Not Your Typical Ghost Story

Chapter 15- Now You See Them Now You Don't

TW: Medication (?), Separation Anxiety, Mentions of Cancer

November 17th | Nine Months Since Remus Died | A Change to Roman's Schedule Ends with Strange Consequences

Roman sat on the couch with a small pill in one hand and a cup of water in the other. He stared down at it with hate as his parents sat across from him. "I don't need this you know," Roman mumbled, "Even if Remus wasn't real, what's the problem with it? I'm not hurting anyone, am I?"    

"That's not the point Hijo," Victor said, "We're worried that it'll get worse. It has gotten worse. It used to be just Remus, but now it's others too. And you're hearing things from these 'ghosts', the doctors are worried and frankly Roman, so are we."

Roman rolled his eyes, "What if it's not safe?"

"It's fine." His mother assured him patiently, "This medicine is often prescribed to young adults. It won't have an effect on your recovery, and the side effects are minor."

As if he didn't believe them, though he did and he knew his parents would never allow anything dangerous to pass through his body, Roman picked up the container and looked at the back of the bottle. He sighed quietly, they were right. Most, though not all, of the side effects, were minor. Headaches, dizzy spells, loss of appetite, and more like it. 

"I really don't want to." He whispered, his voice almost sounding begging.

"We don't want you to either Roman, trust me, we never wanted this for you. But, we're worried. And you promised."

"I shouldn't have to make promises about this sorta stuff," Roman crinkled his face with dislike, anger in voice.

His mother sighed as she kneeled down on the ground beside him and took his hand, "Roman, please. It's just till New Year, you promised us that much."

Roman watched his mother for a moment before he nodded, "Fine. But I don't need it."

"Thank you," his parents said together as they watched Roman swallow the pill and drink some water. He cringed slightly, it was one of those powdery pills where it tended to melt away in your mouth and leave you with an awfully bitter taste. 

"Okay, open," his mother said as she stood up. Roman sighed but opened his mouth, moving his tongue around at his mother's demand so she could make sure he had truly swallowed the pill. 

"There, happy?" he asked when his mother let her hand drop. His mother sighed and nodded, "Great, I gotta go catch my bus. It's still okay if I go to Patton's after school, right?"

His father nodded, "Be nice, use your manners."

"And don't forget to invite Logan and Patton's families over for Thanksgiving dinner," his mother reminded as he headed to the door with a thumbs up in their direction.

He sighed quietly as he headed towards the bus stop, briefly pausing to play music on his phone. When the electric jolt of Remus teleporting to him happened, Roman barely even faltered in his walk. With his eyes closed and his earbuds in, Roman was sure that Remus would get the hint that he didn't want to talk.

*****

Roman's leg bounced up and down as he sat down at his desk, fingers and hands tapping along to an imaginary song in his head. He hadn't seen Remus since he arrived at school this morning. Roman knew his brother was probably fine, he was a ghost, after all, nothing could hurt him exactly. And he knew that his brother was within their One hundred sixty-foot range because if he wasn't Roman would probably be in the nurse's office right now. But he hadn't seen him, and Remus hadn't told him where he was going.