8 Chapter 7: In The Lounge

Early next morning. Fiona, Gerry, Olivia and Isabella went down to have breakfast, but soon they realized that Bernard had not joined them.

"Where is Bernard?" Gerry asked.

"He should be here by now," said Fiona.

"Yeah, he should have started his breakfast," Isabella said.

Fiona got up from her table and started searching for Bernard. For one second, everyone looked at her wondering what was wrong.

"Where are you going?" Isabella asked.

"I am going to see whether Bernard is in his room or not? Fiona said. She couldn't say, but Fiona could feel something ominous was about to happen.

She went towards the elevator pressed the button, got inside and went to his floor.

She went to his room and saw that his door was opened. The room cleaners were cleaning his room.

She called out, "Bernard?" And looked everywhere for him she was starting to get worried now. She started screaming. "Where is the boy who was staying in this room?" She asked the cleaner

"He did not return to the lodge last night," the room keeper informed Fiona.

She quickly went down and shouted to her friends

"Bernard's missing."

Everyone got up and asked her if she was okay. "What happened?"

No one could understand the fanatic look on her face.

"Bernard's not in his room!"

Everyone was shocked and worried. Where did he go?

Then Fiona got a sickening feeling. She realized that it had something to do with the book that she had bought recently.

She quickly went upstairs and to her surprise saw that the book that Jacob wrote had also disappeared. She searched for it everywhere, but couldn't find it.

Isabella went to Fiona's room and asked her, "What are you doing?"

"I am searching for that book."

"Where did it go?"

"I kept it on the table before I went downstairs. But where did it go?" She kept thinking…. She started searching for it, she remembered the incomplete story of the book. At the very thought of it, she stood very still.

"What's wrong?" Isabella asked fanatically

"What's wrong Fiona?" answer, please.

Fiona did not say anything. Only after a few minutes, she shout aloud.

"Jacob has captured Bernard!" Fiona said.

"What, how, when?" Isabella looked confused.

"I have read that a ghost can do anything for love. He can even capture people. That's what the story says!"

This is no time for jokes Fiona; it can't be Jacob, Fiona. Please don't be a fool", said Isabella.

"I am not I swear to you guys that I read and there was an incomplete story."

As everyone else was downstairs, Isabella quickly went down with Fiona.

On seeing them, Olivia asked,

"What happened?"

"Bernard has been captured by Jacob's ghost," repeated Fiona.

"Why would he capture Bernard?" Olivia asked sarcastically.

"Because he wants me back in his life. He wants me to be with him for the rest of his life. And because I will never agree to his will, he wants to get to me by you." Fiona said.

They all looked at Fiona.

"I am warning you guys Jacob might do something to you all. So, please go and be in your rooms. Don't come out!"

"Fiona, we don't want you to be alone," Isabella uttered.

"I want to be alone!"

As they left, looking worried and scared, Fiona sat there thinking.

"Why can't Jacob leave my friend alone?"

Slowly, her eyes watered and her face looked dull.

As the time flew by, Isabella, Olivia, Fiona and Gerry did not know that Jacob was listening to them all the time.

But on seeing a walking shadow, Fiona stopped and looked behind.

"Jacob is that you?"

She walked away. But Jacob kept following her. She stood still and did not say a word even after knowing that Jacob was after her.

She looked into her room and saw Isabella, Gerry and Olivia were watching a movie. She joined them, trying to ignore Jacob.