Under Words (OPEN)

[Cecilia Light]

This was it, and it had to happen soon. Cess had class soon, and she couldn't be late again. Too bad helping spirits and education did not mix well. But when she was ready, she spilt choc moco on her shirt. This was around three minutes ago, so she had to soak it and scrub before it stained before finding another shirt. Teleportation, that would be a good power to have. So bolting through her dorm door, she then charged down the hall. Walkign really, really quickly she then saw the stairs and trotted down them.

This was horrible. It was kind of her fault, she had been up all night. It all started yesturday when she was walking by the lake, just with her Ipod and having some 'me' time when she saw a woman by the lake. But the thing happened. When their eyes lock and they both realize the truth. That she could see her and she was about to have a great amount of trouble. But the unfinished business, what this girl wanted was something. Something Cess would not be able to do. At the bottom of the lake is a trunk, with her husbands dead body abd a locket with a message in it. It was the only way for her to cross over.

So now, Cess was bouncing the idea in her head. She couldn't, that was not natural. The husband had obviously probably crossed over, so in order for the woman to return to her husband and cross over is to get to the bottom. That was why she was wearing a swim suit under. Maybe she had too, but if she was caught she would be in trouble. She had this gift for a reason. Some could lift cars above their head and could save the world from a astroid attack. But this was her way of making a difference. So she had too.

At the lake, the light glistened off of the water. It shone on her face from the lake as she sighed. She had a crow bar. She had to do this. She wasn't the pro swimmer of the year, but she could hold her own. So walking into the water, she then dived, having the mouth full of air as she went under. Going down, usign the weight of the steel to pull her down she then went to the bottom. Looking around, she felt lost. She would not find it, no way. But she then saw the ghost standing on the lake bottom looking up at her, a trunk next to her. Cess swam towards it. She was going to do it. She was scared, shaking. Her breath wasn't gone yet, she would have time. But would she have the will to do it. She sobbed under, rising the crowbar and striking down on the padlock that bouncd it. Pulling ity up, bubbles rose and a black boney corpse came out.....

she screamed....

[Xander Green]

"No way. There's another one and you're just now telling me this!?"

Xander asked as he ran towards the lake. He had no clue there was someone else here who could talk to spirits. Then when Nate told him she was actually going to help that woman by the lake he quickly ducked out of class and ran towards the lake. When he got there he saw the pile of clothes on the shore and the bubbles in the water.

"I fucking hate water...."

He mumbled to himself.

"Nate, go get some more towels."

And with that his spirit friend ran off to get more towels. He sighed, took a deep breath and jumped into the water. He didn't know how long she'd been down there but with it being cold he knew it was too long. He quickly swam through the water and eventually found her, along with the corpse. He saw the bubbles coming from her mouth and knew it was a scream. He took hold of her shoulders and began to swim towards the surface.

[Cecilia Light]

The body floated towards her as she screamed more. She was hoping to see maybe a white skeleton, but this one was rotted and deteriorated. Cess felt it go towards her but next to corpse, standing in the water calmly was the woman. Cess was now out of breath so she glanced and saw the locket. She had to do this, so she grabbed it and yanked it off. It snapped the neck as the corpse was decapitated which made her scared more. She had never been so freaked.

The she felt someone grab her from behind. Screaming, thinking someone was trying to kill her she struggled as he pulled her up to the surface. She struggled, but when they got to the surface she gasped for air. She was shaking in fear and from the cool as she waded towards the ledge. Pulling herself up she then sat, sobbing slightly.

''Um, thanks. Thankyou'', she said to the guy. She then remembered she had the locket in her hand and then looked to it. Then in her peripherals, the ghost woman appeared, looking to Cess with a smile on her face. Cess then opened it and found a piece of paper in their. Unfolding it it was a letter. She read it out.

''To my beloved Mary. You will always be mine and mine to keep. You might be gone from me now but I promise, that I will always love you. I have a confession, I was the reason you died. If I had not have been unloyal to you this would have never happen. I am sorry, and this locket may rest with your soul. Willmer'', she read in confusion and then looked to Mary, who was confused.

''Unloyal? I dont -'', she was saying but then Cess held her hand up to stop her.
''Some spirits can't recall their last moments. They might be too traumatic. Take my hand'', she said and held it out. She then glanced to the other guy and then back to the ghost who put her hand near Cess's. Cess gasped as she took in the vision.

