I See Dead People

Seventeen

"I want you to take my sons."

Silence enveloped the tent as (Y/n) looked to Ananke, dumbfounded. The teen was baffled. She looked to said siblings—who had shown no visible reactions, and then back to the fortune teller. "Pardon?" She asked reluctantly, hugging her plushie tighter, but Ananke's smile didn't falter.

The blue haired woman nodded in confirmation as she pushed the rings further to (Y/n)'s side of the table. "You heard correctly dear. I offer you protection for the sake of your unfortunate future." The fortune teller pouted, turning her gaze towards Nanashi. As they met eachother's eyes, a weird glint reflected in her mystic orbs. Almost like she knew something he didn't. The thought sent a chill down his spine as he uncharacteristically averted his gaze. For some reason, this woman scared him.

"My boys are very strong. I can promise you that-"

"I'm not concerned about that!" The (h/t) haired teen cut Ananke off, waving her hands back and forth. "You're not the least bit reluctant to give your own kids to a stranger?" She interrogated, put on edge with how eager the older lady was to hand over her own family. (Y/n) then slowly began to scoot her chair from under the table, stopping short as Ananke emitted a spine-tingling giggle. The woman raised a pale hand to cover her lower face while her laugh grew louder before coming to an abrupt stop. All that remained was a small smile as she spoke—barley audible, "Must I repeat myself? (Y/n) dear, I know just about everything about you. Your name, birthday, suitors, family," The woman cut of her rambling, making sure to meet the ghost's eyes as she spat, "Friends."

The smile dropped from her face. Ananke rose from her seat, sauntering across the table and she picked up the rings. Coming to stand beside the now frightened teen, the fortune teller bent down and looked the girl dead in her eyes as they once again began to shine.

All of a sudden—contrary to what she'd felt before—the room seemed to have grown stuffy. (Y/n)'s breath had gotten heavier and more shallow. Her throat felt clogged—as if she were inhaling water. Ananke only continued to speak, watching the middle-schooler grasp desperately at her collar. All the while Nanashi continuously attempted to use his powers, but to no avail. He could only watch in sheer terror as his mortal companion slowly lost air. Just who was this woman?

"I even know when you're supposed to die. Down to the very millisecond. So child," Ananke paused, forcefully taking ahold of (Y/n)'s wrists. Grasping them tightly, she individually slipped a ring onto each hand. The teen then watched—paralyzed in fear—as the woman grasped her face, leaning forward to press a kiss on her forehead. The feeling of her painted lips felt as if she'd been exposed to the raw heat of a thousand suns. Pinching her eyes shut as tears threatened to spill, she witnessed the freckled-woman come back down to her height.

(Y/n) noticed through watery eyes that she could breath once again. Along with that the fortune teller's eyes were no longer glowing. She stood to her full height—continuing her previous sentence.    

"Do you really have room to reject my offer?" She asked with a serious expression. The two guests wondered why the woman was so insistent on this. (Y/n) gulped dryly, parting her lips to ask. She stopped short though as Ananke cut in. "If you're so hung up on that, I guess I can let you in on a little secret." A cheery smile had re-addressed her face as she childishly held a finger up to her lips. Winking, the woman answered what her client was thinking. "My children...aren't even alive."

Ananke's multi-colored eyes observed the pair's faces morph to ones of shock. Her sons hadn't moved an inch as she laughed, continuing. "Though, they're not dead either. You shouldn't jump to conclusions so fast child. I truly don't understand why you're so scared. My sons are right around your age, and it's not like the bond I've placed on you is permanent." Her cherry red lips turned up into a sly smirk. She looked at the frightened teen through lidded eyes.