Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ My Ghost ❯ Chapter Twelve ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

My Ghost

Chapter Twelve

Callie had about two hours between the end of her conversation and the time she assumed her mother would be finished making dinner. She decided to use that time wisely, by investigating the area surrounding the house. Before now, she had only checked out her own yard. But after learning about Nora's gazebo from her dream and from Will, Callie decided it would be a good place to look for anything that may have been overlooked in the past. What she expected to find now, eighty years later, that wouldn't have been found before, she didn't know. She was sure it would hit her.

Callie walked in the direction of the gazebo. Everything looked much different than it had in her dream. In her dream, Will had taken her through a wooded area, filled with trees. There were still trees, but most of them had been cleared away for houses. In the past, Nora's house had been directly behind Will's.

It took her a while, but eventually Nora's found the gazebo, or what was left of it. The gazebo had appeared to be newly-made in Callie's dream. Now, however, it was old, weathered, and mostly rotting away. Callie cautiously stepped into it, afraid that it would be unable to hold her and she would fall through. There were holes in the roof and the sunlight streamed in through them, creating a spotlight around her. "That's kind cool" she said. Callie closed her eyes, hoping that it would help her see something. Anything.

She sat down on the remnants of a bench. "I'm Nora," she whispered. "I'm Nora. I'm Nora." She repeated that, over and over, but nothing happened. "Maybe I have to actually be asleep," she said. "But I really don't want to sleep out here." She shuddered, imagining all of the rats and bugs that could be infesting the gazebo and the field surrounding it. "Maybe there's something else out here that I can try."

She cautiously stepped out of the gazebo and into the sunlight. There was a field beyond her, to the right, filled with white flowers. "I don't remember seeing those before," Callie mumbled, walking toward them. She smiled, realizing what they were. "Daisies," she said, bending down to touch one. She picked it out of the ground, sniffing it. Daisies had always been her favorite.

"You like daisies, too?" A voice said from behind her.

Callie gasped and turned around. "Aaron?" she asked.

"Yeah. Who else would I be?"

"I don't know," Callie said. "You just look a lot like your great-grandfather."

Aaron paused. "I thought you only saw my great-great uncle's ghost."

"I saw Edward in my dream," she said. Then she frowned. "But what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. You mentioned the gazebo, remember? You weren't home, so we came to find you here. Ashley should be on her way. Did you find anything interesting?"

"No. It's just a rotting old wooden building. I didn't have any visions or anything, and I must have sat there for about half an hour, trying to see something. And...wait." She raised an eyebrow. "You said, 'You like daisies, too.' Who else were you referring to?"

Before Aaron could respond, his sister appeared beside him. "Great-Grandma!" she said, holding out a book. The book looked remarkably similar to the one Callie had seen in her first dream.

"Is that...?" Callie reached out to grab it, but Ashley shook her head.

"Yes, but...Dad doesn't want to let you have it. He said that we can bring it to you, and we can all look at it together, but we have to be very careful and we have to bring it back to him."

"Dad thinks it could be worth something. He said that he's in the process of selling it to some publishers or something. People like old diaries, I guess."

Callie pouted. "But...at least you found it. Did your dad ask why you needed it?"

"Yeah, but I told him it was for a school project about our ancestry, and that you were helping. I don't know if he believed it, but whatever. We got it."

"I'm really surprised he let us see it," Aaron admitted. "It's because I gave him the sad puppy face," Ashley said. "Anyway, we should go to your place and check the journal out, right? We only got through the first page before we realized that this was what you were looking for and decided to look for you."

"Yeah, we should definitely go look at it." Callie picked the daisy back up and slid it behind her ear before leading the way back to her house.

When they arrived, Will already seemed to be waiting for them, as if he knew that something had happened. He saw the journal in Ashley's hands and looked at Callie for confirmation. She nodded and he smiled.

"Is William here?" Ashley asked.

"I call him Will, and yes," Callie said, sitting on her swing in front of him. "He's right here."

Ashley sat down on the ground beside her and Aaron sat down on the other side of her. They started to read.

