Ghost Girl| Part Two
~

Blake walking through the doorway, headed for the Nevermore courtyard. It was full of students eager to prank one another, some already succeeding tremendously. She'd been prank free for the time being, not having a roommate and all. The moment her feet stepped toward the steps, a water bucket was tipped on her head. Blake gasped as her body became soaked, seeping into her black bodysuit. Her hair dripped of it, looking up quickly to see a few young ones run off.

Laugher filled her ears, realizing who'd been standing at the bottom of the steps the whole time. Ajax shrugged his shoulders dramatically. "Paid a few Caliban boys to wait for you. How long does it take to get ready these days?"

"Pretty long. Thanks for that." She wiped her smearing mascara, slapping him in the arm. "I'll get you back."

"I have no doubt." He laughed, rubbing the spot she slapped. He'd still been getting used to her being able to be physical again. "I didn't see you at dinner last night?"

"Researching the Nevermore histories....looking for anything that may let me stay." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'll be there tonight though. Pumpkin muffins....my favorite."

"I'll save you a seat." Ajax promised, adjusting his hat. "Were you able to find anything?"

"Not yet. Still looking." Blake was trying to be hopeful, he could sense it from a mile away. She pushed her wet hair back, squeezing it on the grass before pushing it behind her ears. "I think I may look into potions next."

"I can help." He offered quickly, Blake smiled at him in approved. His eyes focused on something behind her, smile falling nearly immediately. Blake turned to follow, locking eyes on the scene that unfolded across the courtyard. Bruno and Enid seemed oddly comfortable, not an inch avalible between the pair. "I think we're officially broken up."

Blake offered a frown for her friend. "I'm sure he has flees anyways."

"Or smells like a wet dog." Ajax added, though his mood didn't seem to uplift much.

Eugene and Pugsley picked up on his mood when they walked outside, joining the pair in hopes of helping. "Blake's right. He does have flees. But not just any flees..."

He placed his jar before them. "Sumatran Tiger Fleas."

With a quick unscrew of the lid, the flees attacked Bruno as he rolled around in embarrassment. Blake laughed alongside Ajax, using her phone to record the scene before her. She felt Ajax shift toward the boys. "Hey....thanks guys."

He tugged Blake's arm slightly to signal her to walk with him, smiling at the younger pair. "Hey, and, uh-"

He spun Blake around, her back pressed against the front of his body while one hand clasped over her eyes. The other yanked his beanie off to stone the pair before them. "...happy prank day."

"Completely unfair." Blake complained as he let her go. "When is it my turn?"

"Never-" Ajax began, being cut off by one of the telekinesis kids using their powers to grab him by the foot and  float him into the air. Blake laughed as she watched him fly. "Blake!"

"Sorry." She shrugged, watching as he got higher and higher. "Can't hear you from down here."

•

Blake had a hard time sleeping that night. She laid awake, in her empty room, staring at the ceiling. She fell victim to scrolling on Xavier's Instagram, seeing photos he'd already taken with new friends and a bright smile on his face. She attempted to do homework, but her mind had been elsewhere. Reading through the Nevermore books was no use, falling short on gaining abilities and one day closer to being kicked to the curb. Just as she did when she'd been a ghost, Blake snuck out to the roof to clear her mind. She peered over the side, right above the large clock that lit up their courtyard of empty souls.

She touched her pajamas, feeling her heartbeat to remind herself that she'd been human still. Occasionally, Blake feared falling asleep in the worry she'd awake without the ability to touch or feel things. She's become comforted by the smell of old books and the touch of the ones she loved. She'd transformed into an overly affectionate person strictly because she didn't realize how much she'd miss it until she was gone. Her eyes fell toward the gates that trapped them away from the rest of the world, the gates that impaled her body nearly two years ago. Sometimes, late at night like this, she could still feel the sharp pain in her abdomen.

Blake leaned over the side of the roof, staring down at the clock as it began to tick. She watched it for a while before it stopped entirely. Her eyes frowned as it began to go backwards, the large hand cranking down rather than up. Before Blake had much time to question it, she felt hands shove her over the side of the building. Her attempt to catch herself was nothing compared to the forceful shove, panic setting in as an ear piercing scream casted over Nevermore. Blake was falling to her death, her second death, knowing what awaited her.

Her body locked onto the ticking clock hand, holding on in panic as she already began to feel her body start to slip. Her scream alerted a lot of students and teachers, hurrying outside to see what had been happening. Wednesday had been deep in the Nevermore school, coming face to face with a riddle. She could not hear the screams of Blake, having no clue she'd been at the death of the riddle from her stalker.

