The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw

  'Come on, let's hit the shops,' giggled Lana as she literally dragged Emma along beside her.

  'Would you mind if I came along,' said a voice out of nowhere.

  'Joe!' squealed Lana, 'Where have you been? We didn't see you at all yesterday? Of course you can come with us.'

  Grinning shyly, Joe floated alongside them, 'I was with some of my own kind.'

  'What? Like other ghosts, you mean?'

  Josiah nodded as they stopped at traffic lights waiting for them to turn green.

  'Yes. I found a cemetery where there are quite a few of us.'

  Once the lights had changed, and the three of them had continued across the road, Emma made sure no-one was watching when she turned to look at him, 'Do you know why you're still here, Joe? Do all those others know too?'

  But he looked at the floor and shook his head, 'I wish I knew.'

  'Hey, let's not dwell on that now, we're here to have fun today!' squealed Lana again, as she practically ran down the road, as if she could hear the shops calling to her.

  'Wait up!' shouted Emma as she sped up to catch up to her.

  'No can do... Oxford Street awaits,' she giggled as she stopped just for a moment to check the map.

  'This way,' she laughed, pointing over to the left leaving Trafalgar Square to their right.

  After they'd taken a few wrong turns, and Emma had taken over the map reading, the girls, along with Josiah, eventually found themselves on Oxford Street. Once they'd arrived, Lana erupted in a fit of giggles.

  'I can't believe it, I'm actually here. I'm finally here on Oxford Street in London,' she said, dancing around in a little circle.

  Emma looked at her, embarrassed, glancing at the shoppers who were giving her sister a bit of a wide berth.

  'Erm, Sis. People are staring.'

  'So?'

  Emma shook her head and smiled before she left Lana and carried on walking down the street with Joe beside her. After about a minute, Lana was with them, grinning from ear to ear.

  'Where shall we go first?' she asked, excitement bubbling from her every pore.

  'Wherever takes your fancy,' Emma replied as they glanced from one shop to another.

  'Is that... Zara?' squealed Lana as her feet moved faster than the rest of her in order to get to the fashion store. Emma rolled her eyes as Joe whispered in her ear, 'Your sister is really quite crazy, isn't she?'

  Laughing, Emma nodded.

  'Why is she going so insane over clothes shops?' he asked as they stepped inside the giant shop, watching as Lana stood still for a second and took a deep breath as she took it all in.

  'Because Andilyse Island doesn't have anything like this. You must remember what shopping is like at home, Joe? There's not much choice, not for a fashion victim, anyway.'

  'I.. I don't remember,' he stuttered.

  'Didn't you ever go shopping?' she asked him discreetly as a couple of young girls walked by giving her a funny look.

  'I.. I... don't know. I can't seem to remember anything about the island.'

  'Nothing at all?' she asked, alarmed.

  When he shook his head, she turned to face him, 'Maybe it happens to all, you know... ghosts?'

  'OMG,' shouted Lana from across the shop floor, 'Emma, you have GOT to come and see this...'

  When Emma turned back to Joe, he had disappeared.

  Shrugging her shoulders, she went to see what all the fuss was about. As she approached her sister, Lana was already bogged down with countless items of clothing and pairs of shoes.

  Emma couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight.

  'Lana, you don't have to get the first things you see, you know!'

  'I know, I just want to try all these on,' she said almost stumbling over the heap of clothes as she rushed towards the changing rooms.

  'Here, let me give you a hand,' Emma offered, taking some of the items of clothing out of her grasp.

  An hour later, Emma was still sitting in the changing rooms, watching as Lana paraded the clothes she'd chosen.

  'Is this the last one?' she asked, sighing.

  'Yeah, this is it and then I promise we can go.'

  'You said that twenty minutes ago.'

  As Lana swept back the curtain, she stepped out like a model on a catwalk, wearing a cute little white crochet dress, brown knee high boots and a brown hat that wouldn't really stay put on her unruly hair. She bent forward, blew a kiss and continued to strut around the changing rooms.

