eyes flicker to Evelyn and then back at him.

               “Nothing. I just thought I heard you talking, that’s all.”

               “Nope. Just me and my homework.” Nathan tapped hispencli against the textbook with a grin. “Do you need anything else?”

               Sage twirled a curl of her hair around her finger. “Actually, I was wondering if you could drop me off at Grandpa’s.”

               “Uh- yeah. Sure. Let me just finish this up real quick. I was planning on going out anyway.”

               “Oh, okay.” Sage backed out of the room, her eyes flicking to the bed again. “I’ll be waiting downstairs.

               She retreated down the stairs, her blonde head disappearing from view.

               “That was strange,” Evelyn said. “Is she always like that?”

               Nathan’s eyes didn’t stray from where Sage stood a few seconds ago. “No, no she’s not.” A brief pause filled the air. “Evelyn? Can you do me a favor?”

               “Yeah, sure,” Evelyn replied. She could see the wheels in his head spinning.

               “Try to stay away from Sage.”

|<>|

               Sage was curled up in a dusty armchair, reading a thick leather bound book. The attic was surprisingly warm this time of year, but perhaps it was because of the thick tapestries hanging on the walls.

               Dust particles swirled in the sunbeams shining through the skylights. The trap door in the floor opened, and Sage’s grandpa stuck his head in.

               “How’s your studies coming along?”

               Sage’s grandpa was relatively young for a grandfather, but age still shone through. He had salt and pepper hair with mostly salt and a little bit of pepper. Laugh lines creased the corners of his eyes.

               “It’s coming.” Sage fidgeted with a stray thread from the binding of her book. She took a deep breath. “Grandpa, I was wondering…”

               “Oh! Questions! I most likely have an answer. Hold up.”

               He climbed the ladder and hauled himself up. He dusted his pants off and sat across from Sage on a love seat.

               “What’s your question?”

               “Can… is it possible for people who don’t have the Gift like us to see ghosts?”

               Her grandpa rubbed the stubble on his jaw, lost in thought. “Some people say that there is a way for normal people to see them…”

               Sage leaned forward intrigued. “How?”

               “A priestess back in Oklahoma told me that the only way normal people can see ghosts is if they witness the death.”

               “So… if someone murdered somebody, they’d be able to see their ghost?” Her stomach felt queasy.

               “In theory, yes. Does this have anything to do with Evelyn?”

               “I just thought that maybe I could find a way to use my Gift to find who killed her.” It wasn’t a lie, at least not completely, but the words still felt thick in her throat.

               “Oh, Sage,” he sighed. “I get it. I really do. I used to think that perhaps I could help them pass on, but…” Another sigh.

               Sage’s bottom lip trembled.

    “Having the Sight is more than a gift, it’s a burden if you don’t learn how to wield it properly. And you, you’re still learning. Don’t stray from your studies. You need to focus. Maybe someday you’ll be able to use it to help.”

    “But I’ve been training with you ever since Mom died!”

    “It took me years of training to not have it taking over my life. I will admit it, you’re doing fairly well. But you’re not ready.”

    “Yes, Grandpa.”

    An awkward silence hung heavy in the air. Sage gazed at the dried sage hanging around the room. A pentagram pendant hung around her neck, matching the one hanging around her Grandpa’s neck. It focused her Sight, gave her more control.

    “Have you seen Evelyn?”

    “Once,” she lied. Guilt lodged itself in her throat.

    “Alright.” He pushed himself up off his seat. “I’ll leave you to your studying.”

Alright, I know this is a short chapter... BUT the next one will definitely make up for it!

Comment below who you think the murderer is!