Chapter 36: Living voices
The wind stirred through the tall trees, brushing gently against Jackson’s cheek as he stood outside the tent.
Shadows danced below the moonlight, but the air held something else.... Something colder.
"Jackson," his mother called again, and had gone to meet him with her arms folded.
Her tone was already weary. "It’s getting late. Come inside."
Jackson didn’t move. Instead, he tilted his head to the side with a half-smile. "Mum... you didn’t greet my new friend."
She blinked her eyes. "Your what?"
"My friend. He’s right here." Jackson said.
Her eyes followed the line of his outstretched hand and met nothing.
Just empty air. The pale outline of the forest was a breeze.
Her mouth pressed into a thin line. "Jackson, don’t start this. There’s no one there. Get inside.... Right now."
Jackson turned toward the invisible presence beside him. "Sorry, I have to go. But if you stick around... we can talk later, in the evening."
He turned on his heels and disappeared into the canvas tent nestled on the campsite. The kind usually pitched during family wilderness retreats. Inside, it was warm with the scent of firewood and plastic mats.
Mira, his nineteen-year-old sister, was hunched over her sketchpad, furiously drawing something dark and intricate.
Shadows and smoke. Hollow-eyed creatures with broken wings.
A crucifix upside down.
Mira lived in a world between nightmares and fascination.
She loved the things most people were afraid to whisper about spirits, demons, and exorcisms, rituals.
Her walls at home were covered in research clippings, her browser history terrifying.
Jackson flopped beside her.
"You’re early," she said to him, eyes still fixed on her drawing.
"I met someone." Jackson said.
"Let me guess. A squirrel?". His sister replied him sarcastically.
"No. He’s... dead. Or almost dead." Jackson paused.. Trying not to sound weird.
That got her attention. Her charcoal pencil paused in midair.
"I’m listening," she said slowly.
Jackson told her everything.
About the young guywho appeared to him.
About how only he could see and hear him.
About the bruised forehead, the panic in his voice, and the request for help.
When he finished, Mira stared at him for a long moment.
Then she set her sketchpad aside, crossed her legs, and nodded.
"Will you help him?" Jackson asked.
A smile tugged at her lips. "Yes.... we will."
He extended a hand.
She clasped it like a pact made in ancient blood.
******
That evening, as the fire pit flickered in the distance and people gathered around for warmth and laughter, Jackson stood outside the tent with Mira.
The wind shifted.
And then he was there.....
Donato.
His body shimmered at the edge of the firelight, like something half-remembered in a dream.
His features were faint, but his eyes... his eyes were sharp with urgency.
"Hi," Jackson said.
Mira shivered, even though she couldn’t see him.
"Convince your parents," Donato said quickly.
"I’m running out of time. If we don’t act soon, I’ll be... truly dead."
Jackson swallowed hard. "My sister’s here. She can’t hear you or see you, but she believes."
Donato looked toward Mira, and although she couldn’t see his ghostly outline, she shivered again.
"You’re really smart," Donato said. "So I’ll give you a gift."
Jackson chuckled.
"What did he say?" Mira asked, eyes narrowing.
"Why are you laughing?" she asked again.
"He said he’ll give me a gift."jackson replied her.
"Ask him to give it now," she said sharply.
"Because once he returns to his body, he won’t remember us. Mira told him.
" That’s how it works.".... I’ve read too much about ghosts. The in-between is always hazy." she concluded
Jackson turned. "She said to give it now."
Donato nodded. "Then listen carefully. Try and go to the late Morano Alessandro city. My younger brother Luca is a popular man you will easily find. Tell him this..... You saved Donato Morano.
His brother, Tell him I was on a mission... for the Black Book."
Mira’s head whipped toward Jackson, catching the phrase.
Donato continued. "If he doesn’t believe you, tell him a secret only the two of us know .....
Our late father gave us each a tiny star tattooed behind our ears.
Not even our mother knows. It was his mark. His oath."
Jackson listened, wide-eyed.
"There’s more," Donato said, his voice cracking. "Tell Luca... Enzo betrayed me. He hit me with a big stone. Left me for dead. He’s not who he pretends to be. He’s our enemy. Tell Luca not to trust him."
Jackson repeated everything in Mira’s ear. Every word.
She was silent for a beat. Then she nodded grimly.
Jackson turned back. "Deal is done, sir"
Donato’s form flickered like a dying flame. "Thank you." He said
****
A few minutes later...
"Mum," Jackson called, running up to the main campfire, panting.
