#chrissy: *quietly in the corner* yeah so weird...

[i-used-to-wear-the-fedora]

Cheerleader Eddie AU, Rocky Mountain High

"Am I high?"

"I dunno, are you high?"

"I don't feel high."

Chrissy and Eddie laid out on the carpeted floor of what Eddie was pretty sure was Jason's bedroom. Way too many sports posters and trophies on the wall for a normal dude. Their sloppily rolled blunts were forgotten on the dresser as the metalhead got on his knees and crawled over to the record player in the corner of the room. Digging through the vinyl crate, Eddie tried to find something to put on.

"Bangles...A-Ha...Abba? Jeez-us, I always knew Jason had shit taste in music."

"What's wrong with Abba?" Chrissy asked, running her hands through the carpet and giggling. "Man I never realized how soft this carpet is." Standing up she wobbled a bit as she held both her arms out.

"What are you doing?" Eddie laughed as she grinned at him.

"A cartwheel!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not high!" She giggled, moving into position with her right arm on the ground and going to turn her body but instead she fell flat on her side. "Ow....okay maybe I am high." Eddie gave up on his pursuit of decent music and crawled over to his fallen captain.

"You okay?"

"Yeah I'm, I'm fine!" She waved him off. "Deal with worse shit every day. Once got dropped from the top of a six person pyramid!"

"Ow....that's hurt to even think about."

"I think it just hurts for you to think."

"What?"

"What?" Eddie and Chrissy stared at each other before breaking out into laughter.

"Man, I wish I grabbed snacks...this party is total bullshit."

"All parties are total bullshit." Chrissy moved to lay down on the floor until she was side by side with the metalhead. "Jason knows I hate parties."

"Really? But you're like, at em all the time."

"Because I have to be. All cheerleaders go to this kind of thing. But it sucks balls." Chrissy said, her voice dropping on the word balls. "It's all balls. My mom, parties, Jason....balls..."

"He does like balls. Basketballs." Eddie snickered. To someone as blazed as he was, this was a very clever pun. Chrissy agreed with a loud snort. "Why's your mom balls?"

"She likes riding Jason's." The strawberry blonde raised her hand in a manner that was probably an attempt at the jerking off motion. "She likes him so much, you'd think she's dating him."

"Ew."

"Yeah. Totally ew." Chrissy shook her head. "Total bitch." She paused. "Is it bad I don't like my mom?"

"Nah, I don't like my mom. Or my dad. My dad kind of sucks."

"I bet your dad didn't teach you how to stick your fingers in the back of your throat after dinner so you can go down a size." Chrissy rolled over to face Eddie. Eddie shrugged.

"Nah he just taught me how to cook meth and keep an eye out for the cops during a deal."

"Damn. That does suck." Chrissy watched Eddie nod. "Both our families suck."

"Yeah. But hey at least we have each other, right?" Eddie asked, stretching his hand out. Chrissy paused for a moment before taking Eddie's hand.

"Yeah. You know, I don't care what everyone else says. You're a good guy." She smiled and Eddie felt his heartbeat pick up a few notches when she quickly sat up.

"Chrissy? What-?" Eddie didn't get to finish as she began to throw up. Most of the vomit staining the white carpeted floor but by the time she finished heaving, the front of her shirt was mess.

"Oh...shit..." She muttered looking down at the mess that was her clothing.

"Hey, come on," Eddie said as he helped Chrissy up, "let's go get you cleaned up."

~~

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Chrissy groaned as she clung to the toilet bowl of the small bathroom she and Eddie had locked themselves away in. At first she'd tried cleaning the blue tank top she was wearing off in the sink but it was beyond saving.

"Hey it's fine. Some people just can't handle their weed." Eddie took off his denim vest and handed it to his fellow cheerleader. She gratefully accepted it, pulling it over her shoulders and buttoning it up to cover the vomit stains.

"Thanks Eddie." She pulled away from the porcelain bowl. Letting out a listing moan. "Ugh, this is more embarrassing than the time I split my pants during cheer practice."

