by Paula Bianchi –

Sitting in the back seat of Michael’s car in the police parking lot, Lucy could feel the hopelessness that engulfed her son, but suddenly a small ray of hope came shining through. It came from the relief Justin felt about his truth coming to light.

Michael turned in his seat, so he was facing his son. “I can only help you if you’ll let me, Justin.” He said, with so much love and compassion as he laid his hand on his son’s shoulder.

All at once, Lucy felt Michael’s loving energy shooting through their son. She knew Justin felt it too because his body had longed for some positive interaction with someone, who truly cares about him, for a long time.

Justin broke down into tears, and he quickly latched onto his dad hugging him as tightly as he could then a sense of shame came washing over him as he sobbed into Michael’s shoulder repeating, “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so sorry.”

Michael held onto his son trying to give him the comfort he so desperately needed. After a few moments had passed, they parted. “When did you start getting high, Justin?” He asked, without any judgement.

Wiping his face on the sleeves of his dark grey hoodie, Justin squared himself to tell the truth, but a voice inside of him was urging him not to.

Lucy heard the voice too. Instantly, she recognized the voice because she had heard it before. It was Lori, and she was trying to keep Justin from revealing his truth. Lucy reached out and placed her hands on Justin’s shoulders beaming the thought, “You need to tell your dad the truth!” into his head.

“I tried meth just before mom died.” Justin said, making his choice in spite of the voice he heard in his head. “Then after she was gone, I thought getting high made me feel better, and it did in the beginning, but I didn’t like who I was becoming especially after I hooked up with Cheryl.” His voice drifted off.

Michael squeezed Justin’s shoulder in reassurance hoping it would make him feel safe enough to tell his whole story.

Lori was not happy with all of Michael’s positive loving energy coursing through her host, and Lucy could feel it. She tried to silence this ghostly intruder by making her own voice louder. “Keep going, Justin! Tell your dad everything!” Lucy exclaimed.

“I spent all the money I saved up for a car.” Justin said, waiting his father’s rebuke.

“What did you spend it on?” Michael asked calmly.

Justin was quiet for a moment or two, as he fought the voice in his head, before he finally shared the answer. “I spent more than half of it on drugs and the rest of it, Cheryl helped me spend.” He admitted. “I also gave her a lot of money to fix her car.” He added.

“Alright. Now let’s get to the part where you decided to steal a car.” Michael said, trying to steer the conversation to the most concerning event.

When Lori’s voice piped in again, Lucy talked directly to her. “You need to shut up, Lori! It’s time for you to go, so Justin can get the help he needs.” She said, in the sternest voice she could muster.

To Lucy’s surprise, Lori shut up, and when she did, Justin’s positive energy shot up. She felt his resolve grow and heard his decision to share the whole story with his dad.

“After I ran out of money,” Justin began, “Cheryl’s Mom kept giving me more meth whenever I ran out. She never said I would owe her anything until one day she showed me a piece of paper with how much she had given me then said I owed her $800.

“I told her I didn’t have any money. She told me there were other ways to pay her back and stealing a car was one of them, so Cheryl’s brother took me out one night to teach me how to steal one.” Justin grew quiet again.

“So, this isn’t the first car you’ve stolen?” Michael did his best to keep himself together, but his disappointment was starting to get the best of him.

“No. This was my third time, but it’s the first time I’ve tried to do it on my own.” Justin admitted, as he squirmed in his seat, but he had to admit to himself that he was feeling more and more relieved as shared his secrets with his dad.

Michael took a moment to digest his son’s admission. Hearing that this was his third time stealing, kind of took his breath away. “How did you get caught?” He finally asked.

“Because I did everything wrong. I didn’t want to steal that car or any car, but I didn’t know what to do.” Justin said, his voice full of fear. “I’m in so deep with these people. I don’t know how to get myself out.” He sounded so hopeless.

“I tried breaking up with Cheryl, but she cried and clung to me like she would never let me go then when I tried to insist, she said she would tell you about me using drugs and that I’ve stolen a couple of cars with her brother.” He slumped back into his seat with despair. “I’m just glad mom can’t see what I’ve been doing.”

“But she can see you, Justin. She’s with us right now in this car.” Michael whispered.

Justin’s head shot up to look at his father with disbelief. “What are you saying, Dad? Mom is dead. How can she be with us?” He said, with so much skepticism.

“I know this may be hard to believe because I had a hard time myself, but I have felt your mother around me, and she has given me signs that she’s still here with us.” Michael stated as a matter of fact.

Justin stared at his father like he was crazy.

“Let Justin know you’re here, Lucy.” Michael smiled as he waited for her to comply.

Lucy drifted over her son, so she could sit in his lap, and wrapped her arms around him.

Justin suddenly shifted in his seat. “What’s going on?!” He exclaimed, in bewilderment. “I’m getting goosebumps all over my arms and on the back of my neck making my hair stand up.” He wiggled in his seat. “Now my stomach is doing flip flops.” He said, with much confusion.

