Elaine clenched her fists tightly, hesitating at the threshold of the classroom. Her steps were slow, hesitant, each one echoing softly against the worn wooden floors. Shadows clung to the corners of the room, stretching from the tall windows as the late afternoon light barely filtered through the grimy glass. Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she simply stood there, unsure whether to speak or remain silent. Finally, after a long, anxious pause, she lowered herself onto the chair across from him, leaving only the narrow desk between them.
"I… I want to say sorry if my words the other day offended you," she murmured, her voice low, almost drowned out by the faint rustling of the wind outside. The book hid part of his face, but she forced herself to continue, "I… I know anyone in my position might react the same way. It sounds absurd… like excusing someone's cruelty but… I'm sorry."
He placed the book down slowly, calm and unreadable. "I'm not offended," he said simply.
Relief surged in her chest, only to be cut short. "Neither am I interested in helping you anymore," he added, his tone almost dismissive.
Her heart sank. "B-but… I apologize!" she blurted, desperation creeping into her words. She clutched the book so tightly that several pages tore and crumpled in her hands. Horror widened her eyes. "I… I didn't mean to—" she whispered, finally meeting his gaze.
He exhaled, frustration flickering across his features, but remained silent. As he turned to leave, she followed, grasping at the hem of his coat. "Please! I need your help! I… I'm seeing all the signs you spoke of!" Her voice trembled, the desperation raw.
"I'll do anything you want, I'd also replace the book I tore".
He froze, meeting her pleading eyes, and finally asked, "You… you will do anything I ask?"
"Yes!" she said without hesitation, the word spilling out almost before she could think.
A faint, calculating smile tugged at his lips. "Fine," he said, his voice low, deliberate, and heavy with weight, "you will do anything." he repeated again.
A chill ran through her. Was this right? Even in desperation, could she truly agree to anything?
He began walking out, signaling for her to follow. Elaine quickly gathered the torn pages, smoothing them as best she could, and trailed him through the mansion's dim corridors. Dust motes danced in the slivers of light from the high windows, and the faint echo of their footsteps made the long hallways seem alive, almost sentient. Shadows pooled in the corners, stretching like dark fingers, and the oppressive silence pressed against her like a living weight.
"Since when did you start noticing the strange behaviors?" he asked suddenly, golden eyes fixed on her.
"Two weeks back," she replied, hesitant.
"Be more specific," he said, his tone sharper.
"The day before… when you comforted me. You said I was… special," she said quietly.
He studied her for a long moment, then exhaled. "You think it has lasted only two weeks and you are still… this sane? It means you are a medium."
Elaine froze. "A… medium?"
He leaned back slightly, nonchalant, as if describing the weather. "A medium is a bridge between life and death. It is neither fully human nor fully… whatever lies beyond. You are a vessel, a channel through which spirits may pass, feel, and sometimes act. The ones who are able to endure it without going mad are rare they are born for this. Their minds are tempered, their bodies resilient to the weight of what others cannot bear."
Confusion twisted her face. "So… are you saying I'm not a human? Or am i a human" she asked she wanted to argue with him, but chose this was not the right time for it.
"Both," he said, his golden gaze sweeping over her as if weighing every flicker of her expression. "A medium is not just human. You are a mixture, part of this world, part of the other. You can feel the emotions of the dead, their memories, their desires, their unfinished business. But it is a double-edged gift. The spirits can linger, influence, and sometimes even take over if the medium consents whether knowingly or unknowingly."
"Let's put it simply as a gift" he added seeing how she didn't buy the fact of her being a medium.
Elaine's stomach churned. "And if a spirit doesn't… leave on its own?"
"Then it is bound to you," he said, voice steady and almost clinical. "It has unresolved matters, unfinished business that keeps it tethered to the living world. Until that business is complete, it cannot fully rest, and you… you will bear the weight."
Her chest tightened. "How am I supposed to deal with that? I feel… terrible. I can't sleep properly. I sleep too much, or not enough. I keep spacing out, losing weight… How do I get rid of it?"
He regarded her calmly. "It is simple, in theory. Since it came into you by consent, you must confront it. Face it. Understand it. Help it fulfill what it cannot, and only then can you be free. A medium's life is never easy, Elaine. You feel what the dead cannot finish, the regrets they cannot release… and for a while, you are their anchor, their vessel. But remember this: it is also your gift. A bridge between worlds. Use it wisely, and you will endure. Resist it… and it may consume you."
The dim corridors seemed to press closer around her, the shadows leaning in like dark spectators. Dust hung heavy in the air, mingling with the faint scent of old stone and candle wax. Her heart pounded with the weight of his words, and every instinct screamed that this path would be anything but easy.
Yet, deep inside, a spark of resolve ignited. If she were to survive this, she had to face it head-on. The dead and their unfinished business waited for no one but Elaine would get rid of it and go back to her normal life. In fact she would leave this school as soon as possible.
"You say I'm a medium " she repeated, then why is it that all my life I haven't experienc thi-
A sudden, sharp pain shot through the back of Elaine's neck, stippiyher from completing her words, She gasped, clutching the base of her skull as if trying to steady herself. The ache pulsed rhythmically, like invisible hands pressing into her flesh, sending waves of discomfort down her spine.
"It… it's hurting," she whispered, her voice trembling. The cracked Skull mark behind her neck glowed with a faint red which she of course couldn't see.
He placed a hand gently on her shoulder again, sensing her distress. "That's the spirit's mark getting stronger ," he explained calmly. "It connects to you through the medium, Every spirit you encounter will do this, though the pain would only get worse as time goes on".
Elaine's fingers traced the invisible burn at the nape of her neck. The ache was unbearable, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay upright. Every heartbeat seemed to thrum in tandem with the lingering presence of the spirit, reminding her that her gift or curse was real.
"I… I didn't think it would hurt this much," she murmured.
"I told you, soon the pain would become real, even to you" he replied. "But pain is part of the bridge. You'll learn to endure it."
She nodded weakly, still wincing as the pain slowly subsided, leaving behind a tingling warmth that seemed to hum along her spine. Her eyes met his, a mix of fear, confusion, and a growing determination reflected in her gaze.
"She would never live like this".