"Pffft, you think that's embarrassing? Remember last week? My first practice? When I practically broke my balls hitting the floor?"

"That did look like it hurt." Chrissy hummed. "But that can't be any worse than this time my freshman year when I was wearing a white skirt. At lunch I sat down on a packet of ketchup and didn't realize for the rest of the day it looked like I got my period."

"Ooofff." Eddie chuckled.

"Nobody told me! It was so embarrassing!" She laughed. "God I must be high. I haven't even told Jason that story."

"Embarrassing? No way, I'll tell you embarrassing." Eddie giggled. "But you have to never, ever tell anyone else."

"I'm all ears, big boy." Eddie took a seat next to Chrissy on the towel in front of the bath tub.

"Okay so last year there was this guy. And he was like a total douche. We're talking complete asshole, on the basketball team thought he was hot shit."

"Uh huh." Chrissy nodded.

"And he's sleeping with practically every girl in our grade when one day he comes to buy drugs from me..." Eddie trailed off into laughter. "And he's says I hear you suck dick. I said, yeah sometimes. And then I sucked his dick!"

"Wait what?" Chrissy watched Eddie laugh.

"Yeah! He's this total closet case. Talking, so far in the closet could probably find the sweater my nana knit for me when I was ten closet case." Eddie tapped his rings along the edge of the tub as he went on. "And then we just kept like meeting up. Bathrooms, janitor's closet, his stupid Camaro that smelled like old gym socks. And I thought we were a thing! Then he just blows me off and I never see him again. I thought I was in love. Isn't that embarrassing?"

Chrissy blinked, watching Eddie giggle like it was nothing.

"That's not embarrassing. That's sad."

"Wha? No! It's...it's not sad." Eddie leaned against the tub and rested his head next to his hands. The weed already made his eyes bloodshot but Chrissy watched the look in them change. Leaning next to him and pulling him into a hug. His body tensed up for a moment before leaning into it. "Hey how about we blow this place? I think Denny's is still open."

"That sounds great."

[a-strange-inkling]

Day 23: Surprises

(Part Two to Day 1: Candy Cane)

New York, New York 1994

“Where’s Livvy?” Maggie whispers loudly for the fourth time since the curtain opened, on her knees in the plushy red theater seat so she can see better.

“She’s not on yet, sweetheart.” Chrissy ducks down to tell her. “Shh, remember we have to be quiet or we’ll distract the dancers.”

“Livvy is the best dancer.”

“She is.”

“She should be up there the whole time!” she exclaims passionately, a dramatic fist raised in the air.

Eddie wordlessly produces a round peppermint candy from his coat pocket and holds it in front of her, gaze never leaving the stage.

Maggie’s eyes widen. “Oh, thanks, Daddy.” She takes it and quietly sits back down, unwrapping it and popping it in her mouth happily.

Eddie ruffles her curly mop, exchanging a look with Chrissy over her head, playfully quirking a brow. That will buy them about five minutes of stillness and silence.

They’re still in the first act, and if Eddie remembers anything from last year, there’s really no plot after this. Just different candies dancing around.

A bunch of little mice take to the stage, some even scampering amongst the audience. Maggie gasps, jumping over up on his lap when the Mouse King appears.

“Scared?” Eddie smiles down at her, wrapping his arms around her. She’s not easily intimidated.

“No, no, I’m not scared, just loving you,” she tells him, leaning her head against his chest, clinging to his lapels, eyes fixed on the fiendish, dancing mouse warily. “I’m not scared, Dad.” she tells him pointedly.

“Okay!” he chuckles under his breath. “Just checking.”

Luckily, the villain is thwarted (by a shoe, what a weak ass) and they finally get to intermission.

“Have you ever noticed that this whole story is just Clara having one massive weird trip.” he mutters to Chrissy as they stretch their legs. Maggie sits on a corner pew, coloring the illustrations of the program with the crayons he carries around in his pocket for her. “Her creepy uncle totally drugged the punch at the party.”

“If you think about it, it’s just the Christmas version of Alice in Wonderland.” she replies.

