Ghost Whispers |-/ Joshler

con·cil·i·ate

/kənˈsilēˌāt/
verb
to overcome the distrust or hostility of; placate; win over.

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"Tyler, I want you to tell me about Josh. How he died."

Tyler shifted in his seat. "It's too unreal. You're just gonna think I'm crazy."

With a soft smile, she set down her pen and lifted up the sleeve on her left arm. A long scar was exposed, with staple marks from a time long past across them.

"I tried to kill myself when I was 13. Threw myself in front of a car and managed to only break my arm. I had to get a few surgical pins, but that was a wake up call. It made me want to be a therapist and help all those who hurt themselves. Someone like my sister."

She pushed her sleeve back down, locking eyes with him. "So I think we're all a little crazy."

The story she had shared was moving. She had gone through the same thing, even younger than him, and had devoted her time to healing others.

Tyler wanted to be that kind of person. He wanted to reach out to people, broken people, and let them know they're not alone. So he knew he wasn't alone.

"Well, it...it's a long story. Very long, and-" his voice caught in his throat and caused his words to get cut off. "And I don't know if I can not cry."

"I'll be right here, Tyler. Please, do go on."

The boy gave her arm one final glance before starting with the first sentence. One he had prepared himself for the longest time.

"Josh was a boy I never knew. He-he died on July 8th, this year."

"But that..."

"I know, it's wrong, but...he was a ghost. When people die, they can be bound to someone to heal their dying soul. And he was my ghost."

Minette sat there in shock, eyes going wide.

"Were there demons?" She asked.

Tyler's mouth dropped open as he looked at her. He didn't tell her about them, how did she know? How could she have possibly known?

"How did you know?"

Minette swallowed, hard, and got up off her chair. She crossed over to Tyler, kneeling in front of him, one hand on his kneecap as she looked up into his eyes.

Eyes glistening with tears, she opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out at first. It was like something had crawled up from her stomach and was tugging the words back down.

He leaned forward, breath picking up in pace. "How did you know?" He repeated.

"Because..." She whispered, her voice cracking. "My sister went through the same thing."

Tyler fell silent.

"She told us over and over again about demons and how they were trying to take her soul, and that a ghost was saving her. We didn't...we didn't listen."

"Minette, what happened to her? Was she saved?"

Closing her eyes and rolling her lips between her teeth, she shook her head. Her soft brown hair moved about, falling around her delicate face.

"She..." She drew in a breath through her nose. "She killed herself. She said that her ghost was killed in the battle between him and the demons. That had no savior left."