Spirit

Chapter 12: Answers
“So we really are ghosts?” I squeaked.
“Let me explain,” Keith said. “We aren’t dead just in case your wondering. What we are is called second hand ghosts and that is because we aren’t full ghosts. The ghosts we carry is a young family that died long, long ago. I’m guessing in the medieval times by the family’s names. We are the Ashburton’s. I am Callixtus Ashurton, Sarah is Constance, Nathan; Clarence and you are Clarabelle. Would you like to hear the story, Natalia?”
I nodded my head.
“In the medieval times, there was a very wealthy family named the Ashburtons’. Cornelius and Camellia had four children, Callixtus, Constance, Clarence, and Clarabelle.
“Cornelius was a famous English philosopher. We don’t know for sure what he tried to prove, but from what I heard, it was very important because so many people wanted to get the real proof and one of them was Langston Vanburen.
“Cornelius and Langston were supposedly ‘mortal enemies’.” Keith quoted the word with his fingers. “They were both two very powerful philosophers.
“Not only did Cornelius and Langston completely loathed each other, but so did their family.
“One day, Cornelius discovered what everyone was trying to. The day he was going to announce his discovery, he was murdered in his room by the envious Langston. Camellia, had seen Langston slaughter Cornelius. She took the sword that was hanging on the wall and drove right through Langstons body.
“She took her kids and fled away with them far away. She knew that Langston’s wife, Maria would be coming for her to end this vendetta she had against the Ashburtons’ so she kept running with her children.
“A half year later, the Ashburtons’ settled in Norway, they were surprised when someone paid an unexpected visit. Maria was waiting for Camellia inside their straw cabin.
“Camellia told her kids to get out and run away as far as they can and that she’ll catch up with them later…. She was wrong. Camellia and Maria both died in the straw cabin.
“The kids later on died as well.” Keith’s story was over.
Sarah made a loud impatient sigh. I had a feeling she had heard this story many times before.
“That doesn’t tell me why I’m like this, Keith. I want to know why.”
“Nathan, would you like to explain to Natalia?”
“Our theory is that we hold the same personality as each of the Ashburton children. One of Keith’s personality trait is his hospitality just like Callixtus. Sarah’s is her… indifference for everything in the world, just like Constance. Natalia, by the looks of it, your this sweet, beautiful, lovely-”
“It’s her personality! Not what she looks like!” Sarah interrupted. I blushed. Nathan glared at Sarah.
“Just like Clarabelle,” he continued. “And for me… I guess I’m just such an optimist,” he chuckled. “Just like Clarence.”
“What did you mean by ‘second hand ghosts’?” I asked.
“A second hand ghost isn’t a full ghost. We’re only half because we can change from human to ghost. You’ve probably seen ghost movies before, right? Well, those are first hand ghosts. They are people who are dead and can’t find the proper carrier.”
I nodded my head, absorbing all knowledge.
“Why do I change when I’m being rude? Are you guys like that too?”
“Sarah, would you like to explain?” Keith asked.
“Psh. No,” she scoffed.
Keith sighed and shook his head. “Every second hand ghosts involuntarily transforms when they act contrary to their dominant trait. There is a way to gain control over this, but it takes a lot of training for that to happen. Nathan has been with us for three years and still, he hasn’t gain control over Clarence. But he is very close.”
“So how long would it take for me to gain full control over this… Clarabelle?”
“It depends,” Keith said and shrugged his shoulders. “If you choose to train productively and absorb every piece of knowledge we give you, then I’d say about… a year and a half.”
“I often get side-tracked,” Nathan whispered to me. I smiled.
“The say you first transformed… when was it?” Keith asked.
“When I was four. I stole something from my brother.”
“That is called your ghost trigger. The first time when you act contrary to who you are, the whole thing starts. The dreams, the transformations, the powers, everything.”
“Okay. So lets say that I didn’t so that. Would I be human right now?”
“Natalia, no matter what you are; an ant, an elephant, a human, a ghost, you will always experience every emotion and feeling in your life time. So maybe you would be human right now, but maybe sometime later on, you’d eventually find out that your not.”
“So why do I turn blind when I transform? And why do I turn white?”
Keith looked over to Sarah and opened his mouth but closed it once he realized whatever he was going to say, she would decline.
“The blindness just comes with the transformation. There is no specific explanation that I know of. We turn white because although we are second hand ghosts, we are still ghosts. First hand ghosts are transparent and second hand ghosts are white.”
“And my abilites? Do they just came with the transformation?”
“Yes. Every one of your senses are intensified,” Keith replied.
“How about her singular ability?” Nathan murmured to Keith.
“Oh right! Natalia, have you ever experienced anything… odd? Or out of the ordinary?”
I chuckled once and gestured to my whole body.
“Other than what you are. Have you felt anything… different?”
“Uhm… not that I know of,” I said, unsure. “Why?”
“Let’s just say that sometime later on, you will experience something and we need to be there when it happens,” Keith said slowly, making sure I understood each word.
“Why? Is it something cool?” I asked, excited.
“Just stay cautious, Natalia.”
I wanted to say something, but I thought it best if I didn’t argue.
“So is there anyone else out there? Like us?” I asked.
“Of course there is. You may not know it, but we walk among them everyday. First and second hand ghosts are out there. About seven out of one-hundred percent of all people on Earth are first and second hand ghosts combined. So beaware, Natalia. Not all of them are good.”
That made me shudder. Have I ever encountered a ghost and I wasn’t aware of that? This brought up another question.
“Shouldn’t I feel a force dragging me to them? The only ghostly force I’ve ever felt was the one with the three of you.”
“That’s because we are your ghost family. You can only feel a force with the three of us and no one else.”
“Is that how you found me?” I asked Sarah.
“Not entirely,” she mumbled.
“Do you have anymore questions you need answering?” Keith asked.
I looked down at the table, not sure if I should ask my last question. I decided to go for it. “Can we walk through walls?” I asked.
Nathan and Keith exploded with laughter. Sarah just sat there.
“Of course not, Silly!” Nathan said, still laughing and wiping tears from his eyes.
“Okay,” I chirped. “No further questions.”