“…Holy shit.” he mouths silently in realization. “Wait, how high did you climb the ranks in your Nutcracker days? Were you ever the fairy queen part?”

“Sugar Plum?” she asks. “No, I did get to be Clara one year, and for my last show I was the Dew Drop Fairy.”

“Oh, well the Dew Drop Fairy is so much sexier than the Sugar Plum one, everyone knows that.”

She snorts loudly, shaking her head.

They return to their seats before the lights dim for Act Two.

“Where’s Livvy?” Maggie asks again, tugging at Chrissy’s coat. “Where is she?”

“One more dance, Maggie.”

“Ugh!”

“How stressed out do you think she is right now?” Eddie asks Chrissy quietly.

“Oh God, nothing is worse than waiting behind the curtain,” Chrissy replies. “I think she’ll be okay once she’s out dancing.”

After the Spanish Chocolates wrap it up, seven Russian Candy Canes all bound out with red and white hula hoops to dance for Clara and the Nutcracker (who frankly do a lot of sitting). Since Livvy is the littlest one, she’s right in the middle.

“There she is! There she is!” Maggie jumps up and down, shaking Eddie’s shoulder. “It’s Livvy!”

“I see her, I see her.” he whispers loudly with a huge smile. “Shhhhh!”

There is a split second that Olivia looks like she’s about to throw up, but once the lively and iconic tune starts to play, she springs to life, jumping and leaping with the other girls, spinning her hoop, remembering her steps, keeping in sync like she’s practiced for months on end.

“She’s amazing!” Maggie gasps, making Eddie and Chrissy exchange a smile.

…

After the show, they wait for her at the side entrance.

Eddie looks down at Maggie, squeezing her hand. “Hey, you remember the surprise, right?”

“Hm?” she looks up at him way too casually making him panic.

“The surprise Maggie!”

“Oooohhhh…” she replies slowly. “Yeah, Daddy I remember.”

“Listen, you can’t say anything.”

She gives him a ‘who you think you’re talking to’ look, making Chrissy giggle. Eddie chuckles, turning to her. “You’re the one I have to worry about.”

Chrissy’s cheeks turn pink at that. “I won’t say a word!” she swears.

“Yeah it’s your face I’m worried about.” he replies, stroking the hollow of her cheeks with his knuckles.

“There she is!” Maggie jumps up and down, waving. “Livvy!”

Olivia runs down the hall in her white leotard and matching leggings, meeting her little sister halfway in a hug. “Hi!”

“Hi! You danced the best!” Maggie tells her, squeezing her tight. “You looked so pretty!”

“Thanks, Maggie!”

“Hey, bug!” Eddie kneels down to pick her up. “You were incredible up there! Prima Ballerina!”

“Thank you!” she cries, running into his arms, squeezing him tight, breathing a sigh of relief.

“Did you have fun?” he asks, tugging on one of her loose curls.

“Yeah.” She smiles brightly. “I was really nervous, but it was fun when I started dancing.”

“Good.” he smiles.

And yep, she’s looking around as she leans into Chrissy’s side. Eying the other parents giving their kids bundles of flowers. Of course, she doesn’t say anything.

“What’s wrong, bug?” he asks.

“Oh, nothing.” she beams up at him, hiding her small disappointment.

They all pile into a cab and head home. Maggie asks her sister if she saw the mouse behind the curtain as they walk up to their floor.

“Don’t worry, he looks scary, but he’s really just a man in a giant mouse hat.” she explains to her as Eddie unlocks the door. “It smells really nice in here…” she says, only to gasp when the light turns on. The apartment is filled up with a dozen vases of mixed red and white roses for her Candy Cane debut.

“Surprise, Livvy!” Maggie squeals excitedly.

[bonniebird]

Eddie Munson x Cheerleader Fem!Reader

Requested by Anon

Masterpost

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Warnings: public sex, overstimulation, oral (Fem!Reader receiving), fingering

You snuffled and wiped your eyes as you cut through the field. You were held back for a year and had been able to stay on as cheer captain for longer than you thought. But you had found out that you’d passed your last class and the cheerleading team had gathered together at the end of your meet.

