Chapter 9
Truth Be Told...
Katelyn, Kim, and Ghost.

◇•◇•◇

"Aphmau..." I manage out.

"Aphmau... was proven guilty."

Silence.

Stunned silence.

"No way. It must be a mistake." Jeffory says.

"A-Aphmau?... Aunty Aphmeow is g-guilty?" Abby whimpers.

I nod, silent tears rolling down my face.

"KATELYN!"

I hear Travis yelling. He runs over, hugging me.

"Travis?! What- I told you to leave me alone!" I exclaim, pushing him off.

"I'm sorry! You were right, I should never have doubted Aphmau!" He wails.

"Huh?" I ask.

He's literally on his knees crying.

I'm so, so, so confused.

"Aphmau... it wasn't her! I shouldn't have doubted it, she would never hurt her best friend! I saw Kim, and she explained everything!" He cries.

"Travis? Is everything okay?" Jeffory asks.

"Jeffory? Oh... hey..." Travis says.

"Stop crying, what did Kim say?" I ask. I know she said she said she saw it, but I wasn't really paying attention at the time.

"Cathy! Cathy did it, I'm sorry for doubting her, please forgive me!" He cries.

"Why are you apologizing to me?!" I ask.

"Because Aaron and Hyria are with Aphmau, and I'm scared to go near them." He whimpers.

Well, at least he has a good reason.

"Fair enough... Aaron could snap you in half if you aren't careful..." I say.

"Wait what?" Jeffory asks.

"Nothing." I say.

"Is that Travis?" Aaron asks. He's still on the phone, right.

"Yeah, sorry. This idiot caught up with me. He ran into Kim, and says he's sorry." I sigh.

"And the other two?" He asks.

"Jeffory and Abby, you remember them, right?" I ask.

"Of course, but what do we do?! Aphmau is going to be in jail for a week until the court case, and if we can't prove her innocent then it's... I dunno, 40 years in jail?!" He asks.

"Aaron, calm down! We can prove her innocent. I was witness to the crime." Kim says.

"One eye-witness isn't good enough." I sigh.

"What about Zane?" Taiya pipes up from Kim's end of the phone, "He was the victim. He should know."

"Judging from what we saw, Zane was stabbed in the back. He likely didn't see who did it. The only way he could recognize them... is if he heard them speak. Then he might he able to recognize the voice." Kaiya says.

"But we can't guarantee Zane will wake up in time for the court case." Jeffory says.

"Is there a way to communicate with him while he's asleep?" Abby asks.

"I wish..." Kim says.

Kim clears her throat.

"Huh? Ghost? What is it?" Kim asks.

"You really are stupid, aren't you." Ghost sighs.

"Who?" Jeffory asks.

"Long story, Kim talks to herself sometimes." I say.

"What do you mean?" Aaron asks.

Ghost sighs again.

"You all are stupid. I'm a ghost. I can possess people. Just like I'm possessing Kim right now." She says.

"Okay?" I ask.

What? I honestly don't know.

Don't give me that look Reader.

"I give up. I can possess Zane while he sleeps, and y'know... maybe ask him what happened?" Ghost suggests.

Oh

My

Irene.

If anyone says "I told you so" I'm asking Pink to ban you from reading this book.

"That's a good idea." Aaron says.

"Must be why you didn't think of it." Ghost grumbles.

"Ghost!" Kim scolds.

"Alright, alright. Let's go to the hospital then. Aaron, can you manage with Aphmau and the police by yourself?" I ask.

"Bad idea... I'm not alone, Hyria is with me... and yelling at cops. We're going to need some help." He sighs, "Because I'm not letting Aphmau get put in jail."

"You have a point. Katelyn, will you go with them?" Kim asks.

"Sure. Jeffory? Abby? Travis? You up for that?" I ask them.

"Yeah!" Abby grins.

"Of course!" Jeffory says.

"As long as Aaron doesn't kill me." Travis sighs.

"Help us out of this mess, and I won't. I'll send you Hyria's address. Zane is probably at the hospital by now." Aaron says.

Travis nods.

"Kay!" Kim chirps.

"Got it." I say.

He hangs up.

My phone beeps.

Aaron: 665 Mystic Lane.

Katelyn: On our way.

I turn to the others.

"Let's go."

◇•◇•◇

Kim

My phone beeps.

Garroth: Kim! Quick, Zane is at the hospital! Where are you?

Kim: 1. On my way. 2. WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM BLAMING APHMAU?!

Cathy: not you to.

Vylad: Cathy shut up. Nobody invited you to the chat, and your just as suspicious as her, considering your the one who got us.

Kaiya: why are we here?

Travis: wha?

Taiya: y'all got a major issue. Except Kaiya.

K~C: I'm confused...

