Two Souls: Into the Fire # 272

Warning … adult content

***

Linda glanced over at Melody, again. She knew she wanted to know all about her brother, Ghost, but she knew it would take time for Ghost to feel comfortable opening up to his sister.

“I know you want answers, Melody,” Linda said. “I don’t know when Ghost will feel ready to say more about his life, and his life with Steve. When he’s ready, I’m sure he will. He may feel you’re not ready to hear it, yet.” She sighed, knowing there was still so much Melody had to learn about her new family.

Melody shrugged, “Guess I’ll just have to wait, then.” She looked out the window of the van, looking at the passing scenery, but not really seeing it. Her thoughts were on Ghost.

After a little while, she asked quietly, “He has problems, doesn’t he?” She was frowning, and biting her lower lip.

Oh, God…she is so like Ghost in the way she looks, and moves…how on Earth, what on Earth can I say to her?

“Honey, Ghost has been through more than anyone should ever have to deal with,” Linda said. “He has problems, big ones, serious ones, but he is doing his best. He’s the sweetest person I’ve ever met, though. Just take him like he is…just love him…that’s all he wants.” She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. “I will warn you, though, he does have seizures at times, so don’t be afraid when he does. Just comfort him, and see that he doesn’t hurt himself. It’s scary, but so far he’s come out of them okay.”

“Oh, Linda, that’s awful, but thank you for telling me,” Melody said.

They drove in silence for a little while, then Linda asked, “What about you? I know you were adopted when you were a baby, but they never told you until recently?”

Nodding, Melody said, “Yep, that’s about it. It was just out of the blue that I found out. Well, we never really got along. We argued all the time, my mom and me, then right in the middle of yelling at me, she blurted it out. I was shocked of course, and didn’t believe her. But, the more I thought about it, it made sense, I guess. We were nothing alike.” She shrugged. “You know, I was grateful that someone took me in for all those years, but it wasn’t Disneyland, for sure.”

“Were there any other children?” Linda asked.

“Nope, just me. After I found out, I didn’t see any reason to stick around. I was old enough to leave home, anyway, and be on my own. So, I just went here and there, traveling as much as I could. That’s when I saw Ghost and Steve at a place, playing a gig. That was so freaky. I had no idea what to do, ya know, seeing that Ghost looked just like me. I was scared to find out who they were, and where they came from. I wish I had, though.” She laughed, as she remembered that night.

“Wow, it sure must have been unsettling to find someone that looked like you, that you’d never heard of before,” Linda said. “I understand how you were hesitant to find out.”

“Um-hmm…I was at the time.” Melody took a minute, before she continued. “You see, Linda, I did have a pretty normal growing up. There were good times, too, don’t get me wrong. My friends had the same complaints about their parents as I did. You know how teenagers are.” She rolled her eyes, and smiled.

“Yes, I do,” Linda said, “and I’m trying to be prepared for when Stevie and Mandy are that age.”

Melody looked in the back seat at the kids. “They are awesome kids, Linda. I don’t think they’ll give you much trouble.”

~

Over in the U-Haul, Steve was singing along to the songs on the radio, and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Ghost had been asleep quite a while, but was now waking up, and singing along with Steve.

“You awake, yet?” Steve asked.

“No, where are we?” Ghost asked.

“Well, hell, sit up and see for yourself.”

Ghost raised up a bit, to look out the front window.  “The mountains…Steve, it’s our mountains!” he was grinning big.

“Yep, the very ones,” Steve said, and laughed. “The Great Smoky Mountains. We’ll be up there pretty soon, and in North Carolina. I’m thinking we can make it all the way to the visitor’s center, and the cabins, before we stop.”

“Yes…don’t stop until we get there,” Ghost said.

“Well, unless you’d rather stay at the haunted old house, like that one time we did.”

“Uh-uh, no way, Steve. That old lady was mean.”

“I know, so the cabins it is,” Steve said. “Why don’t you call Linda’s phone? Melody will answer, and you can tell them our plan.”

“Oh, good idea. Just remind me of the letters to push, again.” He took the phone from his backpack, and called Linda, with Steve’s instructions.”

In the van, Linda’s phone rang. “Hello?” Melody asked.

“Um, hey…it’s me Ghost.”

“Oh, hey, what’s up?”

“We was gonna tell ya we’re going to the mountains, and…oh, yeah, there’s some cabins we can stay at tonight,” Ghost said.