"Mum... There’s a man... He’s alive. Barely. He’s lying somewhere up near the mountain ridge. We saw him."
His mother frowned, confused. "Saw who? Who’s we?"
"I—I mean me and Mira. Please."
Their father stood, concerned. "Where, exactly?"
"Past the trail. I can show you."jackson said.
Within minutes, three of the security guards were summoned.
They didn’t take the boy seriously at first, but something in his eyes.... Urgency mixed with fear made them follow.
Jackson led the way, heart pounding.
Donato walked silently ahead of him, guiding the path.
"sir... ," Jackson whispered again, "why can’t he just disappear?"
"If I do," Donato replied softly, "who will lead the way?"...
"Jackson,,, Stop talking to thin air" his mother snapped.
But he kept walking.
And then just as suddenly Donato was gone.
And vanished.
The air grew still.
Jackson looked around frantically. "Donato?, Where are you?".....
Silence erupt the air
"Jackson?" one of the guards called.
Then they saw him.
A body.
Lying crumpled beneath a tree. Motionless.
Blood dried at the side of his head.
Jackson’s scream tore through the forest. "No, Noooo... "
He collapsed to his knees and threw his arms around his mother’s waist, sobbing. "He was real. I told you. He was real..."
The guards sprang into action, checking for a pulse.
"He’s alive," one of them murmured in shock. "Faint. But alive."
"Call an ambulance. Now.... "
Jackson looked toward the empty space where Donato once stood.
He became more shocked....
*****
The Next Morning at the Morano Estate
Alessia stepped out of the car, her legs shaky but healing.
The hospital scent still clung to her skin, but home... home was here.
Luca wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her like she was made of glass.
"Careful," he said. "You’re not made of steel, woman."
Alessia chuckled softly, leaning into him. "You’re spoiling me too much."
"I intend to.... And more." Luca said to her.
Inside the mansion, candles flickered.
Fresh roses filled the hallway.
In their bedroom, a velvet box of shimmering jewelry sat beside the bed, next to a handwritten note.
"I know this doesn’t replace what we lost.
But I swear on my name, we will make beautiful things again.
I’ll love you until the world stops.
Luca"
She smiled, tears brimming in her eyes.
Luca stood behind her and whispered, "Let’s make more babies. Let’s build the future. Let’s heal."
A knock interrupted them.
Daisy.
Wearing black jeans, her wild hair tied into a high bun.
Her eyes glittered with secrets.
"Luca," she greeted politely.
He nodded, kissing Alessia’s hand. "I’ll leave you girls to talk."
When he left, Alessia rolled her eyes. "You have got that look."
"What look?" daisy asked.
"do I need to have tea to spill look."
Daisy sat, crossing her legs. Her voice dropped.
"I met someone." she said
"Of course you did." Alessia replied her.
"His name is Romeo." daisy added.
Alessia blinked. "Okay. And..... ?"
"We met at a club. He’s hot, Smart and Charming.
But there’s more.
He’s working with Seraphina....."
The smile vanished from Alessia’s face.
"What?". Alessia shouted.
"He didn’t recognize me. He thought I was just some pretty girl.
But after a few drinks... he got loose. Told me someone was supposed to deliver the Black Book to Seraphina.
And he (Romeo) was sent to collect it."
Alessia’s breath caught.
"That’s impossible." Alessia said but fully knows daisy can’t lie to her.
"No," Daisy said. "It’s already happening."
Alessia stood slowly, heart thudding.
Somewhere... someone had betrayed them again.
And the Black Book is now in the wrong hands ...
*****
On the outskirt of virenkai city, Enzo removed the black book from his bag, his fingers trembling slightly—not from fear, but from the sheer weight of power now resting in his hands.
The cover pulsed faintly, like it had a heartbeat of its own, ancient and alive.
He dialed the number.
Seraphina’s voice came sharp, controlled. "Do you have it?"
He smirked. "I don’t just have it. I own it. The black book is mine now."
Silence crackled on the line before she responded. "Name your price."
"Two million dollars," Enzo said without hesitation. "And not a dollar less."
"Two million?" Seraphina hissed. "You know that’s steep. We could negotiate..... "
"No." His voice turned cold, final. "I’m not a servant anymore. I’m a king now. Pay the price, or I’ll call the Atlans. They’re dying to get their hands on this."
A heavy silence between them. He ended his call
And disappointed why Seraphina would negotiate a book the Atlans are dying to her.
Or maybe the book doesn’t have much value to Seraphina. He thought within himself.
Then, Enzo slowly raised the phone again, thumb hovering over a second contact.
The Atlans...