Travis: guys, I'm not going to the hospital. Found Katelyn, sticking with her instead. Off to find Aphmau.

Cathy: where is she? Is Aaron with her?

Travis: 1. I'm not telling. 2. Yes.

Cathy: WHAT?! He can't be with her! She's dangerous!"

Taiya: stfu, your one to talk.

Kaiya: Taiya...

Cathy: shut up little girl, I'm aloud to be worried about him!

Taiya: excuse me? Did you just call me a little girl?

Cathy: yes

Taiya: why?

Cathy: because you act like one.

Taiya: 🖕

Kaiya: Taiya!

Cathy: f*** you

Taiya: no thanks. Go f*** yourself.

Cathy: well-

~Garroth has removed Cathy from the chat.~

Garroth: sorry, she's a little on edge

Kim: Kaiya, Taiya, and I are on our way.

Taiya: somebody get me out of the chatroom, my phone is having a seizure.

Kaiya: Taiya, be nice!

Taiya: and you telling me this virtually instead of in reality because?...

I turn my head a little, and see Kaiya slap Taiya's arm.

"Ow!" She exclaims.

Garroth: Yeah, yeah. Cya soon.

~Garroth has closed the group chat~

I pocketed my phone, and I hailed a taxi.

"Hospital please." I say.

He nods and starts driving.

We arrive at the hospital and get out.

"$120 please." He says.

I rummage around in my wallet, and pay him. He grins and drives away.

We run into the hospital.

Everyone is in the waiting room.

Even Cathy.

Garroth sees me, and waves. I go over to him with the twins.

"I see you found the twins." He says.

"Yeah... how's Zane?" I ask.

"Dunno. They haven't told us." He says.

"You can't seriously think Aphmau is innocent." Cathy says to me.

"You seem to pushing the notion that Aphmau was guilty a lot..." Taiya glares at her.

"Well, it doesn't matter. She's been proven guilty anyway. Hyria demanded a lawyer. Court is next week." Kaiya sighs.

Kim, find out what room Zane is in. The less time it takes for me to get to him, the better. Ghost says.

"What room is he in?" I ask.

"105." Vylad says.

"Why are they giving her a court case? She doesn't deserve it." Cathy scoffs.

"Hyria demanded it." Taiya says.

"Hyria? As in our old witchcraft teacher? Whose literally thousands of years old?" Garroth asks.

"Yep. She and Aaron are dealing with Aphmau and the police now." I say.

Kawaii~chan is crying. I didn't say it before, but she's curled up on the chair next to Vylad crying.

Cathy opens her mouth to say something.

Taiya covers it.

"Do us all a favor, and stop talking. Nobody wants to listen to you rant, and it's obviously not helping the mood." She says.

Cathy nods.

Taiya removes her hand.

Alright, I found it. I'll be back soon Kim.

I gasp suddenly, as Ghost leaves my head. In front of me, I can see her floating away. Nobody notices but me. It feels empty without her.

"Kim? Are you okay?" Garroth asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I laugh nervously, "Just Ghost freaking out over Zane."

"Oh, okay. Good." He replies. I just now noticed he's holding an ice pack to his jaw.

"What happened to your jaw?" I ask.

"Uh... may or may not have gone within fist range of Aaron... it's fine, just sore." He assures me.

"Oh, alright." I say.

Cathy stiffens suddenly, then relaxes, and glares at me.

Ghost must have spoken to her.

A nurse comes out of the hallway.

"Family of Zane Ro'Meave?"

◇•◇•◇

Ghost

As soon as I slipped out of Kim, the lodge started pulling. Pushing forward, I managed to make it to the Cathy girl. Of course, I had to go into her for a moment.

I landed in a black room, with her across from me.

"What the?! Who are you?!" She exclaims.

"A ghost. Mind if I rest here for a minute?" I ask.

"Get out." She says.

"I'll be gone in a minute, relax." I sigh.

"Who are you?" She repeats.

"I told you. A ghost." I sigh.

"What's your name?" She asks.

"It's none if your concern, though if you must know, Kim and the others call me Ghost." I say.

"Your with Kim? Wait, how many people know about you?" She asks.

Good question.

I count on my fingers.

Aaron, Aphmau, Kim, Lucinda, Kawaii~chan, Katelyn, Travis, Ein, about 8 I guess...

"Around 8 people. Oh and by the way..." I glare at her.

"Kim and I? We know what you did to Zane, and how you blamed it on Aphmau. You won't get away."

Then I leave her, and go to room 105.

I see doctors, and Zane's body. They're doing surgery on him. I don't care. What I do notice?

Zane's soul, his ghost, is sitting on top of his body.

He sees me.

I say the first thing that comes to mind.

"Zane?"