Your backpack was filled with cards, homemade candies, tiny teddies and other gifts you hadn’t opened yet. Before you’d taken over a lot of the team were unhappy and quitting but now they were sad to see you go, some worrying that things would go back to before you’d become captain. The surprise had left you teary eyed as you left the gym for the last time before graduation and headed home.

“(Y/N)!” Eddie said as you cut through the woodland path. You jumped at his sudden appearance. He chuckled and held up his hands. “Just me!”

“You scared me!” You said with a nervous giggle.

“Sorry. I just wanted to see if you were ok. You looked upset.” Eddie smiled and followed you down the path. You fell in step, walking together as you headed home.

“I’m ok. It’s just weird to think that I’m graduating this year.” You said and he chuckled.

“Yeah! I mean I have an extra year on you but we’re graduation buddies!” Eddie said as he laughed.

“Are you doing a goodbye Hellfire thing? The squad threw me a goodbye party.” You said as the two of you slowed dawdling along.

“Nah. We’ll still hang out.” Eddie said quietly. The two of you walked in silence for a few moments before Eddie glanced at you. “So. Last day in the uniform then. Do they make you give it back?”

“Oh no. Mine to keep now. Though I'm not sure what I would use it for after I graduate.” you muttered. Eddie glanced at you out of the corner of his eye and said nothing. His mind was wandering back a few months ago when you’d run into him on his way home on the same path. The skies had cracked open with thunder and he had hurried you both under a large tree to keep dry. While you worried about getting your brand new shoes wet’ as they were white with pom poms on them and had green and gold stripes in the school's colour on them, Eddie worried that the path would wash out. Eddie had ended up carrying you through the splippy mud road and had to stop when the rain became too bad. He held you as he leaned against a tree with one hand on your waist keeping you close, the other high on your thigh near your ass, under your cheerleading skirt.

Jason had dumped you for Chrissy Cunningham a few days prior and with the rain dripping through the trees the storm was throwing a soft orange glow over everything you couldn't help but feel a flutter build in your chest as you looked at Eddie. His fingers had twisted into the tiny shorts under your cheerleading skirt and by the time the two of you were done the storm had stopped. He’d used his fingers to chase you to your ecstasy and had joked that the next time you could get on your knees for him.

Eddie could tell exactly what you were thinking about as he looked at you. He stopped and watched you take a few more steps forward before stopping and looking back at him. “You know I just remembered what happened last time we were out here.”

“Oh? Really?” You said nervously. He smiled to himself and nodded, bounding up to you he paused when you took a small step back.

“Yeah.” He said quietly and smiled to himself. “That was a great time.”

For a moment you were both awkwardly quiet, in your own thoughts. You couldn’t help the way your fingers twisted into your skirt as you thought about the moans Edie had made as he watched you come undone on his fingers, the encouragement he’d whispered into your ear, the soft kisses on your neck. He watched your fidget and the change on your face as you wound yourself up.

“You know. We go a little deeper into the woods. There’s a place we could sit?” Eddie offered. He watched your legs clamp together and offered you his hand so you could follow him. As soon as you’d taken his hand your arms wrapped around it as if his arm was the only thing grounding you. By the time he’d walked the short distance to the old bench you were practically grinding yourself on the back of Eddie’s hand as you held his arm tightly against your body. He pulled his arm from you and lifted you onto the table next to the bench. Eddie smelled of stale weed and nicotine, cheap beer, a must that wasn’t pleasant or unpleasant. The smell combined together and made you think of the storm. He looked down at you as he went to unbuckle his belt and stand between your legs but he saw a flicker of hesitation on your face and stopped.

“Are you ok?” Eddie asked sincerely.

“Yes.” you said quietly. Eddie tilted his head as he watched you mull something over and smiled when you looked back up at him. “You really want me. On my knees?” You asked nervously thinking about what he said last time. Eddie cracked a grin.

