I fought to keep my eyes open as my physics professor droned on. The lights flickered above me. Glancing up slightly, I saw Greg standing in the corner of the room, a wide grin on his bearded face. For the past ten minutes he’d been making the lights flicker consistently in and out. Everyone was starting to notice at this point. The lights flickered again and the professor looked up, an expression of irritation on his face.

“What on earth is causing that?” he muttered. A couple of students looked around as if they might find the answer. It was hard for me to hold back a laugh, especially when I could hear Greg give in to his full-bellied laugh. It was very contagious.

Shaking his head, the professor turned back to the white board and droned on. I stifled a groan as I rubbed my eyes. A moment later, the relative quiet of the room was interrupted by a persistent buzzing noise. The guy sitting next to me glanced in my direction. There was a buzz again, coming from my bag. Leaning down, I reached into my bag and silenced my phone. Whoever was trying to reach me could wait until class was over.

Though the minutes crawled by, my class did eventually come to an end and I gratefully shoved my books into my bag. Following the stream of students, I headed out the door. As soon as I was outside and out of earshot from everyone else, I looked up at Greg and smiled.

“You’re going to make my professor go crazy,” I said.

“Come now,” Greg responded with a chuckle, “you endured far worse at my hands and you survived unscathed.”

“Barely,” I muttered. I repositioned my bag on my shoulder. “How’s haunting the theater going?”

“Just marvelous,” Greg said, sounding smug. “I’ve been tampering with their, what do they call it? Sound booth? And I’ve got at least half of the crew too afraid to go into the catwalks by themselves.”

I shook my head. “You must be so proud.”

“You know,” he said, “I am. I really am.”

***

Later that night, as I was sitting in my room, I pulled out my phone. Greg was hovering beside me, but I couldn’t talk to him because my roommate was on her bed, typing away at her computer. It was time for me to ‘call’ someone.

As I turned my phone on, I noticed a few missed calls. I’d completely forgotten about silencing my phone in science class. No wonder I hadn’t been getting any texts all day. Without bidding, my heart started to beat faster when I saw who the calls were from.

Three missed calls. All from Allan.

I almost hit the button to call him back, but then I saw that there was a voicemail. I decided to listen to that first. Bringing the phone to my ear, the message started.

“Hi Jessi,” Allan’s voice said. “I know you probably don’t want me calling you, but I had to. There are some things that I wanted to say to you before—” He cleared his throat, but that didn’t cover up the shakiness I could hear slip into his voice. “I just wanted to apologize to you,” he said. “I treated you horribly the last time I saw you and I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for that. I really wish I could have spoken to you in person—actually no. Actually it is better this way. Whatever happens, I just want you to know that I was so glad to have met you this summer and I don’t regret a single moment of it.” There was a long pause. “I—I’m sorry Jessi. I know I’ve already said that, but I’m sorry for what’s going to happen. Trust me when I say that I know what I’m doing. It really—it really is for the best. Goodbye.”

“End of message. To delete this message, press…”

I lowered the phone. I couldn’t breathe. Greg was staring at me in confusion and I realized that my face must have gone white. Allan’s message filled me with a familiar sense of terror. Shaking my head, I raised my phone once again, pressing the button to call him back.

I heard a ring. Then another. And another. “Please pick up,” I whispered. I got Allan’s voicemail. My stomach was in knots. Hanging up, I called again, and then again. On my fourth call, I left a message.

“Hey Allan,” I said, trying to keep my voice from sounding as panicked as I felt. “This is Jessi. I just got your message and I’m so sorry I didn’t answer. I was in class. I—I want to talk to you Allan, and I’m on my way there right now. Please call me back when you get this.”

Greg’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Lady Jess, what on earth is going on?”

I could feel the burn of tears. Rising to my feet, I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder.

“I’m going out,” I said, glancing at my roommate, “I’ll be back later tonight.”

“Mmkay,” she muttered, never looking up from her laptop, “have fun.”

Pausing just long enough to make sure I had my car keys, I left my room and dashed down the hall.

“Allan left me a message,” I whispered as Greg moved beside me. “He sounded weird and the stuff he said—” I took a shaky breath. “He apologized for the way he acted. The whole thing—the whole thing sounded like a goodbye.” A few tears fell from my eyes and I hurriedly wiped them away as I jogged down the flight of stairs. “This is bad Greg, I can feel it.”

As I reached the door at the bottom of the stairs, Greg suddenly appeared right in front of me. Surprised, I stopped in my tracks.

“A bad feeling?” he asked with a disapproving glare. “That’s hardly reason enough to go all the way back to that castle.”

“It’s only an hour’s drive,” I said impatiently. “If Allan’s in trouble, then I’ve got to try and help him.” My throat felt tight. “He called hours ago. I might already be too late.”

Greg folded his arms, not budging an inch. “If that boy is in trouble, then he put himself there by his own doing. It is no concern of yours Jessica. Be at peace and return to your room.”