January 12, 1927

Sam burned my old journal to pieces yesterday. He found its hiding place and, not caring for what it contained regarding him, decided that it would be a good idea to throw it into the fire. Mother punished him and gave me a new book this morning. I suppose she knew that this would happen, because why else would she have another blank book lying around the house?

I talked to Nora today, out in the fields between her house and ours. I helped her pick daisies and she thanked me with a kiss on the cheek. She is too beautiful to describe. She loves daisies. I am making a note of that.

I will write more later. Right now, Will is outside my room, arguing with Sam about something. This is becoming a rather common occurrence.

January 14, 1927

I did not have an opportunity to write yesterday. School was hectic. I am not doing so well. Teacher says I am behind in mathematics. My parents are dismayed. At least I am doing well in writing. This is probably because I keep this journal. I will have to thank Mother again for that.

Will is with Nora a lot lately. I'm trying not to be jealous, but it's proving impossible. I wish I had the confidence to speak for myself and to tell her how I feel. I don't blame her, but I can't help but to blame William. He knows that I am in love with her, and yet he still insists on trying to court her. I wish I was more like him, or like Sam. If only I had their confidence...

Once again I think of myself in such a low manner. I don't know why I do this. But Sam and Will are so handsome, so intelligent, so charismatic. And what do I have? Nothing. I am the youngest son, forgotten, overlooked. They don't even fight with me like they do each other. It's enough to drive me mad. If I didn't have this journal, I really don't know what I would do. I really do fear for my sanity.

Will turned away. "I feel like such a..." He paused. "I can't think of the word.”

"Jerk?" Callie offered. Will nodded. "It's not your fault. I don't think so, anyway. How were you supposed to know he was so insecure?"

"Well, I did know about him and Nora, and I still acted like a jerk."

"You did," Callie said. "But I'm sure he forgave you. I mean, he did get the girl in the end."

"Do you feel as out of place as I do?" Ashley whispered to Aaron, who laughed.

"Sorry," Callie said. "Will's feeling guilty about how he treated his brother."

"I gathered that," Ashley said. "I was just joking. Anyway, Will..." She looked at Callie. "He can hear me, right?" Callie nodded. "Will...Uncle Will...whatever. You don't need to feel guilty. Callie's right, he did get the girl in the end. And he lived a full life." She winced. "I mean...I didn't mean it like that. I didn't mean to rub it in. Uh...crap."

"She means that he didn't stay miserable forever, and a journal is intended for people to vent their thoughts about things. It's not meant for other people to read. In fact, a journal doesn't necessarily even contain a person's real thoughts. It could just be a more extreme version of whatever emotion he or she feels."

Ashley stared at Aaron in surprise. "Uh...exactly."

"That was really eloquent," Callie said. "I'm impressed."

Aaron shrugged. "I'm not an idiot. Anyway, Will...I feel weird calling you my uncle, I hope you don't mind. Don't feel bad. Now, we should probably continue reading, because it's going to get dark soon and we'll have to be home for dinner."

"Right," Callie said, and the four of them looked at the book again.

January 21, 1927

I am caught up in mathematics. I spent all of my spare time working on it, but I am finally doing well again.

It has been a week since I last wrote in my journal, but really, nothing much has happened. William was very kind to me over the past few days. He helped me with my schoolwork without being asked. I wonder if it is because he feels guilty about Nora, but I wouldn't dare ask him. Samuel was also being unusually nice today. He offered to let me go with him to the store. He said that I could pick out any piece of candy I want, but I told him I'd rather not. He said that we can go another day, instead, then.

I haven't talked to Nora since January twelfth. I have seen her, but it is always when I am with Will, and she would much rather talk to him than me. I do not blame her, and I try not to blame him, but I secretly hope that she rejects him when he finally tells her how he feels about her. It is horrible to wish something like that on one's own brother, but I feel like he deserves it sometimes.