Mary walked into their bedroom and saw Willmer with another woman. Running to her car she got in crying, Willmer was shouting from an upstairs window as she drove off. At the lake, she drove up and stopped. She sobbed as she looked to a fishman shed at the end of a dock. Tears running, she then realized she didn't turn the park break on and she was on a slope. Building speed she then hit the rocks and rocked her up into the air. Landing, still going fast she went over a slopy rock and it slowly tipped the car as it continued and smashed on the dock on the roof. Gradually it sank, and Mary was dead.

Pulling he hand away, she then got teary over what she saw. Shaking, she then looked at the ghost.
''You walked in on him with someone else. You drove to the lake and, you were looking at the fishman shed over their. It was an accident, you drowned. I am sorry'', she said to Mary who was crying. She looked to the shed, and teared more. ''Thats where he proposed to me. Find him for me, tell him I forgive him. And to find love again. I, I can rest now. Thankyou'', she said, turning. She walked away from them and then disappeared in a bright light. Wipping a tear, she turned to the guy.

''Hi, I'm Cecilia. Thanks for saving me down their''.

[Xander Green]

"It's ok."

He said as she thanked him. He didn't really care about being thanked. He quickly made his way towards the edge and pulled himself up onto the cold land. He quickly began to shiver before looking around.

"Where's Nate at?"

He asked, before looking over at the sight before him. He raised an eyebrow as he watched. So she was more of a medium. Then again Xander might be he'd just never actually tried helping someone cross over. He had no idea how to go about it. But maybe she could help him.

"I'm Xander. It was nice of you to help her. She's been kind of nagging me lately but I didn't know how to go about helping her. I guess she just trusted you more, some woman thing I guess."

He said with a shrug. The cold didn't bother him too much as he was usually cold. But even he could only handle so much.

[Cecilia Light]

She was still shaking, the cold and left over shock still stayed with her. She just looked at the locket and tossed it onto the ground. The guy was wondering where Nat was, but she didn't see any guy their. She must of been under when he was their. She just sighed and then looked to him as he introduced himself as Xander, and that he didn't really know how to help ghosts.

''Oh, really. You can see ghosts too? That is really amazing Xander. I thought I was the only one besides my dad that could do it. This is amazing, do you have visions too?''.

[Xander Green]

"No, no visions. I can only see and communicate with them. But it's taught me a lot. There's a shit load of spirits everywhere. A house that claims to be haunted by one or two may actually have 7 or 8 spirits in it."

He said nodding his head and smiling. He wondered if she could see as many as he could. He knew he wasn't the only one or the first one with his abilities. But he didn't know the extent. He smiled as Nate, his spirit friend, came running back with a stack of towels. To anyone else it would look as though a stack of towels were simply floating across the frozen grass. However Xander could see Nate and his 12 year old form, complete with the stab wounds to his chest. Xander threw a couple towels around her before wrapping one around himself to try and dry off.

"C'mon, we really need to get somewhere warm. Hypothermia can be a bitch."

[Cecilia Light]

Okay then, visions alongside seeing the dead was just her thing. Neato! He knew a fair bit about Ghosts though and it was cool that even though they share the same gift but have such different ways of using it. She used her powers to befriend ghosts and help them crossover where he...... Well, she had no idea what he did. But maybe he is kind to them too.

Then a kid ran towards them. Around 12 or 13 years old she guessed and carried towels. She could sense it was a ghost, and definitely knew when she saw the blood and stab wounds on his body. She tried to act natural as he approached and she smiled at him. It was then that she felt warmth as the towel went over her. She then sighed but then felt a cool breeze. She looked forwards and saw the leaves on the rocks move towards the water. Someone was here, a spirit.

Spinning around she saw a zombiefied face screaming at her. Cess screamed as the winds picked up and Cess stood. This was one pissed off spirit, possibly the spirit of Mary's husband or maybe another that died in the water. Either way is was pissed and Cess stood up. But the ghost then screamed again and the ghosts energies were used. They could break glass, smash furniture and move people. And now it could move Cess. Using its energies it flung her back. Cess screamed as she flew backwards, the towel whipping. She then smashed onto the rocks arm first. It smashed sharp rocks on her flesh as she rolled across onto her front. She knew her arm was cut open and was broken, and that she had smashed her head onto the rocks and felt the bruise welling. But she laid with her eyes closed, slipping in and out of consciousness.

