My Soul-Mate Ch. 01

All of the sudden, Annabelle lay her head in my lap and cried. I realized that I couldn't touch her, but she could touch me. I remembered that she could read my mind, and could hear everything that I thought. I could feel the warmth of her embrace, and attempted to wrap my arms around her as well.

Tears started streaming down my face, because her sorrow is affecting me as well. It is infectious to say the least. "I'm not going anywhere, Annabelle. You will never have to be alone again, as long as my heart beats." I tell her.

"Do you mean that?" Annabelle asks, staring into my eyes with hers. I have forgotten how her eyes shine like sapphires in the moonlight.

"Of course I mean it." I answer truthfully.

Annabelle wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled weakly. "Thank you. It means so much to hear you say that." She replies. "There is a way that you would be able to touch me, to bring me into the world of the living." Annabelle tells me.

"How would we do that?" I ask.

"It's complicated. First, you would need a medium. Secondly, me being a part of your world means that I would have to attach myself to something in it. You would become attached to me, and you would never be able to connect to anyone else ever again." Annabelle replies.

I nod. "I can easily find a medium. As for the second part, I'm afraid that I have already became attached to you. Dare I even say love." I tell her, looking into her eyes.

"How can you already be in love with me?" Annabelle asks me.

"Well, you are beautiful for one. Secondly, I felt a draw towards this house, like a magnet. I now realize what was drawing me here; it was you." I reply.

"Are you willing to spend eternity with me?" Annabelle asks.

I have to think about that one. Somehow, deep down I knew that it is destiny for us to be together. She smiled as I thought that, not needing me to say it verbally.

"Yes, I would love to spend eternity with you." I answer.

Annabelle leans in, very slowly and kisses me on the lips. I want so bad to be able to feel the touch of her skin, to taste her lips. I sigh deeply, smiling at Annabelle.

"You really do love me. I am able to read your every thought, and all you can think about is me. If you ever want me around, just think of me. That brings me temporarily into the world. The only downside is you won't be able to see, hear or touch me." Annabelle tells me.

What she said suddenly clicks in my head. "Is that why you tried communicating with me earlier today? Because I was thinking of you?" I ask her.

Annabelle nodded. "Yes, that is exactly why! It is as simple as that to bring me into your world. I won't be able to touch you or stay in your world permanently until the medium anchors me to you, though." She replies.

"What happens after you anchor yourself to me?" I ask, curiously.

"Let me tell you how a haunting works. When a person becomes a ghost, it is automatically anchored to the object it died closest to. In my case, it was a house. A ghost can physically interact with the object it is anchored to, and the things in and around it. That's how I was able to get your attention with the mess downstairs." Annabelle explains.

"That makes sense. Why are humans not able to see ghosts?" I ask.

"It's because the ghost is not anchored to a human or in your same dimension. A ghost cannot anchor itself to whatever it wants, only demons can do that." Annabelle replies.

"Wait, so demons are real too?" I ask critically.

Demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, vampires and werewolves. They all exist. Demons are not limited like ghosts are, they can move freely in the land between worlds, planes of existence and dimensions. They only need fear to attach themselves to humans; they feed on it. A demon must keep its host in a constant state of negativity, otherwise its power drains. A ghost can only be anchored to a human if it has a portal to the land of the living, which is a medium or witch. It must bond with the human immediately, as their power rapidly deteriorates in the land of the living." Annabelle explained.

"What happens if they don't bond with a human immediately?" I ask.

"Without a power source, the ghost will get weaker and weaker, until it ceases to exist. They don't go to the land between worlds, or the world of the dead. Their soul dies, never to exist again." Annabelle answers. "This is what happens with exorcisms. The priest suspends the apparition in the world of the living, until it ceases to exist." Annabelle adds.

I look out the window, to see that sky is turning from black to purple. I look back at Annabelle, and she smiles sadly.

"It's almost time for me to go. I will try to stay visible in your dream for as long as possible, but my power is already dwindling. I can feel myself getting weaker." Annabelle informs me.

"Save your strength. I will locate and bring a medium over tomorrow, so I will see you then." I reply.

Annabelle nods, then fades, leaving her lavender scent behind.

Chapter Five

I awake the next morning to my alarm again, and I groan in contempt. I wanted to spend more time with Annabelle, but she is currently limited on her powers. My hair stands on end, and I smile, knowing that Annabelle is with me.

