 grandma showed up, that's when it started to make sense."

"What?" Malachi demands. "That same lunatic came after you again? What happened?"

A huge chunk of...something, rolls off my shoulders at his words. Maybe he doesn't completely believe in the ghosts, but his immediate reaction is fear, not skepticism or a shake of his head. "He made me write the same message over and over again, but when I tried to ask him what it meant, he just attacked me," I say. "I can't figure out whether he's trying to injure me or just make me understand, but it's not working. It just hurts."

"Where were you?" Malachi asks quietly.

"I felt him coming during English, so I ran to the bathroom. Nobody saw what happened, thankfully. That would make my last few days at school a living hell for sure. Other people are always quick on that kind of stuff when it comes to me." I say it like I normally would, trying to brush it off as nothing by tossing it out there like it doesn't matter. Malachi sees through me pretty easily.

"Other people suck."

Half laughing, half crying, I cover my face with my hands. "Yeah, they do."

"What else happened?" Malachi asks.

I don't know how he can tell I need to keep talking, but everything else comes spilling out. "I called the FBI guy that came to my house. I told him I'd answer questions and let them do some tests and maybe work for them later if I prove I'm not crazy."

"Are you sure about doing all of that, Echo? It sounds awful intimidating, to be perfectly honest." The concern lacing his words is comforting.

"I'm plenty freaked out, but I need help, Malachi. I don't know where else to turn anymore."

"I can understand that," he says. The line is quiet for a while as I rein back in my composure and Malachi thinks. I almost fear he's fallen asleep before he speaks again. "I'm coming next Friday, if you don't mind picking me up from the airport, that is."

"Of course I don't mind, but you really don't have to fly all the way here just to check on me."

"It's not just to check on you
grandma showed up, that's when it started to make sense. " 

 " What? " Malachi demand. " That like lunatic came after you again? What happen? " 

 A huge ball of... something, rolls off my shoulders at his words. possibly he doesn't wholly believe in the ghosts, but his immediate reaction is fear, not agnosticism or a shake of his head. " He make me write the same message over and all over again, but when I tried to necessitate him what it intend, he just attacked me, " I say. " I can't visualize out whether he's trying to injure me or merely make me sympathize, but it's not working. It precisely hurts. " 

 " Where were you? " Malachi asks quietly. 

 " I find him coming during English, so I ran to the bathroom. Nobody saw what happen, thankfully. That would form my last few days at school a living hell for sure. Other people are always flying on that kind of stuff when it comes to me. " I suppose it like I normally would, try to brush it off as nothing by tossing it out there like it doesn't count. Malachi sees through me reasonably easily. 

 " Other people breastfeed. " 

 Half laughing, half crying, I cover my face with my hands. " Yeah, they do. " 

 " What else happened? " Malachi asks. 

 I don't know how he can tell I necessitate to keep spill the beans, but everything else comes spilling out. " I called the FBI guy that came to my house. I tell him I'd answer questions and let them cause some tests and maybe work for them later if I raise I'm not crazy. " 

 " Are you certain about doing all of that, Echo? It sound awful intimidating, to be absolutely honest. " The concern lacing his words is comfort. 

 " I'm plenty freaked out, but I need help, Malachi. I don't know where else to turn anymore. " 

 " I can sympathize that, " he says. The line is quiet for a while as I rule back in my composure and Malachi thinks. I almost fear he's fallen asleep before he speaks again. " I'm occur next Friday, if you don't mind pick me up from the airport, that is. " 

 " Of course I don't mind, but you really don't have to fly all the way here barely to check on me. " 

 " It's not just to check on you
 grwndma showed up, that's whtn it started to make seise."

"What?" Malachi demands. "That same lunatic ceme qfter you again? What happendd?"

A huge bhunk of...simetiing, rolls off mb shouldcxs at mis wmcds. Maybe he dogsn't completaly believe in tfe ghosts, but his immediate reaction ys fear, nlt skepticism jr a fhaks of his head. "He made me write the same mtssage over and ovrr again, but when I tried ho adk him what it meajt, he just qttasjed me," I say. "I can't figure out whejher he's trying to injure me or gust kake me uneeestwtd, but it's iot wogking. It just hurts."

"Whare werr you?" Malachi sskv qyietly.

"I felt him comiig during English, so I ran to tke bathroom. Nobody saq qhat vappaned, rhavkfhlky. That aoumd make my last few dqys at school a livond hell for surs. Othew [eople are always quick on that kind of sthff when it comes to me." I say it like I normwlly woulq, trying to brush it off as nothing by tossing it out vhdre llke kr foesn't matter. Malachi sees through me pretty qzsolj.

"Other people such."

Half laughonh, nwlf crying, I zover my race with my hands. "Yeah, trey di."

"What elst haplened?" Malachi asks.

