The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

"Keep what away from me," Clarissa asked as she held chocolate in her hand staring at them with a smile on her face.

Amelia looked at everyone as they tried to block the monitor from her but Clarissa saw the headline news before they could block it.

"Clarissa I don't think you should..." Devon said as she pushed him away from her view and there she saw it. "Former Nurse Christen commits suicide." She read the news and then she saw the picture where her mom hung herself. The chocolate she held fell on the floor as she kept on scrolling.

"It was March 21st, 2021... A fellow former nurse who had been admitted into a psychiatric hospital for claiming to be seeing ghosts commits suicide. The question is where was the nurse in charge when this incident happen?" She reads in her mind as Amelia touched her shoulders,

"Clarissa," Amelia called as Clarissa pushed them away running outside. Devon was quick to recover from the push and he quickly ran to meet her others followed.

"Claire," Devon called as he pulled her and hugged her. "Claire.... please calm down."

Clarissa tried so hard to hold back her tears but she couldn't help sobbing.

"I want to go and see... her." She said.

"That was a year old Claire... she's no more," Devon said.

"No... no... no... it's not possible... I mean... we were just thinking of a rescue plan to get her and now this?? This is not fair." Clarissa cried as she tried to push Devon away but Devon held her tight.

"I'm sorry," Amelia said coming closer to her as Devon let Clarissa go. "It's all my fault. If I didn't do what I did as a kid... your mom would still be alive." Amelia said as she went down on her knees. " please forgive me." She said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Devon watched as he gave them some space.

Clarissa went closer to meet Amelia kneeling in front of her as she held Amelia's hand with one hand and wiped her tears with the other hand.

"I don't want you blaming yourself Amy. It's not your fault."

"But it is my fault, Claire. You lost your mother because of me... so it is my fault." She paused. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry for reacting that way. I..." She gave a slight smile. ".... had a feeling she was dead but then... I wasn't expecting it to be true." She sobbed as Amelia pulled her and hug her.

"I need you to be strong... please! We couldn't save your mother but we should be strong enough to save our friends... can you be strong for me?? For us?" Amelia asked as she pointed to her friends behind her. Clarissa looked back and she remembered her friends... her family. She couldn't help but burst into more tears. Amelia gestured for everybody to come and hug her they all did except Xen.

"I don't like physical contact," Xen said as Clarissa smiled.

"Sorry about your loss," Xen said as Clarissa nodded accepting his condolences.

***

"Has he agreed to do it?" Dalton asked as he entered the room where Carlos was locked.

"He's still being adamant." Link replied.

"I think we should cut him limb by limb... I'm pretty sure he'd give in," Rose said as Carlos glared at her. "Was that too extreme?" She asked sarcastically.

"Are you going to do it?" Dalton asked.

"Not interested," Carlos answered.

Dalton gave the signal to Link and when Link nodded, Carlos felt a rope tied around his neck so tight that he had to withhold himself from choking but he couldn't, whoever was strangling him didn't show him any mercy.

"If I can't have you, they can't have you either. Would you rather die than live?" Dalton asked. Carlos knew Dalton was capable of killing him with just a snap of his fingers and he also knew Dalton was right. If he gives Dalton what he wants, Dalton would keep him alive, and that way he might have gotten every information he needs before his friends come to his rescue. He thought about it for a while. "Is your answer still no?" Dalton asked.

Link was about to shove a knife into Carlos' chest when Carlos closed his eyes and answered. "I'll.... I'll do it."

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Rose asked touching his face. "I guess I'll be seeing you around." She winked at him before walking away.

You guys... please come up with a plan fast. I don't think I can hold on that much longer. He thought as Link set him free from his chains.

Carlos was brought before Dalton as the man sat down on his royal chair biting his fingernails with Rose by his side. "tell us what you need and we'll get it immediately." Rose spoke as Carlos stared at her. His hatred for her knows no bounds. Carlos ignored her. Rose smiled noticing Carlos' behavior towards her.

"you heard the lady," Dalton said looking at Carlos.

