The Haunted’s Kiss of Regret and Repentance

“Come home by tomorrow. I saw a note from Rian in one of your weird time capsule boxes. I think I know how you can fully, or at least partially get rid of your undead stalker.” Izzy read Perry’s text aloud as I was waiting for her to help me decide what to do.

“I can’t go home tomorrow because I promised mom and dad that I would go to church with you and Alister.”

“Okay, sis, we are going to figure this out. However, right now, I need to sleep to figure something out properly. The Church has three services, so you don’t have to worry about being late.”

I relaxed a little at Izzy’s nonchalant reaction. I decided to just decide in the morning and message Perry when I do.

“Hey, Izzy? I never thank you enough for your help with all of this. Thank you for everything.”

Izzy had a soft smile on her lips as she just waved me goodnight. I proceeded to go back to my room, and as expected, I knew that I would feel the creepy presence again because of all my worries.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I decided to get my bible from my night table and tried to calm myself. I needed to sort out my choices and decide by tomorrow about whether I should go back to school or stay here.

“Ssssshhhhhhhhhhh,” Rian’s voice echoed in my mind and the hairs all-over my body stood up in fear. “Shhhhhhhh.”

I swallowed the scream that was threatening to come out of my mouth. y vision was getting blurry and I knew that I couldn’t read the words of the bible anymore due to the panic and fear I was having.

“Shyne, My love,” the words were only a whisper but it echoed in the room as if it came from every direction. “Look at me, Shyne.”

“Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

I read the verse aloud as my heartbeat was beating faster than I thought was possible. I felt an awful urge to throw up my dinner, and the dark presence didn’t help me to calm down.

However, as I repeated the bible verse three more times, the voice stopped. I was able to release a deep sigh as my body began to relax.

“You didn’t think that repeating verses was enough to get rid of me did you, my love?”

I looked at the full length body mirror on my right and I stiffened. Rian was now looking directly at me in the mirror as he stood a few inches away from me.

The moment Rian laughed hysterically, I felt myself faint. The darkness slowly consumed me as his laughter faded into nothingness.

“Hey, you have to wake up or else you’ll be the reason why everyone is late. Come on, sis, WAKE UP!”

My sleeping form bolted right up due to my brother Alister’s loud voice. The guy was definitely annoying me more than Rian right now.

“Could you at least wake me up in a more humane manner? Sheesh, you act like dad all of a sudden.”

“Oh shut up, you are making everyone late for church. Hurry up or you’ll go there by yourself.”

With that last remark, my brother left my room without closing the door. I just stared at the back of his head annoyingly.

“That guy is such a control freak. He really needs to chill or else he’ll grow up like dad.”

Izzy was now outside my slightly opened bedroom door, and I just growled on my pillow. I fainted last night and slept the entire time at the edge of my bed.

“Wow, you look like a tornado destroyed your hair. What happened, and why are you at the edge of your bed? You’d have sore muscles.”

“I’ll tell you every detail later, Izzy. Right now, you can leave me alone so I can get ready for church. I’ll just go back to the campus tonight after the two church services.”

The rest of the day, I tried to ignore the fear that was trying to overcome me. Rian and those ghostly hallucinations around me were driving me crazy, but I had to get a hold of myself for the sake of my family’s dignity.

Walking to the church felt weird, but Izzy was right, it was interesting. The Pastor and the people were all nice, yet they had a weird aura.

“You were right, Izzy. I have been to so many churches but this one is indeed different. I felt like I wanted to leave, but my feet were glued to the ground, and my butt was stuck to my seat.”

“You and I had the same reaction, sis. Now, at least you can use whatever you heard at the church to calm yourself down.”

I was allowed by my mother to go back to my flat under the condition that I come home the next day. I agreed to be a part of the church’s program. After spending a few minutes talking with other young people, I considered the thought and agreed.

“Hey Perry, where are you? I’m home!”

“Hey, Shyne. How was the bus ride back here? Did you have any problems?”

“No, thank God I went straight here after church. I felt like the dark presence was being stopped somehow.”

“Well, I’m guessing it’s because you just came back from church and I guess you’re protected in a way.”

“Maybe, but, Perry, I need to be permanently freed from this thing, not just temporarily freed. I am so sick of the night terrors and the weird voices and hallucinations.”

I felt my tears threaten to fall, and Perry instantly came to give me a friendly and comforting embrace. I allowed myself to sob for a few seconds, and we separated after.

“When I couldn’t sleep last night, I decided to go through your stuff. I’m sorry but it was like something was telling me to go and look through your old boxes of memories.”

Perry gave me a folder letter that had the initials R. B. on the back. The letter was not familiar to me, but the initials and handwriting was indeed Rian’s doing.

“When I was flipping through your diaries, this letter fell out of it. Don’t worry, I never read your diaries. I just had a hunch that something would fall out, just like in the movies.”

“Don’t worry, Perry. I understand. However, this letter is not familiar to me.”

I opened the letter, and I had chills running up and down my spine as I read Rian’s words. It was a letter that Rian slipped in my Diary the day that we went to the abortionist.

The letter says:

Shyne, my love,

I looked at you moaning in pain as the abortionist pushed hard on your belly. I wanted to put a child inside you for months, and I hated that you didn’t want one with me yet. I tried multiple times to get you pregnant, but a baby was never formed.

Today, I want to confess that the abortionist that massaged you was actually a family relative, and I paid her to put a spell on you to stop you from leaving but she didn’t give me any. She doesn’t want to give me a spell to make you fertile, because she said she took lives and never helped make them. She told me I made a mistake of choosing you because even the spirits told her that you were not for me.

However, I refuse to believe that, my love. You are mine. She was part of a cult that worshiped the dead, but she decided to stop her practices and offer unborn fetuses instead to be kept healthy and alive for years.

My love, I’m sorry but I would rather disobey her than lose you. Not even her so-called spirits or cult can stop me. I love you, and I will always love you even in death.

I wrote this letter, because I know you’ll leave me someday. This is my confession to you and explanation as to why I’ll take my life so early. It is for you and me to be together. Don’t be afraid of death, my love, I’ll be right there welcoming you.”

My eyes are tearing up, and I felt the chills again as the dark presence began to once again unfold in my room. Perry was looking at me with a worried expression, and she took my hand in hers.

“Don’t look at me like that, Shyne. Take my hand and let’s pray. Right now, all we need to do first is call God.”

“Shyne…” Rian’s voice was loud in my ear, and I screamed with my pent up fear.