“It is a concern of mine!” I said as I marched straight through Greg and out the door. Once in the parking lot, I spotting my car—an old beater my dad had surprised me with the day before I left for college—and jogged towards it. I prayed it could make the drive. Wrenching the door open, I sat down and threw my bag onto the passenger’s seat. The bag landed with a heavy thunk. I carried the sword hilt with me all the time now.

“Jessica!” Greg said sternly, appearing right beside me as I pulled out of the parking lot. “Slow down and think this through. Did he actually say that he was going to do anything drastic?”

“Not exactly,” I said, “but the way he sounded freaked me out Greg. He wouldn’t answer his phone when I called him back.”

“It’s already getting dark out.”

“I know,” I said as I turned down the street. “But listening to his message made me think of my mom. I’m terrified Greg. I can’t just sit around here and do nothing!”

“Then call the authorities,” Greg said. “Let someone else bear this burden while you get yourself back home.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to call the police. It might be nothing, I’m—I’m sure I misunderstood something. I just need to see him and talk to him and everything will be fine.” More tears were falling as I drove and they collected at the bottom of my chin. “I just can’t take any chances. I need him to be okay. He has to be okay.”

“I am sure he is fine,” Greg assured. “Jessica, you’ve let your mind run away with you. Turn the car around. All will be well.”

I glanced at Greg. It was hard to see him in the dark. “You don’t want me to go,” I whispered, realization suddenly hitting me. “You don’t care if Allan is in trouble, you just don’t want me to help him!”

Greg stared at me, his eyebrows low over his eyes, casting them in shadow. “Of course I don’t,” he growled. “After what Allan did to you, he deserves none of your pity or compassion! Turn the car around Jessica. Let him suffer his own mistakes!”

Anger welled up within me. “So you get to decide who’s worthy of compassion?” I asked. “Allan doesn’t deserve it because he yelled at me, but you do, even after killing your own sister?”

A horrible silence filled the car and I instantly regretted my words.

“How dare you twist her death like that,” hissed Greg. “Before I died, all I ever did was try to protect her. All I’m doing now is trying to protect you! There is something wrong with that boy and you should not go to him!”

“I don’t care Greg!” I replied. “I’m not going to abandon my friend just because he made a few mistakes.” I could feel tears well up in my eyes. “I might already be too late!”

In the corner of my eye, I could see Greg’s form grow brighter and more distorted.

“You are just like her!” he cried. “Why will you not see reason? Have you not been happy this month without him? Leave him be!”

“No!” I retorted.

He rose up in the car beside me, flickering in and out, his voice booming in my head.

“Why do you never listen?” he yelled. “Why must you fight me every step of the way? Why can’t you see that I’m trying to protect you, that I just want what is best for you?”

Without warning, an icy chill filled my body and my hands jerked the steering wheel. Greg was possessing me. Greg was possessing me and trying to control me.

“Get out!” I screamed. I pushed as hard as I could with my mind, but it wasn’t easy. I’d let him possess me too many times in the past. My hands jerked the steering wheel again and I swerved into the other lane, then back into mine. “Are you trying to kill me?” I cried.

With another mental push, the icy feeling was gone. Greg appeared beside me again, looking angrier now than ever. I turned my eyes back to the road.

“You are acting like such a—” I searched for the right word. “You are acting like such a ghost right now Greg. Do you have any idea how many times I told Allan that you were different, that you were somehow better than any of the other spirits he’d come across? I defended you Greg! I swore to him that you weren’t blind, or caught in a loop, but I was wrong! You’re just as terrible as any of them!”

“Jessica,” Greg said, his voice low and threatening. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know exactly what I’m talking about,” I said. “Dying didn’t teach you anything! If you were alive, you wouldn’t hesitate in challenging Allan to a duel even though it got you killed the first time!” Glancing through Greg at the passenger seat, I saw my bag. Looking back up at the road, I reached for the bag and dug around inside of it until I found what I was looking for.

“You think you know what’s best for everyone around you, and you don’t even consider the fact that you might be wrong! I’m not your sister,” I said, “and you can’t keep me from helping Allan.”

“Listen to me Jessica!” he yelled over my words, “Just stop the car and listen to me!”

With the sword hilt in hand, I rolled down the window. “I’m sorry Greg,” I said, “I’m really, really sorry.” A terrible yell erupted in my head as I cocked my hand back, and then threw the hilt as hard as I could. It was soon swallowed up in the black landscape.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE JESSICA?” Greg cried. “YOU ARE A FOOL! AN UTTER FOOL IF YOU THINK—”

As the miles disappeared underneath the tires of my car, Greg’s voice grew fainter, and then disappeared altogether. I was alone.

I took a shaky breath as I rolled the window back up. I couldn’t believe I’d just done that. As soon as I pulled up to The King’s Rest, I knew he’d be back, since the other half of his sword was still there. But still, I’d just thrown the hilt away.

I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. Greg and I had never fought like that—ever. We had our arguments and we’d always tried to drive each other crazy, but nothing like that. Fresh tears started falling and for the first time in months, I felt really, truly, alone.

My phone buzzed and I jumped in surprise. Keeping my eyes on the road, I scrambled to answer it.