"Good morning, Annabelle." I tell her. I suddenly feel a warm touch on my arm. I realize that she must be beside me in the bed, and I turn to face her. I feel a warm sensation on my cheek, as though she brushes it with her hand. I lay in bed for another five minutes, feeling Annabelle's unseen touch.

I sit up in bed, stretching and yawning deeply. I look over at the other side of the bed, noticing a depression.

"Are you able to still interact with things in the house?" I ask Annabelle, waiting patiently for a response. All of the sudden, my phone starts to levitate in mid air, rocking back and forth. It starts floating towards me, stopping inches from my face. I hold out my hand, and Annabelle gently places it on my palm.

"That is so cool. I hate to ask you this, but could I get some privacy? I need to take a shower." I ask Annabelle.

I feel a peck on my cheek, and then my hair slowly lay down. The feeling of being watched is gone. I stand up, feeling very well rested and optimistic about the day. I dig in one of my few boxes left to unpack, and pull out the clothes I am going to wear today. After that, I exited the master bedroom and entered the upstairs bathroom.

As I take a shower, I am very careful to not think of Annabelle. I remember I could summon her simply by thinking about her, and I would feel very awkward if she is in the bathroom with me. As far as I know, she respects my privacy and is busy lurking in some other part of the house. Even though she is a ghost, she is also a very beautiful girl. That is as far as I let my mind think about her, before I think about how I would possibly get a medium or witch

I decided that I would look online for one. Hopefully, I wouldn't get a fake one. I decided that I would explain the situation over the phone, and tell them to be honest with me. If they were legitimate, I will happily pay them for their services. If not, I will keep trying until I get a real medium or witch.

I finish up in the shower, drying myself off afterwards .After that, I put the clothes on that I picked out, and headed to my room. I close my eyes, thinking of Annabelle. Pretty soon, my hair stands on end. I pick up my laptop and sit, crisscrossing my legs.

I pat the other side of the bed, and pretty soon a depression appears next to me. I open Google Chrome, searching for mediums and psychics in my area. A surprising number of mediums were in my area, with one not even a mile away. I write down the phone number for the psychic named Maggie, and call her. After a few rings, she picks up.

"Hello, this is Maggie, professional medium. How may I help you?" Maggie greeted.

"Hi Maggie, my name is Colton. I have a rather unusual situation. I am wondering if you would be able to help with a ghost dilemma that I have." I tell her.

"Ghosts and demons are my specialty! Are we looking to exorcise the ghost, or make contact?" Maggie asks.

"Neither. I have already made contact, and that is where my unusual situation begins. The ghost is currently anchored to my home, and I want her to be anchored to me." I reply.

"Umm, ok. I suppose I could do that. Usually people want the opposite, but I know the spell to transfer a haunting." Maggie tells me.

"A spell?" I ask, critically.

"Yes, a spell. I am also a witch. May I ask why you would want the ghost anchored to you?" Maggie asks.

"I will explain the situation when you arrive." I tell her.

"Ok, where are you located?" Maggie asks.

After I tell her my address, Maggie says she will be over when the sun goes down. She needed to get some supplies, so she is stopping at a store before coming over. She tells me that she needs something that belonged to the ghost, preferably a piece of clothing, or a few strands of hair. She then hangs up, leaving me wondering how I would get what she needed.

I set my phone on the nightstand, and close my laptop. I turn to where I assume Annabelle is sitting, and spoke. "I have good news and bad news. I found a witch, who knows a spell to attach you to me. The bad news is, she needs a piece of clothing or a few strands of hair." I tell Annabelle.

The depression disappears, and I hear a knock on the bedroom door. I get up and go to the sound, and Annabelle opens the door. I hear banging above me in the hallway, and the fold out door for the attic is jiggling. I undo the latch, and carefully open the attic. I carefully ascend the ladders, unsure of what condition it is in.

As I reach the attic, sunlight is pouring in through cracks, dramatically illuminating the long forgotten contents of the attic. There are cobwebs everywhere, and dust coats everything. I hear a noise directly in front of me, where a large area of dust is disturbed. I walk directly towards it, discovering a small chest that is about a foot long. I open the latch, and discover a beautiful hairbrush inside. It has man ivory handle that has gold inlays. Intertwined in the horse hair bristles is Annabelle's hair, which has been perfectly preserved for almost a century.

