A Ghost Story

Chapter 21


Gojyo sat up in the bed, rubbing the back of his head lazily as he looked around his dream room, searching for Hakkai. He was never sure if he was in his dream or a flashback to Hakkai’s time. Turning his head, he glanced out the window and saw nothing but trees and fields. He was in Hakkai’s time in his dream state. Now Hakkai will either be able to hear him, or he will go about his life normally. Swinging his legs over the bed, he stood up and stretched his back, hearing it crack. He had just opened his mouth to call for Hakkai when he heard some unfamiliar male voices coming from the hallway.

“Who are these three fools who reside in this house?” Said one.

“They look to be people of the present day. Whoever they are they woke us up from our slumber.”

“Yes, that golden haired man ventured into our void. The fool.”

“That sinner may be on his way to escaping this Earthly prison, and we can NOT have that. No ghost on OUR watch will escape to peace.”

‘Escape to peace?’ Gojyo repeated to himself as he peeked around the doorframe and into the hallway. What he saw were almost silhouette figures with a more holographic look to them. He could clearly make out body movements and limbs which looked just like a human. They also had a light shining in the center of their bodies where their heart or lungs would be.

“Lets just keep an eye on things around here. These mortals can do more than we can, remember.” Gojyo watched as the two beings slowly disappeared. He played over their words in his mind for a few minutes then turned back to the room, and came face to face with one of the beings.

“SHIT!”

He stumbled back then shot up from the bed, panting softly and sweating. His eyes were wide as he gripped the covers tightly. What was that all about? He could never remember a time being so scared than he was just then. And he did not like it. He sneered as he thought back to the strange ghostly beings he saw in his dream. Who were they and why were they holding Hakkai? And why did they scare the shit out of him? There came a sudden loud knocking on the door and Gojyo almost jumped out of his skin.

“WHAT?!”

“Gojyo, you up?!” It was Goku “The medium will be here soon! Sanzo said for you to get your red cockroach ass out of bed!” Gojyo grumbled and threw the covers off of him. He felt the room get cold suddenly and Hakkai came through the attic door, looking worried. He looked at Gojyo sadly and wrapped his arms around himself.

/Gojyo, I could not find my way into your dream…where were you?/ He asked softly. Gojyo said nothing and wiped the sweat from his brow, resting his elbows on his knees. /You look frightened and troubled…did something happen?/ Hakkai floated over to him. /You even look pale./

“Some strange shit happened, Hakkai. That’s all. I can’t explain it so maybe the medium can do it.” He stood up and put on a pair of fresh pants and a plain black shirt. “Who should be here fairly soon.” Hakkai flew over to him.

/This medium…do you think they will help?/ Gojyo shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know, Hakkai. We’re doing everything we can and this medium is our last hope.” There came a shout of “HE’S HERE” from downstairs, likely from Goku. “Well, just like, stay in the walls, or something. I don’t know what to expect.”

/Very well./ Hakkai said softly and faded into the wall.

Gojyo went downstairs just as Sanzo was opening up the door. A young man, not much older than themselves, stood dressed in black attire. He took off his black hat in greeting and smiled at the three of them. His hair was an odd color of light blonde, almost white, and his eyes were a stunning blue.

“Good morning, sirs. Beautiful day, is it not?” The cameras and the babbling cries from the media practically overpowered the medium’s voice. Goku ushered him in and slammed the door, locking it. “Quite a mosh pit out there.” He smiled. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hazel, Hazel Grosse. I am the medium you called for assistance with your ghost.”

“Sanzo.” He shook Hazel’s hand and the other two introduced themselves.

“Now then, tell me all you can about this, ‘ghost’, of yours.” He asked politely, taking off his cloak and handing it to Goku, along with his hat.

“Would you like some coffee or tea?” Asked Gojyo “or a beer?”

“Ah, coffee would be wonderful. It is quite early.”

They went into the kitchen and Hazel was given the chair at the left end of the table. Goku was busy making the coffee as Gojyo and Sanzo made small talk with him. They did not want to say anything else about Hakkai, since Gojyo wanted to know if this medium was real. Hazel closed his eyes for a few minutes, his hands neatly folded on the table. Gojyo and Sanzo exchanged glances while Goku waited patiently for the coffee to finish brewing.

“Hmm….I defiantly feel a disturbance here. More than one spirit. I must say, this is nothing like I’ve felt before.”

