Between Heaven and Hell
CHAPTER TEN

JONATHAN found his cousin quickly in the park because he was sitting on his favorite bench.

"Hey!" Oreo waved his hand when he saw him.

It looked like he was clueless about what happened to him. Because if he was aware of it, he would rush to the infirmary.

"Where were you hours ago?" Jonathan asked as he sat beside him.

"Oh, I just came here ten minutes ago from our apartment. Why?" Oreo closed the book he was reading and shifted his body so that he could face him.

"I was rushed to the infirmary because I passed out."

His cousin's eyes widened.

"That's what you get for staying all night when we were at Inay's place last night."

Jonathan's forehead creased. "I... I went there last night?"

Oreo looked at him with his lips pressed together. "You don't remember?"

Now Jonathan's suspicion grew deeper.

"Do you think it is possible to lose memories when someone passed out?"

"It depends on the cause. One of the common causes of amnesia is a hard blow on the head. It can also be some kind of brain disease. Remember when you woke up from a coma, you had selective amnesia for months because you had brain trauma. Why are you asking anyway?"

Jonathan patted his head. "I don't think I have a brain disease."

"Kuya," Oreo said after a while.

"Hmm?"

"There is another reason."

"What is it? Tell me."

"When you have been possessed, you won't remember the events that happened while the spirit was inside your body."

"W-what?" It was his turn to widen his eyes. "Then... my suspicion might be true..."

"You have been possessed?" Oreo grasped his arm. "How come?"

"I... I don't know. Yesterday while at work, I just felt something cold, and then I got dizzy. That's all I can remember when I woke up in the infirmary. I don't have any memory of coming home to Inay and that incident this morning when I went inside the lady's restroom."

Oreo looked horrified after hearing all of that.

"Kuya..." "He grabbed his arms. "You have been possessed. I am certain of that. It must be that ghost that has been lurking around you. I told you, we should ask Agatha to exorcise her before it's too late!" "But..."

"Kuya, why are you like this?" His cousin sounded frustrated. "This is not so like you-Wait! Is it really you that I am talking to, or you are that ghost?"

"It's me, your cousin," he said lazily.

Oreo scowled at him. It looked like he did not believe him. "Tell me something that will prove that you are really my Kuya Jonathan."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "I fell in love with my step-sister. Do you believe me now?"

It was just the two of them who knew about that secret.

His cousin heaved a deep sigh. "You don't want to exorcise her. Then, what are you going to do now?"

"I will try talking to her."

"Don't tell that I didn't warn you that she would only cause you trouble," Oreo said in a firm tone. "We don't know what she will do next. What if she takes over your body for good?" "I'll see what I can do." Jonathan grabbed his back and stood up.

"Where are you going?" his cousin asked.

"I have a class to attend."

HE STOPPED in front of a vendo machine to buy a refreshment. His four-hour class plus the thought that the wandering soul might possess his body again anytime stressed him out. Jonathan inserted a twenty-peso bill into the machine and pressed the button of his chosen drink. But his drink did not roll down. It pissed him off.

"Why did they put this useless piece of shit here? I just wasted my money, damn it!" He kicked the vendo machine, hoping that it would give him his drink. But nothing happened. Sadly, he could not even refund his money. He should have gone to the cafeteria instead.

Jonathan was ready to leave when he heard a sound coming from the machine. When he looked back, he saw his canned drink came out of it. He picked the can and opened it.

He was taking a sip when he heard someone cat-calling him. Jonathan did not mind it at first, but it kept repeating. He looked around, but he could not replace anyone. He just shrugged and walked down the stairs, heading outside. Jonathan...

He stopped when he suddenly heard someone whispered his name near his ear. But there was no one around.

Then the wandering soul appeared in front of him.

"I was the one who got you that drink, yet you won't even thank me," it said.

The human-shaped smoke floated back and forth in front of him. After it possessed his body without permission, the wandering soul dares to show itself just like that. A little braver than he thought. "You..." He took a deep breath. "You possessed me, don't you?"

"It's your fault, anyway."

Jonathan raised a brow. "W-what?"

"If you only agreed to do me a favor, I would not enter your body without permission."

He shut his eyes tightly. "Did you intentionally put me in trouble?"

"It's not my fault that your body wants to pee."

"Look at you. Instead of apologizing to me for what you've done, you keep on telling me that it was all my fault." He shook his head. "How can I help you with that kind of attitude?"

"Eh? You'll gonna help me now?" its voice sounded cheerful.

"I didn't say that I will help you," Jonathan said and walked away.

But the wandering soul was too persistent, it would not let him leave just like that. It blocked his way.

"You just said it a while ago. You said how-"

"I didn't say I'd help you. What I said was, how can I help you with that kind of attitude. You get it now?" He winced.

"You're such a bad person!" it snarled at him.

Jonathan did not know why he had that funny feeling on his chest that very moment. He was slowly getting fond of it.

"Jonathan!" the wandering soul called his name like a kid. "Help me, please..."

He wagged his hand. "You have nothing to offer. What would I gain from you? I don't do charity work."

"Don't belittle me, Jonathan. I can pay you for your service!"

"How?" He smirked.

"I can make you rich! I can make you win the lottery!"

"I'm sorry. But money can't buy me happiness," Jonathan said somberly.

"Then tell me what can make you happy."

Jonathan has the money. He has those material things too. But what he lacks now seemed to be impossible for him to have. His family will never be complete again. Jonathan already lost his dad years ago. Since his mother remarried, she seemed to forget about him.

And the one he loves the most could never be his in this lifetime...