“If you want. Or we could hang out. Or do whatever you want.” He said gently. You smiled at him, still holding one of his hands. You looked down at his rings which he let you fiddle with curiously until you looked back up at him.

“Whatever I want?” You asked and he smiled at the way you said it, nodding at you.

“You know about the whole on your knees thing.” Eddie muttered. He really had meant it as a joke when he’d said it. It hadn’t occurred t him at the time that your sexual partners before him might not have been so casual about what they waned from you. “If you don’t want to get on your knees for me. Maybe you’d let me get on my knees for you?”

“On your knees for me?” You asked uncertain what he meant. Eddie smiled and shifted you and the table, moving you back a little. Then he watched you carefully as he pushed your skirt up until he saw the tiny safety shorts underneath. Eddie leaned down and kissed the tops of your thighs, pushing your legs further apart as he kissed closer to your core until he placed a kiss over your heat and felt you jolt. When he looked up at you and pulled away he found one of your hands had flown up to your mouth and you looked rather startled.

“Are you ok (Y/N)?” He asked. Nodding you tried to clamp your legs closed to find some friction forgetting in your haze of lust that with his body between them you couldn't. “I could get you started if you want.” Eddie said, making a gesture with two fingers similar to the way he’d touched you in the woods. You nodded eagerly and Eddie’s eyes widened with surprise before obliging. His long fingers twisted into your shorts and underwear until he felt his fingertips brush through your folds. You leaned forwards, his body catching yours as you immediately caved into him. After the storm you’d tried to touch yourself the way he had, ripped his rings off when you begged him to touch you, pumping his fingers into you. You hadn’t been able to quite get it right so you’d given up. But you’d wake up at night, wet from dreams about him, wanting to cut through the woods that separated your house from the trailer park and knock on Eddie’s door in the middle of the night.

“Eddie.” you sighed as you pushed his fingers deeper. You felt the touch of the cold metal of his rings and gasped at the sudden feeling. Eddie pulled away quickly as he pulled his rings off.

“Did I hurt you?” He asked quickly. You shook your head against his chest as you guided his hand back to your core.

“No. No. Just please touch me again.” You pleaded desperately. He obliged by stroking his fingertips over your slit and sinking three fingers into your core down to his knuckles. He felt you clutching at his jacket, pulling as your mouth fell open and you started to pant, head still pressed against his collarbone as you panted. You were immediately so wet that Eddie wondered if the last time you’d hooked up with anyone was the last time you were with him which was a while ago.

Pulling your bag off you Eddie pushed you to lay back on the table and pulled his fingers out of you. You whined and objected but he whispered soft words to soothe you as he pulled your backpack off and dumped it on the floor before moving to pull your shorts and underwear down. He left them hanging from one ankle as he moved back to kissing your legs and pushed your skirt up just enough to see your core. He could see that you were slick already and moved your legs over his shoulder.

“Eddie?” You asked unsure what he was doing. He looked up at you, holding your gaze as he licked one long stripe over your slit. The gasped moan that came out of you made Eddie’s knees buckle and he dropped down, hands pinning you to the table as he eagerly lapped and kissed at your core. Your back arched off the table as Eddie’s tongue plunged into you, your heels dug at his back.

He moaned, the sound vibrating against your soaked core, as your fingers twisted into his hair and pulled his face closer into you. He continued until you felt heat build and explode across your body, rewarding him with your pleased cries and your cum on his face. He continued again and again, devouring you until you came for the last time and weakly pulled at his shoulder. He pulled away, eyes blown with lust, face slick with your cum as he pulled away. He had admittedly got a little more carried away than he meant to. He could see your legs twitching and trembling, splayed with your pussy exposed, dripping with your own slick as you gasped and caught your breath.

“(Y/N)? Are you ok?” Eddie asked and smiled when you moaned weakly at him. He hurried to wipe his face on the bottom of his Hellfire shirt and hurried round the table to stroke your face. “Did I send you to heaven one to many times?” He asked and smiled at you when you boldly jolted and you whimpered.

“Too much.” You said quietly. Eddie nodded and leaned in to kiss you, smiling into the kiss when you pulled him closer.