“Is that bad?” Goku asked him.

“Not necessarily. The dead have very little power over us mortals, not counting emotional attachments. Let me sit for a little while longer and sort things out.” He closed his eyes and sat very still in the chair. Gojyo raised an eyebrow and hoped this guy was not going to charge by the hour if he continued to do this. The coffee was finally done and Goku gave them all a cup, putting the milk and sugar in the center of the table. The noise from the mugs made Hazel open his eyes. “Ah, thank you.”

“So what’s involved in all this?” Sanzo asked him, eyeing him suspiciously to let the man know he had better not try to pull a fast one of them. Hazel just smiled and stirred in his milk and sugar.

“Not a lot. All I need is your concentration and will power. Leave the rest to me. And I will be using mental mediumship, which means I will mentally communicate with the spirits around and translate them back to you.”

“Hold it, you could just be making stuff up then, if that’s the case.” Sanzo pointed out but Hazel just smiled.

“Mr. Sanzo, it is skepticism like yours that ruins these communications. You did not tell me a lot about your ghost because you want to see if I am real or not. Smart move.” He smirked “I will prove to you that my powers are real. Now then, if everyone is ready, we may begin.” The three looked at each other and nodded.

Hazel opened up his large duffle bag and took out some various candles and incense, setting them up in the kitchen. He lit the candles and incense, making sure the curtains were closed and all lights were off. He then laid out a small purple table cloth with golden stars, suns, and moons. Hazel then sat back in the chair and took a sip of his coffee before smiling at the three of them.

“Ready? Everyone join hands.”

“Again?” Sanzo said lazily but joined hands with the others.

“Now, I want everyone to clear your minds completely except for the thought of Hakkai. Keep that thought while I contact Hakkai mentally first.”

Hakkai floated silently as he watched this man before him speak in strange words as well as English. He did not know of these people called ‘mediums’ or what they really did, but he assumed they were almost like witches who cast spells on people. Or even the strange fortune tellers he had heard about from some of the sailor men he had tumbled with. Whatever the man was doing, he felt a strange sensation in his head, one that he had never felt before.

/Hello, Hakkai. Can you hear me?/ Hakkai’s eyes widened as he heard the man speak in his mind but his mouth was not moving.

/Y-yes…/ He answered softly, a bit hesitant.

/Very good. My name is Hazel and I’m here to help you as best I can./

/Y-yes…/

/But I need you to corporate with me, understand?/

/Yes sir./

/Now, Mr. Sanzo does not believe my powers are real. Can you tell me something about the three of them that only YOU would know?/ Hakkai thought then smiled a bit as he thought of what to say. He started telling Hazel what he knew.

“Hakkai says, that you, Mr. Sanzo, use a hair growth cream to help that little receding hairline that is beginning to show, as well as the use of blonde dye to cover up some premature gray strands.” Sanzo’s eyes widened to half their size and Gojyo burst out laughing hysterically.

“OH MY GOD!! THE ASSHOLE NEEDS ROGAINE AND DYE!”

“SHUT UP!!!” Sanzo screeched loudly and even Goku had to cover a little giggle.

“MONKEY, YOU’RE FUCKING AN OLD MAN!”

“WHY YOU-!”

“Settle down, now. I’m getting some more information. He says that you, Gojyo-“

“STOP!” Gojyo shouted, now worried that Hakkai had given the man some VERY personal information. “I BELIEVE YOU!” Hazel smirked and bat his eyelashes at Sanzo.

“Believe me now, my good chum?” Sanzo was bright red with anger as he shook in rage on the chair. “Back to concentration, people.” He said and closed his eyes, his mind back to Hakkai. /Now then, what can you tell me about yourself?/ Hakkai told him all he could that he thinks could help Hazel. /Very good. That is all I need from you now/ He opened his eyes and looked back at the other three. “Now I know about Hakkai, he spoke to me, and Mr. Gojyo, you may ask him yourself if you like.”

“Nah, that’s okay.”

“Now, I’m going to channel these ‘other’ spirits I sense here. Concentrate again.” He closed his eyes and was silent for about five minutes before he opened his mouth to speak. “These spirits I am speaking to are types of guards, barrier guards if you will. They hold the power to keep someone’s spirit here on earth in a prison, in this case, the house.” He was quiet again, then spoke. “They are not evil, but they are not good either. They do only as they are told by a spirit with a stronger life force then they.”

