The Ghost Hunters and The Familiar Strangers

Amelia and her dad looked at each other as they all wore shocked expressions on their faces. "Can someone explain to me what is going on here?" Andrea asked. He was surprised to see his daughter. He looked at Laura and said, "What has come over you?" He asked turning his attention back to his daughter. He was sad to see his daughter being tied down like an animal. "Release her right now!" He ordered but they all laughed at him. He was even more surprised to see his wife laughing at him. "Laura." He called.

"That's not mom," Amelia said. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Mom is dead." She turned to see her dad's reaction. "Mom is dead." She said again.

Andrea shook his head. "That's not possible." He said still in doubt. "Your mom is standing right..." He paused as he took a few seconds to take note of the situation. After he was done speculating, he looked at Amelia. "How... how come?' "She was killed by a ghost," Amelia said. Even without looking at her dad, she could tell her dad was giving her a stern look, a look of disbelief, the same look he gave her when she told him she sees ghosts.

"You have started with your ghost talks again." Her father said.

Amelia was right. He is still the same... still the same doubting Thomas. With anger and frustration in her, she turned to meet her father's eyes and when their eyes met she said, "what must I do to make you believe that there are ghosts dad?!" She immediately turned blue as she said that.

Her father was lost in her eyes for a few seconds. With a new strength in her, Amelia broke free from the ropes as she battled with Dalton and Nicole.

"Get that kid out of here!" Amelia yelled as Andrae had to battle with the ghost that was guarding the place.

~~~

Clarissa and Devon were walking and searching for Amelia. There was this tension between the two of them. "Claire," Devon called as Clarissa glanced at him. "Listen, I want to say I'm sorry." He said as Clarissa looked at him in confusion. "What are you sorry for?" Clarissa asked smiling.

"For..." He paused.

"What's wrong with you? You are scaring me?"

Devon took hold of her hand and pulled her close till they were an inch away from each other.

"I am sorry I didn't take notice of your feelings for me," Devon said catching Clarissa off guard. Clarissa tried to remove her hand from his grasp but he held it tight.

"Devon, this isn't the right time for this."

"I know... I just wanted you to know that I know you love me and I don't want you to stop loving me.

Clarissa bit her lip as she looked up at him. "What about Amelia?"

"She is my Past and you are the one I want to be with. I want to be with the person that loves me and cares for and that person is

s you, Claire."

Clarissa couldn't understand how she was feeling all she knew was that she was happy and sad at the same time. They looked into each other's eyes and were about to kiss when they saw a familiar figure walking toward them. Clarissa and Devon backed away from each other as they saw Clarissa's mom right in front of them.

Clarissa couldn't believe her eyes and neither could Devon.

"Clarissa, my child." Nurse Christen called.

"Mom?" Clarissa answered but it was more like she was asking a question.

"It's me, honey." She spread her arms wide to receive her daughter in her warm embrace.

Clarissa froze. Devon's eyes were focused on his soon-to-be-girlfriend.

Clarissa looked at her mother whose hands were still stretched out to receive her. "Mom, Is that you?" She asked.

"Yes honey." her mother answered with a broad smile on her face.

Clarissa went closer to her mom but before she could take any step further, Devon held her hand. "Your mother is dead Clarissa, we both saw it on the news... come on don't do this."

Clarissa couldn't hold back her tears. He was right and she knew it but she didn't even get to see her mother after so long and here her mother is standing right in front of her and she was going to ignore it. She shook her head. "She's my mother Devon," she told him.

"Claire..."

Clarissa left his hand and went further to meet her mother. She hugged her mother who hugged her back. She had so many words to tell her and she didn't know when she started pouring out her feeling. "Mom.." She started. "I am so sorry I didn't get the chance to see you... I am sorry I wasn't there for you... I can't even imagine what you went through... But why did you do it? Why?" Claire asked. She knew she had to let her mom go but was she ready to do it? "Clarissa... I love you and I only did that so I could be set free."

"But you died... you did."

"Look at me..." She said as Clarissa looked at her mother. "... isn't it me?" she asked.

Clarissa wasn't going to be fooled. She knew it was a trick and she was ready to play along. "I know it's you." She said as she hugged her mom once again. "I love you mom, always." What were the last words she said to her mother when she slowly grabbed the knife tied to her thigh and pierced it on her mom's back? She moved immediately when her mom started screaming and shouting. The ghost came out of her mother's body and was destroyed while her mother's body fell on the ground lifelessly. Clarissa ran to meet her mother as she saw the mark of the rope left on her neck. She cried.

Devon came and pulled her away. "We have to go." He said while pulling her away. They encountered some ghosts on the way which they had to battle together.

