Charlie (UNREVISED)

Chapter 35

"So, you said you wanted to figure out a way to protect us when you're gone, right?" Ally asks as we enter her house, setting up camp around the living room. Ally sits down behind the table, looking up at us with glee on the couch.

I blink, before shrugging my shoulders. "Well, yes. That's the plan. You guys have told me how powerful these cheerleaders are, and I want to make sure you all don't get hurt because of me."

There's a hesitant silence, before Ally raises her hands. "Well, I have a way!"

I frown, not trusting her one bit with something has huge as my abilities. "Ally, I can't use my abilities. They're too noticeable. The cheerleaders aren't stereotypical and dumb, they're really smart—"

"Well, what if it wasn't you?"

I blink. "Then... uh, I guess it would be fine?"

"You said something about being able to see ghosts."

I hesitate, letting what she said translate into my brain.

Once I understand what she's getting at, my already pale skin grows paler. I swallow, fear making my chest begin to pound.

"Can you talk to them too?"

"I'm not doing that," I snap suddenly, making everyone flinch. I hold firm, my eyes glaring as I stare Ally down. "I'm not touching that ability. I haven't touched it in years, I—"

"Then, what else is there to do? The only way something or someone will be able to keep us out of harm, is if it isn't you doing it. So unless you have a better plan, or want to do it yourself...?"

I glance down to the floor, my head reeling. My thoughts are telling me to absolutely not touch it, that I can't go near it, but my heart wants to do everything I can to protect them, even if it means putting myself in harm's way.

"You don't understand..." I mumble, eyes going wide as I begin to tremble "It's not only that I can see them..."

They wait patiently for me to speak. I take deep breaths, collecting my thoughts, before shutting my eyes. "It's not only that I can see them. I can talk to them, and touch them too."

My friends swallow, glancing at each other at what this means.

I slowly open my eyes, looking at Ally sternly. "If you really want me to connect to the dead, then you have to be prepared for me to get hurt. Cause if I can touch them, they can touch me too. It's not only that I can see and talk to them, it's that I become like one of them. A part of my body transfers itself into the spiritual world, so metaphorically speaking, i'm half dead. That's the only way to talk to them. You have to go to them. You have to enter the spiritual world."

Adler looks just as pale as I do as he sits on the recliner, still having a hard time believing any of this. "So... what? Do ghosts hurt people?"

I slowly glance over him, frowning. "No. Demons do."

Silence.

The hairs on Angel's neck stand, and so does he. "No. That's not happening. Leave the ghost world, or whatever it's called, out of this plan. There's no way we're letting Charlie do that for us."

Even Ally looks a little hesitant now. "I didn't know demons actually existed... I thought they were fairytales..." She whispers, and I shake my head.

"They're not demons of the bible. Or fairytales. Those in particular are summoned. But ghosts that have died from horrible circumstances, and haven't gotten justice for said circumstances, and have been dead for a while... They can lose their sanity. You all know them as poltergeists."