When I had more time to myself, I began thinking: maybe by doing this, Ben thought he could win me back over. Come to the dark side, Avery. We have brownies and organized murder plans of everyone you don't like.

I almost laughed to myself when I realized that's what he was probably trying to do. Oh, you sweet, sociopathic little dead boy.

I don't work that way.

As I expected, Meghan's death was also written off as suicide. It almost made me laugh, how much of a Heathers-esque situation this was. I couldn't find it in myself to laugh anymore, though.

I sat in a small cushioned chair in the waiting room.

"Dr. Bryant will see you now," the receptionist stated in an attempted chirp. I could almost hear the deadpan in her voice, but dismissed it. I had more important things to worry about.

I got up from the seat and walked through the doorway, anxiety gnawing at me. A sad-looking man was waiting for me on a leather couch, holding a small notepad and a pen. He stood up to shake my hand.

"Hello, Avery. I'm Dr. Bryant. I just need to ask you a few questions, and then you can be on your way in about..." He checked a small wristwatch. "...45 minutes." He smiled at me and gestured for me to sit down on the couch opposite to him.

I hesitantly took a seat, unsure what to say to a 30-something psychologist about what happened with Ben and Meghan. It was the reason my mom had sent me here in the first place.

I kept my eyes on the small coffee table between us.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dr. Bryant check his notepad.

"So...your mother said that you were suffering from anxiety and..." He paused to raise and eyebrow curiously. "...an array of mood problems. I'd just like to ask you right now, does that sound accurate?"

Slowly, I nodded.

"Before we go into the diagnostics, is there anything that you think might be causing this?"

I paused, and racked through the options in my brain. This guy wasn't allowed to tell anyone anything I said, or at least who I was. I could either play it safe and act like Ben was some sort of mentally challenged roommate, or...

I could be honest about what was happening for the first time since this all started.

"...yeah. I think I know what it is."

Either way, there was definitely an obvious place to start.

"Someone at my school was killed."

His reaction was somewhat delayed. Once he processed what I said, he froze, and then smiled sadly.

"I...was going to bring that up at some point, yes. But your mom feels like there were a certain...chain of events that led up to what happened, if you're comfortable talking about it. Something involving a person named Ben, I believe."

Without hesitating, I looked up and stared him directly in the eyes. "You're sworn to secrecy or some shit, right? You can't tell anyone what I say, not even my mom?"

He looked a little stunned, but answered anyway. "Y-yes, I am. It was part of my oath, I guess you could say. If I told anyone then it would be a breach of confidentiality..."

"Great." I adjusted myself and folded my hands anxiously.

"Ben is dead."

The doctor raised his eyebrows and seemed to instinctively touch his pen to the paper, but then stopped himself. There really was nothing he had to say, apparently. He slowly nodded for me to go on.

"He's a ghost. He is in my house. He's been in my house for months and he's killed two people while he was there. Three weeks ago was Meghan, and then some other girl I didn't know that well. I-I don't know why he killed Meghan, though. There was no reason. It was probably my fault, actually.

"Before she died, I gave her this...thing, with Ben trapped inside because I couldn't take it anymore. Before, he told me that he wanted to be free, and to spread, but I couldn't figure out how to help him. He never rushed me all that much, but sometimes he just seemed really scared, and desperate, and I felt so bad that I just...gave him away. I didn't even tell him."

I swallowed and paused.

"And then he killed her. He said something like, 'she was selfish, and she lied, and she only hurt herself,' or some weird pretentious shit like that. I mean, she did go back on what she said she'd do with the ca—uh, the thing. But that was because she realized why I gave it to her. Before Ben revealed himself, she said that she would take the thing back to me. And then she realized.

"But then he killed her. So I don't talk to him now."

Dr. Bryant sat still for a second. Oh. I broke him.

After a moment, he took a deep breath and seemed to collect himself.

"...now, I hope you know that whatever I say, you really should try to not take it personally."

I quickly shook my head. "No, it's okay. I know it sounds weird. You...probably think I'm crazy."

"Crazy, or, you just have a different way of viewing your situation. There might be a ghost. I would really never know. But I do believe I have a reason as to why, uh, 'Ben' may act the way he does."

My head snapped up, and I raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but he's...kinda psychotic. I don't really think he has a reason for what he does."

"Maybe not a logical reason. But he has emotions, correct?"

