Chapter Three

"Who, who, who are you?" She became a heavy stutterer in an instant.

The man who stood at the door to the kitchen door walked forward into the living room and the light which Geneva had switched on illuminated his features. He was lean and tall, very tall.

Dressed in a white long sleeved shirt and dark suit pants, the only exposed parts of his body where ashen, liveless and cold like a bland winter day.

"Marry me." These were the two words that came from his deathly pale lips.

Geneva was already beginning to breathe out a sigh of relief thinking: turned out it was only one man that came out of nowhere and not 'ghosts'. Maybe a neighbour who came to say 'hi' even though I don't understand how he got into my kitchen. But this train of thought was cut short by the man's words. She choked on her sigh.

He watched her without any emotion whatsoever, no anger, no boredom, no mischief, no sinister expression, nothing. He just stood there waiting for her coughing fit to come to an end.

Geneva became angry. Who was this man that came to find death?

Attempting to frighten the young man, she threatened him, "you are so skinny, I could beat you to a pulp. Just thought you should know that in case you are thinking of stealing from me or harming me. How did you get in anyway, mister?"

She readied her chubby fists so that the man could see that one hit from them and he was surely going to be a goner.

"Marry me." He said once again like he was talking to thin air.

She wasn't thin air! She would show him that she wasn't thin air.

"I swear," she lifted her fists higher, "if you blurt out crazy things like this once more, I'll give death to you."

Half of his lips curved up a little in a cold smile. Heck, that smile did not even reach his lips not to talk of his eyes.

"Death?" His tone seemed to be one of mockery, "one can't possibly die twice, can one?"

Okay, she was getting scared. Her fists were beginning to tremble.

"Actually, even I thought I was dead," there wasn't a single trace of haste in his speech. "Until you arrived and I got to know that I still have a chance."

Eeh?

"I'm only half dead." taking his time, he leisurely walked towards her, effectively blocking the source of light in the room.

This made the light behind his tall frame, glow on everything in the room except his dark silhouette and Geneva whom his shadow fell upon.

"I remember nothing from my previous life but I happen to know that this was my home at a certain point in my life, you are my soul mate and to recover both my memories and my body, intimacy with you is needed so, marry me."

Geneva recoiled instantly with all her might. Someone give her a bucket, toilet, anything. She wanted to vomit blood.

She made a wailing sound from her throat. It sounded like a laugh and at the same time, a cry. This sound could scare even a ghost but luckily, this ghost seemed to be more rigid than a wall.

She thinks: Am I supposed to be happy that I at least got a modest ghost who wants marriage before intimacy. One who thinks marriage before intimacy with it makes it more acceptable! Not unnerving or 'puke inviting' and morally right! What a decent ghost!

Might from nowhere descended upon her jelly legs and she ran like never before.

She ran out of the door and she was barefooted even, yet she minded no injury. Was that really a ghost or a psychopath? Serial killer? Save me!

She was running on the small bridge connecting both the people living in that calm area of hers with scattered houses and people living in the bustling area; the bridge that she'd stood on for long that morning, idly watching the fishes swimming freely in the lake below.

Still running, she looked back. She saw no one. Looking forward again, she was scared stiff when she saw the ghost. Eyeball to plain winter cold eyeball.

Geneva began to move back. He lazily took one step forward and she took five steps back. Her heart was beating so fast she could faint from lack of enough blood to supply to it.

Without thinking, she quickly climbed the rail. "If you dare to move a step forward, I'll fall over and die. Yes, I will do it. I will let myself die so stay away."

"Be a good boy ehm I mean man and go back to your room. I won't even go there any more. I won't call the police. Just let me go, okay?" Her eyes were becoming teary as she tried her best to shoo him away.

She was shakily muttering nonsense, "if you don't, I'll kill myself! I'll kill..."

The man turned into a cloud of smoke and advanced towards her paying no attention to her threats.

Taken by surprise, Geneva lost her footing and fell over.

He immediately grabbed her hand, turning back to his human form.

"Don't you dare, don't you dare let go of me," the tears that fell from her eyes were filled with bitter regrets.

My mum, my dad, my friends, my life! At this point where her life was about to flash before her eyes, many thoughts were already flashing through. I haven't even tasted the best snacks that Canada can afford and this? Stupid ghost, I haven't even re-watched 'Merlin' to my heart's content. And, and *gasp*...

And her weight wasn't helping matters. She felt pure unadulterated pain around her ribs and the bad ghost was only holding her with one skinny hand. He wasn't even trying! Maybe he wanted her to die and become the demon warlords evil serpent queen.

I must live!

She laughed her weird cry again and surprisingly, this time, he lightly chuckled, his icy breath hitting her dark skin. But his face stayed the same as if that sound hadn't come from him, turning everything cold.

Seeing this, Geneva thought, has he finally realized that I am more beneficial to him while dead than alive? Now that he has, would he now drop me to my death?

"Nooo!" She panicked and held him with both hands. She pleaded, "don't do what you are thinking. What you are planning, don't do it."

"I will! I will marry you. Please!"