  Emma shook her head and laughed out loud. 'Okay, it is cute. I like that better than anything else you've tried on. I think you should get it, although I don't think much to that hat.'

  With a huge smile that scrunched up her cheeks, Lana twisted her shoulder, turned her head and cracked up laughing. 'Yeah, my hair is just too big! Okay, I'll go take it all off, spend some money and we can get out of here.'

  As the girls walked out of the store back onto Oxford Street, Emma took in a breath of fresh air, 'It's nice to be outside again,' she said seriously.

  Lana swung the carrier bag and hit her with it, 'Hey, we weren't in there that long,' she laughed. 'Where's Joe?' she asked suddenly realising he was no longer with them.

  'He disappeared when we walked into the shop. It was weird actually, he told me he couldn't remember anything about Andilyse.'

  'That is weird... and kinda sudden? I wonder where he went?'

  'Anywhere away from two girls clothes shopping, I expect,' Emma answered as Lana tucked her arm into hers and they walked down the street, occasionally stopping to peer into shop windows, or for Lana to rush indoors to take a closer look at things that took her fancy.

  'It's a shame you haven't seen anything for you, Em?' Lana said a little while later, as they walked back down another street.

  'Apparently my kind of shops are back in Camden?'

  'How do you know that?'

  'Because I googled them before we left Andilyse,' she said with a smile.

  'Why didn't you say anything?'

  'Because I knew how desperate you were to come down here.'

  Lana grinned, 'Well now it's your turn. We're on the hunt for goth shops!'

  'Are you sure? Have you had enough of these chain stores?'

  'A girl can never have enough of these shops, Em, but for you, I'm happy to take a break. Besides, you desperately need some new clothes... I can be your personal shopper,' she beamed while Emma wondered what on earth she'd let herself in for.

  After getting off the tube at Camden Town, the girls looked around until they found what they were looking for. Emma certainly wasn't disappointed. Spotting one particular shop from the distance, Emma turned to Lana with a smile, 'Now that is more me,' she said happily as Lana cringed as they walked inside.

  The shop was filled with black, deep reds and purple items in velvet and lace. Beautiful Victoriana and gothic black chokers covered in beads, lace and silk. Cameo brooches with pictures of Victorian women, cats and moons. Emma swooned as she inspected item after item before eventually moving along to the clothes section where she picked up a red and black gothic tutu dress.

  'Now this is gorgeous,' she sighed as Lana promptly removed it from her hands and put it back on the rail.

  'Where on earth would you wear something like that? There must be something a little more, you know, sensible? Subtle? Classy? Stylish? Cool?'

  Emma laughed at her as she continued to rifle through the lush fabrics she so loved. 'How about this?' she said as she pulled out a lime green rockabilly vest top.

  She put it back when she saw Lana's face.

  'Here, now this is cute,' Lana said as she handed her a black and white polka dot halter top. Agreeing, Emma took it out of her hands and held on to it.

  'How about this?' she said as she held up a black and white gingham bodice top.

  'Yep, I like that. It'd look really nice with a pencil skirt...'

  Emma screwed up her face, 'Okay then, with a pair of skinny jeans?' she continued, handing Emma the to
p.

  'This is beautiful. Very me,' Emma said as she inspected a black organza blouson top.

  Lana, dropping her head to one side with a finger in her mouth, nodded. 'Yes it is actually. In a good way,' she smiled. 'How about a dress? You never wear dresses. Oh come on, don't look at me like that. At least try some on... please? For me?' she pouted.

  'I'll try on a dress but only if you try some of them on too?'

  Lana's eyes flew wide open before she laughed, 'If that's what it takes to get you to put on a dress, then you've got a deal,' she said as she held out her hand so Emma could shake it.

  'Oh, and the other thing... I get to choose them,' Emma said before she quickly disappeared to another section of the shop where there were more dresses hanging on rails.

  Stepping out of the changing room at the same time, the girls laughed as they swirled in front of a huge mirror, showing off the mini tutu dresses that Emma had chosen. They wore the same style of dress, in organza and velvet, the only difference was that Emma wore a red one and Lana a green one. Although Lana felt absolutely ridiculous, she was having fun... even more fun than on Oxford Street, in fact.