Melody relayed this information to Linda. “She says that sounds good to her.”

“So, that’s all I guess,” Ghost said. “Bye.” He turned the phone off, and looked at Steve. “Now what?”

Steve shrugged. “Keep driving for now. Oh, see if there’s a snack or some water in here. I need some of both,”

Ghost reached for a grocery bag down in the floor board. “Here’s some water,” he handed the bottle to Steve.

“So, how’s the hangover, today?” Steve asked.

“The what? Oh, I don’t guess I had one. Or it disappeared, or…well, I feel good,” Ghost said. He got out a package of peanut butter, cheese crackers to share.

“Well, I’m surprised, since y’all were drunk and high last night,” Steve said.

Ghost shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

“Do you remember sleep walking and climbing a tree?”

“No, just you saying I did.”

“Hmm, odd…well, did you have any weed left?”

“Yeah, a little bit. Ya want some now?” Ghost asked. “I can roll one.”

“No, we’ll wait until tonight in our cabin. Sound ok to you?”

“Sure,” Ghost said, and grinned. He caught the underlying message Steve was suggesting. “We can do that, too.”

***

***

Next part coming soon!

***

Thanks for visiting! Peace

© 2019 BS

***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

Two Souls: Into the Fire # 271

Warning … adult content

***

Ghost continued trying to explain his feelings to Steve. His lips quivered, and he brushed the wetness from his face. He took a breath.

“I haven’t even got to write very much, and I never get to sing, anymore…and, and…too much, things get in my head and gets me messed up. I try to be okay. I try and try, and it’s never good enough.” He glanced up at Steve, and whispered, “It’s never gonna be good enough.” Putting his head in his hands, he sobbed.

Steve sat close, hugging him. It was breaking his heart, to see Ghost in so much pain. “Cry, babe, go ahead, let it out, it’s okay,” Steve said softly, as he rocked Ghost in his arms.

Melody heard them, and came out of the tent. She came over and hugged both Steve and Ghost. “Oh, hon, we want to help you feel better. I don’t know much about why you’re upset, but I can feel it. I’ve had some really down days, too. We’re here for you, with you.”

Ghost nodded. “I know.”

Linda had joined them, taking Ghost’s hands. He looked into her eyes, and she knew in that instant, she would do everything she could to help and protect this fragile child, her brother’s love, no matter what. She loved him like her own kids, unconditionally and forever. She didn’t have to say a word; Ghost knew. He took another shuddery breath, and she heard the words clearly in her head… Thank you, Linda, thank you..

“So,” she said, standing up. “Are we all gonna go back to sleep, or just go ahead and have breakfast, and get on the road?”

“I’m for staying up, eating, and getting the hell outta here,” Steve said. “How about you, Ghost?”

“I’m hungry. I’m ready to eat.”

“I’ll get it started then,” Linda said. She went to get more wood for the fire. “Melody, get some eggs and bacon out of the cooler. We’re getting this party started.”

Ghost got another cup of coffee, and sat staring into the cup awhile longer. Steve checked out the U-Haul and the van. As the food was done, Linda woke the kids. “Time for breakfast, you two.” They came out of the tent, and grabbed juice boxes to sip on. They’d had enough sleep, and were now teasing each other. With everything set out on the picnic table, they all gathered in the morning light, made hazy from a soft mist that was rising.

Steve and Linda were at one end of the picnic table, going over the route they’d be taking through Tennessee, and into North Carolina. The road would be more familiar now, as he and Ghost had traveled it the past summer.

Ghost felt around in his backpack, and pulled out his Jesus rock. He rubbed it a bit, then set it on the table in front of him.

“What’s that?” Melody asked.

“This? It’s my Jesus rock,” Ghost said. “I found it a long time ago. See, it looks like Jesus on it.” He handed it to Melody.

She looked closer, and smiled. “It does. This is a special rock. Do you always have it with you?”

Ghost nodded. “Yeah, but I thought it was lost one time, then it came back.”

“Wait a second, I’ll be right back,” Melody said. She went to the van and got out her purse.

“Here, I want you to have this,” she said, draping a long necklace around Ghost’s neck. “It’s a rosary. I have one already, see?” She pulled out the one that was around her neck. “It’s almost the same, and it has the cross, and Jesus on it. It’s so you will always have Him with you.” She smiled. “You’ll never be truly alone, and he’ll protect you.”

