Beatrice's adventure

It was pitch dark. Green bolts of lightning roared down the spine-chilling valley. She was running, running for her life all alone between trees. She didn’t mind diving with her bare feet into the sludgy grass as long as she would still feel safe. She knew something was off the moment she stepped into her house. Someone wanted her as dead as a doornail. Her breathing started to get bulkier and bulkier due to the energy strain she was going through. She tried listening to her jerky exhales to forget whatever was about to happen to her. Then, in a brief, everything went bleary.

Beatrice woke up from her ambiguous dreams. If she truly was alive, she would have known how it felt to be scared for her life. Her eyelashes flickered in confusion as her vision was fuzzy from dreaming. When she finally regained her composure, she noticed her feathered friend was still sleeping, meaning it was daylight. The little barn owl let out soft hoots that almost sounded like snores. Our fierce ghost giggled for the first time in a while observing how cute her birdie bud was.

She started looking around to remember where she was. It was a deserted hill with only a few rocks and trees hanging around. She sighed deeply thinking she still had a long way to the next city or village. Her gaze stopped to a random point as she was greatly sunken into her thoughts.

She listened to the silence around her. She kind of liked it since her life, or more precisely, her afterlife hadn’t been peaceful ever since she realized she was a poltergeist. Beatrice lifted her free hand, concentrating icy energy on it. A familiar, ticklish feeling arose in the center until a red glow materialized in the shape of a low flame. She tossed it onto the ground so that her sleeping barn owl would get warmer. The fire wouldn’t harm it, since it wasn’t man-made.

Beatrice focused her thoughts back on the dream she had earlier. Ideas such as: ‚What could it mean?’ or ‚Is it related to my past?’ kept swaying in her mind which made her restless. Her fidgeting eyes noticed a pendant laying on the neck. She hadn’t realized its presence until now. She tried opening it up several times but she failed to do so. She, then, guessed the locked pendant could be related to the clues they found out so far.

Our lovely barn owl began to shift in its sleep signaling that it was planning to wake up soon. Beatrice stood up suddenly as she proceeded with her striding. The freshly awakened owl flew by, never leaving her side.

‚ My friend, we need to keep going so we won’t arrive late at night. Do you mind if I speed up?’ Beatrice asked with a concerned look on her face. Her best friend hooted firmly in response as if it confirmed what she needed to know.

They hasted with unnatural rapidity in the hope of getting nearer civilization. The wind rumbled around them but they were never bothered by it. Beatrice playfully spread her arms as if they were wings and enjoyed the freedom she felt in the high sky. Beatrice looked angelic in her long dress which flapped in the wind. That made her tremendously happy even if she left her physical form long ago. She thought to herself that ghosts can have feelings as well. She slowly spread her delicate, transparent arms in the thin air and hovered above the land as if the world was hers. She kept her eyes shut trying to live her ghostly moment, letting aside the cruel, unwavering reality of her being dead.

Her small flash of freedom ended soon as they arrived in another city right on time only to be shocked by its sight. The city has already become ruins. It seemed like something terrific happened there and Beatrice had the feeling it had something to do with her unknown, deadly enemies.

They looked around anxiously searching for either clues or survivors.

‚Hoot! Hoot!’ our feathered friend cried alarmingly.

‚ Wow, calm down, buddy! What did you see?’ Beatrice tried to calm the poor bird. She slowly reached towards it with her hands so she could caress it. When she went closer the barn owl sped up forward trying to show Beatrice the lead.

She sighed deeply following her best friend into the unknown scene. The little fellow was strongly dragging somebody with its peak. There was a small, dirty boy who has been hiding behind a broken wall. The look on his face showed anxiety, so she whistled at the owl to make it stop.

‚ Hey, hey, don’t push me, stupid bird! Don’t push me.’ the boy exclaimed with the desperate need to escape.

‚ Bestie, stop tormenting him! We need to get information from him. This isn’t helping!’ she yelled angrily at the bird pulling it by one of its wings.

The owl pulled away from her giving Beatrice an angry look.

‚ I’m sorry but I had no other way to stop you. Now, boy, please tell me what the heck happened here.’ she asked examining him carefully.

The boy lifted his head only to see the horror in front of him. Beatrice could smell his fear but still dared to approach him with soundless steps.

‚ S, s, stay away, demon!’ he cried for his own dear life.

‚ EXCUSE me?! I’m no demon. I used to be a human too. I’m just stuck to being a darn poltergeist now.’ Beatrice hissed at the kid.

The little man gulped and then dared to speak some more.

‚ Oh, s, s, sorry!! It’s just – the last thing this city saw was demons rising from hell and slaughtering or kidnapping each one of us.

‚ Wait a minute, demons? What are they doing on earth? Kid, the last time I checked the

portal to Hell was locked and guarded. How did they get out?’ she exclaimed in great surprise.

‚ I have no idea what that even is, ma’am. I never saw such hideous creatures. I thought they were only fairy tales.’ the kid added with a wavery voice.