[Xander Green]

He smiled a bit as he dried off and just tried to warm up. She was really cool, plus she was like him. He wondered if she had the same side effects he did. Namely the insomnia and cold and clammy skin. But judging by her skin that probably wasn't the case. Sure she was just swimming in a cold and somewhat nasty lake but he could tell that he was alone in that part. He was about to ask when he noticed a familiar spirit was going after Cecilia.

"Not this guy again."

He said with a sigh.

"Nate, go stop him!"

He yelled as Cecilia flew back onto some rocks. Nate rushed forward and right up to the spirit. He let out a whistle and several other spirits began to manifest, coming to Nate's aid. Xander knelt down by Cecilia and took the hand that wasn't on the broken arm.

"Just stay with me, it'll be alright. Nate's fought with this guy before."

Right after the spirit screamed Nate and the other spirits who'd come to his aid screamed back causing the spirit to stagger back a bit. Xander knew he had to get Cecilia back to the school and deal with whatever punishment he'd get. But he wasn't concerned about that, he just wanted to make sure she was alright.

[Cecilia Light]

Rising her head after slipping awake again, she felt a dribble of blood coming from her forehead. She went to move her arm but couldn't. She then felt the pain and groaned in pain as tears began to well. It felt as though her arm was going to fall off it hurt so bad. She heard Xander tell Nate to attack the spirit. A kid? She couldn't think of that at that moment as Xander grabbed her other arm and helped her up. Stumbling to her feet, Cess looked as the spirit fell backwards. But one angry spirit was far more powerful then any good one. It rose again and looking to Cess and Xander. The spirit was very strong, and Cess was scared.

It then looked to a few rocks, around the sizes of a football and a golfball. Then two by two, the rocks flung at them. Cess screamed and dodged one, squatting and landing on the ground. She then used her good arm to cover herself as the golf ball sized rocks hit at her. They were hard and hurt a fair bit. She then moved her arm and screamed at him.

''Why are you doing this? What is your problem?'', she screamed at him as the spirits went at the evil ghost but he nodded and the spirits were sent backwards crashing into the ground. He was running on blind fury, stronger then most evil spirits she had ever seen. A rock then hit her in the gut and she fell back down onto her ass, winded and hurt by being hit.

[Xander Green]

He helped her up but soon rocks were coming at them. He noticed Nate was winning for a bit. But this spirit was indeed tough, tougher than Nate, and tougher than the other spirits he'd called out to. He tried to shield himself from the rocks but was more aware of her already injured body and was trying now to shield her from them. He felt several smaller rocks hitting him in the back and legs. He watched the other spirits go flying but more were arriving to help. Xander had been here awhile so he'd made friends with a lot of good spirits. He knew of two though that might be able to help. He let out a whistle and from a set of trees the spirit of a grizzly appeared and began charging the evil spirit. But the bear was mostly a distraction.

"Paul, this spirit's acting a lot tougher than you."

While dead, Paul still had an ego. Plus Paul was evil as he was Nate's killer and had committed suicide causing more issues as well. Paul began to walk across the field, stepping over the fallen spirits. While only 16 Xander had seen first hand the damage Paul can do as a spirit.

[Cecilia Light]

Rising, Cess then saw a grizzly appear. What the hell? She then realized something. Xander kept spirits earthbound. He never helped them crossover into the Light, he used them as weapons. How could he do that? She never manipulated spirits that way, she reasoned with them. Now his fellow ghosts summoned a bear that attacked the dark spirit. Cess was scared but then Xander yelled to a ghost named Paul. She didn't really know who he was talking too but it could have been a number of the ghosts. She didn't want them fighting, she wanted to reason with the spirit to help him cross over. She them limped over towards the ghost. One spirit was pushed and she gasped as the ghost fell through her body. She then recovered from it and she then walked towards it.

"Please, just talk to me. I can help you", she said but then it looked at her, glaring. She hoped that she was catching onto the shred of humanity he had left. She smiled to him and them reached her hand towards him. In order to get an idea on his problem, she had to see how he died. Her hand went closer and closer but then she gasped as the spirit screamed again. It launched Cess backwards. She screamed as she soared through the air and smack back into the lake. It was deeper out, and she didn't hit the bottom. As she went to rise the ghost used it's energies and held her under the water. She struggled but she couldn't break through, it was too strong. She finally rose and gasped for air, and screamed for help but then was pulled back under. She was pulled deeper and deeper towards the ground and struggled, pulling and tugging. This was the scariest ghost she had ever met. She lost her breath in the struggle and it hurt. She was drowning, and her eyes closed as the life began to die in her.