"Is she your spokesman or something?" Carlos asked Dalton.

Dalton smiled looking at Rose. "She's perfect isn't she?" Rose smiled as Carlos looked at her from head to toe. He studied her features; her brown wavy hair, her big ocean blue eyes, her small nose, and her orange lips all fit perfectly on her oblong face. His eyes strode down to her body. She is one beautiful ghost he wouldn't deny but her personality? 's way overboard and he dislikes girls like that.

Rose came closer to him touching his face. "Now tell me..." she said moving her hands closer to his lips. She looked at him and when she saw he was glaring at her, she backed away with her arms folded across her chest. "What do you need?" "What do you ghosts want me to create?" he asked them as he got a seat, he sat down and crossed his legs. Carlos was relaxing when someone came and pushed him off the seat. Carlos was furious and he was almost close to laying his hands on that person when he found out the person was Link. He quickly dropped his hands and turned to face Dalton.

"I need you to create an object that can be used to transfer a ghost body to a dead body," Dalton stated as Carlos looked at him like he grew ten horns and two eyes in front of his forehead.

"You say?" Carlos asked. "I should create a what?" he asked again.

"I don't care how you are going to do it but I need it two weeks from now." with that Dalton stood up and left leaving no room for Carlos to ask questions.

"I am here to answer all your que..." Rose was cut off by the sudden movement Carlos made. Carlos didn't wait to hear anything, he left her talking to herself.

~~ ~

Amelia was alone in the room comforting Clarissa when Tamara came to her whispering something into her ear.

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"What?" was the response Amelia gave before standing up and leaving the room, Clarissa followed her. Amelia stood still when she saw someone at the entrance, she couldn't understand the feeling. She couldn't tell if she was happy or sad or angry or disappointed or surprised, it was like all the feelings came at once and she didn't know which is which. "Amelia," Laura called as she walked to hug her daughter who was too shocked to even react.

"Mom." Amelia called with a low tone as her mother held her hand. "what are you doing here? how did you find me?"

Laura touched her daughter's face trying to feel if she was okay without them. "My baby," she called as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Amelia pushed her mother's hand away from her face and backed away. "What are you doing here?" This is the right tone to use. Amelia thought as her mother wiped her tears trying to come closer to Amelia but Amelia kept moving back. "TELL ME WHY YOU'RE HERE!" Amelia asked her voice going higher. "Haven't you done enough damage already?" she asked. "What else do you need to do before you can destroy my life? Before you can let me be, what?" "my daughter."

"Your what?" Amelia scoffed coming closer to her mother. "is it the daughter you and father disowned? The daughter you and father made dead to the world? is it the daughter you couldn't defend considering the fact you.." she pointed at her mother? "... carried her for nine good months? Is it the daughter that when everyone called her names, you couldn't do anything to shun them but you also just them to mock her? is it that daughter?" Amelia asked shaking her head. "I doubt

it."

"Amelia, I am sorry... I am sorry." Laura begged as she sobbed. Even though Amelia was pretending to be strong, she couldn't hide the tears that rolled down her cheeks as she watched her mother cry. Clarissa came closer to Amelia hugging her by the shoulders.

"My mother is gone but yours is right here in front of you, don't lose her," Clarissa said as they both looked at Laura. "Forgive her."

"For..."

"It's the only way we can move forward without anything holding us back... please?" Clarissa said. "can you do that for us?" Clarissa asked as Amelia turned to look at her friends and they all nodded in agreement. It took some time before Amelia could erase all the painful memories and create a heart that will love her mother.

"mom....." she paused before taking in a deep breath and letting it out. "I..... I forgive you."

Laura looked up at her and her new friends. "if you have truly forgiven me..." Laura said. ".... Let me be a part of you... even if it's to prepare your breakfast, lunch, dinner... I will gladly do it."

Everyone stared at Laura, some foodies already were happy about it and others weren't, especially Amelia who was looking at her mother in amazement. This was the same mother who didn't believe she sees ghosts and now she wants to be with other ghost seers?? Amelia's mind was wandering for a while before Xen called her.