~~~

Tamara, Jason, Norman, and Carlos were battling over fifty ghosts. The ghosts were more fierce than those they battled months ago. "Tell me, are they increasing or decreasing?" Tamara asked slashing the ghost near her with her sword. "Just keep fighting," Carlos told her as she kept fighting unknown to her that a ghost was right behind her.

"Tamara watch out!" Jason yelled but Tamara was too late as the ghost pierced her side and immediately disappeared.

Tamara grunted in pain as she fell to her knees. Carlos rushed to meet her and Tamara fell into his arms. She was bleeding by the side and her eyes were gradually closing. Carlos gently tapped her face begging her not to go. "You care about me this much?" She asked smiling. "I have never seen you this worried and scared..." she coughed as blood rushed out of her mouth.

"Tamara.." Carlos called. She touched his face and gave him a painful smile if there was anything like that. "... please don't die on me," he begged. Just at that moment, Tamara's hand fell to her side and her eyes closed. Carlos wailed. He hugged and kissed her calling out her name.

Jason and Norman had to protect them.

Carlos was about to let her go when a thought came to his head. "The transformator." He said. He carried Tamara but he needed a ghost to take him to Dalton's place so he could work there. He needs a ghost who is still a ghost and not a ghost who has been transformed into a human.

"Yo bro! What are you doing?" Jason asked.

"Giving Tamara back her life," he answered as the two twins looked at each other.

"I have no idea who or what that is but go ahead and do your thing," Norman told him.

"We will protect you," Jason said as Carlos smiled.

Carlos glanced around looking for a ghost and he was glad to find one. Just as he was about to approach the ghost, he saw Tamara's ghost leaving her body. "No, no, no, no... You ain't going anywhere." He used a rope that was tied to his back pocket to tie her while he pulls her and carries her body over his shoulders. The rope was made of the same substance that was used to tie Tessa. How he was going to fight with this he had no idea but he was willing to risk it all. The ghost he saw approached him with a grin on his face. "And where do you think you are going?" The ghost asked.

"Want to find out?" Carlos asked. The ghost touched him and they disappeared into Dalton's quarter. He dropped Tamara's ghost and body on the floor. "Thanks for making my journey a lot easier but now you've got to go." He said as he battled with the ghost. Since it was only the two of them, Carlos defeated him.

He decided to work on the transformator. He placed Tamara's body and her ghost and began his work. "Just hang in there," he said.

~~~

Xen has been fighting Link with the blindfold on. "Are you going to tell me where they are?" He asked.

"Over my ghost body." Link answered. Xen smiled as he knew he could feel Link charging toward him. He got into a particular stance with his sword lifted high and just as Link came closer, Xen slashed him twice. Link's ghost was destroyed. Xen took off the blindfold and he breathe a sigh of relief. He was on his way to continue his quest when he saw something familiar coming toward him.

"Xen." He heard her voice. He quickly ran to catch up with her. Her blue eyes were so beautiful and he got lost in them for a second. Shaking his head to bring himself back to reality he asked her, "Are you ok?"

She nodded. "But my dad isn't."

"Your dad?" Xen asked. Amelia nodded.

If you're loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you!

"Dalton captured and he disappeared to God-knows-where. I don't wanna lose my dad." Amelia said.

Xen pulled her close and hugged her. "You won't. We will find him, ok?" Xen assured her with a smile. Amelia's blue eyes turned back to normal. "Now, we have to join the others." Amelia agreed as they ran to meet the others.

Clarissa and Devon also caught up with them as the four of them ran to meet the rest. Getting there they only saw Jason and Norman.

"Took you guys long enough," Jason commented.

"Where are Tamara and Carlos?" Xen asked.

"Um... Tamara..." Jason paused. He looked at his brother and they said the word 'died' together.

"What?" the four of them asked as they joined the fight.

"How?" Amelia asked.

"She was stabbed but not to worry, Carlos has a plan," Norman said.

"What plan?" Clarissa asked.

"He said something about giving her life back to her." Jason looked at his twin to confirm if he said the right. Norman nodded. "And where did he intend to do that?" Xen asked.

"Dalton's" the twins chorused.

"Dang it!" Amelia said. "We have to go there. There is a fifty-fifty chance Dalton is going to be there with Riele and.."

"In other words, you are saying his life is in danger... again," Norman said.

Amelia nodded.

"what are we waiting for then? Let's battle these ghosts and save our friend." Norman said.

"But how are we going to get there? like that place is like a spirit world or something?" Devon asked.

"I will take us there," Amelia answered as everyone noticed her eyes turned blue.

They all battled with the ghosts.