[Xander Green]

"Cecilia no!"

Sure Xander befriended a lot of spirits. But some like the one in front of her couldn't be befriended. He'd seen this spirit a few times before. Apparently it was waiting for whatever reason to fully come out. Odds are the female spirit she'd freed had been keeping this one check. And now with her gone he was free to do as he pleased, including cause havoc. Sure if someone were to look on they'd only see Cecilia and himself being thrown around and maybe hear faint whispers of words.

As she was thrown into the lake he ran towards it to help her. But a rock to the side of the head knocked him down. He could feel the faint warmth and coppery taste as blood slowly flowed from his head and dripped into his mouth. As he glanced up he saw Paul tackle the other spirit. The only way to defeat an evil spirit was to use another evil spirit. With him distracted Nate helped Xander up and he dove into the water, seeking Cecilia out.

[Cecilia Light]

It was not like someone pulling her, it was like a force. It was the ghost, and her energies were making him stronger. She struggled, even though her right arm was useless and she felt light headed. Kicking, she couldn't do anything. She was anchored underwater. She struggled and struggled and then saw the spirit appear in the water next to her. She then had an idea. Maybe if she found out how and why he died, she would be able to use it against him. She then flung her arm towards it and touched the ghost, he hand brishing through it's appearance, not touching physical energy but spiritual. Gasping, she had her vision.

It was years ago, say the 1800's. The spirit is a man with a rugged beard, dirty face, a suit ruffed up without the jacket and staggering towards the lake bank. He turned and a well dressed man ran up with a shovel. Screaming 'witch' at him as a bunch of people watched, they then smacked the bearded man across the face with the shovel. He went to run away but the man smashed him in the legs and they broke. He then belted him in the back twice with it, the victim still alive. He tried to crawl but then the man grabbed a fiery torch from a woman and then shoved it at the man's shirt, lighting it. He screamed with a slight twitch as he burnt. But the man then used the shovel and rolled him into the river. Their, with just the pinch of life he had left he drowned, and fell to the bottom.

Gasping from the vision. She knew what would work and pushing herself towards him she screamed in the water WITCH! and the spirit was shocked and disappeared. She felt the force stop but out of breath, she pushed herself up a bit but was faint and then fell unconscious. It was up to Xander to save her now.

[Xander Green]

As the spirit disappeared Paul looked around angrily.

"I don't know where he went...."

He said wiping some of the blood that had dripped onto his face. He could see the thrashing continue in the water and had to get in there. Nate helped Xander up on shaky legs. Xander shook his head before jumping into the water. He began to swim towards the thrashing and had to get to her. He knew she couldn't stay under very much longer. He went under and found her slowly floating towards the bottom. He grabbed a hold of her and began to swim towards the shore. Once there he pulled onto the shore as the spirits formed a protective ring around them. Xander wasn't sure if the spirit had moved on or not but didn't want to take any chances.

"Cecilia.. can you hear me?"

He asked, shaking her a bit to try and get her to wake up.

[Cecilia Light]

Darkness was all she could see, it covered her vision. Feeling a choking in her throat she shifted in and out of consciousness. She felt cold, and that she was getting deeper. But only feeling like seconds later, she felt the rocks on her back and the breeze over her wet skin. She heard Xander's call,his words faintly and felt a shaking. Then suddenly her eyes flung open as she gasped. Then she coughed out a gulp of lake water to her side, feeling a burning in her chest as she heaved. She was shaking and scared and crying and hugged into Xander, scared out of her mind.

''He can't be stopped. Spirits that dark, I don't know how to stop him Xander. These spirits can't stop him, we can't. He was condemned as a witch and tortured, drowning in the lake. That much rage building up for centuries... What are we going to do?'', she asked shaking and then looked and saw the dark spirit, standing on the water's surface glaring at them. The spirit circle might hold him off for a second, but he was stronger then them. At that time, she then saw a figure behind the ghost. It was Felix, Cess's pet dog jumping and tackling the spirit down. Of course, Felix was one of the strongest light spirits Cess had ever met. Maybe he could help. They disappeared in the water, causing ripples. What was going to happen now?