  Stepping back into their respective changing room cubicles, they changed into medieval looking gothic dresses, Emma's in purple and Lana's in red.

  'Wow, I love this,' said Emma as she turned around and around in front of the mirror as Lana just shook her head and laughed.

  'Seriously though sis, where on earth would you wear it? I feel like I've stepped off of a movie set... a horror movie,' laughed Lana.

  Pretending to sulk, Emma stepped back behind her curtain and soon exited again wearing an extravagant long black gothic mermaid dress. She stood outside waiting for Lana to appear in the same dress.

  'OMG, how the hell do you walk in this?' she uttered as she almost fell out of the cubicle, trying hard not to laugh.

  'Oh I look absolutely ridiculous!' she squeaked. 'And you... well, you look like Morticia Addams!'

  'I do? Cool!' Emma said as she twirled in front of the mirror. 'I've always wanted to look like I belong to the Addams Family,' she said, her face deadly serious.

  Lana shook her head and waddled back into the changing room. Her sister soon followed.

  When Lana had eventually managed to get out of the mermaid dress, she stepped back outside and stood waiting for Emma. She knew there was one dress left.

  'Well? Have you got it on yet?'

  'Almost,' Emma said quietly.

  'Let's see.'

  As Emma pulled the curtain back, Lana took a deep breath and nodded her head in approval. 'OMG, Emma... you look absolutely amazing. Come out, come out and see,' she said as Emma stepped forward and looked in the mirror.

  A smile appeared on her lips as she admired the pretty dress, a knee length halter neck frock covered in red roses and skulls that cinched in at the waist and then flared out in true 50s style.

  'Here, look,' said Lana as she stepped behind her and took her loose hair and held it upwards, 'Wow, Emma. Who knew you could look so beautiful,' Lana said with a smirk.

  'Well, thank you very much Sis,' Emma said, rolling her eyes.

  'You realise you've got to buy it, you know?'

  'When would I ever wear it though?' she said sensibly.

  'It doesn't matter. This dress was clearly made for you. It should be yours. How much is it?' she said as she searched for the label. 'Oh wow, it's only £36! That's a bargain, Sis!' she squealed.

  As they exited the shop later, Emma carried a bag containing not only the rose and skull dress, but also several pairs of black tights, of varying thickness and patterns, a couple of tops and two chokers. Needless to say, Lana didn't buy a thing.

  'And now for shoes,' Lana said as they headed down the road, with Emma shaking her head, laughing.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  They were mid-way into their so-called 'work experience' fortnight in London when they realised Joe had never returned after their shopping trip. Something was niggling Emma.

  Just before he'd vanished, he'd said that he couldn't remember much about the island, yet earlier on he hadn't had any trouble in recalling where he had come from.

  Voicing her thoughts to Lana, the girls decided to talk to Eleanor about it, hoping she would be able to tell them what had happened. Much to their dismay, however, she didn't have a clue either.

  'It's unusual for ghosts to just disappear like that, unless of course, he was finally able to cross over,' she suggested as she took a sip of her lemon tea.

  'But the fact that you mentioned his memory loss is a concern. That is highly unusual. And I don't think he'd leave without saying goodbye. He was so drawn to you, especially you, Emma. Do you have any idea why?' she asked just as Wilbur appeared carrying a large plate of biscuits. Emma politely shook her head as he passed them around.

  'Mmmm, Jaffa Cakes, my favourite,' said Lana as she took three from the plate.

  'I think it's because of the way he died. Oh, of course, we never told you about that...' and so Emma began to recall how the bodies of both the old and the young man were found, how they appeared to be the same man and how they had both died in front of her in the hospital, the younger version later returning as a ghost to his home. Lana interrupted to tell Eleanor about the photographs of the young woman who looked a little like Emma.

  Standing to move across the room, Eleanor lay down on the yellow chaise longue just as the clock began to strike five o'clock.

