Page 36 of Haunting Phantom
Autumn blinks, her head slightly rolling to the side, mirroring Pippa’s broken stance. “For closure. To say sorry for everything. For hurting you. For hurting her. For breaking you two up over jealousy.”
There’s a long silence before Autumn blinks again, this time slower, like she’s completely in a trance. “When I was alive, I spent too much time trying to hurt other people, fighting for something I had no right to fight for. I’m sorry for the things I did. For being selfish and ending things because I couldn’t deal with the outcome.”
An actual tear drips down Pippa’s cheek, and I see her reach out for Drac, only to retract her fingers the second it tries to cross the salt. She clutches them, the pain in her eyes only growing.
This isn’t what I expected when Krueger and Damien called her evil. This isn’t someone trying to play a game or toy with people’s emotions; this is a spirit who is lost and searching for peace… dealing with a guilt that’s bone-deep, only to realize her bones no longer exist. She may still have residual hostility, but it’s nothing compared to the pain of longing she must be feeling seeing them together. It’s the same pain I feel every time I look at Phantom. The girl and I have more in common than I thought.
“I preyed on people’s trust,” Autumn shouts just as the planchette slides to spell out:SORRY.“I lied. I harmed you both, blaming you for my misery.”
I don’t even know why they need the stupid board. She’s not even using it. She stepped through that goddamn door and is using Autumn as her vessel. Periodically, the stupid planchette moves, spelling out random words like….LIE. HURT. ANGRY.
“This is so boring,”I grump, dropping to the grass in annoyance.“I was expecting some big dramatic ‘Jerry Springer’ like show, and instead I’m getting ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Ghostly Temu Edition. This is stupid.”
Damien belts out a laugh, one that catches me off guard. When I look up, he’s smirking, but still keeping his distance. He’s afraid of getting too close to the board, maybe even me.
Autumn coughs, clearing her throat as her eyes focus on Drac and Amber. “She’s hurt, Drac. She didn’t understand her actions until it was too late. She is searching for forgiveness.” A tear squeaks down her cheek. “I believe it’s her unfinished business for both of you to let the past go and forgive her for the hurt she’s caused you.”
Amber and Drac share a look. Drac looks ready to forgive, but Amber, Amber just hugs herself, looking too uncomfortable.
“I don’t know if I can do that, Autumn. You don’t understand the history of what she’s put us through. It took me a long time to somewhat forgive Eddie, but that’s different… Pippa did more than hurt us; she killed everything good and preyed on our weaknesses.
Drac hugs her and kisses the top of her head. “It’s okay, baby. I understand.”
Phantom must see the frustration building on Autumn’s face because he grabs her hand, forcing her to look at him. “If you have to shut yourself off, do it. I can already tell you’re weakening.”
She nods slowly. “I can do this,” she croaks out. “Pippa is just upset.”
That look of sadness is gone from her eyes, and she’s back to looking angry, staring daggers at Amber, who’s seconds away from fleeing.
But before she can, Drac speaks. “It’s okay if Amber can’t forgive you, Pippa. She’s been through a lot. But you have to understand, what you did was wrong. I may be able to forgive you, but I don’t know if I’ll ever forget it.”
Autumn’s head sinks to her chest again. “Please,” she begs. The planchette moves crazily under their fingers until it spells out the words:FORGIVE, thenPEACE, thenLIGHT. The letters forming like steps on an invisible stairwell.
Blake’s jaw tightens, the muscles working overtime underneath his skin. He’s worried about Autumn, the way her skin is turning a sallow pale color, her eyes fluttering violently as Pippa stays in her head.
“I’m sorry!” she shouts. “I know it’s my fault. I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t get it, Pippa. Your actions didn’t just affect us,” Amber screams. “It affected your sister too.”
Pippa falls to her knees.
The planchette stops on the letter ‘I’ then moves to the wordNO.
“I carry her darkness with me,” Autumn mumbles incoherently. “My death erased the good in her.”
“Then do something about it!” Amber screams again, this time with tears spilling down her face. “Protect her! Don’t let Poppy keep doing this to herself.”
Autumn rises to her feet, then slowly turns to Amber, her iris completely gone, so only the white remains. “She can’t hear me.” Autumn’s breathing erratically again, almost like all of Pippa’s emotions are draining her.
“I can’t save her,” Autumn whispers. “She won’t even let me close. That’s why I’ve been searching for someone to talk for me. I’ve been carrying this burden since my death. The weight of my guilt, the accountability neither of you ever got to collect. I deserve whatever comes for me, but I don’t want to keep wandering. I want to feel whole again. Please!” Autumn shouts. “Please forgive me. I need you both to say it.”
Amber’s a sobbing mess, and Drac, he’s barely holding her together, trying his best to keep her from shaking apart.
Drac guides the planchette across the board, still holding his wife’s hand. Pippa reaches for him, begging for release. Then he spells out the word neither of them can say out loud.
FORGIVEN.
A sudden warmth surrounds us as a blinding white light appears from above, hitting the grass just to the left of them. Nobody but ghosts can see it, but Autumn feels it; she bathes in its glow like it’s healing her spirit.
