Page 9 of Demons In My Head: Exposing the Exiled

I glanced down into the darkness of the hatch. There was no ladder. No light. No indication of the depth.

Suddenly, I was pressed firmly against Jasper’s chest. He winked and jumped, sending both of us into the darkness. I closed my eyes and hoped I wasn't falling to my death.

We hit solid ground much faster than I anticipated, and both of us grunted from the impact, collapsing into a pile. Shattering glass and the clanging of heavy metal exploded above us. They were inside the room.

Hysteria began to rise within my body, an invisible force that couldn't be contained. "Jasper."

He slipped his hand into mine. "I know. Be right back."

"Be right ba—?"

He was gone, and within the blink of an eye, I was submerged into pitch blackness as the hatch was shut, sealing us within.

"Right here," he whispered, so close that I could feel the breeze of his words upon my cheek. Heat enveloped my body in a relentless wave. "We're trapped. He's going to catch me."

"No, he's not. Palmer, breathe," Jasper said, taking my face in his palms.

I couldn't see anything. Blackness covered every surface of the room we were huddled in, and I flinched with every boom and bang that came from overhead. The devil was coming for me.

"Listen to me."

I hunched over, my breath ragged and sharp. Each one was a painful stab to my heart.

"Palmer, you need to focus."

"I can't. I can't. I won't let him take me. I'll die first. Oh gods, oh gods," I rambled as terror overtook me with no mercy.

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded through my cheek, and I sucked in the first deep breath in what felt like hours. In a normal situation, I would’ve murdered him for slapping me like that, ghost or not.

"Oh fuck, I'm so sorry." Jasper grabbed my shoulders. "That was harder than I meant it to be. Are you okay? I don't know my own strength in this form."

"Thank you," I said, feeling like myself again. "I needed that."

Muffled voices drifted down through the floorboards. I could hear him up there, furious.

"I have an idea, Palmer. It might not work... but if it does, we'll be out of here fast."

"What is it?"

"Your powers allow you to send spirits to the beyond. They are also somehow able to make me solid again. What if you could somehow turn yourself into a spirit form?"

I reeled from the very thought of it. I'd never once tried to do such a thing, let alone even think about it.

"I don't think that's how it works..."

"But it could. Why couldn't it? Before me, did you think turning a spirit back into a living, breathing person was possible?"

I shook my head. "Of course not. I mean, I've done necromancy, like with Snake... but he's not whole. Not like he was in life..."

"Well, no time like the present to try. We need to hurry."

Would it work? In theory, it didn't sound as preposterous as I would've once thought. Before Jasper, I wouldn't have even bothered with attempting it.

"Okay, okay. Umm, I think I'll need both of your hands. If I'm able to turn you through touch, maybe if we both focus on reversing that, then I can absorb your ethereal form."

Jasper's warm hands immediately clasped mine. "Just tell me what I need to do."

"Close your eyes. Think about your spirit form and how it's overtaking you."