“Do you know who it is?” Goku asked and Gojyo shushed him. Hazel said nothing for about ten minutes this time, his face hard with concentration and some beads of sweat beginning to trail down his face.

“I smell tobacco…from a pipe.” Hazel finally spoke and Goku sniffed the air, not smelling anything. “I can hear the gentle humming of a young woman…and I can see a dog romping around outside…a large oak tree with many stories….this young woman is far away…wandering along an old road…the dog runs around outside by the oak tree…then goes to an unmarked grave and begins to dig…this barrier, or strange void that Mr. Sanzo opened up by entering the wine cellar, is what is holding Hakkai in this house. Break the void, we break the hold.”

“How do we do that?” Gojyo asked.

“Hakkai’s body is wrongfully buried in an unmarked grave in the graveyard behind this house.” The three exchanged confused and shocked glances. “A little boy is here…he says that Hakkai was buried in the far, far end of the graveyard where ‘bad’ people went. He was unable to rest peacefully among the ‘good’ people.” Gojyo remembered when he first arrived how he looked through the graveyard and noticed the small clearing of old, unmarked stones. That must be where Hakkai is!

“This man, a William Cornwall, whom I smell the tobacco pipe from…is the cause of all this. This man gave the word to bury Hakkai, so he owns his spirit in a way. He cursed Hakkai to always remain here on earth to remind him of his sins and his crimes. In order to free Hakkai, you must dig his body back up and bury him properly. The girl, this Kanan, Hakkai’s sister and lover, was buried properly, but her restless spirit still walks the earth waiting for Hakkai. And the dog…the children buried it under the oak tree. Now that you and I know this, Mr. William Cornwall is not happy at all. He is resting peacefully in the afterlife, but still holds this control.”

“Wait, we have to actually, LITERALLY, dig his body up?” Gojyo asked, his lip going up in a disgusted sneer. “A 200 and some year old body? Damn!”

“Yes, that is what you must do. Once you bury Hakkai properly, the others, his dog and Kanan, will go with him. These other spirits in the house, do not fear them. They will continue to wander around the house, but pay them no mind. They are only doing their job. They don’t care what happens to Hakkai.” He smiled “We can drop hands now.”

They did so and Gojyo looked at Hakkai who smiled happily at him. But Hakkai noticed that Gojyo was wearing a frown, and he turned his head away from him. Hakkai looked hurt and put his hands on Gojyo’s shoulder, only to have himself ignored by Gojyo again. Goku was cleaning up the coffee cups and Sanzo lit up a cigarette.

“What do we owe you?” Sanzo asked him casually.

“I usually charge $250 for my services, but since I enjoyed your company, gentlemen, and seeing as how you live in a poor bachelor pad, $100.”

Sanzo looked over at Gojyo who got up and went to go write a check for Hazel. Hazel followed him upstairs where Gojyo got out his checkbook from the end table. Gojyo made the check out to him and turned to hand it to Hazel when he came face to face with a green pendant.

“A special gift, for you.” Hazel said with a smile. “It’s a special piece of magic that will aid you.” Gojyo raised an eyebrow and took it from the man. It was a deep emerald green wrapped in a thin gold cage. “You will need it soon.”

“For what? Is something bad going to happen?” Hazel just smiled and put his hat back on.

“That is for me to know and you to find out. Enjoy the mystery of this piece. And please, do not loose it. You will find it will bring you extreme happiness when you need it.” He smiled happily again and held his hand out to Gojyo. “I’m honored that I can help and please, call me if you have any questions.”

Gojyo shook his hand and nodded, saying nothing. Hazel headed back downstairs and said goodbye to Sanzo and Goku before walking out the door and back into the media mosh pit. Gojyo looked at the pendant again and slipped it around his neck, sticking it inside his shirt. He was dreading this part, but knew it was coming. They now know the way to free Hakkai, and he would loose him forever or at least until he died. He did not want to give Hakkai up. He did not want him to pass on. But still, what right did he have holding Hakkai back? If he was in Hakkai’s place, he would probably want to pass on to peace. He was never a selfish man but now, he felt that he was. He wanted to put Hakkai’s feelings aside for the sake of his own and he hated himself for that. Ignoring the call from Goku and Hakkai to come downstairs, Gojyo went into his room and shut the door loudly.