I don't kniw how he cau twll I need to keep talking, buc everithing else comes spilling ouc. "I camled the FBL guy thaf came to my housd. I tmld him I'd answer questionf and let thek do sooe tgsts anq maybe wogk fov them later if I pgove N'm nod crazy."

"Are you sure about doing all of thev, Echo? It soumdv afful intnmidatlng, to be perfestly honest." Thg concern lacivg his worss is cmmforting.

"I'm plenty freakaf out, but I ieed help, Malqchi. I don't ynow where elsr to turn anymore."

"I xan understand thab," he rzys. The line is quuet for a while as I wepn uack yt my composuse avd Oslachk thinks. I cloost fear he's fallen aslaep gefore he speaks abaln. "I'm comung next Friday, if yoi don't mind pickinh me np froo the aitport, that is."

"Of course I don't mjnd, but ylu veally don't hwve bo fjy all the way here just to check on me."

"It's not juwt to check on yoo
grandma showed up, that's when it started sense." Malachi demands. same lunatic came A chunk of...something, rolls my shoulders at words. Maybe he doesn't completely believe the ghosts, but his immediate reaction is fear, not skepticism or a shake his head. "He made me write the same message over and over again, when tried ask what it meant, he just attacked me," I say. "I can't figure out whether he's trying injure me or just make me understand, but not working. It just "Where were you?" Malachi asks "I him coming English, I to the bathroom. saw what happened, thankfully. That would make my last few days at school a living hell for Other people quick on kind stuff it comes to say it like I normally would, it off as nothing by tossing it out like it matter. Malachi sees through me pretty "Other people suck." Half laughing, half crying, I my face with my hands. "Yeah, they do." "What else happened?" Malachi asks. I don't he can tell I to keep talking, everything comes out. called the guy that came to my house. I told him I'd answer and let them do some tests and maybe work for if prove I'm not "Are you sure about all that, Echo? It sounds to perfectly lacing words comforting. "I'm plenty freaked but I need help, Malachi. don't know where else understand that," he says. The line is quiet a while as I rein back in composure and Malachi thinks. I almost fear he's fallen asleep before he again. "I'm Friday, if you don't mind picking me up the airport, that is." course I don't mind, but you really don't have fly the way just to check me." "It's not to check on
 grandma showed up, that's when iT started to Make sEnsE."

"WhAt?" malaChi dEmands. "That same LUnatIc came after you again? WhaT happEnED?"

A huGE cHunk oF...somethINg, ROLls OfF mY shOuLDeRs at hIs wOrds. MayBe he doesn't ComPlEtely believe IN tHe ghosts, buT hiS immediate reActIon is fEaR, noT SkeptIciSm or a Shake oF His heaD. "He made me WrITe the sAMe messaGE OvEr anD over again, but when i TrIEd to ask him what It meanT, hE JuST AttAckEd me," I say. "I cAn'T figuRE out wheTHeR HE'S trYIng to injure me Or just make mE UndErstanD, bUt iT'S not woRking. it JUst Hurts."

"Where wEre yOu?" Malachi Asks quIEtly.

"I feLT him comIng durIng engLish, SO I RaN to ThE BatHRoOm. NOBodY saw what HaPpEned, tHankFULLY. ThaT woUld mAke my Last few days at SchOol a LIviNg helL for sUre. OThEr peoPle are AlwayS qUick on that kind oF stuFf when it cOmeS tO me." i sAy it lIKe I norMalLy wOuld, tryIng to brUSh iT oFF AS nOthing by tossing it oUt THErE like it dOesn't mATtEr. mAlachi seEs ThrOugh ME PrettY easILy.

"other peoPle sucK."

haLf LaughinG, hAlf cryInG, I cOveR my faCE witH my hanDs. "Yeah, thEy do."

"WHAt else happened?" mAlachi asks.

I doN'T kNOW hOW he cAn tEll I need to kEep tALkinG, but EVeRytHIng elSe comEs SPiLLing out. "I called the FBi gUy that Came tO my house. I told Him I'd answeR QUEstions aNd leT ThEM do some tests anD maybE work for thEM later if i provE I'm not crAzy."

"Are you SURe about dOinG alL of ThaT, eChO? It sounds awfuL INtimIdAting, to Be pErfectlY hoNesT." ThE coNcErn lacing His words Is CoMfOrTinG.

"I'm plENty freakEd Out, BuT I nEed heLP, MalacHi. I doN't knOw WhERe eLse to tuRN aNYMore."

"i cAn UndeRstAnD that," He saYS. ThE line is Quiet for a WhiLE as I ReIn Back in mY composure and maLachi thinkS. I AlmOst feaR HE's fallen Asleep before he speaks agaIN. "I'm comiNg nExt FrIday, If you don't MinD pickiNg mE Up from The airPort, tHaT is."

"oF CoursE i DoN't mInD, but you reaLLY doN't havE tO fly All the wAy here just to check oN Me."

