Julie still stood on the step to her home when she saw the familiar little car coming up the road. Her eyes widened with happiness when she spotted a faint reflection on the lenses of Judith's glasses. Her Judith was coming home.

However, Julie soon became hesitant as the car came into clearer view and she was able to see Sam in the passenger seat and two in the back who were still obscured. She retreated back indoors but remained unseen so as not to be found by Mel.

"Is that you, Julie?" Came Melissa's voice from the bedroom.

What? Julie could not recall making a noise when she came back through the door. How did she know? Julie stood at the foot of the stairs and looked upwards to see Mel stood at the top scanning the hallway, trying to catch sight of the spirit.

Mel sat on the top step and parted her legs; Julie could see that she still was not wearing underwear.

"It's all yours if you want it. Come to me," Mel spoke lustfully.

Julie remained silent and unseen. What had got into this woman? Mel was becoming something out of a horror movie that even had the undead afraid. Her relentlessness to seek pleasure out of Julie was terrifying and the spirit was now way beyond uncomfortable in the woman's presence.

Fortunately, they both heard the car pull up onto the driveway and after a hissed, "Shit..." From Mel they both parted from their spots and disappeared into each's nearest room.

Mel came back out with a few more clothes around her just as Sam unlocked the door and entered. "Good afternoon, honey," Mel spoke while trying to hide any flustered emotions she might have had.

Sam smiled and ascended the stairs to greet his wife. "Please let us go into the bedroom to talk," he asked politely.

Mel led her husband into the bedroom just as Judith came through the front door. She went straight into the living room and was a little disappointed not to see Jersey there.

Julie remained unseen but was willing to make herself known as she saw Judith walk into the room she occupied. She approached her favourite human cautiously and was about to pull her into an embrace until she saw who was stood behind her.

Linking arms with Sheridan was an elderly man of late seventies. Julie recognised him straightaway as her long forgotten friend, Lyle Watkins. She took a few steps backwards as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"This feels very strange being back here after all this time," said Lyle softly. A tear formed in his eye, "I haven't been here since..."

"It's ok, Lyle dear. If you need to step out we can," Sheridan replied as she rested her free arm on Lyle's linked arm.

Judith almost felt the cold embrace of her lover and stepped further into the room. "Are you here, Julie?"

Lyle moved to stand beside Judith, "Could it be true. Is my dear Julie still here?"

Julie remained invisible, hesitant of making herself known.

"Somehow I knew. I could feel her presence then and I would like to think I can now," Lyle replied softly.

"Julie, it's your friend, Lyle. You must make yourself known to him," Judith replied, although she knew Julie was there and that Julie was already aware of who was with them.

After sometime, Julie reached out and touched Lyle's arm; he shuddered and recoiled but his face remained warm and expectant of her touch. Aside from a brief shock her cold touch did not phase him. She reached out to him again and the tears grew in his eyes.

"Can you show yourself to us?" Judith asked.

Julie did not respond to Judith, instead she pulled Lyle into a large embrace and squeezed his ribs firmly.

"Careful, Jules. I'm not that young man you once knew. I've missed you so much." Lyle tried to step back but to no avail. Julie at least did loosen her grip on him.

Judith and Sheridan watched Lyle with great interest as his body shifted in strange ways as he was hugged by the invisible spirit. It brought great comfort and joy to Judith as she watched this unusual reunion.

"I-" Judith started before a crash in the room above distracted them all.

***

Sam followed Mel into the bedroom. He immediately shut the door to speak to her in private. "What is going on, honey?"

"What do you mean? You know I love you, Sam," Mel replied calmly.

"Are you having some kind of affair with a ghost?"

"I tried to talk to you about it several times, Sam. You were not interested. You seem to have stopped paying interest in me!"

"That's not true, Melissa. We both work a lot and I do my best to make our free time count for something."

Melissa scoffed, "I can't express enough how much I love you, but I needed company. I wanted you to be there, to help put a stop to this but it got out of hand. You weren't there for me."

"I'm here now, let's work this out... Together," Sam pleaded as he approached his wife.

Mel tensed up to defend herself even though his intention was only to hold her warmly. Sam grabbed Mel by her shoulders and pulled her into him. She snarled at him maliciously in a way that not even she thought possible.

The next thing Sam saw was his wife's eyes go dark as she looked at him with a manner of frustration. She grabbed at his shirt and shoved him backwards. He stumbled into the bedside table and fell to the floor; the lamp fell with him and made a shattering crash onto the carpet.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I know what you're trying to do but I'm not going to let you take this from me. Your friends need to leave... Now!"

Melissa left the room and descended the stairs. She glared at Sheridan and Lyle. "Who are you all in my house?"

"Mel, we're here to help. Where's Sam?" Judith spoke up.

Mel turned to face Judith with an unpleasant glint in her eyes, "Why are you still here? I do not need help. Julie does not need help!"

Julie appeared visible beside Lyle and stared disapprovingly at the angry woman.

"Julie, get away from these people. They are trying to send you away from here. Send you to a place they know nothing about. I would not do that to you." Mel opened the front door and began ushering them all to leave, "Please go." She grabbed Sheridan by the arm and pulled at her firmly but not rough.

Lyle and Sheridan stepped outside not wishing to cause conflict. Judith however, stood tall and proud in front of Mel. "Can you not see what has happened to yourself? It's time to let Julie go. You have a happy life with a loving husband. Do not ruin that for something that cannot be."

This only angered Mel more and she grabbed a firm hold of Judith's arm and forced her towards the door. She clenched her other fist and was closing to throwing a punch before Julie intervened.

Suddenly the spirit was standing between them both and Mel let go of Judith's arm. Julie's cold stare began to frighten Mel but she did not want to back down.

"I'm sorry, Julie. I never wanted to do this," Mel whispered softly.

Julie and Judith eased their postures as they believed Mel was calming down, but instead she pulled something out of her pocket and slipped it onto her finger.

"My ring!" Judith gasped.

Julie's face turned to shock just moments before Mel grabbed her and she was thrown upwards through the ceiling and landing in the bedroom with a thud.

"What the fuck, Mel!" Judith scowled.

"She's fine, you said that yourself," Mel replied nonchalantly. "She's in the bedroom where she belongs, and now you need to leave before I call the police."

"Belongs?" Judith questioned. She turned her gaze to Sam standing on the stairs.

"You better go, Judith," he said. "Let me speak to my wife. Come back tomorrow."

Judith hesitated.

"I'll be fine," Sam said. "Me and Mel have a lot to discuss."

"He said go," Mel replied sharply.

"Fine, but this isn't over," Judith spoke sternly before leaving. As she left the house she looked up towards the bedroom window and saw Julie stood on the other side staring down at her. "I'll be back soon, Jersey," she whispered softly.

***

Word count- 48290

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We're at the final stages of this story now, I hope you have enjoyed reading 📖 How will it end?