The Demon's Whispers

6- The Ghost of you

Present day-- Leah
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I stood in my apartment, looking down at the photo of a man and a woman. Their smiles were wide as her arms were wrapped around his neck, the position being one of a piggy back ride. Both young and care free.

The photo had been taken in North Dakota, in the autumn time, where the trees turned in shades of oranges, threatening to shed their leaves. The woman had a burgundy beanie had pulled over her dark hair, because burgundy was his favourite colour on her. The man had gone without a beanie, in favour of pushing a little hair wax through his brown hair and styling it into a little style.

I placed the photo down and looked towards another and then another. The edges of my heart were still frayed from that day. Sore and plucked. The stitches of my heart were wound too tightly to keep it together. Grief never seemed to ease, not for me.

Swallowing back the turmoil in my body, I stared at the t-shirt I still had on. The reminder of me crossing a line I was told never to cross. What I had done, was not unheard of. It had happened a few times to others, but it had been known that Ace did not approve of it. Why? Because why should the men get something for nothing. If he made sure the women kept to his rule, the men would come and they would pay for those few moments with the lady. After all, there was a difference between Ace being paid and him not getting paid.

Stripping off Zak's top, I placed it by the washing machine, as a reminder that I needed to wash and return it at some point. A part of me felt bad, for slipping out his bed and house whilst he took a shower. Leaving him a sloppy scrawled 'Sorry. L x' on a piece of paper. If he had any sense, he would steer clear of me now. He would see I'm nothing but a piece of cheap meat and move on to his own kind. The flashy, expensive and drop dead gorgeous kind. Not slum it with the likes of me...

Maybe I'll keep his top. As a preservation matter, to remind myself that time is ticking and soon, he will leave me behind.

I took a long hot bath filled with lavender, in an attempt to relax my body and lull myself into tiredness again. Because tragically, my day consisted of eating, working out and sleep before heading it to work at night.

A yawn slipped out of my lips as I pulled on another shirt. The only shirt I should be wearing..

Climbing into bed, I shivered at the coldness and laid still looking across the empty bed and to the other side of the room. The dresser still sat there, mocking me from afar, still holding a past which inevitably ruined my soul and faith in human kind. My eyes skimmed the cologne bottle sat by the mirror, the hair wax sat beside that..

Glancing over, I looked at the chair sat against the wall. The chair which still had clothes on, his clothes. The clothes I had washed and pressed, ready for him to put away. We used to argue about his ever growing mountain, his lack of ability to put it away. How I would complain at having to do it for him. But I'd give anything to put his clothes away again and again and again. To smile when he kissed my neck and thanked me and apologised for being so lazy at it.

A smile trembled across my lips as tears stung behind my eyes. Sometimes it was hard to live with him. But it was even harder living with his ghost....

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Zak POV.

I stepped out of the shower, my mind and soul feeling lighter than life after being revitalised. I couldn't remember when I last felt like this, so calm, collected and at ease with the world. I also couldn't understand if it was to do with the hot shower or the woman that awaited me in the bedroom. Wearing my shirt, her panties and a smile.

It was the first time I had spent the night with her, I knew this morning she felt some instant sensation of guilt. But I didn't understand why, we both needed support and we found it in each other, no harm done.

Wrapping a towel around my waist, I ruffled my hair and exited the bathroom with a smile, when it faltered.

The bed had been made, Leah was gone and in place of her was a small bit of paper with sorry and her name scribbled across the page.

I took a breath, wanted to be slightly annoyed but I remembered last night clearly. It was an anniversary, she would be upset. And yes, I know I sound pathetic making up excuses for her. But that's what I do. Especially for her.

Picking up the piece of paper, I placed it in the draw beside my bed and got myself sorted for the day. Preparing to take on the museum, the social media hacker and sort all the interviews and photo shoots that I needed. I would win at today and seize it for my own.

My phone seemed to ring throughout the day, alerting me of things that needed doing and things I had neglected. It was amazing how much could accumulate when you stuck your head in the sand.

I had arranged the photo shoot, as well as schedule a promo shoot for the show as recommended by the channel and organised as much as I could at the museum.

My last job was to gain control over my social media account with the help of my PR manager doing damage control on what would be leaked..

I had messages in the mailbox from women, some I had been with, some I hadn't, an endless amount of nudes from women and the ones I had hooked up with because I'm only human after all, I had sent my number... Thankfully, I was able to use the Haunted Museum's social media account to field some of the damage, I had people from all ages and places messaging me with screenshots from the account and some of the vile things that the hacker had suggested. Blackmail was on that list too.

After 26 hours of being locked out of my account, I gained access and control on it, hastily changing the password and security questions as recommended by the support team.

So far the day had been relatively stressful, but I took it with calm, and I had one person to thank for that.. It was as if Leah had grounded my energy like some form of therapeutic yoga.

And despite everything from last night and today? I still found myself counting down the hours until I could go to the club and see Leah again. Readying myself for some uncertified means of counselling.