  'Excuse me for a moment, girls. Hold that thought...' she said as, just like clockwork, a deep groan escaped her lips before she turned to face them a few moments later looking decidedly younger.

  'Oh that's better,' she said, stretching her lithe limbs before disappearing to change into more suitable clothes. From behind the screen, she asked questions about Joe while the girls waited for her to step out.

  'He was a very lonely old man,' answered Emma. 'He had few friends, he never married or had children. After seeing his home, we realised that he only ever lived for that woman who disappeared back in the 50s.'

  'That must have something to do with his coming back as a young man. He yearns for her so badly that he never really lived after she disappeared. I'm curious as to his memory loss though and to his disappearance of course.'

  Wilbur returned to the room carrying a bowl of fruit which he offered to Emma with a smile, 'Perhaps an apple, banana or a pear?' he suggested, 'Considering you turned down the biscuits,' he said with a wink.

  Leaning forward, Emma picked out a large pink pear and took a big bite out of it, juice dribbling down her chin. 'Thank you,' she said, shyly wiping at her mouth with her hand, 'It's delicious.'

  'Well, I have made up my mind,' said Eleanor suddenly after she'd sat quietly for a few moments with her head in her hands.

  Looking up at her, Emma and Lana waited curiously, wondering what she'd made her mind up about.

  'Every Watcher must complete their first task before they are admitted into the Academy in September. I do believe that your first task has just presented itself to you both.'

  'It has?' asked Lana, confused.

  'Yes, you must track down the ghost of Josiah Grimshaw and then you must uncover what is keeping him from crossing over. Once you've worked that out, you must help him pass over to the other side,' she said, smiling.

  'You are authorised to use any of the facilities at Praxos and you may ask any or all of the other Watchers for assistance. However, as is always the case with the foundation, you must not reveal your skills to anyone out of our circles, other than paranormals. Do you understand?' she asked firmly.

  The girls nodded avidly.

  'Very well then,' she smiled. 'Good luck. You have until you return home.'

  'Can I ask a question?'

  'Of course you can, Emma. What is it?'

  'Have all the other Watchers been given their first tasks?'

  'Some have yes, but a few will be told today or tomorrow what they must do. Don't worry about
them, unless they ask for assistance, of course. Now you must concentrate on Josiah.'

  Standing to leave the room, the girls looked at each other unsurely.

  'Don't worry so much,' Eleanor added, 'I'm sure you'll find this to be a piece of cake,' she chuckled.

  #

  'Joe? Josiah are you there?' Emma asked a little later. But there was no reply. No matter how long she tried calling out his name, or how loud, Joe refused to appear.

  'Josiah Grimshaw, I demand that you show yourself at once!' shouted Lana after they'd been trying uselessly for over an hour.

  'This is crazy, why won't he come to us?' she added with her hands on her hips.

  'I don't know,' sighed Emma as she flopped down on the beanbag.

  'Hey girls,' said a familiar voice as Liam opened the door and waltzed in, leaving Lana beaming at the sight of him.

  'Hey,' she said as she draped herself across him as he got comfortable in one of the other overly large beanbags.

  'Whaddya doin?' he asked.

  'Getting more and more irritated by the minute,' she replied as she looked into his eyes with a grin.

  'You don't look too irritated to me,' he said, laughing.

  Sighing, she leaned forward and kissed him.

  Emma, feeling a little uncomfortable, cleared her throat.

  'I'm not irritated any more,' Lana muttered as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

  'Don't mind me,' Emma said quietly as they completely ignored her. 'Right, I'll go then...'

  With no response from Lana or Liam, Emma rolled her eyes and quietly stood up, walking out of the room on her own. 'I guess the task can wait then,' she muttered to herself.

  'What's that?' said a voice that practically welded her knees together. Turning, Emma stood face to face with Diarmuid who had just stepped out of Eleanor's office.

  'Hiya,' she said as he took her hand. 'You okay?' she asked.

  'Yeah, I'm good now you're here,' he said, leaning in to kiss her gently on the cheek.

  That's it, Emma's knees were permanently locked together while her stomach did more of those triple salchows. Just the sight of him had that effect on her.