The Book Of Death

Part Five - Beth

As they reached Brian’s house. Brian rushed to the bathroom.

“Brian, what-“asked Julie confused.

“I’ll explain later” he said and entered the bathroom.

“Oh… I understand…”said Julie, who thought she understood. “But, you know, there where bathrooms at the hospital, we didn’t-“

“Where are you?” Shouted Brian into the bathroom.

“No, I don’t understand…” Julie corrected.

“What did you do to my father?”

“He’s not… your father.”

Julie screamed.

“What-“

“Shh! Julie!” Brian said, and returned to his conversation. “No, he’s not. My father’s a bastard, I don’t know where the hell he-“

“I am your father, Edward!” said the voice, loudly for the first time. “He’s no father of yours, he’s the bastard, that’s why he must disappear! He doesn’t care about you! I DO! WHY did you run away, Edward, why? Do you know how much I suffered?”

“But I am not-“

“Yes, you are! A father always recognizes his son! “

“But I am not your son! How could I be?! “

The voice disappeared.

“Who the hell are you?! Tell me!... tell me… “ said Brian and started to cry.

Julie entered the bathroom, even if she was scared [of it].

“It’s okay, Brian, It’s gonna be all right…”

“No, it’s not gonna be. “said Brian, with his tears pathetically drowning in his mouth. “He’s gonna come here, and kill my entire family, and the ones I love! “

“No, he’s not, Brian.” Said Julie. “I know someone who can help us.”

Brien noticed that she said “us”. Maybe she really knew someone.

“Who?” asked Brian, looking at her.

“Miranda Fire.”

“Who’s that?”

Julie smiled.

“That old lady from the library. The one that calls you ‘Pickle’. C’mon. Let’s go at her house and see how she can help…” Julie hesitated, but then completed : “…us”.

                                                                        ****
After about a half an hour, they were in Miranda Fire’s house, at her table, drinking a cup of tea.

“So, tell me again, Julie” said Miranda, “Why are you and pick-Brian here?”

“There had been a ghost attack, Miranda” said Julie quickly. Brian noticed that he was the only one calling Miranda ‘Mrs. Fire’.

“Hmmm….”said Miranda, mysteriously.”You said Ryan’s in hospital, right?”

“Yes,” answered Julie. “but he’ll be all right, just some scars, I guess.”

“And no one knows how it happened?”

“Listen, Mrs. Fire”, said Brian, annoyed. “We told you all we know. Can you please help us?” he added, insisting on the word ‘please’.

Miranda looked at Brian, rather tired.

“Yes, I s’pose I can” she said, swallowing some tea. “I’d like to talk with this Richard of yours-“

“He often appears in our bathroom, but we don’t actually know that he’s Rich-“

“No!” said Miranda, dramatically, “I want…” she looked at Brian as if her tea was too hot, and it was just his fault. “…to contact it... in a session!”

Brian and Julie looked scared.

“Don’t be afraid” said Miranda, “if it says you’re his son, it won’t hurt you, right? And it’s obvious that it’s Richard. He called you “Edward, son”, right?”

Brian noticed that Miranda called Richard ‘it’, as if it was an object, and he started not to trust her that much…

“But Miranda”, said Julie, a little shocked, “What’s Beth going to say? She told me not to contact anyone from the Deaths, it may be dangerous…”

“Oh, never mind her.”

“Wait a minute,” said Brian, confused, remembering his phone conversation with Julie. “Who’s this Beth?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, Brian.” Said Julie. “Beth is, well, a ghost, from my house. She was… is… well, was Richard Death’s sister, and she died very young, at sixteen years old. I dunno why. She died at my place, John’s Grandfather was a doctor. She had a twin brother, Bill Death or something like-“

“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Brian, even more annoyed.

“I forgot.” Said Julie, simply. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realized that it was imp-“

“You forgot!” cried Brian. “And that Beth, didn’t she tell you you’re a Death?”

“Well, no, she didn-“

“And that Beth, couldn’t she help us- help me – with her brother?! Huh?!”

“Brian! Listen to me! Beth and Richard weren’t the closest friends, they were-“

“I don’t CARE! “ Shouted Brian. “SHE COULD’VE HELP, AND YOU KNEW THAT! BUT NOW LOOK! RYAN’S IN HOSPITAL! BECAUSE YOU ‘FORGOT’ TO TELL ME ABOUT THAT B-B-BETH! ALL THIS TIME YOU HAD THE SOLUTION OF MY PROBLEM-“

“BRIAN!” cried Julie. “REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOU HAVEN’T TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR GHOST TIL NOW, BEFORE YOU ACCUSE ME, PLEASE!”

Brian settled down. She was right. All that time, Miranda watched the fight, swallowing tea, looking rather bored.

“Well,” she finally said. “I guess you have now your solution, so get out of my house before you wake Stephen.”

“Oh,” said Julie. “We are very sorry, Miranda, we just-“

“Believe me, I don’t care.” interrupted Miranda. “Now, out.”

“Good bye, and thanks for-“said Julie, but Miranda snapped the door in her face. “- your help?” she continued.

“All right, I’m sorry.” Said Brian.

“Like you mean it” said Julie, doubtfully. “Anyway, now we’d better go to my place to talk with Beth. I hope Eileen’s still at the hospital with your mother…”

“Listen, Julie”, said Brian ashamed a little, “who is Stephen? Fire’s husband or what?”

Julie giggled.

“You really think she had someone in her life?... Stephen is her dog.”

“Oh,” said Brian, surprised. “She seems to be very protective with that dog.”

“Yeah… He is all she has.”

“Why was she talking about … hmm… About Richard as if Richard was an object?”

“No idea. “said Julie simply. “Ask her… or… you’d better don’t.:

“Right. And how are we supposed to talk with this Beth?”

“Well, if she doesn’t answer, we’ll use my mom’s Ouija board.”

“You mean, Eileen?”

“No.” she said, angry. “ I mean Mary, my mother.”

“Oh… and… and wassat, Uja board?”

“The Ouija board helps you contact a spirit, dude.” Said Julie, feeling wiser than she already was. “But I don’t think we’ll need it.”

“But how do you know that?” said Brian, who couldn’t stand Julie’s tone.

“I know her.” said Julie, loosing her wisely tone.

After another few minutes, they were at Julie’s house. Fortunately, there was no body home… at least no one Brian could see.

Julie’s home was very interesting. It looked as if a small part of the past was stolen and hidden there. There were tall windows, and dirty walls, covered with paintings. Beside a quite big library, there was a portrait of a boy, a teenager, who looked just like-

“Beth?” asked Julie with a normal voice. “Are you here? I gotta talk to you. We must help Brian. Can you hear me?”

Beyond a wardrobe, a voice came, muttering something not understandable.

“What? Can you repeat that, please?”

“…He’s not Brian…”

“What? What do you-?”asked Julie, confused. “He’s our neighbor, Brian”

“N-nice to-to meet you, Beth.” said Brian, who didn’t know what else to say.

“He’s not Brian, Julie.” Said a young, clear, girl’s voice. “He’s Edward.”