At the hospital, the doctor was curious as to how Amya had a handprint burned into her skin. No one could explain it, not even Amya. The only thing she could tell him was that she fell down the stairs from the attic and scraped her arm on the way.
Her dad was furious, and in true Laura style, she took the blame for letting Amya in the attic. Jason forgave her immediately, the distraught Laura seeking her husband's shoulder for comfort.
Everyone worried about her, but Amya's brain was working overtime. Why did it manifest itself this way? She was close enough to something that made it desperate enough to leave a mark on her. How was Rem able to be in the attic when he hadn't been in the house since he died?
It had to be because of her. She was the difference between now and the past. Would he be able to come to other parts of the house? She had to get back into that attic.
"No more attic until I can make sure it's safe," Jason announced as they loaded into the car.
"Dad, that's not fair, it was just an accident. I really like it up there, it's like a library or an antique shop." Amya whined.
"Then explain to me how you have a second-degree burn on your arm in the shape of a hand," Jason demanded.
"I don't know dad," She lied, "I was just coming down the stairs and tripped. I fell against the wall and scrapped it I guess."
"That doesn't seem likely." He replied with a sour tone as he started the car, "so no attic until I say."
Amya sighed as her dad started across town and back up the mountain. She would have to find a way into that attic again. There was something that it didn't want her to find. Amya needed to know more, more about whatever it was and more about her power over Rem. If it was her, if she conjured him in the attic, maybe she would bring him to other places.
Rem, she decided to call him, would be important in figuring this thing out. She wasn't sure, but she had a strong feeling about it.
Remi leaned over to her in the back seat.
"What really happened in there?" She whispered.
Amya shook her head, "You really want to know? Get me back in that attic."
Remi looked forward. "Hey, Jason, what if I went up with her. I'm kind of curious about what's up there myself. Maybe I can find some old furniture to fix up and put in my room."
"Well," Jason mused, "I guess that would be okay, but I'm going up there first to check it out when we get home. If I deem it's safe, she can go up there with you."
Remi turned back to Amya with a grin on her face.
Amya smiled back. Remi could be useful in finding out what was going on. Besides with what Rem said, Remi was the one in immediate danger, having her help to figure it out couldn't hurt.
The trip through the winding road up the mountain was quiet, and it gave Amya too much time to think. Her wrapped hand hurt and the pain meds were wearing off by the time they pulled up to the house. It was dark, and Jason demanded Amya go straight to bed to rest.
He tucked her into bed, "you going to be okay Lil-a-my?"
The worried look on his face made Amya feel guilty for putting him through this. He wouldn't understand what was happening, and she hated lying to him, but she would have to if she wanted to figure out what was going on.
"I'll be fine, dad. I'm just going to get some rest." She told him.
No sooner than he walked out of the room did Remi come in from the bathroom with a glass of water.
"You said a glass of water behind the door, right?"
Amya nodded.
"Done and done," Remi said as she sat the glass behind the door to Amya's room. "Mom's going to be pissed if she opens the door and spills the water though."
"It's that or have horrible nightmares, up to you." Amya teased.
"At this point, I'm willing to try anything." She said, crawling into Amya's bed with her. "Now, you owe me an explanation."
"How you want to take it?" Amya asked.
"The quick version, please."
With a deep breath, Amya started, "There is a malicious ghost trying to kill us all, starting with you and I can see the ghost of your mother dead cousin who you were named after."
"Well that was quick wasn't it."
"It drove your cousin crazy, and he died in the woods, it wants to do the same thing to me and you, but there is something in the attic it doesn't want me to see. I think it could be a way for me to stop it." Amya explained.
Remi looked at Amya as if she were crazy. She was her only hope to get back into that attic, Amya needed Remi. She needed someone to believe her. Talking to ghosts wasn't enough to make her feel as if she were still sane.
Remi blinked, "well, I guess we have a lot of work to do in the morning."