I see Samuel looking at her the way Will does, sometimes, too, but he does not openly express his feelings. How odd, to have three brothers pining for the same girl. In this family, I am the one who has the least chance of winning in such a competition. It's a shame. I can wish all I want for her to choose me over them, but I am afraid it is never to be.

Actually, I believe I might take Samuel up on his offer. Despair often leaves one with a taste for sweetness. I will write later.

January 25, 1927

Well, I knew it would happen eventually. Will and Nora are officially seeing each other. At least Will had the decency to come to me and apologize for hurting me. I am fine, however. I know that if it is not to be, it is not to be. She deserves someone who is isn't afraid to show his affection, at any rate.

Sam is furious. Will hasn't noticed, but I've seen Samuel glaring at him. He is calm and courteous to his face, but as soon as Will turns his back, Sam mumbles certain things I will not repeat in these delicate pages. Samuel caught me watching him earlier and he threatened me with words that are also too terrible to record here. I suppose the peace between us has been broken. Hopefully everything will settle down and we can all be brothers again. For me, at least, it will be a while before my wounds are healed.

February 1, 1927

Samuel seems to have gotten over his anger quickly. He seems to be very happy lately. I asked him if he found another love. "Yes," he said, "And she's the most beautiful girl you'll ever see." I find myself wondering if he is lying to me. I have not seen him around any woman other than my mother and Nora, and obviously his love can not be either of them. However, he has been leaving the house at odd times and refuses to allow anyone to follow him. Maybe he is telling the truth, after all.

I tried to talk to Will about it, but he told me to mind my business. He said that as long as Samuel isn't angry at him, he doesn't care what he is doing. I suppose it is Sam's business what he does or does not do, but I would rather not take lessons on morality from my backstabbing brother.

I really do need to control my anger. It will not do me any good. If Will and Nora are meant to be together, then I should accept it.

It looks so simple when it is written.

"Callie!" The kids jumped, being pulled rather rudely out of the book by the Callie's mother. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company," she said.

"It's okay, Mom," Callie said. "What's going on?"

"Dinner's ready." She stared at the book in Callie's hands. "What is that?"

"Our great-grandfather's journal," Aaron said. "I'm doing a research project on our ancestry and Callie is helping."

"Oh, that's nice. Did you finish your own homework, though?" Callie shrugged.

"Not quite..."

"Well, after dinner, you need to do your homework. Let Aaron do his own work. Are you two staying for dinner?"

Ashley shook her head, taking the book from Callie. "No," she said, "Our mom is making dinner for us. We should probably get back now." She looked at Callie. "We can finish where we left off tomorrow."

Callie nodded, sighing. She glanced at Will, who was staring at the book with a mysterious expression on his face. Callie was curious to know what he was thinking.

She grudgingly followed her mother inside the house after waving goodbye to her friends. She sat at the dinner table and ate quietly, thinking about Edward's journal. He doesn't seem to be the type to kill someone, she thought. I was so sure I'd figured it out. But now I'm back to square one.

She glanced at Will, who wasn't looking at her. He was staring at a portrait on the wall of Callie's family, or perhaps simply staring into space. Once again Callie yearned to know what was on his mind. Maybe it was Sam, she thought. From what I've read and heard, he seems to have some issues with anger and grudges.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Callie finished her dinner. She excused herself from the table and barely acknowledged her mother's reminder to do her homework. She walked upstairs to her room and sat at her desk, staring at the homework in front of her. She couldn't concentrate. Instead, she glanced to her doorway. "Will?" she whispered. There was no response. "Damn it," she said. "I can't do this with so many thoughts in my head all at once. Where are you?"

She walked to the doorway, looking around, but he was nowhere to be seen. "What is it with you and disappearing right when I need you?" She sighed, turning back to her paper.

" 'When have you felt like you had no control over a situation? What was it, and how did you deal with the situation?' " She laughed. "Um, the past week, maybe? And yeah, I have no idea how I'm going to deal with it." She sighed. "Concentrate," she mumbled. "The sooner you finish, the sooner you can find Will and find out what is going on."

And with that final thought, Callie began writing.