The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

Carlos regained his consciousness but still, he couldn't see anything, all he could see was darkness but he could hear some voices.

"Looks like he's awake," Dalton said as he gestured for Link to lose the blindfold and Carlos could feel someone touch his face, the blindfold was removed and his visions became blurry, it took some time before he could see properly. "Did you sleep well?" Rose asked coming closer to him and removing the handkerchief from his mouth.

Carlos glared at her as he looked up at Dalton who was also looking at him. "Bring him to me!" Dalton commanded and Link carried Carlos before Dalton.

"I'm pretty sure you might be wondering why you're here," Dalton said. Carlos stood still with his hands tied behind his back, he decided to just pay attention to whatever he was saying. "I need you to create something for me," Dalton said placing his hands on Carlos' shoulder.

"Create something?" Carlos asked. "What do you think I am?"

"The right person for this job," Dalton told him. "Build this for me and you'll get to go home safe to your group."

Carlos laughed. "And you expect me to believe that? How old do you think I am? 5??"

"Since you know, what do you say?" Dalton asked.

"How about No?" Carlos asked

Rose came closer to him touching him. "I think you should think about this carefully," Rose said as her hand stroked his chest. Carlos was irritated that he bit her hand off his chest.

"I don't care what the hell you want me to create, all I know is I ain't doing this," Carlos said as Rose slapped his face.

Carlos touched his cheek as he looked at Rose. "And what was that for?" He asked not believing he just got slapped by a ghost.

"That should have reset your brain... now back to the question, will you create it for us?" Rose asked folding her arms and waiting for Carlos' reply.

"Did I have water in my mouth when I said it?" Carlos asked folding his arms too. "I'm not into..." Before he could finish his sentence, Rose raised her hand and was about to slap him but Carlos caught her hand and glared at her. "I know my face is irresistibly handsome but you can stop touching it now." Carlos threw her hand away as Rose was pulled back by Dalton.

"Enough!" Dalton ordered as Carlos stood staring at Dalton awaiting his judgment.

"You're going to create it whether you want to or not."

"And who's going to make me?" Carlos asked. "You?" He asked pointing at Dalton. "Or you?" He pointed at Rose who was sending her daggers with her eyes. If looks could kill, Carlos knows he would have been underground by now. "You're daring me!" Dalton yelled as he appeared behind Carlos strangling his neck. Carlos coughed and his face was almost turning red. "Now will you?"

Carlos was released as he bent to catch his breath. He looked up at Dalton and said, "No."

"Lock him up and don't give him any food. That should bring him to his senses." Dalton said as Carlos was dragged away.

***

Amelia was sitting on the bench outside staring at the stars when she felt someone touch her shoulders. She turned only for her to see Xen, his presence made her jumpy that she didn't even know when she stood up. "Are you that scared of me?" Xen asked as he sat down. He patted the space next to him. "Sit!" He said as he folded his arms staring at the sky too.

Amelia has never felt this way before, she couldn't tell if it was fear or something else or maybe it was just a weird feeling because he was just talking to her for the first time. Amelia thought as she sat down quietly. "The stars look beautiful tonight," Xen said.

The sound of his voice was deep but at the same time soft. It had this comforting tone that somehow sends a shiver down her spine, Amelia couldn't help but stare at him studying his features. His green eyes, his pointed nose, his V-shaped lips so pink and moist. She was still studying his features that she didn't even know when he looked at her.

"Am I that handsome?" Xen asked as Amelia coughed making Xen smile.

Dimples?? Amelia thought to herself as she noticed the deep tiny hole on his cheek.

"Still checking me out?" He asked making Amelia stand up abruptly.

"Um... I think I just heard Clarissa call me..." She said as she got ready to leave. Xen held her hand pulling her back to her seat.

"Just sit!" He said folding his arms back. "Let's just enjoy this moment." He told her as they both sat down in silence staring at the stars.

Devon stood behind them watching as he stared at them with jealousy.

"What are you doing out here? I was looking for you." Clarissa said as Devon left her.

