Two Souls: Into the Fire # 308

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As Steve and Ghost refreshed themselves under the warm spray from the shower head, they could feel the tension and pain from the night before leaving them. Gently lathering up with shampoo and soap, they cleansed their wounds. Their hands gliding through the slick bubbles on their bodies, they were overcome with the need to bring some happiness and pleasure to each other. Loud in their abandonment of lovemaking, they cried out in pleasure and pain.

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In the kitchen, Melody smiled, hearing them. She was happy they were together again, and was dying to know what happened. Terry had scared them so bad with his words this morning. Surely, it wasn’t as bad as he’d said. She finished the large breakfast she’d been making, then went to join Linda out on the front porch.

“Well, it’s ready to eat,” she said, as she sat down on the swing beside Linda. Sipping her fresh cup of coffee, she gazed out over the clearing in the yard.

“Any sign they’re up, yet?” Linda asked.

“Um-hmm, they’re up and in the shower, and are having loud…fun…in there.” Melody laughed.

Linda grinned. “You don’t say?” She laughed, too. “That business Terry was talking about, well, that scared the shit outta me. I was afraid to even come out here, ya know?”

Melody nodded. “Me, too, but I still want to know what really happened.”

They sat there a few more minutes, listening for any more sounds coming from inside. “I hear them. Let’s go in…it’s time to eat,” Linda said.

Back in the kitchen, they found Steve looking a little confused.

“Hey, you’re up,” Linda said.

Steve whirled around, looking startled. “What the hell? Y’all are here? God, you scared me. I was just trying to figure out how this food got cooked.”

“Oh, Steve, you hurt yourself,” Linda said, seeing his bruised face. “What happened?”

“It’s nothing, Sis. I just fell down is all, but you’re gonna freak when you see Ghost’s face,” he said. They could hear Ghost coming down the hallway.

As Ghost walked into the kitchen, the girls gasped, not at the cuts on his face, but because he was completely naked.

“Oh, shit,” he said, frozen for a second, before running back down the hall.

Melody and Linda looked at each other, then burst out laughing. “Oh, my God…Did you see that?”

“It’s okay, Ghost, come back,” Linda said.

Steve hollered, “Put some clothes on, Dude.” But, he was grinning, too.” He looked at the breakfast food that was ready. “Well who’s hungry?” he asked, and began filling his plate with eggs, bacon, and biscuits.

Linda and Melody busied themselves with filling glasses with milk, and trying to keep from giggling.

Ghost re-appeared, and tried making a joke about it, but the girls could tell he was still a bit embarrassed. “Here, sit down and eat,” Melody said, handing him a full plate. She whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry about it; we’re all family here.”

He shrugged. “I know, but I sure didn’t know y’all were here.”

“I didn’t either,” Steve said, coming to the table with his plate. “They scared me, too. Anyway, why are y’all here? I mean, you can be here any time ya want, but…why are you here?”

Linda and Melody took chairs at the table. “We came to see if y’all were okay,” Linda said. “Terry told us what happened, and we were afraid he’d killed y’all.”

“That fucking asshole, he pulled a gun on us, for real…and shot the damn thing,” Steve said. “Lucky for us he’s terrible at shooting a gun. I don’t know what he was going on about, but I’m done with him. You don’t go threatening your so called friends with death, and then go back to normal after that…uh-uh, no way.”

“We can’t not see him, though,” Ghost said. “He lives in town.”

“Well, we sure as hell don’t have to have anything else to do with him,” Steve said.

“What if that was part of the omen, too…then, what?” Ghost asked. “If he was being made to do that, we can’t just leave him alone to deal with it.”

Steve frowned. “Ghost, I know that, but damn, can’t you be angry at what he did…at least for a day or two…teach him a lesson…don’t mess with us. I mean, we could be dead now, for real dead, omen or no omen.”

“I can be mad,” Ghost said. I have this to show for how fucking mad I was at him last night.” He pointed to his face. “And, I hated him…I hated him, and I tried to kill him…to kill him when he was driving over here to kill you.” He was breathing hard, now. “I tried to wreck the car. I…I would have died before I’d let him kill you. Steve. So, don’t tell me I don’t get mad.” He glared at them all. Pushing back his plate, he got up from the table. “I can’t eat, not now. My mouth hurts.” He left the kitchen, heading down the hallway.

They were all shocked at Ghost’s outburst. “I’ll go see about him…” Melody began.

“No, wait,” Steve said. “I started it, and I’m glad he did get mad. We all should be. Just let him be for awhile.”

Ghost came back through the kitchen, then, with his backpack and jacket. He grabbed a biscuit off the table, then stomped out the back door, letting the screen slam behind him. He’d not said another word to them.

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Next part coming soon!

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Thanks for visiting! Peace ☮️

© 2019 BS

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This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.