Elliot's p.o.v

Real eyes, realize...

I jolted awake, my lungs gasping for air as I blinked into the dim light of the room. Panic surged through me, and my eyes darted wildly, searching for something elusive that my mind struggled to identify. Clutching my chest, I took several deep breaths, grounding myself before I finally sat upright on the edge of my bed.

The memories flooded back—everything that had transpired at Jungkook's mansion that fateful night. The images were so vivid, so immediate, that for a moment, I could hardly distinguish them from reality.

With a surge of determination, I leaped to my feet and raced toward Jungkook's door. I pounded on it relentlessly, but silence met my frantic calls, only the muffled sounds of chaos echoing from within. Gripping the fire extinguisher tightly, I swung it forcefully against the doorknob.

In an instant, the doorknob clattered to the floor, but as I pushed to enter, an unseen force held me back. I turned, and there she was—my mother, Rebecca's spirit, her gaze piercing through me with an intensity that froze me in place.

"You don't have to go through with this," she murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I have to, Mom. I can't just stand by and do nothing," I replied, determination fueling my steps forward. But then, her grip on my wrist tightened, a sudden jolt of pain shooting through me. I struggled to pull away, but my hands slipped through her ethereal form as if she were nothing more than mist.

"I said no!" Her whisper turned sharp, laced with an urgency that sent chills down my spine. Her nails pressed into my skin, and I squeezed my eyes shut against the agony. Just then, a firm hand grasped my other shoulder, drawing me away, and in that instant, the apparition of my mother faded from view.

I lingered in the warmth of the embrace, my gaze fixed on the stark, white door before me. The rhythmic thump of his heart echoed in the silence, a steady reminder of the moment. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts.

After what felt like an eternity, I pulled away from him, his fingers still wrapped around my wrist.

"You knew..." I said, the realization dawning as I met the knowing gaze in his eyes. He understood that my connection to the dead would vanish the moment he touched me.

"Not only do they disappear from your view, but from mine as well. I came to that realization on the day of your accident..." His voice trailed off, the last words barely escaping his lips like a fragile secret.

My thoughts drifted back to the moment the car collided with me. Eric had been behind the wheel. I remembered him rushing toward my fallen form, cradling me in his arms as if I were the most precious thing in the world.

Now, everything fell into place. My tranquil existence, my job, all of it stemmed from him. It was his vow to my mother that had shaped my life.

"You freed her from the grave, didn’t you?" I asked, urgency propelling us as we hurried from his apartment to his car.

We momentarily released each other to slide into the vehicle, and in that fleeting instant, I felt the presence of countless lost souls surrounding us.

Once settled in the passenger seat, our hands found each other again, a silent promise exchanged between us. A reassuring smile lit up his face, a beacon in the encroaching darkness.

We sped away into the unknown. "You still haven’t answered my question," I reminded him, noting the way he exhaled deeply before replying.

"Yes, I did. But it was out of pity for Rebecca. I was closer to her than to my own parents. She was my solace during those lonely nights when they were away on business. I confided in her about their sinister actions. So, I did what I had to do."

"So, you're a wizard?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty at the old-fashioned term. He let out a soft chuckle, his gaze fixed on the winding road ahead.

"You might say that. To put it simply, I delved into the dark arts, taught by a friend whose family hails from India, part of a rather secretive cult," he replied, and I found myself intrigued by the transformation that solitude had wrought upon him.

"What about my mother? What has changed with her?" I inquired, glancing around as if she might be lurking nearby, eavesdropping on our exchange.

"Spirits have a way of turning. I called upon your mother long ago, but now her essence is shifting toward darkness, craving a taste of the earthly realm. I’ll need to send her back soon; the promise I made to her has been fulfilled," he said, his eyes locking onto mine. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling a flush creep across my cheeks, unable to withstand the intensity of his stare.

As uncertainty gnawed at me, I turned to him and asked, "Where are we headed?" My heart raced, unsure of the destination that lay ahead. Suddenly, the fog of confusion lifted, revealing the grand silhouette of Jungkook's mansion. It loomed before us, a striking image pulled from the depths of my dreams—the very vision my mother had once shared with me.