Later on, maybe a few months later, I was walking around in the woods, looking for who knows what. It was hot summer by then. There were spider webs and shit all in the trees, and I kept having to brush them off me. I was thinking what was I gonna do with my life now. No ideas were coming to me. I heard a noise...then again.
"Hey," it said. I looked around, then up, and in the tree was Ghost. He pointed to a giant web right in front of me, and laughed. I knew then that he'd lived. I saw in his eyes that he knew that I'd been the one to help save him.
Well, the rest you probably know. That's when we actually met each other." Steve sighed as his story of the past wound down. He sat there on the floor of Kinsey's bar and hung his head. He and Kinsey were both quiet then for a few minutes, each with their own thoughts.
Then from out of nowhere is seemed, they heard an eerie voice from the other side of the bar, over behind the stage.
"Immelled, inspelled, in, in, elled, nooooo...shit, what is it?" The voice got higher and then wailed, "Steeeeve!!! Help me!"
Steve and Kinsey stared at each other, their eyes big. Kinsey said, "What the..." and at the same time Steve said, "Oh, my God!" They both jumped up and ran over to Ghost, who was pounding his hands into both sides of his shaggy blond hair and screeching.
"Get out, get out, I need the damn word and it won't get out where I need it!"
He was laying on the floor now, kicking the wall over and over as he yelled. Sky blue marker smears were in his hair and red smears were joining them on his face, because of the marker ink he'd painted his fingernails with, one color on each hand.
"Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? Get a grip!" Steve frowned and hollered down at his best friend.
Kinsey stood there, mouth open in total incomprehension at the scene in front of him. Ghost opened his tear flooded blue eyes, saw Steve, and reached up for him. He was breathing hard and a little shaky. Steve supported him as he sat up, looking into Ghost's pale eyes. He still seemed a little out of it, like he wasn't really sure where he was or what had happened.
"It's ok, Ghost, it's ok now. Just breathe through it, ok. You'll be fine in a minute." Steve spoke in soothing tones.
After a few minutes, Ghost said in a little soft voice, "My head hurts, Steve. Why is it hurting?"
Steve stroked Ghost's soft hair and sweaty forehead. "You're ok, man, it'll be better in a minute. You just had one of your spells. You were hollering some kind of words you wanted out of your head," Steve explained. "Do you remember what that was about?"
Ghost took a deep breath, then nodded. "I think so. I was trying to write a word on the wall and couldn't get it right."
"What word?" Steve asked.
Ghost pointed to the wall where he'd left off writing, way at the bottom by the floor. It said "I don't know why, but I am INSTILLED no IMMELED no INSPELLED NO INELLED NO SHIT WHAT IS IT? NONONONONOINEEDHELP!"
Kinsey couldn't make heads or tails of the scribbles, but Steve knew immediately what Ghost was trying to say. Kinsey stared at the two of them in wonder as he watched them work as a team to figure out what happened.
"The word you're looking for, Ghost, is impelled," Steve said slowly. "What was the rest of the thought? Do you remember?"
Ghost nodded his head and said softly, "to write on the wall."
"Ok, so you were writing 'I don't know why, but I am impelled to write on the wall'?" Steve asked.
Ghost nodded again and began sobbing. He whispered, "It wouldn't come out, Steve!"
"I know, Ghost, I know, but now it is out and it's ok."
"Yeah," Ghost whispered.
Steve sighed and looked at Kinsey, who hadn't moved. "C'mon, Ghost, I'll help you stand up, then go wash that marker shit off your face and hands. Kinsey wants us to go shopping for him," Steve said.
"Shopping? Ghost looked up at Steve, who nodded.
"Ok," said Ghost as he took Steve's hand. Steve put his arm behind Ghost's shoulders and helped him to his feet. Ghost wobbled a little as he went down the hall to clean off the ink. Kinsey went back to the bar, but was watching as Steve rubbed his hands over his face and just took in some cleansing breaths.
Ghost came back into the room looking a little better. He came over to Steve and unashamedly put his arms around Steve's neck and his fingers into Steve's unruly, dark hair. Then he kissed Steve on the mouth. Soft innocent lips against rough, chapped ones. The kiss, though, was not innocent. Ghost laid his head on Steve's shoulder and breathed softly.
"Thank you, Steve."
Steve hugged him fiercly, then took Ghost's face in his hands and kissed Ghost slowly and tenderly.
Next installment coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
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