I close the latch back, and head back towards the entrance. I carefully descend the stairs, with the chest cradled in my arms. After that, I close the attic and head downstairs. I set the chest down on the kitchen counter, and went into the living room. I played on my PS4 until I heard a knock at the door.

I walk to the door, feeling a thrill of excitement. I take a moment to center my nerves, and then open the door. A beautiful redheaded girl with black lipstick is at the door. I shake her hand, and then greet her.

"Hello, my name is Colton." I greet the woman. The first thing I noticed is her hand is cold. It made me nervous, and I felt uncomfortable.

"Hi Colton, my name is Maggie, the witch." Maggie replies.

"It's nice to meet you." I tell her.

"Likewise. This is a nice place you have. May I come in?" Maggie asks.

My instincts were screaming at me to tell her no, but I ignored them. "Yes, you can come in." I answer.

"Thank you for inviting me in." Maggie replies, stepping inside. She examines the house, nodding in approval. "Your house is quite nice. Are you the only one who lives here?" She asks, looking at me.

I nod. "Yes, I live alone." I reply.

"You might want to keep it that way. After I attach the ghost to you, you will need to be careful around other people. You will be able to see, hear and touch the ghost, but no one else will be able to. The ghost will be anchored to you, and will go wherever you will go. It will reside in you, and you can bring it out anytime by thinking about it." Maggie informs me.

"That's good to know." I reply.

"Show me the room where it died. That is where we must do the ritual." Maggie tells me.

I nod. "Follow me." I reply, heading up the stairs. Maggie following right behind me. We enter the bedroom directly opposite of the bathroom, and Maggie closes her eyes.

"The ghost is here. Its name is Annabelle. I must go get my things in my car to start the ritual." Maggie informs me.

I nod, and go downstairs to get the hairbrush. When I return to the room, I wait patiently for Maggie to return. My hair stands on end, and I get that familiar feeling of being watched. "It won't be long. You will be with me before the night is over." I tell her.

All of the sudden, the light switch started turning off and on rapidly, and the bedroom door starts opening and slamming shut repeatedly. It is only then that I realized something is terribly wrong.

"Annabelle, what's wrong?" I ask. The commotion suddenly stopped, and Maggie entered the room.

"I guess your ghost friend has figured out what is going on." Maggie sneers.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused and uneasy.

"You seriously didn't think I would actually anchor the ghost to you, did you? All ghosts are evil, and they must be annihilated." Maggie replies.

"No! Why would you kill her? I trusted you to help her, not kill her!" I exclaimed. "Get out of my house!" I scream.

Maggie smiles wickedly, and steps towards me. "No. You invited me in. I am free to come and go as I please." Maggie replies defiantly.

All of the sudden, what she said hit me. Earlier, she told me she would be here by sundown. Next, her hand was almost ice cold when I touched it. Just now, she told me I invited her in. I realize what she is, and my mouth drops open. I take several steps back, hitting a wall.

"You're a vampire!" I shout. "Stay away from me!" I warn her.

"Yes I am. Don't worry; it's not you I plan on hurting. It's your little ghost friend who's going to die tonight." Maggie replies, seeming to teleport to me. She grabs my neck, and stares into my eyes. "Now, you are going to be frozen to this wall until I tell you that you are free." Maggie commands me.

My body falls into a trance, and I reply unwillingly. "I am frozen to this wall until you say I am free." I reply monotonously.

"Good boy. Now, sit back and watch the show." Maggie tells me, patting my shoulder. She stands directly in front of the door, facing the center of the room. She places five candles in the center of the room, in the shape of a pentagram. Next, she places the hair brush In the center, and draws a pentagram in salt on the floor, angled at each one of the candles.

I start to struggle, but my body is restrained to the wall with invisible chains.

Maggie closes her eyes, and starts to chant. All of the sudden, the candles became like flares, reaching a foot high. A couple minutes of her chanting, and a fiery portal that looks like Sauron's eye opens up out of mid-air.

I hear screaming coming from the other side, and Annabelle appears from the portal. She collapses on the ground, and started writhing in pain, screaming as loud as she could.

"Please, stop! You are hurting me!" Annabelle screams. I could see tears streaming down her face.

