Chapter 6: Chapter Six – The Rumor

“Now,” Rumor clapped his hands, “What does a lovely couple such as yourselves need help with from little poor me?”

    “I want to… unghost.” May started shifting uncomfortably, “Do you have any idea on how to do that?”

    Rumor tapped his chin, in what May assumed to be, thoughtfully. “Well I’ve only ever heard rumors of such a thing, unless you are talking about moving onto the afterlife, in which there are a ton of ways. Judging by your expression though that doesn’t seem to be the case does it? No, no definitely not.”

    “Can you get on with it already?” Harbor sneered, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

    “Touchy touchy, I’m getting there I promise.” Rumor purred.

    “gods I don’t like you.” May blurted glaring at the ghost before them.

    “Oach, although understandable considering your… situation.”

    May cringed.

    “Very well I’ll get on with it.” Rumor seemed amused at the duo's growing discomfort. “I’ve heard a rumor or two about a few fellow ghosts who search for a solution to become human again just as yourself. They would most likely be your best bet.” 

    “But their still ghosts now?”

    Rumor chuckled, “Yes that would be correct.”

    “Then how do we know they have the answer, for all we know they gave up!”

    “Yes, that is a possibility. They also could have simply found the life of a ghost more appealing.”

May cringed, “How could anyone find this,” May gestured to themself, “appealing.”

Rumor looked them up and down, “I can think of a few things,” He purred.

May gained a disgusted look on their face as they instinctively flung themself back, “GROSS!! NO ICKY BAD BOO!!” 

Rumor chuckled.

Harbor glared at the ghost before him, “Leave my friend alone.” He demanded standing his ground.

“Apologizes, I couldn’t help myself.” Rumor counted raising his hands up to show he meant no harm.

“Right,” May thought that to be a load of bullshit. “Whatever, where can we find these ghosts?”

“Last I heard they were on a small island called Hopikan.”

“Hopikan… alright I’ll remember that thank you.” May started turning to leave with Harbor.

“Wait before you go.” Rumor called out.

“Yes?” May questions.

“There are a few things you should know before you seek these three out.”

“There’s three?” Harbor asked feeling alarm building up in his chest.

“Yes three.” Rumor began to sound a little annoyed, “As I was saying, the three are tethered poltergeist, previously wandering poltergeist.”

May’s brows furrowed and they glanced at Harbor, he was just as confused as they were. “What do you mean tethered and wandering poltergeist?” They finally asked, turning their full attention back to Rumor.

“Oh, you wouldn’t know would you?” Rumor asked, tilting his head slightly faining innocence.

May felt annoyance rise in them, “No I wouldn’t” they stated through gritted teeth.

“I’ll be happy to explain! Tethered poltergeists are forced to stay in one location. They are however free of the intense emotions wandering poltergeists feel. These ghosts are far more stable than their wandering counterparts, but are also far more limited~” Rumor clicked his tongue.

“Anything else to add to that?” May questioned rolling their eyes in annoyance.

“Why yes my young friend! These ghosts are born after tragedy and cannot move on until they have overcome their struggle. People who die with soul deep sorrow typically end up as one of these.”

“And wandering poltergeist?” Harbor butted in, urging Rumor to continue.

“Ah yes those are even more fun!” Rumor began seeming to ignore Harbor’s and May’s growing impatience. “Wondering Poltergeists, unlike their counterparts, can explore the world as they desire. They are typically created when a person dies with soul deep regrets. They are forced to feel these intense emotions throughout their after life until they are able to move on.”

“You know a lot about these don’t you?”

“Why of course! This is well known information for ghosts of the afterlife! You want to know what kind of ghost you are dealing with, you don’t want to cross a poltergeist.” Rumor’s tone grew dark at the end.

Harbor felt the hair on the back of his neck stand. Goosebumps erupted all over his skin. He inched closer to May. 

“There are other types of ghosts?” May questioned, caution beginning to form in the forefront of their mind.

“Why of course!” The tension that had settled into the air light slightly, only slightly, “There also tether and wandering spirits!”

“What can you tell us about those?” Harbor asked tip toeing around the feeling of despair he still felt.

“Lots! Now listen closely, Wandering spirits are unable to interact with the physical world as poltergeists do. They typically have the choice to stay as a spirit for a while longer or move on.” Rumor began to explain,  “These people typically do not live exciting lives, or lived an unfulfilling life and which to experience more.” 