“Let me get you sorted ok? I can carry you home if you can’t walk.” Eddie said as he hurried to help put your underwear and shorts back on, smoothing your skirt down as he helped you stand. You clung to him as your legs trembled so Eddie lifted you into his arms, letting you wrap your legs around him and rest your head on his shoulder.

“You make me feel good.” You said when he picked up your back and started to head back towards the path and home.

“Good. That’s the point.” Eddie muttered.

“I still can’t figure out how you do the thing with your fingers. I tried but I couldn’t get it right.” you admitted and felt a bit bashful.

“You tried to get yourself off? Were you thinking about me?” Eddie asked curiously. He smiled to himself when he felt you nod against his shoulder. “You know I could come by and help you figure things out?” Eddie offered and you pulled away looking at him.

“Tonight?” You asked sleepily.

“Maybe?” He offered, surprised that you’d want more of him so soon. Nothing else was said as you tiredly leaned your head back against Eddie’s shoulder and sighed, body still trembling every now and then.

“(Y/N)?” Eddie said softly as he shook you a little, realising you’d fallen asleep and stroked your cheek. “(Y/N) we’re at you house. I'd carry you all the way inside but your dad’s car is on the drive and I’m not sure he’d be impressed with a long haired, tattooed guy showing up with his daughter in his arms explaining that he’s eaten his daughter’s pussy out so well that she can’t walk.” Eddie smiled as you pulled away and slowly let him put you down.

“Will you still come in like you said you would?” You asked and he smiled at you.

“Do you think you can handle more of me?” Eddie asked with amusement as he handed you back your bag. When you nodded eagerly he chuckled. “Well if you leave your window open I’ll try and come by later.”

Eddie waved as you hurried inside and glanced back at him, waiting until he was sure you were in and safe. He headed back towards the trailer park, hoping he’d have enough time to climb through your window.

Eddie tags:

@linkpk88 @babypink224221 @prettyplant0 @hardladyheart @bluejaysaysstuff @wittiestrain184 @im-ilvn @slxthxrxn-sxmp @jamie-c-bower-simp

[ellathestoryteller]

Ephemeral (a school project piece)

Once you step in, you wouldn’t think much of this empty classroom. You may find the barred windows and the lone desk in the front of the room a bit odd but don’t worry, give it about 10-20 minutes, that’s when things get REALLY weird. First, you’ll hear the window at the back of the room rattle. Yeah, the only one that’s just a hole with iron bars, you’ll hear the sound of a glass window rattling. Next, footsteps. 12, if you’re brave enough to count. Echoing footsteps with no source and no end, just 12 loud echoing footsteps. If you’re not one of the sane ones who’ve swiftly booked it out of the room at the sound of disembodied footsteps, you’re going to love the sight of that one desk at the front of the room spontaneously fly right at you. Yeah, that’ll probably get you going.

Most people who brave this haunted classroom leave with either the need for new underwear or a new-found phobia for school desks but not us. I know that my friends and I aren’t a bunch of scaredy cats. There’s no way we’d be—

“AHHHHHHHH!!!”

“Goddamnit Chrissy! You always ruin everything!”

Well, there goes my moral boosting pep-talk. And after I’ve spent all night coming up with it too.

“Oi! Don’t go yellin’ at me. That dang desk came right at me!” His voice comes from behind the ever so quiet Louis who has been his default meat shield ever since they’ve known each other, “I know that ghost wants to kill me. I just know it.”

“What sort of grim reaper is worried about a ghost killing them.”

“Don’t question my irrational fears, woman!”

“That’s enough, you two!” Leon’s commanding voice echoes through the classroom, instantly ending I and Chrissy’s usual playful banter, “We need to finish this quickly before someone finds us.”

Well, he’s right. It’s past midnight and we may or may not have broken onto private property. (but seriously though, what sort of school doesn’t have security at the back gate. That’s just careless planning.) At Leon orders, we all set out for our given tasks. Louis and I begin setting up for the séance in the middle of the room, Chrissy puts up a barrier to keep unwanted spirits and possible security guards out of our business and Leon inspects the room, taking note of any needed details that could help our little mission.