“Hello?” I asked, my heart in my throat.

“Hello Jessica.” It was Allan’s voice. Relief poured through me. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you back right away, I was rather busy.” His voice sounded off somehow. Maybe my relief was premature. Something was still wrong.

“I’m almost there,” I said, “I just passed the town.”

“Really?” he asked. I could hear the surprise in his voice. “You really are coming here?”

“Yeah,” I said with an exasperated laugh. “I just—I guess I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Then meet me outside the main gate.” There was a click and he hung up.

I glanced at the phone in confusion. That was far more abrupt than I was expecting, but I didn’t care. He was okay, and he was going to meet me. I had a chance to talk to him.

A few minutes later, I pulled up to the castle. The gates were open, since guests were still staying here, and I pulled into a space off to the side of the castle where I wouldn’t be in the way of the bus coming and going. When my vehicle came to a stop, I sat frozen for a moment, my hands clutching the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles hurt.

A part of me was waiting for Greg to show up and start yelling some more, but there was no sign of him. I took a deep breath and then pushed my car door open. Grabbing my bag, I stepped outside.

It was really dark now. There was no moon. The gravel crunched underneath my feet as I walked toward the main gate. It was unsettling to walk while it was too dark to even see the ground. In the light of the torches near the gate, I saw a figure standing. Even though the front of the person was bathed in shadow, I could see the glow of his white hair.

“Allan!” I said, running forward.

“Jessica,” he said, stepping toward me, “you made it.” It was so dark I couldn’t see his face. “There is much I have to tell you. Let us head inside, we can talk in my room.”

“Okay,” I whispered, taken aback again, by the abruptness in his voice. In the back of my mind, I realized that I’d never been in his room before.

He turned around and led the way as I trailed after him. Instead of going through the main door, he circled the castle and went in through a side entrance. The hallway was empty. We were headed up a flight of stairs, the same flight of stairs his mother had led me up when she brought me to her office. At the top of the stairs we came to a door. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a ring of keys and opened the door. Stepping inside, I saw the same living area as before.

“This is where you and Melissa live, right?” I asked, trying to alleviate the tense atmosphere.

“It is,” he said, his back to me as he closed the door behind us. “My room is the first door in the hallway to your left. Go ahead, I’ll be there momentarily.”

Turning around, I walked to the far end of the living room, and then down the hall like he said. There was something not right here. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly, but the uneasiness in my stomach wouldn’t go away.

Opening the door that Allan said led to his room, I stepped inside and turned on the light. Then I froze in my tracks.

In the center of the room was a large ceramic bowl, a bloodstained knife lying next to it. Strange symbols were etched into the sides of the bowl and those same symbols were written on the wooden floor surrounding the bowl. The symbols were written in blood.

I needed to get out of here. Whirling around, I intended to run back into the hallway, but I was stopped. Allan stood in the doorway, blocking my escape. As I looked up and saw his face in the light for the first time, I could feel my stomach drop all the way through the floor.

He was staring down at me, a strained smile on his lips. But that’s not what caught my attention. What caught my attention were his eyes. Blood was falling from his pale blue eyes like tears. The droplets trickled down his cheeks, falling to the floor.

I took a slow step back. “A-Allan?” I choked, hoping against hope that I was misunderstanding something.

“I am afraid not,” he said. “Allan is gone.”

I swallowed as I stared at the person in front of me. Yes, it was Allan’s body and Allan’s face, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that it could not be him. Someone else was peering through those eyes. I could hear all of Greg’s warnings in the back of my mind—the warnings I had never heeded. I would do anything for Greg to be here now. Where was he?

“What happened to Allan?” I asked, my voice weak. “What did you do to him?”

He tilted his head as he studied me. “Do you not remember the story?” he asked, “about the slave woman who became a witch?”

I felt like I was going to be sick. “Y-yes,” I stammered.

“Then you know that Allan is gone.”

I shook my head. This couldn’t be happening. “You—you can’t be the witch,” I stammered. It felt hard to breathe, like the air was getting heavier or the room was getting smaller. “Allan beat you,” I said, “As a little kid he—he beat you. He got rid of you!”

A look of disgust crossed his face. “He has kept me locked away in his mind for years, but he has never been rid of me. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for the day that he would grow weak and let me take control. For three years I’ve been silent, letting him think he’d won, letting him put his life back together.” His eyes found mine. “Until some weeks ago, of course, when he fell in love with you.”

Stepping forward, Allan slowly circled me. “That night, after the ball, that was when I made my move. I filled his head with all the terrible things I might do to you if I ever regained control, and that is why he grew so angry. He pushed you away, hoping to thwart me!” A hard laugh escaped his lips. “The days that followed have been a delight! I have played with his thoughts and he has lost his mind!” His laughter quieted. “And now, today, was his last attempt at beating me. He phoned you, to say farewell, and he left a note for his mother. He was going to end it all, and in a moment of fear and regret, he was left utterly defenseless.”

Slowing his steps, Allan glanced down at himself and straightened his shirt. “Now here I am,” he muttered looking up again, “at last.”