“What about tethered spirits?”

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“Good good! You're catching on!” Rumor clapped happily, “Tethered spirits can interact with the world more than wandering spirits can, but less than poltergeists. These people died with the desire to live strong enough to become a ghost, but not the regrets or sorrow needed to become a poltergeist.”

“Interesting.”

“Very! Wandering spirits are typically people who died suddenly. They can be tied to loved ones or the place they died at. tethered spirits can never be far from their place of origin long, often urged by a strange feeling to get back or literally dragged back by unseen forces.”

“Hey that’s what I felt!”

“Yes, now stop interrupting me.”

“Sorry.”

“It is not strange to see a tethered ghost taking the hand of their newly dead loved ones and crossing to the afterlife together.”

“So I’m a tethered spirit then!” May exclaimed, joy sparkling in their eyes.

“Yes my dear.”

May cringed back, “Don’t call me that.”

Harbor’s eyes narrowed, “And which are you.” His voice held an accusation in it.

The tension in the air came back. Harbor’s heartbeat speed up as his blood ran cold. May froze, despair growing at an intense rate. 

“If you don’t mind us asking…” May trailed off with a squeak.

“Well my dear guest since you asked so nicely, I. am. A. wandering poltergeist.” A sinister aura weighed heavily around them.

“Aahahahha, FUCK.” May screeched, turning and bolding in the direction they had come from. Harbor hot on their heels.

Laughter echoed from behind them, “You can't hind little rabbits!” Rumor cheered in a singsong voice. 

The duo ran as fast as their legs or not legs could carry them. Wind whistled by as they bolted, leaves crushing so loudly it echoed like snapping bones in the friends ears. Sinister laughter drowned it all out however, it buzzed like a bee through their skull as they fled.

The laughter echoed around them coming from all directions at once. Harbor attempted to pay it no mind, focusing solely on the path before him. The car wasn’t far now, just a little longer, just a little farther. A whirlwind of black and purple appeared before his vision growing impossibly tall. 

Harbor skid slowing his momentum to the side, nearly falling to the left. His feet dug deep into the ground pushing it away from him giving him a boost away from his pursuer. Twigs snapped like toothpicks beneath his boots. 

THUMP THUMP THUMP went his heart.

SNAP SNAP SNAP went the trees, the sound growing louder nearer.

“GAAAH!!!” Went the human when he was pinned into the mud below, face digging into the ground and claws digging into his back.

“Caught you little piggy,” Taunted the sinister being above.

“GET OFF MY FRIEND!” May howled finding themself flying towards Harbor’s asalent. “STAY AWAY FROM HIM YOU THEATER REJECT!!! FUCKIN NO FACED ASSHOLE LOOKIN TRASHBAG!!!” They slammed the taller ghost into the tree using thier sheer body weight and momentum.

“MAY GO GO GO!!!” Bellowed Harbor as his feet carried him closer to his car. The sound of ripping flesh caused bone chilling terror to fill his entire body, adrenaline popping though his veins

He could see the tree line now. A few more seconds and he would be home free he could do this he could make it. He and May would survive this. Just a little more now, one step two step. Oh gods the snapping it was so close now.

He could be grabbed at any second.

Not far now three more strides.

He could feel its breath on his neck, or was he imagining that?

Harbor leaned into his final strid breaking through the tree line.

His ears ringed, his legs yearned for rest, his throat burned. His car, his car WHERE WAS HIS CAR?! There!

Harbor made the final lunge to his car, yanking it open with force he didn't know he was capable of. The keys were in the ignition before he knew it even with his increasingly shaky hands. The gas pedal was to the floor before he had even registered. He closed the door behind him. Harbor’s car ricocheted out of the parking lot tires screeching against the assault beneath. 

“aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!” 

Harbor’s head swirled around looking of the source of the noise. May flew through the back window of the car.

“AH FUCK!!” Harbro cursed jumping and hitting his head on the roof of the car.

May breathed heavily, chest rising up and down, “NEVER AGAIN.”

“You scared the Spector  out of me!”

“I WENT UP AGAINST A GIANT POLTERGEIST FOR YOU!!” May snapped back.

Harbor went silent, speechless.

“AAAAAAAAHH!” May screamed, yelling the excess panic out.

“... ya good now?” asked Harbor.

“I'M DOING GREAT.”

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