What’s our mission you ask? (you may not have asked but the writer needs to fill this silly word count somehow. So, hush and keep reading.)  We’re working on a homicide case! Well, it’s more like we’re helping out. You see, Leon and Louis’s older brother, Noel, is a homicide detective working on a cold case and one of his main leads tie in with a 20-year-old suicide case. So, in a last-minute attempt to get accurate information as well as save some money, he asked his younger psychic twin brothers as well as their grim reaper and fortune reader friends for help, who conveniently happen to be students at the school where the suicide took place. It took some persuasion a.k.a 10 bucks each and free pizza but now, here we are.

With the séance finally set up, I try my best to contain my excitement and sit quietly in the middle of the circle, Leon and Louis stand at either side of me.

“Are you alright, Genie?” Leon comes and kneels in front of me, taking my hand in his, “you don’t have to be the one to always do this, you know.”

He’s worried. He always seems so confident and reliable yet it’s at times like these, his hands start to shake.

“Don’t be a dum-dum. Of course, I’m ok. It’s always fun doing this. I’ll be fine.” I smile to ease his worry even if it’s just a little bit.

I’m sorry Leon but I can’t let you take this moment from me. This is the only chance I get to feel this way. My only chance to die, even if it’s for a little while.

He’s still concerned but he doesn’t push any further. He lets go and stands. “Ok, let’s start.”

He gives a nod to his brother and the ritual begins. The sound of their chant fills the room and then slowly, my consciousness starts to fade. I feel like I’m being wrapped in a soft warm blanket. I really like this feeling.

***

As the chant stops, so does Genie’s breathing. She is slumped over on the ground, her body illuminated by candlelight. Leon doesn’t look at her. Instead, he looks to the hole where the window used to be. A soft breeze flows through and he could see the half-moon outside. Louis calls out,

“Julian Lanesworth… Julian Lanesworth, are you there?”

 No answer.

“Julian, are you there?” Leon calls out this time, his voice is a bit louder than his brother’s.

Nothing.

“D-did somethin’ happen?” Chrissy says from the corner of the room, visibly shaking.

“Julian, are you there?!” Leon is almost screaming now

The soft breeze picks up and the candles are blown out. The room is plunged into sudden darkness and the soft light of the moon is guided to Genie’s lifeless body.

“…yes.” The sound of a young man’s voice comes from her.

Leon and Chrissy heave a quiet sigh as Louis begins to speak again.

“We have some questions for you. Will you answer them?”

“…ok”

“Do you remember who you are?”

“…Julian Lanesworth…17 and dead…hopefully.”

“Yes. You died 20 years ago.”

There’s a small chuckle, “…good.”

“Can you tell us how and when you died?”

“…on a Tuesday evening …spring,” a hand moved, pointing to the open window, “…jumped through that window.”

“And do you remember the last things you saw before you jumped?”

“…a note…the moon…a garden and someone picking flowers.”

“That’s all. Thank you” Louis quickly takes notes of the spirit’s statement.

“Can I ask one more thing?” the head moves turning towards the sound of Leon’s voice. Soulless white eyes stared at him, unblinking, “why did you kill yourself?”

“…freedom.” Its’ smile is calm. “…I’m not in pain anymore…my heart isn’t heavy anymore…I can’t feel my heart…I feel nothing, just…freedom.” It laughs again, “…you wouldn’t understand, but… your friend does.” The room suddenly feels cold, “…she understands all too well…but freedom won’t come easily for her…she doesn’t want to…but it won’t let her.” Its’ stare hardens, “…do not leave her alone.”

Quiet. It’s been quiet for a while. No one has said anything since the spirit stopped talking. Chrissy finally steps forward and places a hand on Genie’s body. It gives off a soft glow.

***

It’s coming back. I hear and smell things. Slowly, I start to see and feel things. I feel someone hugging me. It’s warmer than before. It looks like I didn’t die this time. Good.

-- E.A