Clarissa stood there stunned as she peeked to see what he was looking at and there she saw Xen and Amelia sitting together. She looked in the direction Devon went then back at Xen and Amelia. "I hope it's not what I'm thinking." She said as she went inside leaving Xen and Amelia alone.

~~~

Damian was in his room when Laura showed up. "What are you still doing here?" Laura asked coming closer to him.

"Leave me alone old woman. Can't somebody rest in peace in this house?" Damian asked trying to walk away but Laura pulled him back.

"No body walks away from me." She said as Damian turned to look at her, he removed her hand from his clothes as he looked at her. "Well, I'm not nobody." And with that he walked out of the room.

"Damian!" Laura called following him outside as Andrea came to meet them.

"And what's going on here?" He asked when he noticed the tension in the air. But no one said anything so he decided to ask them one after the other. "Damian?" He asked looking at Damian.

"I was in my room and she came and started shouting at me. No one does that to me... just because you adopted me doesn't mean you have control over my life." Damian said turning his gaze to Laura who was looking at him in disbelief. "Can you believe this boy? Who the hell do you think you are?" Laura asked as she came closer to him, she was this close to slapping his face when Andrea held her hand.

"Laura, stop?!" He said as they watched Damian leave the house.

"What's the matter with you? Ever since Damian came to the house, you've been really hard on him." He said as he took her to a chair, Laura sat down and turned to face her husband.

Andrea understood what that look meant. "Listen honey, I am not agreeing to that."

"Don't you miss her?" Laura asked.

"She's my daughter so you should know I do miss her but when I decided to send her off, I knew the decision I was taking. Let's just love Damian and forget about Amelia."

"What has gotten over you?" She asked her husband who was trying to calm her down. "She is our daughter... Our flesh and blood and you just want me to forget her like that?" Laura asked. "How is it so easy for you to forget her? If it's easy for you... it's not easy for me... I'm going to see her and I might not come back." With that she stood up and left her husband even when he tried to call her back.

***

Amelia and Xen entered inside the house at the same time and everyone turned to look at them. Xen ignored their stares and went to his room. Clarissa came to meet her holding her hands. "This is the first time I'm seeing him socialize with another gender. What did you do to him?" She asked.

Amelia looked at her not understanding what she meant. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"I'm talking about you and Xen, what's going on between you two?"

"Nothing. We just sat outside together and that was it." Clarissa looked at her in disbelief.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Liar but it's cool if you don't want to share." She said folding her arms and staring at Amelia.

"Nothing is there to share... Stop making things up."

"Amelia." Devon called as Amelia looked up at him. Clarissa also stared at him too and she couldn't forget the look she saw in his eyes when he saw them together.

"As much as I would love to stay here and listen to this, I think I'll skip." Clarissa said as Amelia tried to hold her back but Clarissa was swift so she couldn't grab her in time. "Hi, Devon," Amelia said smiling.

"It's been quite a while since we spoke to each other... why don't we spend more time together to make up for those years," Devon said as Amelia looked at him.

"Um.. we have other things to worry about... like Carlos, Clarissa's mom, and other ghost seers like us out there who needs our help, trying to build a bond now... is way out of the picture," Amelia told him as Carlos nodded in agreement. "Then can you promise me that when all this is over, you will give me a chance?" Devon asked as Amelia bit her lip.

She wasn't expecting this. "Well, what do you say?" He asked as he gestured for her to pinky swear.

It's just to build our bond as friends right? I can give him that. She thought as she pinky swear. A smile crept into Devon's face and immediately he left.

"Guys, come check this out," Jason whispered like he didn't want someone to hear him.

They came to him as he showed them a picture of a woman who hung herself in a hospital. "Former Nurse Christen woods commits suicide." Tamara reads. "That's Clarissa's mom," Amelia said when she looked at her photos. "What date?"

"March 21st, 2021." Jason reads.

"That's a year ago... this is not good," Amelia said.

"I think we should keep it away from Clarissa for now," Xen said as everyone nodded in agreement.

"Keep what away from me?" Clarissa asked coming from the kitchen with chocolates in her hand. She stared at all of them and everyone had a worried look on their faces.