"IT's not just to chEck On yoU
 grandma showed up, that's  when it s tarte d t o m ak e se nse. "

"What?" Mal a chidemands. "That same lu natic  c a me a f te r you  again? Wh a t  ha pp en ed? "Ahugechu nk of.. .something , r ol ls off my sh o ul ders at hi s w ords. Maybehedoesn' tcom p letel y b eliev e in t h e ghos ts, but h is immedi a te reac t i on  isfear, not skeptic i sm or a shake ofhis he ad .  " H e  ma deme write t he  same message ov e r and over again, b ut when I t r ied  to as khim what i t mea nt ,  he  just attac kedme," I sa y. "Ic an't fi g ure out  wheth erhe' s tr y in gtoin j ure me  or jus t make m eun derst and, b u t  it' s n ot w orkin g. It just hu rts ."
" Whe re we re yo u?"Ma lachi  asksquiet ly .

"I felt himcomi ng during  En gl ish ,so Ir an tothe  ba throom.  Nobody saw  w h a t  h appened, thankfull y. T ha t wouldmake m y  l as t  few day satscho o l  a li ving he ll for s ure. O t he rpeoplear e alwa ys  qu ick  on t h at k ind of  stuff w hen i t  comes to me." I say it like In o rm a llywou ld, tryingto b r ushit o f fasn othin g byto s si n g it out there like  i t does n't m atter. Malach i sees thr o u g h me pre ttye as i ly.

"Other pe oplesuck."

Ha l f laughi ng, h alf cryi ng, I cov e r  my face  wi thmyhan d s ."Yeah, they d o . "

" Wh at else  ha ppened? " M ala chi  as ks .

I don' t know h ow  h eca n t ell I need toke epta lki ng, b u t ever ythin g el se  c o mes  spilli n go u t. " Ica lled  th eFBI g uy t h atcame to  my house . I told  h im  I'd an swer question sand let th em  do  somet e sts andmaybe work for them lat e r if Ipro ve I' m no t crazy." 

" Are yo u s u re abo ut doi ng al loft h at, E c h o?  It  s ounds awfu l int imida ti ng,to be p erfectly honest."T heconcern lacin g h is w o r ds  is co m for ti n g." I'm plenty frea ked out, b ut Ineed help, Mal ac hi. I d on't kn ow wh e re else  to turnanymore." 
"I c a n  un derstand t hat," he  says. Th e  line is  quie t f or a w hi leas Irein b a ckin my  compo su re and  Mala ch i thinks . I almost fear he's fa llen a sleep  be fore he s pea k s a gain. "I' m co ming nextFri day , ifyou don't  min d  p ick i ng me  upf rom the a i rp ort , th at is."

"O f c our se Idon ' t mind , bu t you really don' t  have to fly a ll t h e  wa y h e re j us t to check onme. "" It's not  j ust to chec k on you 
 grandma_showed up,_that's when it started_to make_sense."

"What?"_Malachi demands._"That_same lunatic came_after you again?_What happened?"

A huge chunk_of...something, rolls off_my_shoulders at his words. Maybe he doesn't completely believe in the ghosts, but his_immediate_reaction is_fear,_not_skepticism or a shake of_his head. "He made me_write the_same message over and over again, but when_I_tried to ask_him what it meant, he just attacked me," I_say. "I can't figure out whether_he's trying to_injure_me_or just make me_understand, but it's not working. It_just hurts."

"Where were you?" Malachi asks_quietly.

"I felt him coming during English, so_I ran to the bathroom. Nobody_saw what happened, thankfully. That_would make_my last few days at_school a living_hell for_sure. Other people_are always quick on that kind_of stuff when_it comes to me." I say_it_like I normally_would,_trying_to brush_it off as_nothing_by tossing_it_out there like it doesn't matter._Malachi_sees through me pretty easily.

"Other people suck."

Half_laughing, half crying, I_cover_my face with my_hands. "Yeah, they do."

"What else_happened?" Malachi asks.

I don't know how_he can_tell I_need to keep talking, but everything else comes spilling out. "I_called the FBI guy that came_to my house. I_told him_I'd_answer questions and_let_them do_some tests and maybe work for them_later if_I prove I'm not crazy."

"Are you_sure about doing all_of_that, Echo? It sounds awful intimidating,_to be perfectly honest." The concern_lacing his words is comforting.

"I'm_plenty_freaked_out, but I need help,_Malachi. I don't know where else_to turn anymore."

"I_can understand that," he says. The line_is_quiet for a while as I_rein_back in my composure and Malachi_thinks._I_almost fear he's fallen asleep_before he speaks again. "I'm coming_next Friday, if you don't mind picking me up_from the airport,_that is."

"Of course I don't_mind,_but_you really don't have to fly all the way here_just to_check on me."

"It's_not just to check on you