CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Angus stirred in the darkness, his mind slowly becoming aware of the soft voice speaking to him.
"Angus, are you still with me?"
He couldn't open his eyes. Couldn't move. Panic started to course through him. Why couldn't he move?
"Easy. Remember, you were in an accident."
The voice was so gentle. It calmed him. "Accident?"
"You're in a coma right now. That's why you can't move. Stay calm. Your physical body needs to heal. You don't remember us talking earlier?"
"A coma?" He wanted to open his eyes. To sit up and find out what happened, but his body felt like a ton of bricks, unable to even blink or twitch a finger. "We talked?"
"Yes, my sweet boy. We talked. It's okay. You've been through a lot in the last few hours. You're in the hospital. You had surgery to repair your neck. You're going to be just fine, but you have to stay still while your body heals."
"Who are you?" He was confused. He wasn't speaking, yet he was able to communicate. None of this made sense.
"It's Betty. I'm here with you inside your body. Don't panic. You're not dead. You're not a ghost. I'm holding your spirit inside your physical body."
"Betty? He vaguely recalled them talking before. "You sang to me."
"That's right." She explained how she was holding the cord together that kept him attached to his physical body. She then went on to tell him about the explosion at dinner.
He remembered bits and pieces but was glad she was telling him again. He was having issues understanding everything. "Lance?"
"He's by the hospital bed, asleep in a chair. He's okay. Your dad has a broken ankle, and your mom had surgery to get a piece of glass out of her leg. They're both okay. Jackson took them home a while ago and will bring them back later tonight to visit with you," Betty told him.
"How do you know? Why can't I hear them? See them?"
"You're still in your physical form. I can speak to your spirit because I'm in your physical body with you.
If I was to float out, you would no longer hear me.
I'm new to this. I don't know how it's all working.
I think if you focus on your spirit, you might be able to see me while I'm here with you, but I'm not positive.
You're still weak. We'll see how things change as you heal and grow stronger.
I won't leave you until I know for sure that the cord won't break. "
He relaxed as he started to understand. "Mom and Dad know you're with me?"
"Afraid not. I feel bad because they don't know where I am.
I fear they think I went into the light.
There's nothing I can do about it. I can't communicate with the other ghosts while I'm inside your physical body.
For now, they will just have to deal with not knowing what's happening.
I'm sure once we explain, they'll forgive me for scaring them. "
"How do we both fit in my body?" Angus asked, imagining Betty lying spooned up beside him or on top of him so they both fit.
Betty laughed. "Your soul or spirit takes up very little space.
I'm nothing more than a ball of light inside of you.
The ghosts and I appear to you in human form because that's what you know us as.
If we came to you as balls of light, you wouldn't know one from the other.
I've wrapped myself around your cord, holding it together.
Think of it like a rope tied to your ball of light and it connects to your physical body.
When that cord breaks, that ball of light is free to escape and the physical body lives no more. Does that make sense?"
"I think so. But why am I so tired? I didn't think spirits needed sleep."
"Because you're still in physical form. You're feeling the drain of the physical being, not your spiritual.
As you grow stronger, you won't be so tired.
Right now, sleep is good for both your spirit and your body.
I think both are in shock from what happened.
Rest. I won't leave you until you're ready, and that is going to take some time. Just know I'll keep you safe."
"You always have. You're like another mother to me, Bets.
Even if I couldn't hear you, I knew you were there.
When I was sick, you'd sit with me. When I was upset, and refused to talk to Mom or Dad, you stayed with me to make sure I was okay.
" Angus fought the sleep that tried to pull him under.
"Thank you. Even if you did tell Mom everything I was up to. "
"Not everything, my boy. Not everything." She laughed gently. "Go back to sleep. We'll talk more when you're stronger. I have many stories to share about times I didn't tell your parents what you were up to."
"Love you, Bets."
"I love you too, my sweet boy."