Page 13 of A Shared Mind

“Possession? Huh?”

Surely, I’d been drugged, but I had no idea if the drugging happened at the diner or maybe someone got into my car and tainted my water bottle that was sitting in the cupholder.

Was someone trying to kill me? Had word got out that I was still a virgin and I’d been sold on the internet? Was I drugged because my new owner wanted me pliant so I wouldn’t fight back?

The guy, Ramon, retrieved an old-fashioned, leather-bound dictionary from inside his jacket. “Let’s see... According to,” he closed the book and scanned the cover, “Meriam, and I’m paraphrasing here: Possession is believing that a person’s body and mind has been taken over by a force or spirit.” He slapped the book shut, and it disappeared.

“No.”

Ramon did a double take. “What’s ‘at?”

“No. I don’t believe in ghosts.” I wasn’t going to let a nightmare make me paranoid. It was stupid to even believe that was possible.

Ramon laughed hard. “Look at this guy. ‘I don’t believe in ghosts.’” His voice pitched high, which didn’t sound like me at all. And it wasn’t very complimentary either.

“I don’t know who you are or why you’re harassing me, but I will warn you that I have attorney colleagues who I will ask to file a restraining order against you.” I had a feeling the jerk wasn’t taking me seriously, but I was deadly serious.

My threat seemed to make Ramon laugh even louder. “You’re a funny guy, Justin.”

“I mean it. This is ridiculous. Did you kidnap me to deliver me to some guy who bought me? Is that what this is? Where are we?” Surely I could get Eve to come rescue me and bring the police with her.

“Yo, dude, you just said you don’t believe in ghosts. What the fuck ya think I am? It’s not like we’re at a warehouse or a murder barn in the country. We are inside your mind, and I’ve been dead for,” he began counting on his fingers. “Wow! Thirty-fucking-years. That’s a sad fucking statistic.”

“I refuse to believe it’s possible for you to take over my mind. What are you trying to pull?” At that point, I thought I was in some kind of coma. Did I fall and hit my head? Was I at the hospital?

Ramon stepped closer and pushed me into a chair that hadn’t been there before, taking a seat next to me. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated a massive screen in front of us, and I was staring at myself, Eve, Madame Stella, Kirk Dunston, Tommy Herbst, and the three stooges.

We were seated around the big table with the bowl in the center that lit up and smoked. Madame Stella was talking.

“I am Madame Stella. Why have you sought my services today?”

“Huh-uh. You booked it.” I stared at Eve.

“It’s Justin’s birthday, and the best birthday present I could give him is a discussion with the world’s greatest lover, Ramon Blanco. Unfortunately, Ramon died—”

Eve was cut off by Madame Stella, the medium. “There is no such thing as death. The spirit inside us leaves this plane and moves on.”

“It’s that damn séance!” I glanced at Ramon on my right, and he pointed to the screen again for me to keep my eyes there. We went through the whole damn discussion of my virginity, and Ramon chuckled, the asshole.

“Everyone, close your eyes and join hands on top of the table to form a never-ending circle.” At Madame Stella’s request, we joined hands.

I remembered peeking and feeling a breeze in the room before Stella announced that her spirit guide was there and invited us to “...Say the name of the spirit you seek.”

Eve said his name, “Ramon Blanco,” and everyone chanted it together.

It was then I saw a blurry image that took a few seconds to get clearer. Yep—there was Ramon Blanco. He stood behind me at the table.

“Uh, Mr. Blanco, can you give my bestie tips on how to make love? You see, he’s a virgin, and he’s really shy around people he doesn’t know well, especially outside a business setting.”

My body stiffened a moment later, and I felt the electrical charge the same as I’d felt it that evening. When I looked up, Ramon was touching the top of my head. “That’s when I joined the party. Pretty cool, huh?”

God, the whole humiliating thing was now being repeated to me in living—or maybe not so living—color. “Who put you up to this?”

The light of the screen dimmed, but I could see Ramon perfectly. His eyes glowed red. Was that supposed to scare me?

I reached up and slapped my own face. “Wake up. Wake up. Wake up!”

Ramon grabbed my wrists. “Kid, you’re not asleep. Now, here’s how we’re gonna do this. If you wanna get rid of me, you’re gonna have to do me a favor.”