Living Ghost

-----

Could you drop some reviews? It helps to get this fic a rating.

------

"This came from my kitchen, right?"

Christian gazed at the menacing knife hanging above him, his mind clouded, as if he were in a trance, struggling to grasp the current situation.

"Are these your final words?"

The blonde girl's expression remained hidden behind her long hair, but her tone grew increasingly ominous.

"Alright, stop kidding" Christian still wore a bewildered expression, too lethargic to resist.

"Alexis?"

"Tsk, how did you figure it out?" Charlize, or rather, Alexis, lifted her head, her lips curled as if she were smiling, though a hint of resentment simmered in her eyes.

"Before we continue, could you please put the knife down? This 'Sword of Damocles' is no joke" Christian implored.

"Sure?" Alexis placed the knife aside, though her grip on it remained firm. She continued to straddle Christian's waist, denying her opponent the opportunity to rise.

"Let's get to the point now"

"What are you talking about? How could you not mistake me for Sally?"

Christian offered a wry smile.

"Do I even need to explain? I've never done anything to make Sally hate me this much. Plus, if it were Sally, she'd probably prefer using ice cones over a knife"

"Basic Instinct?"

"Yes," Christian nodded.

"I may not like that movie much, but Sally once told me, after watching a videotape, that she found Sharon Stone pretty hot when she killed using an ice cone"

"I think you should consider finding her a therapist."

"Agreed."

"Back to the main issue," Alexis looked down condescendingly at Christian, who was pinned beneath her.

"You mentioned not doing anything to make Sally hate you. Does that imply you've done things that made me hate you?"

"Absolutely," Christian admitted calmly.

"The reason you're like this now is because you believe I abandoned you in that wall-painting world, isn't it?"

"Are you admitting it?" Alexis clenched her silver teeth, her hand gripping the knife adding more pressure. It seemed like a nod from Christian would make her raise and drop the knife.

"Don't get so worked up" Christian chuckled casually.

"You should know that as soon as I decide, you'll lose control over Sally's body."

"That damn contract" Recalling a few previous experiences, Alexis knew the other party wasn't lying, so she tossed the knife aside in frustration.

"You deceiver. What do you want?"

"I'm just presenting you with a choice." Christian's face remained composed. Even though he was the one underneath, Alexis felt entirely at his mercy, like a puppet.

"Whether to become a living person who's experienced death or to simply remain a true ghost. The choice is yours."

"Living person?" Alexis was taken aback.

"Yes, alive" Christian's tone was alluring. "Or perhaps, I can allow you to live like a living person."

"You can bring me back to life?"

Alexis gazed at Christian with a mix of anxiety and curiosity.

"The miracle of coming back to life isn't something a mere amateur like me, who's dabbled in some spells, can perform," Christian explained, shaking his head. "I mean letting you exist like a living person."

"Is there a difference between the two?" Alexis inquired, puzzled.

"Living like a living person means you have all five senses; you can be seen, heard, touched, and even interact with others..." Christian's lips curled, giving a somewhat wretched smile. "But you can't have children, you can't age, you can't even die a natural death. In reality, you can't even leave a normal footprint – you're still a ghost, but you can live like a living person."

"That's better than the current state" Alexis didn't hesitate to accept, despite it being an imperfect resurrection. After all, as Christian had said, imperfection was still better than being a lonely ghost, but...

"What does this have to do with you leaving me in the world of wall painting?" Alexis hadn't forgotten what had happened before.

"Because that's the first step. Only after passing this test can you proceed to the next stages," Christian replied, looking up at Alexis as if confirming her determination.

"That's why I said, you need to choose your path."

"You mean this was a test?" Alexis began to understand.

"What kind of test was it?"

"Is there anything or anyone in this world worth your nostalgia?" Christian reached out and held Alexis's hand.

"Just as I told Sally before, holding on means you still have hope and attachment to the world. This is why the living is alive, and it's the primary requirement for a ghost to live like a living person."

"So you used the power I stole from Ghost Tiger before the movie's end to prematurely end your strange spell and create that endless storm?" Recalling Christian's actions, Alexis started to grasp what the other meant.

"Amid that bizarre storm, my mind was filled with the idea of 'Stay down, don't return to reality.' Was the test to see if I could break through that barrier?" Alexis questioned.

"That's right," Christian nodded. "Breaking through the chaotic storm on your own signifies that you still have connections and attachments in the world, making it reasonable to live like a living person."

"Okay," Alexis replied noncommittally, then asked an unexpected question, "But what if I fail to break through this storm? What happens then?"

"You'll likely vanish completely," Christian replied, causing Alexis to momentarily contemplate picking up the knife again. Yet, she understood why he said it.

"After all, your willingness to assist me is primarily to separate me from Charlize's subconscious, isn't it?"

"Yes, solely for Charlize," Christian stated, pointing a finger at Alexis's forehead.

"Because Charlize didn't shatter the bottle that contained you, that's why you've become what you are now, a second personality similar to hers. With your current conditions, you should be fine for a few years. However..." Christian turned around.

"Sooner or later, she'll consume you like a true primary personality. At that point, you'll vanish completely, and Charlize will likely suffer from a genuine split personality."

----

References- 

1. Basic Instinct - it is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven.

2. Sword of Damocles- an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power.