I struggle with all my might, desperate to rescue Annabelle. It is no use; Maggie's spell is too strong. Annabelle starts to levitate in the air, and cries out in agony. I am helpless, I can't do anything to help her. Tears started streaming down my face as I realize that she is going to die, to be erased from existence .

"I am so sorry, Annabelle. I love you, and will never forget you." I tell her. I try one more time to break free, and suddenly my arm comes loose. A sliver of hope lit within me, and I attempt to break free. I am elated when my other arm breaks loose, and I pull with all of my might to free myself. All of the sudden, I break completely free and tackle Maggie, stunning her for a moment.

Annabelle collapses on the ground, and I rush to her side. I pick her torso up, and cradle her in my arms. I am grateful to be able to touch her, and I stroke her cheek.

"It's too late, Colton. I am dying, getting weaker by the second." Annabelle informs me.

"No! I won't let you die." I reply.

"You have to let me go, it will be easier for you." Annabelle tells me, stroking my cheek.

"Why do you insist on saving someone you could never have a life with!" Maggie spat at me.

"Because I love her! Have you lost so much of your humanity that you have forgotten how to feel love?" I snap, not taking my eyes off of Annabelle.

"Even if I did save her, there would be a consequence! Nature finds a balance for everything. If I were to save her, someone else would have to die!" Maggie shot back at me.

"I don't care! I would sacrifice everything to be with Annabelle. If you kill her, you will have to kill me too. I don't want to live without her." I shout at Maggie.

"Is this what you want? A life with someone that you could never have kids with, that no one else can see?" Maggie replies, softer.

I look deeply into Annabelle's dying eyes, knowing the answer. "Yes. I am prepared to sacrifice everything to be with her." I tell Maggie.

"Very well. Give me your hand. Hold her hairbrush in your other hand." Maggie commands.

I quickly do as commanded, sticking my left arm out, and holding her brush with the right.

Maggie produces a knife, and walks over to me. She slashes my right palm open, and I cry out in pain. "Grasp the brush in your bleeding hand!" Maggie commands.

I do as commanded, and wince in pain. The cut burns like it is on fire. I hold Annabelle's hand tightly with my free hand, for comfort.

Maggie starts to chant, and the pain in my left hand started to increase. I hold on to it desperately, as I didn't want to stop the ritual. Annabelle's eyes closed, and her body went limp. I started to cry, as I knew she is gone. The hairbrush crumbled to dust in my hand.

"The ritual is complete. You need to give her a reason to fight for her life." Maggie informs me.

I look down at Annabelle, and brush her hair out of her face. I lean in slowly, and kiss her on the lips. For a moment, nothing happened. Her lips started moving, and she reached around the back of my head to pull me deeper in her mouth. For the first time, I could taste the sweetness of her lips, and feel the smoothness of them.

"Annabelle is now anchored to you. She is your curse to bear. From this point on, you will never age, or be able to fall in love with anyone else. She is your curse for all eternity." Maggie tells me.

"Not aging is the price you will pay. You will watch helplessly as everyone you love dies one by one." Maggie added.

I break the kiss, and look up at Maggie. "That is not a curse, it is a gift." I tell her.

"Come to me in two hundred years, and tell me that same sentence. I will bet you will have a completely different view. My work here is done, and I will take my leave." Maggie replies.

The candles extinguished and Maggie picked them up, leaving without a word. I turn my attention back to Annabelle, smiling in joy. Annabelle gets up, and I follow her lead. I stroke her cheek, and kiss her deeply. Annabelle wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me back. This feels so right, so natural.

I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her body against mine. We stand in this embrace for what seems like hours, neither one of us wanting to break the kiss. I reluctantly pulled away, and just stared into Annabelle' eyes while caressing her cheek. She smiled, taking my hand in hers.

"It feels so good to finally touch you. Were you able to feel me, before?" I ask her.

"Yes and no. I could feel you, but not entirely. It was like touching you through gloves. I could feel, but there was a barrier between us." Annabelle replies.

"And now?" I ask.

"Now, it's like I am living again. Before, I was anchored to an inanimate object, so there was no power to draw from. I could only fully materialize at night, because my powers were so weak. Now;" Annabelle replies, wiping a tear from her eye. "Now I can feel again. I can smell the air, I can feel your touch, and I can taste your lips when you kiss me. I have been so alone, and you finally brought me happiness. I will never be able to thank you enough!"