My Demonic Ghost: Banished Spirits by Jacinta Maree Page B

Whitehaven, it seemed impossible that they belong on the same planet. I felt very homesick, subconsciously massaging my stomach to comfort myself; I missed my bedroom, the warped couch cushions that were adapted to fit our curves, the smell and the familiarity of being able to just slouch around. “You can hide out here when she gets back-”
    His lower lip stiffened. “I have to hide?”
    “It’ll be easier if she doesn’t meet you; too much explaining and lying, otherwise.”
    “Okay, but just letting you know, I don’t want to have to hide all the time. We can be seen together, right?”
    “Of course.”

Chapter Ten:
     
    We went back inside to wait for Mum to return. Lock was annoyed that we were wasting so much time, but he couldn’t very well carry me to the station on his back so he sat down, irritated.
    “While we wait, do you want anything to eat or drink?”
    Lock lowered himself into the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. His eyes were set on the window, looking out as though he was lost. I packed my things while I tried to think of an excuse to tell Mum, thumbing through my plans at the same time I thumbed through my books, packing and sealing each idea with a novel. I made sure to leave half my gear behind for my return.  The days past had seemed frightfully short; it was scary to think that about four days had already gone by since I’d become Lock’s Host. Four days of my life… four days closer to my grave.
    I looked down at my hands, then at my half stuffed bag and felt my brow twitch when I thought of what life would be like now. I was partnered with a furtive Banished ghost; being hunted by spirits that I never knew existed. The Staff could be anywhere, and hiding in the city was useless if Lock had to stick to the shadows every time we went outside. He needed a cover or a jumper so we could blend in and move freely.
    I shuffled through the cupboards that sat on the far left side of my room. Inside were abandoned garments left behind from the last owners, my Uncle Ray and his family. This had been one of the boys’ rooms. They must’ve left in a hurry then, if all their clothes are still here. But I didn’t read too much into it, they left for a reason that suited them and that was that.
    I pulled out a large dim hoodie, a dark emerald green colour and took it downstairs to Lock. I smiled at him but he didn’t look at me, he only took the jumper and threw it over his head.
    I huffed and moved into the kitchen, clearing plates and cups away. I pulled the curtains back from the window over the sink and turned on my toes, nearly banging heads with Lock who was watching me over the back of my shoulder. He snarled, “Hey watch it!” and sourly patted his nose.
    “Well, why are you always standing so close to me?” I snapped back just as harshly.
    Lock ignored me and my question. 
    “Don’t you care about how I died?” His words, they weren’t full of venom, hate or loathing, they weren’t even filled with pain; they were just innocent, pure and curious, just as though he was asking for a drink of water or how my day was going.
    “I didn’t think you would want to tell me…”
    Myths claimed that ghosts carry with them the final image of themselves to the afterlife and that often included their clothing, hair style, age, and of course, last injuries. But Lock had no rope burns, slits across the wrists, bullet wounds, open gashes, or anything that could indicate foul play, so his death did actually strike me as strange. An illness, perhaps, or maybe even poison could’ve taken him.
    “Would you like to tell me? How did you die?” I didn’t know anything about him, only that he was a Banished ghost and his name was Lock. Oh, and of course, that Betrayal was his sister. “Betrayal told me that you two were siblings.”
    Lock cocked an eyebrow, now shifting his body so he could lean leisurely up against the kitchen counter, both hands tucked behind himself and his