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 Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 2:57 pm
"Well he's a good ole bear!" Toby said, accepting the ghostly toy and smiling. How it felt would determine whether it was a conjuring of the child's or had actually come from the nursery. "That's a very nice name. How long have you had him?" He glanced sideways to Dari, who shrugged. He hadn't told the boy anything!
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:07 pm
The teddy bear was definitely real: it was somewhat stiff, especially in the limbs and the joints were old-fashioned. "Forever," the boy said. His grip on Maia tightened slightly.
Maia looked to Toby, unsure what to do.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:09 pm
"Oh? You had him since you were born? I have one of those too, but mine's white," Toby said with a nod. "I wasn't as creative as you. We just called him Bear-bear." He smiled to Maia and gave her a little nod and a gesture with Winser. He was just a child, even if he was dead. He missed his mother, so it was only natural he'd be drawn toward a sweet woman.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:22 pm
"Momma named him," the boy explained. He closed his eyes tightly to keep tears from falling.
Maia wrapped her arms around the boy and gently rubbed at his back.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:30 pm
"You love your momma, huh? I love mine too." His was also dead, but he was unsure if the ghost boy was experienced enough to sense it.
"Would you like to play a game?" Dari asked. They had come prepared for an actual child spirit, as well as for something wholly dangerous gallivanting around as if it were a child spirit.
Michael returned downstairs, but remained out of sight. He knew the boy didn't like him, want wanted the child pleasant before he tried again.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:52 pm
"Your Momma died too?" The boy asked, frowning at Toby. This one seemed to understand, at least. He looked to Dari, expression darkening. "Not with you," he said.
Maia petted his hair. "I lost my mother, too," she said. "Its okay to be sad." Did the boy not realize he'd died as well?
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 3:54 pm
Dari couldn't help but snicker. He'd stood in the doorway and told the boy they were here to help, and he was loathed. This was going to be difficult.
"She did," Toby said with a nod, "All of us here, we all lost our mommas."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:02 pm
The ghost studied Toby, trying to catch him in a lie. "Is that why you have her? Is she your new momma?" He asked. He looked up at Maia then, and hugged her. "I'd like you to be mine, too."
Maia shook her head. "No, I'm his fiancee," she explained. "We're all friends here."
The child's expression darkened, and he took a step back releasing her. "Where's the one like me? I want him!"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:07 pm
Toby shook his head. "She's my wife."
He was about to launch into the old argument of 'you can't have her, we aren't taking you' which would undoubtedly strain the tenuous ties between him and the boy, but the boy seemed to have solved that on his own.
Michael took that as his cue. He emerged from thin air across the room.
"I'm right here, Alexander."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:16 pm
They knew his name. The ghost blinked in confusion. He moved forward, wrapping his arms around Michael instead. He held tightly to him. "Will you come with me?" he asked. He disappeared, at least to Toby and Maia, and looked to Michael expectantly. "You said you knew where Momma was. But she's dead." His expression crumpled, but he didn't cry. "Why can't people see me all the time?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:42 pm
Michael smiled softly down to the boy and stroked his hair. He disappeared to the others and spoke only to the boy.
"Well, that's a very difficult question to ask. You won't like the answer. Would you like to talk, or would you like to go play?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:46 pm
"Will you play with me?" the boy asked, releasing his hold on Michael and offering him his hand. "What kind of game is it?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:57 pm
"It's a guessing game," Michael said. He led Alexander back to the nursery and smiled. "I'll go first. I'm going to guess that this was your room first."
Downstairs, Toby held the worn bear and looked him over gently. When people tried to move Michael's stuff, to even move it, mind, not even take it, the ghost lost his mind. He claimed inability to control his emotions in such a situation. As such, the drive home had been rather difficult.
He wouldn't dare put the bear down. He wouldn't dare leave it somewhere. Instead he cradled Winser in the crook of his arm and patted his head softly. "Well, I guess you're keeping us company today, Winser. I'm Toby. This is Maia."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:19 pm
"Its my room," Alex agreed, and looked to Michael. "Good guess. Do you ask another one, or is it my turn?"
Maia smiled softly at Toby. She knew how sensitive ghosts were about their belongings. Michael had had to dig for something He could use as his item when she took him out. "Nice to meet you Winser."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:26 pm
The nursery had been rearranged. Stuffed animals were upside-down, battery-operated toys were stacked in towers. All of the furniture was in one corner to clear up the floor. Michael sat down and offered a hand up to Alex. "It's your turn. Sometimes it helps if you hold hands and close your eyes, and think hard."
Toby shook the bear's hand and offered the bear out for Maia to shake its paw as well.
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