Haunted

"yeah, she called me." Olivia replied sniffing.

"But she's dead." Jerome repeated lamely, then more firmly, "If she's dead and you're certain she's the one that called, then what the hell is going on."

Olivia, now very serious, replied. "That's what I'd like to know, if you believe she's dead and I'm utterly sure she's the one that called, what the hell is going on? And why do you think she's dead anyway?"

Jerome looked at me, the question in his eyes clear, I was elated he trusted me to make the decision.

"We can trust her."

Jerome told her about how we found Alicia dead.

Olivia had on a thinking look, "you know, I'm not entirely certain but she could have done what Mariofozna did."

Jerome gasped, "You know mariofozna?" Surprise filled his voice."

Olivia snorted, "I fought and killed her."

I coughed loudly and Olivia shut me a glare. I narrowed my eyes.

Olivia huffed, "Fine, I thought I killed her but I didn't, turns out she already had a backup plan, she came back from the dead."

Jerome scoffed, "no way."

"Oh she did." Olivia said defiantly. "She first came back as a fucking spirit and haunted me, do you know what it feels like to have a fucking spirit chasing after you with fireballs and yelling for you to die?" Jerome looked dumbfounded.

"No you don't, so don't go telling me it's not possible because I fucking experienced it."

It was funny to watch Jerome being speechless.

"Let's consider it, Alicia might have reincarnated but how would she do it when her body is still here?"

"If she's a witch or a practitioner then she would be able to, you've buried her right?" We nodded. "Then she might have used a transportation spell if someone was helping her, but the thing is; not many people have the complete spell to make a deal with Andromeda."

"The grimoire." I said, "That's what she needed the grimoire for."

"If she had an ancient grimoire with the correct spells and instructions she could have met Andromeda and make a deal with her." Olivia added

"One mystery solved, but why would she call you?" Jerome asked.

"That's what I'm trying to figu... what the fuck us that?" Olivia moved back.

★★★

The woman could see the shocked expression on their faces when she appeared, she stared at each of them expressionless.

"Who the fuck is she?" The one with the protruded belly asked.

"She looks like you Danica." The big man among them said.

Danica? Where had she heard that name before? A face, she was trying to picture a face to the name but her mind remained blank.

"Is that....is that my mother?" The one with the blonde hair asked.

Mother? Mother...the name sounded so familiar, a memory was trying to resurface.

Someone calling out to her for help.

*Mother, mother, mum, mum! No don't leave me!*

She gasped, whose voice was that in her head? It was almost familiar, a face, she was trying to picture face to the voice.

"Mother?"

A name, a name to the voice.

She groaned, her head ached.

"Is that really you mother?"

The woman trembled with the effort it took to try and remember.

"Is it you mum?"

"Valeria?" A name to the voice.

"M.u.m." The voice broke. Then more firmly, "Mum."

The woman twitched, suddenly assaulted with a memory, she cried out. "Help me! Valeria Help me!"

"Mum!"

"I'm trapped, he trapped me! Help me escape, Valeria!"

"Mum!"

Then suddenly, everything went quiet. She was back in her dwelling, her mind once more blank.

He appeared.

"You have went beyond what I expected from you."

"Have I annoyed you master?"

"No, you just made it more complicated."

"I am sorry if I have displeased you master."

"And you will be punished for it."

"I will accept whatever punishment you give."

"As you should."

He disappeared.

And she returned once more, to staring at the void ahead.

★★ sooo, what are your thoughts on where the story is heading?

S.P