A Ghostly Romance

I calmed myself and relaxed. I needed to figure out what Michael was going to do. "I'm going to kill two birds with one stone." That's all i kept hearing. It terrified me. I'm not even sure if he meant it metaphorically. It sounded like he really meant killing someone. I walked to my window and looked out into the bright sunshine. I sighed and closed the curtains. It'd be easier for me to focus if it was darker.

I cleared my mind and waited for something to come to me and it did. It actually hit me like a ton of bricks. He was concentrating so hard. So very hard. It hurt. My head was throbbing in pain. Michael continued pushing on, no matter how bad it hurt. What the hell is he trying to do? My vision began fading and I felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness. This is too much for me.I wiped my nose and saw blood. He's going to kill himself if he doesn't stop this. Heck, this is taking everything out of me too. The room began spinning uncontrollably and I shut my eyes, hitting my head, doing whatever I could to make it stop. The words drifted into my mind, "too much. too much." It finally stopped when I slouched onto my bed, unconscious.

*****TWO HOURS LATER*****

I woke up laying on my bed. My bedroom was darker. It was probably around five or six. I sat up slowly, trying not to make myself feel any dizzier. I rubbed my head. There was blood on my pillow, I noticed. I wiped my upper lip and felt the crusted, dried blood from my nosebleed earlier. That's what it was...I thought. I stood up opened my curtains. The sun was lower than when I last saw. I glanced at my alarm clock. Two freaking hours? I thought.

"What the hell are you doing, Michael?" I asked aloud. "Nearly killed me."

It was then that I had the unmistakable feeling that Michael was near me. "Michael!" I exclaimed. I ran out of my room, feeling him closer as I neared the stairs.

"Michael, where are you?" I shouted at the top of the stairs. I started running down but stopped immediately. "What-?"

At the foot of the stairs, Kevin was lying on the floor. Lying in what looked like a red puddle of...

"No," I said. "No, no. This can't-"

I know what it looks like when someone's died. I've seen it too many times. But here's the difference, Michael, in some form or another, survived it. But Kevin...I crept down the stairs and saw the living room a complete wreck. There was obviously a fight. I leaned down to Kevin. He was still warm and breathing. I shook him a little, not wanting to hurt him.

"Kevin?" I asked, tears forming in my eyes. His light blue shirt was soaked in his own blood. He was stabbed at least five times. I didn't know where to apply pressure to. There were too many stab wounds. I shook him a little more, desperate. "Kevin?"

His eyes slowly fluttered open. It was obvious he wasn't very aware of his surroundings. He's lost too much blood. His lips opened and he mumbled something, but the blood gargled his speech. He was choking on his own blood. I slowly and carefully sat him up.

"What is it, Kevin?" I asked.

"I didn't mean to," he whispered. "i-I'm sorr-"

He gasped and closed his eyes. His fists were clenched at his sides.

"It's fine," I said, trying to soothe him. Here's the guy I used to like, dying in my arms. "This has happened too many times," I mumbled to myself.

"I wanted to tell you I'm..." He took in a deep breath. It was obviously taking a lot out of him to talk. I moved his brown hair that was matted on his forehead away from his eyes. "I'm back on my m-meds. I didn't mean to...hurt you. I'm s-ssorry."

Tears filled my eyes. No matter how much I hard I tried the thought came into my mind anyway: you won't be needing them anymore.

"I forgive you, Kevin," I hugged him close to me and he inhaled sharply. "Who-?"

I pulled him away from me and he looked at me with those brown eyes I used to adore and whispered softly, "I loved you, Dani."

I didn't know what to say and, to be honest, I don't think that anything would have been able to come out.

"It was-" Kevin's eyes kept drooping. I shook him a little. "It was-"

I heard footsteps coming from the living room. My heart rate quickened. Did Michael do this? His presence felt very strong downstairs. I looked up and saw Richard watching me, holding a bloody kitchen knife in his hands. He had blood on his clothes and hands. Even on his face.

"How could-?" I asked, but Richard lunged forward. I jumped back and watched in horror as he held the knife against Kevin's chest.

"You made me do this, Dani," he said. "I need to protect you. I told you I would."

My mouth dropped. "Michael?"

Richard's eyes stared at me in confusion and he stepped away from Kevin. His hand was shaking as he held the knife up towards me.

"You made me do this." He said again. "Don't blame this on me."

"I can't believe you would-Kevin, he's-because you?" I stuttered. Trying to figure out what to say. "How could you do this, Michael? I would never have-"

Again, Richard lunged forward towards Kevin. Without thinking I threw myself on top of him and felt the knife press against my back, digging into my skin. It wasn't that deep, but it still hurt like hell. I got off Kevin and realized it was all in vain. His eyes were already glossed over. Tears fell slid down my cheeks as I kissed his forehead and looked up at Richard...or better yet Michael.

I felt my heart breaking. Everything was a fucking joke. Everything. I should have known better to think that anyone sane would love me. Michael was just as crazy as Richard was. How could I not have seen this coming? My stupid emotions got in the way.

"You're fucking insane, you know that?" I screamed, wiping my eyes. "I fucking hate you, you maniac. I don't know what I ever saw in you."

Richard's hand was still shaking with the knife. He looked like he was about to collapse. "I'm the only one who will ever love you, you bitch."

He fell to the ground and stabbed Kevin's chest. Once, twice, three times, until it didn't even look like a human being was ever lying there. I turned my head away, frozen in my place. Richard's face turned a bright red, the veins throbbing in his neck and forehead.

"I only listen to Them, not you, you dickwad," he screamed. He looked up at me, the knife glistening ruby red. "I'm the only one who's ever loved you."

He jumped to his feet and walked forward a couple feet, stepping on Kevin's body. The knife continued shaking in his hand until it fell to the floor next to Kevin. Richard looked up at me.

"Go ahead and kill me, you fucking psycho," I spat. "I've got no reason to live anymore."

"Dani," I heard Michael say. I looked at Richard and knew it was Richard that was with me anymore, but Michael instead. I felt no good feelings towards him.

"I didn't do this," he said. "I was trying to-"

Michael's voice stopped. Richard began yelling hit his head a few times, like I've seen him do in his room before. "Get out of my fucking body!" He screamed. It looked like he was possessed. He fell to the ground and, although I couldn't see it, it was obvious there was some fight going on within him. He finally stopped struggling and laid still. I took a few steps back up the stairs and stared at the limp body. Richard's fingers twitched and his hand landed on the knife. He stood up and wiped the knife on his shirt, leaving red streaks. He's fucking insane. Waving the knife in front of him, he smiled and said the three most terrifying words I've ever heard that made my heart freeze in its place: you're next, bitch.