Page 25 of Malice

My phone rings, startling me out of my stupor. My sister’s name appears on the screen, a welcome grounding moment.

“Hey, sis,” I answer.

“How are you doing?”

“Okay. Just left therapy, actually.”

“Oh, you started. Good. How’s that going?”

“It’s fine, I guess. He reminded me that the amount of trauma I’ve been through can play tricks on me.”

“True. Is something going on?”

“Kind of. Maybe not though.”

“Talk to me, Hud.”

“This guy showed up at my house telling me he was following up on what happened. While he was there he told me Chester was haunting the house.” I wait for some kind of reaction, but she’s silent so I continue. “But Dr. George said I was probably making him up.”

“Making up the man at your house?”

“Yeah. But I had a long conversation with him and I even called his job. I made all of that up?”

“You don’t believe in ghosts?”

“Sort of, I guess. Do you?”

“Heck yeah. I could write a book about my experiences. I could come down and do a reading on the house.”

“A what now?”

“A reading. We could suss out the energy in the house to see if there’s a spirit.”

“You can do that?”

“Anyone can if they try. Did this guy offer to get rid of your ghost?”

“No, but to be fair I didn’t give him much of a chance. I was skeptical of his motives.”

“That’s smart, but maybe he was on to something. I’d be happy to come down and check it out.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to disrupt your life more than you already have over this.”

“Hud, you’re my brother. It’s not a disruption. Wouldn’t you feel better if the news came from me?”

“I would.”

“I don’t want to negate what your therapist said, especially without visiting the house myself, but honestly, I’m not buying that you’re in a mental state where you could imagine an entire person and an interaction.”

Her words settle the brewing anxiety in my chest. “Thank you. Honestly, if I did make him up, I’d ask you to put me in a padded room for a while.”

“We’re not there yet. Let me get things figured out here then I’ll be on my way.”

“I appreciate it.”

“No worries.”

I end the call and start my car, more clearheaded now after talking to my sister. I think I needed to hear that I’m not going crazy.

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