Ghost ran his fingers over the shiny beads and the silver cross. “I like it, thank you.” He looked up at Melody, meeting her eyes, so like his own. He could hear her wish…that she get to know everything abut him. “Maybe someday,” he whispered. “I’ll tell you things, but you wouldn’t want to know others.”

“Whenever you’re ready, Ghost. I’ll be ready to hear,” she said.

~

Breakfast over, and everything put away, cleaned up, and packed, they were ready to leave.

“I’m riding with Linda for awhile, okay?” Melody asked.

“Uh, sure,” Steve said. “Let’s do this.”

They pulled out onto the little road that led back to the highway. In the U-Haul, Ghost stretched out as best he could, and played with the beads around his neck.

“What’s that ya got,” Steve asked.

“It’s a rosary. Melody gave it to me.”

“Nice.”

“Um-hum. Steve, she wants to know things…about me.”

“Yeah? Well, sure she does. Why…does that bother you?”

“No, yeah, well maybe. Some of it bothers me. I mean, how can I do this? Maybe she don’t need to hear about everything,” Ghost said.

“Oh, I see,” Steve said. “You don’t have to tell her things that you’d rather not.You can leave parts out. In fact, it’s probably best you don’t say certain things. Not everything has to be for everyone to know…ya know? So don’t worry about it, just let things happen naturally, in conversation. You don’t have to make a special speech or anything.”

Ghost was nodding along with Steve’s words. “Yeah, that sounds a lot better. I was scared to say it all, anyway. She might not understand…at least not yet.” He smiled, feeling relieved. “I’m gonna sleep awhile, now, unless you need me to keep talking to you?”

Shaking his head, Steve said, “Naw, I’m fine. I’m going to turn the radio on, anyway. You take a nap.” He turned the radio on, and found an oldies station that came in pretty clear. Ghost closed his eyes and slept.

~

In the van, Linda had given Stevie and Mandy some crayons, and a coloring book each, to keep them busy awhile. She kept her eye on the road, but could see that Melody was fidgeting, like she wanted to talk about something. For some reason she could sense that Melody felt awkward, or shy about whatever it was.

“What’s on your mind, hon?” Linda asked.

“Huh? Oh, just wondering…about…oh, never mind,” Melody said, and sighed.

“It’s okay, no problem,” Linda said, “but if you want to know something, don’t hesitate to ask, or say what you want. This family you’ve landed in don’t have many secrets. We’re pretty much an open book.” She left it at that. Melody would talk to her or not…her choice.

After a few minutes, Melody tried again. “I love this family already. I just want to know all about y’all, but I don’t want to pry, you know. I mean, only if anyone wants to tell me things. Shit, I can’t even say what I mean,” Melody said, and laughed. “I guess it’s so new to me, to have a family, that I feel I have to hurry and catch up with y’all’s history, or something.” She shrugged.

Linda laughed. “Oh, I know what you mean. I’m kinda new, too.”

Melody looked confused. “But, I don’t get it. You knew your family all along.”

“Yes, I did, but we lost contact for a really long time…like fifteen years or so. I never knew what happened to Steve, so we’re still catching up, too. It’s only been a few months, we got back with each other.”

“Wow, that’s kinda sad, but I’m happy you’ve got each other, now,” Melody said, after hearing Linda’s story.

“Me too,” Linda nodded.

“So, what about Ghost?” Melody asked. “How does he fit in? He and Steve met at school, and got to be friends. Then what?”

“A lot, from what I’ve heard,” Linda said, feeling a bit like this part wasn’t her place to tell. “I can tell you some, but even I don’t know the whole story, and it’s not for me to be telling it. I wasn’t there, so you’ll have to ask Ghost. He’ll have to be the one, if he wants to. I’m sorry, Melody, all I can say is that Steve saved Ghost’s life, and they’ve been together ever since, just as friends, then later as lovers. There was some bad, bad times between them, and even though it looks like they are fine now, they are still working hard at making it work out, again. But, I’ve said enough. When he’s ready, he’ll talk about it.”

“I know, and he said he’d tell me some things, someday, but not yet. I want to know, now…what’s he waiting for?” Melody asked.

***

***

Next part coming soon!

***

Thanks for visiting! Peace

© 2019 BS

***

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.