A Familial Spirit

“Will you stop that!” Jane snapped as another of her books flew past her and landed on the floor with a loud thunk. “Some of those are really old and really fragile.”

“Forgive me, lass, if I’m not quite so concerned with the wellbeing of your bundles of paper.”

Jane sighed, crouching down to pick up the book and ensure it hadn’t been damaged. She didn’t deign to turn around and face the wispy figure hanging out by her shelves and barely made any attempt to keep the annoyance out of her voice. “I told you I would find a way to free you from this plane, and I meant it. Tossing my stuff around will not make the process go any faster.”

“Well, then what will make it go faster? I’m not getting any younger here.”

“You’re not getting any older either, Bones. You’re a ghost.” She sat down, opened the book she now held in her hands and began to leaf through the pages. Delivery method notwithstanding, her surprise houseguest had at least pulled one of the more useful books from her shelf. “And this might go faster if you’d stop making a mess of my house and interrupting my research.”

Silence fell between the two of them for the time being and Jane gave a subtle, appreciative nod before tearing her vision back from the ghost field. This routine had become standard ever since she’d brought that damned Leviathan bone dagger home with her. Just her luck it had a spirit attached to it, and worse it happened to be one of her own ancestors which thus made her obliged to help them. She’d never hear the end of it if her parents found out she turned her family away, even if said family had been dead for decades. Bones wasn’t the worst temporary roommate either, even if they were impatient and had no respect for her library. Shame, her collection of occult texts would likely serve them both well in this situation, if they’d just let her get enough research time in.

Of course, no sooner had she thought that than another book sailed through Jane’s field of vision.

“Bones!” She snapped, her tone harsher as she looked towards the shelves and the invisible figure she knew was still there. Though she wasn’t tuned in to see them at the moment, she could swear she heard them laughing at her.

The things she’d put up with for family…