“That’s your Mom, Justin. She hasn’t left us.” Michael reassured him. “I think she just gave you a hug.” He surmised. “Would you like to talk to her?” He righted himself in his car seat and put his key into the ignition. “Because I know she wants to tell you something.” He said, as he started the car.

“How can I talk to her?” Justin asked, trying not to get his hopes up because it was something he had longed for since the day she died.

Michael threw the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space. “Through Kat.” He answered, as he put the car into drive and headed for home.

“The new housekeeper?” Justin thought for sure that his father had lost it.

“Yes. Kat’s a psychic.” Michael stated, quite frankly.

Lucy decided to beat them home, so she quickly disappeared from the car then reappeared in the foyer at home.

The house was still and eerily quiet. Lucy popped into each room looking for Kat and Emma then she finally found them sleeping upstairs, so she left them alone and waited for Michael and Justin to get home.

After closing the front door behind them, Michael called out from the foyer. “Hello! We’re home!” He tossed his keys on the side table then guided Justin into the living room.

Emma came down the stairs first followed closely behind by Kat, and they joined them.

Emma didn’t say a word. She just walked straight over to her brother and gave him a huge hug then everyone took a seat, and when they did, Justin couldn’t help but notice that his paraphernalia box was sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

“The first thing I need to know, Justin, is if you’re going to let us help you with your addiction.” Michael knew everything hinged on his answer. “But you have to know that getting better means giving up all the friends you have from that lifestyle.” He said, making sure his son understood what was involved with overcoming his addiction.

Drifting closer to her son, Lucy tapped into his thoughts. She could feel he wanted their help because he had been trying for weeks to figure out a way of getting himself out of this situation then suddenly, she could hear Lori’s voice inside of Justin telling him he shouldn’t listen.

“Kat!” Lucy yelled to get her attention. “Lori’s trying to get Justin to stop listening to us. What can we do?” She asked, hoping the time had finally come to help Justin get rid of his spirit attachment.

“Justin, your Mom is telling me that you can hear a voice telling you not to listen to us. Is she correct?” Kat relayed the message.

Justin looked stunned. “So, you’re talking to my mom right now?” He asked, but he wouldn’t deny that he was in fact hearing a voice inside of his head.

“Yes. She’s right here with us.” Kat confirmed.

“Tell him I was the one who took his box not Emma.” Lucy said.

“She wants you to know that she took your little wooden box not Emma.” Kat repeated.

Justin’s head whipped around to look at his sister. “You didn’t take it?” He didn’t know whether he should believe what he was hearing.

“I promise you that I didn’t take it.” Emma said, with so much sincerity.

Justin didn’t know if he should believe her, and Lori was trying her best to make him think his sister was lying. “Then how did it end up here?” He asked her, pointing to his box on the table.

“We found your box in the attic last night during our investigation.” Kat informed him. “And when we did, Lucy told us that she, and another spirit, had taken it from you and put it up there, so you couldn’t find it.” She shared.

“Then I picked it up and put it in my pocket.” Michael continued. “We didn’t look in the box until after the sheriff called and said you had been arrested. That’s when your Mom told me to open your box.” He said.

“Should we tell him about Lori now?” Lucy asked.

Kat slightly nodded her answer. “You never said if your mother was correct. Can you hear a voice in your head, Justin?” She brought the subject back up again.

Emma and Michael both leaned forward in their seats showing a great interest in hearing his answer.

“Yes, I do hear one, but how does my mom know that?” Justin was trying to put together the pieces of his puzzle.

“Because she can hear the voice as well, and she knows who the voice belongs to.” Kat shared then she waited for his next question.

“What do you mean who it belongs to?” Justin asked, his face contorted with confusion. “Isn’t it my voice in my head?”

“No. It’s not your voice.” Kat confirmed. “You’re hearing the voice of a 17yr. old spirit girl named Lori.” She informed him.

“So, you’re saying a spirit is in me?” Justin sounded incredulous. He looked to his dad because he knew how his father felt about ghosts and the paranormal.

“It’s true, Justin.” Michael validated, while his body language and the serious look on his face was the proof his son needed to see.

In that moment, Lori tried her best to convince her host that everyone was crazy, but Justin could finally sense that these thoughts were not his own.

“How did she get in me?” Justin asked, as he willed himself not to listen to Lori.

“She squeezed through an opening in your aura, and she attached herself to your spine at the base of your neck.” Kat shared. “Your Mother watched her attach to you, and she’s been frantic to get Lori out of you ever since because she was an addict when she was alive and she’s using you to continue getting high.” Kat explained.

Justin looked shocked. Lucy tuned into his thoughts and understood why. He was going over all the choices he’s made over the course of the past few months and realized just how much this voice had been influencing him and his decisions.

“How do I get her out?” Justin finally asked, with a firm resolve.

“I was hoping you would ask me that.” Kat’s smile lit up her face making her emerald eyes twinkle.

Come back next week to see how Kat gets rid of Justin’s spirit attachment. Thanks for the visit. Bye for now.

Email: Remyel@hotmail.com

Picture courtesy of: Pexels

If you would like to read Lucy’s story from the beginning, click on this link: Lucy in the Afterlife: The Beginning.