I keep a rhythm with no song, my heartbeat's ticking all day long. What am I?

As the minute passed, the clocks big hand struck down. Blake screamed again as she began to slip even more at the angle. Everyone began to panic now, rushing around looking for what they could possibly do. Bianca didn't know how to song Blake out of this, but she ran to the roof with Ajax anyways. They leaned over the edge. "Blake!"

She looked up in a panic, barely able to hold on. The next minute passed, pulling a yell from her again as she slipped farther. Ajax tossed his legs over the side. "Hang on!"

"What are you doing?" Bianca stopped him.

"She's gonna fall." He slid off the side slowly. Stepping onto the gargoyle statue that hadn't been far from the clock. Blake began to cry as her hands burned, becoming aware that Ajax was trying to come after her. The hour hand wouldn't move for another forty minute or so, stepping onto it with one foot but realizing how unsteady it was. "Don't worry, Blake."

"I don't wanna die again." She cried in panic, yelping as the minute dropped more. Wednesday was informed by Thing what had been happening, putting her into quicker gear to try and solve the mystery that had awaited her on her typewriter.

"You won't." He promised, using his Nevermore jumper to try to toss to her. "See if you can grab ahold of it."

Her hand out reached but not for long, feeling how unsteady it had been to hold on with one hand. "I'm gonna fall."

"I'm not gonna let you fall." He swore, a serious look on his face. Last time Blake died....he ran. "I promise."

"A clock." Wednesday gaped as it hit her, typing it in quickly just as the minute hand struck. It was her last leverage, slipping entirely as Ajax yelled her name in panic. He leaned over the side and threw the jumper once more. Her hand caught hold of the sleeve, holding onto dear life as they both exhaled.

"Thank God." Bianca sighed in relief as she watched as he struggled to pull her up. Blake grabbed ahold of the gargoyle once she'd been close enough, pulling herself to safety into the grasp of his arms. Whoever had pushed her, whoever tried to kill her a second time, had a rude awakening forming.

•

Bianca, Ajax and Thing stayed with Blake that night in hopes of finding something in the books that could unlock a Nevermore ability for her.

"It says right here you could drink blood and spit to possibly tape into someone else's ability." Bianca read from one, seeing the looks on the pairs face. "Nasty. I know."

She yawned as she flipped the page. Blake realized that it was nearly sunrise, shutting the books. "Let's start again tomorrow."

"We can keep going." Ajax cut in, determined to uplift her night.

"Not on an hour of sleep." She shook her head, shutting the book for him. "I need to think about who's spit and blood I'll be drinking."

"Technically, you could just mix their blood with yours and be fine." Bianca added, Blake gave her a comical look. "The spit part of gross, though. We'll look for something more. But, hey. After you almost died, again, I think the least we can do is have a sleepover. Like we used to do."

Back then, Xavier was here. Blake didn't let her mind go there, she shook it off and began to make a palette on the floor. Thing curled up on one of her throw pillows while Bianca shared the bed with Blake. Ajax helped Blake get his bed ready right below the bed, on the floor.  By the time they managed to get all he'd needed, Bianca had crashed already.

"Thank you for saving me." Blake fluffed the pillows for him as he laid down. "I don't think I had a chance to say it."

"It's no biggie." He shrugged with a boyish grin. "I love the gargoyles."

Blake offered a small laugh as she turned off the lamp, getting into bed next to Bianca as she stared up at the ceiling. Ajax did the same for minutes upon minutes. She knew he'd still been awake, familiar with the way he breathed. "Why'd you risk your life to save me up there?"

"You're my friend." He spoke, though they both knew something else was behind it. He inhaled, hesitating as to how it would come out. "Last time, on the fence, I ran when I saw what happened to you. I wasn't gonna do that this time. I was gonna save you this time. I don't want to lose you again. It was terrible, a lot worse than I think I ever let you see. Ghost or not....its not the same. I couldn't just run for help again....I needed to make sure you'd be safe."

Blake was so quiet that he thought she'd fallen asleep. She thought over his words. "When my feelings get hurt, I know that you're the first person that would uplift me. When I didn't get into the classes I wanted, when Xavier agreed to the Rave'N with Wednesday, when I got told I need to leave the school."

Ajax waited for her to explain what she meant. Blake wasn't entirely sure where she'd been headed with it either. "I'm just saying....you protect me in ways that aren't just physically. I hope you know how valuable you are to my heart."

His face flushed. Something sparked, something about her words jumpstarted his heart in a way that he did not expect it to. Blake shut her eyes, as did Ajax before the pair drifted asleep.

•

Kylie speaks

CAMPING TRIP NEXT
WOOOOOO