Fading Out...

  *****

  Later that night

  Where is he? Is he not coming? I pace at the entrance, waiting for Nick to show up. A huge part of me now realizes that I was wrong but I know I cannot back out now or it will give Nick the opportunity to taunt me forever. So I only hope that he isn't coming. Let him just face defeat than be blinded by his ego. But can I truly expect that of him when I haven’t done so either?

  I am about to head back home when I hear a snapping of twig and I move my head so fast that for a second, I fear I might have given myself a whiplash. Almost fortunately, though, nothing like that happens. Nick, though, steps out of the trees surrounding the house, and my heart tries to pummel out of my chest.

  Still, I put on my brave face and say, "So you are here. It isn't too late to back out even now. Just accept defeat and we will leave. Or you can walk in and face the dare with indefinite consequences." Please back out. Please be a coward.

  "I made my choice already Shane. There is no need to bait me further." He replies, trying to work out calmness in his voice but fear is clearly present.  He is scared. Make him back down. "You sure Nick? The ghost won't tolerate any disrespect. Even that Jimmy kid, you know the one who tried to hook up with a girl in here, was so badly scared that he needed months of therapy to even talk without looking around for anything coming for him. And that girl and her parents had to move to some other place. And then there is the thing that happened to the last group who tried to tear the mansion down. What happened to them still gives the witnesses nightmares and you still want to go in? Back down Nick." As I speak those last three words, I wince as I realize what I just did.

  With Nick, you never ask him to accept defeat directly but try to plant doubt. To try to force he means his ego will take over and he will make the wrong choice. And as expected, he replies, "And accept defeat? Never! I am going to get that necklace and no ghost can stop me." His voice almost cracks at the word 'ghost' but it still doesn't stop him.

  He yanks the door open and I try one last time, "Please Nick. You don't really have to do this. Just quit and no one will ever even find out, I promise. Just don't make any hasty decisions Nick. That is all I ask. I swear, no one will ever know about this."

  He stops at the threshold and responds, "I don't care about the others, Shane. But I will know and I will always regret it with a 'what if?’ you know." He pauses and then says, "You know, I was going to send you in my place for the date with Millie. You said you were going to ask her out but you were too scared to really try so I had to force you. I was just trying to help. And this is what I get in return for help. Thanks a lot, Shane." He closes the door behind him as I stare at him in shock.

  And then, once I recover, I sit down at the base of a nearby tree and make myself comfortable for the night. Then I check my wrist and see that it is still 12 hours from dawn. I sigh, "Well, it is going to be a long night." And in my mind, only one thought keeps coming back again and again, bringing a new wave of guilt each time.

  Please be okay, Nick. Please be okay.