Narrowing my eyes, I nodded. The bastard was a little too happy whenever someone died.

"So, maybe just put yourself in his shoes. Maybe you've already done this, but really think about what he's experiencing right now. You said there was this...thing that contains him. And that you didn't tell him that you were placing him in someone else's custody. Correct?"

I nodded again, placing my head in my hands.

"I'd say that if he was with you for a...considerable amount of time, then suddenly waking up to find that you're no longer in the possession of whoever you thought was going to be there...that must be at least a little worrying. And if you two really talked about setting him free, or spreading him, or whatever was the case, then, I'd understand if he felt a little betrayed."

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, I know that. I'd be mad at me too; but why did he have to kill an innocent person like that? He had the power to come back to me. He could have just...left. But..." I exhaled and rubbed my forehead.

The doctor furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Well...assuming that he quickly found out why you gave him to your friend in the first place...he might have assumed that his odds of safety were better if he cut off some split ends."

I looked up at him, confused.

"I-I'll explain it better. So, Ben's end goal is freedom, right? And so far, it seems to me that he feels like you're his only ticket. So to avoid being brought back to square one, he sets up a couple...roadblocks." He swallowed, and gave me an apologetic look. "Those roadblocks being, cutting off contact with people you trust. People you might pass your burden onto. People you might pass him onto.

"Imagine you're in his place. You've been circulating, I guess you could say, for a long time. You fall into the hands of someone who just gets you. They understand what you've been through, and they want to help." He gave me a sad little smile as he said that.

"After a little bit, after you don't really suspect anything being wrong, you suddenly wake up again to find that someone else is in their place. Maybe it's even in a different house. Either way, you soon realize that your previous owner gave you to one of their acquaintances because they felt like you were a weight on their shoulders. Sure, you could just stay with the new person and try to get them to help you, like you've done for a long time...

"But whoever had you before that had helped you far more than anybody ever did. Or would. And you don't know anything about this new person. The best option, specifically for your well-being, would be to go back. But...with some assurances this time. You dispose of the new person, to ensure that you don't get given away again. One less person your owner trusts is one less risk to your freedom."

—

"Oh. You're...raising your hand? To say the answer, Avery?"

I gave my math teacher an apologetic look, mixed with a whole lot of embarrassment. "I just needed to get some water...sorry."

Ms. Henderson's face went from pleasantly surprised to slightly disappointed at that. "Well, could you at least give us an answer before you leave?"

"X doesn't exist, I think."

"That's...correct, actually. Thank you."

Before she could potentially say anything else, I snatched the hall pass from a side shelf and booked it out the door. My chest, throat—pretty much everything was killing me and I desperately needed to clear my head. I made for a nearby flight of stairs, which was thankfully empty. A perfect space for talking to myself like a psycho, or having a debilitating panic attack.

I stopped at a wider platform between the 2nd and 3rd floors and leaned against the wall, pressing a hand to my forehead. I felt a strange suffocating sensation in my chest, like it was screaming at me to take my binder off. I grit my teeth and tried to steady my breathing.

At least I don't have to deal with that little bastard right now.

I took a deep, shaky breath and mentally navigated the building to find the nearest working water fountain. Then something...gurgled.

Yeah. Gurgled.

I felt icy liquid rising in my throat, and my eyes widened. I couldn't do anything to stop it, and I threw up water all over the stairway. Before I could process what the actual fuck just happened, I heard an echoey, snarky, and terrifyingly familiar voice in my head.

Problem solved.

I gaped and then glared at thin air, wiping my chin. "Cool. Yeah. Real mature. Thanks a lot. What do you want now?"

To talk. You've been awfully quiet lately, and I can't help but think it has something to do with me.

"Yeah, no shit! You've just proved yourself to be a murderous lunatic with a grudge against human decency, do you think I want to be around you right now?"

If you're taking that Meghan girl's death personally, that's your problem. I have plans. And I'm hopeless without your help.

"Then stay that way," I hissed, my gaze flickering around the hall. "If you think I'm in the mood to talk to you about this, you can go back home and never come here again."

He seemed to hesitate for a little bit, then let out a small huff of annoyance.

Have it your way. Hope you like sitting alone at lunch today, dear.

Something cold seemed to rush through me, and a buzzing sound that I didn't even know was echoing in my ears faded away.