‚ But this city was known as the key to both Heaven and Hell. How do you guys don’t know that? You should’ve been more informed and more prepared.’ Beatrice scolded.

‚ Hey, I’m a kid. What should I know at my age?! Go ask the elders since you’re a ghost yourself. ‚ the kid hissed back.

‚ Actually, this is exactly what I’m going to do. Thanks.’ she said as her eyes were sparkling with joy. This was the only solid information she has gained so far and it may lead to finding out her killers.

The little guy tried sneaking away as she was daydreaming about her future, peaceful afterlife, but unluckily for him, she noticed him escaping.

‚ And what do you think you’re doing?!’ she pressed as she caught him by the shirt.

‚ Uhm, minding my own business? Trying to make a better life for myself?’ he said sarcastically.

‚ Yeah, sure, nice try. You’ll come with me, pal.’ she pointed out as the barn owl tried helping her to get a better grip on the boy.

‚ Why would I? I don’t have to.’ he pouted.

‚ Err, I think you actually have to. Don’t you miss your mommy and daddy? Don’t you want to avenge your friends?’ she pleaded.

‚For your information, I have no parents and no friends. So I could care less. As I said, I want a better life. But what would you know about that?’ he said while pulling himself as further as possible from Beatrice.

‚ You know what?’ Go, leave. You may be found by demons or other magical creatures and get eaten alive or killed. Your choice.’ Beatrice commanded as she got angry at the rude kid.

‚ On second thought, I might tag along till I get to the next city. Could I join you, ma’am?’ he asked using his tricky, puppy eyes.

‚ Kid, you could do that forever. It won’t work on me. But I need you so, of course, you can come.’ she stated.

‚ Yesss! Thank you, ma’am.’ he exclaimed as he kept bowing to her.

‚ Sheesh, don’t do that. Also, call me Beatrice. I’m not a hag, ya know. ‚ she said frowning at the thought of her being called in that way.

‚ Oh, oh, I’m Aldrin. Nice to meet you.’ He said excitedly.

‚ Same here. ‚ Beatrice replied making a reverence.

‚ So, what is it like to be a ghost?? Tell me, tell me, Beatrice.’ Aldrin asked with much interest.

‚ It has both good and bad parts. I can’t touch many things without changing my form, I could burn everything to pieces when I’m angry and I can’t enjoy eating. I miss being human. I was only 32 when I died.’ she described going silent for a few moments after that.

‚ Oh, do you know how you died? ‚ he asked as they both sit comfortably on a pillar that has been knocked down.

‚ I can’t remember much. I remember I had a bad feeling coming home from my shift. I decided to walk off and run away as fast as possible. Then, I got killed in the blink of an eye. Turning into a ghost was also very confusing. ‚ she said in a low voice.

‚ Oh, that must’ve hurt. So, now you need me to find your killers and get revenge? I’m an ordinary kid. How could I even help you?’ he asked as he was confused and stressed about the idea.

‚ I see you have good guts and brains. I could use that in my quest for clues. ‚ she stated grinning at him.

‚ Er, yeah, that’s right. But I don’t know how to fight if we get into trouble.’ he said concernedly.

‚ I will teach you some things. I also have powers, being stuck in two worlds. ‚ Beatrice explained.

‚ All right, I’m in. But only til I get a job somewhere.’ he added determined to make himself a living.

‚ I appreciate it, boy. For now, let’s call it a day. You need your sleep since we’ll have to walk a lot. ‚ suggested Beatrice.

‚ Already? Awww, but I wanted to ask you so much.’ he whined.

‚ You can do that tomorrow on our journey. Don’t make me scare you to sleep. ‚ she scoffed.

‚ Eek, noper. I’ll lead you to a hiding place I know it’s good for sleep. Follow me.’ he said as he already started leading the way.

The adorable barn owl clung to the little man’s right shoulder and Beatrice levitated in his direction. They arrived at a place that looked like it was a sanctuary. The entrance to the temple was blocked, but the kid uncovered the plants that hid a secret passage.

‚ This used to be a sacred place that served for rituals until the demons destroyed it. So, we can have some godly protection here, Beatrice. Come in, come in. ‚ he explained as he signaled Beatrice to enter the sanctuary.

‚ A temple, you say? Your fellow villagers were weird. If they didn’t know much about the demons why did they need godly protection for?’ she asked thinking profoundly.

‚ I don’t know. I never bothered to ask. And commoners like us weren’t allowed to know, anyway.’ The boy replied seriously.

‚ Well, let’s dwell over it tomorrow. Now we need rest. I hope you’re not feeling hungry or anything. I won’t go hunting for you.’ She said crossing her arms to her chest.

‚ I don’t need your help. How do you think I survived all these days? I can care for myself. Thanks. Goodnight.’ He firmly ended the conversation as he sank onto an uncomfortable, yet warm bush.

Beatrice stood there dumbfounded for a couple of seconds, then she decided to just wander around and search for traces of what once was a great village.