Audrey Claire - Libby Grace 01 - How to be a Ghost by Audrey Claire Page A
Authors: Audrey Claire
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If she didn’t scream her head off and phone an exorcist, everything would work out fine.
Chapter Four
In my own living room, I sat next to Monica and studied her as she watched TV. Sounds of Jake playing video games in his room reached me, and I was glad for the opportunity to speak with my friend alone. I’m not sure if it was because I was so exhausted or because Ian taught me what to look for, but for the first time, I noticed my energy increasing. Not fast, but steady. Right then, being so close to Monica, I was feeding on her. The knowledge hurt, and try as I might, I couldn’t turn it off. All I could be thankful for was that I hadn’t inadvertently sped it up, which Ian had indicated I had the ability to do.
Monica fiddled with her phone, heaved a sigh, and then pressed the button to dial. I needed to come clean now or never. Rather than just appear nearby her and scare the bejeezus out of her, I drifted into the hall and stood outside the doorway beyond her view.
“M-Monica?” I called.
“Libby!” She must have leaped over the couch because I heard a crash when she hit the floor.
“Wait,” I squeaked. “Stay in there. Don’t come into the hall.”
“Are you nuts, girl?” Intense relief filled Monica’s voice, but to give my friend credit, she did pause. “Where have you been? Get in here and let me hug you and then knock some sense into you.”
“Shh,” I whispered. “Please, keep your voice down. I don’t want Jake to come out here yet.”
When Monica spoke her voice came from nearer to the doorway. Her shadow fell on the floor, extending across to the opposite wall. All she needed to do was take a step or two, and she would know the truth.
“What’s going on?” she whispered, matching my tone. Then she gasped. “Are you hurt? Did someone… Oh goodness, Libby, don’t tell me the person who attacked George hurt you too? Whoever he is, I’m going to find him, and he’ll wish the police got to him first!”
I smiled. That was Monica. She always told me she had my back, and she had proven it more than once. I didn’t doubt her threat for a second.
“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what happened to me,” I said and wracked my brain for how to explain my current state. “I…I’m not like I was.”
“You mean bruises?”
“No.”
“You know I don’t like cloak-and-dagger stuff, Libby. Not when it comes to real life. Out with it. What’s up?”
I glanced down at myself and was relieved to find I could hold the semi-transparent form without much effort, but I hadn’t gathered much energy from Monica, so I didn’t know how long before I ran close to E again. I needed to tell her everything I knew. As I thought about where to start, I came to the swift conclusion that I would not reveal to her that Ian claimed to be a vampire. I still hadn’t seen any evidence. At most, he had cast a spell, but as he put it, even a human could do that. Not that I had met any with those kinds of powers. Either way, I would keep Ian’s secret for now and ponder later what it meant to my situation.
“I’m a ghost,” I blurted. “Sort of.”
“A ghost,” Monica repeated. “What do you mean?”
“Promise me you won’t freak out, okay?”
“Libby,” she warned.
I licked my lips. “Go sit on the couch.”
She grumbled, but I picked up the sound her steps receding from the doorway, and her shadow disappeared. Tentatively, I peeked around the doorframe. I thought she would be looking at me, but she sat on the couch with her back turned. I had the feeling she was nervous about learning the truth. Monica might be bolder than me and probably crazier, but sometimes I saw how she hid her fear behind her actions and her words. I knew her probably as well as her Grandmama knew her, Monica’s only remaining family. Seven years ago, Monica’s parents and her younger brother had been killed in a car accident. I had been the one to sit up all night long with her while she
Chapter Four
In my own living room, I sat next to Monica and studied her as she watched TV. Sounds of Jake playing video games in his room reached me, and I was glad for the opportunity to speak with my friend alone. I’m not sure if it was because I was so exhausted or because Ian taught me what to look for, but for the first time, I noticed my energy increasing. Not fast, but steady. Right then, being so close to Monica, I was feeding on her. The knowledge hurt, and try as I might, I couldn’t turn it off. All I could be thankful for was that I hadn’t inadvertently sped it up, which Ian had indicated I had the ability to do.
Monica fiddled with her phone, heaved a sigh, and then pressed the button to dial. I needed to come clean now or never. Rather than just appear nearby her and scare the bejeezus out of her, I drifted into the hall and stood outside the doorway beyond her view.
“M-Monica?” I called.
“Libby!” She must have leaped over the couch because I heard a crash when she hit the floor.
“Wait,” I squeaked. “Stay in there. Don’t come into the hall.”
“Are you nuts, girl?” Intense relief filled Monica’s voice, but to give my friend credit, she did pause. “Where have you been? Get in here and let me hug you and then knock some sense into you.”
“Shh,” I whispered. “Please, keep your voice down. I don’t want Jake to come out here yet.”
When Monica spoke her voice came from nearer to the doorway. Her shadow fell on the floor, extending across to the opposite wall. All she needed to do was take a step or two, and she would know the truth.
“What’s going on?” she whispered, matching my tone. Then she gasped. “Are you hurt? Did someone… Oh goodness, Libby, don’t tell me the person who attacked George hurt you too? Whoever he is, I’m going to find him, and he’ll wish the police got to him first!”
I smiled. That was Monica. She always told me she had my back, and she had proven it more than once. I didn’t doubt her threat for a second.
“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure what happened to me,” I said and wracked my brain for how to explain my current state. “I…I’m not like I was.”
“You mean bruises?”
“No.”
“You know I don’t like cloak-and-dagger stuff, Libby. Not when it comes to real life. Out with it. What’s up?”
I glanced down at myself and was relieved to find I could hold the semi-transparent form without much effort, but I hadn’t gathered much energy from Monica, so I didn’t know how long before I ran close to E again. I needed to tell her everything I knew. As I thought about where to start, I came to the swift conclusion that I would not reveal to her that Ian claimed to be a vampire. I still hadn’t seen any evidence. At most, he had cast a spell, but as he put it, even a human could do that. Not that I had met any with those kinds of powers. Either way, I would keep Ian’s secret for now and ponder later what it meant to my situation.
“I’m a ghost,” I blurted. “Sort of.”
“A ghost,” Monica repeated. “What do you mean?”
“Promise me you won’t freak out, okay?”
“Libby,” she warned.
I licked my lips. “Go sit on the couch.”
She grumbled, but I picked up the sound her steps receding from the doorway, and her shadow disappeared. Tentatively, I peeked around the doorframe. I thought she would be looking at me, but she sat on the couch with her back turned. I had the feeling she was nervous about learning the truth. Monica might be bolder than me and probably crazier, but sometimes I saw how she hid her fear behind her actions and her words. I knew her probably as well as her Grandmama knew her, Monica’s only remaining family. Seven years ago, Monica’s parents and her younger brother had been killed in a car accident. I had been the one to sit up all night long with her while she
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