Lori's head hurt, and she was dizzy. Nothing was clear, not even her own thoughts. She tried to move, and felt hands holding her down. She opened her eyes...

"Calm down..." said a woman in a nurse's uniform. It was Ms. Boyce. Lori was still at school... stretched out on a sofa in the nurses office.

"Is she awake?" said another voice. This one was unfamiliar.

"Just back off, officer," the third voice was Principal Skinner.

"huh? what happened?" Lori tried to move.

"Lori, do you remember what happened?" asked the nurse.

The memories flooded back with surprising suddenness... as if summoned by the nurse's question.

"PAUL!"

"Shhhhh.... just calm d-"

"HE....HE.... He tried to-"

"Shhhhh...."

"We really need a statement, ma'am. We've got a kid on the way to the hospital and we-"

"What?!?" Lori cried "Oh, no!"

"Now look what you've done, officer... she's getting upset."

Lori looked at the cop who was speaking... one of two standing in the room. He was an older, heavy-set man with brown hair tucked under his hat. His badge read: Davis. His partner stood by the door as if guarding it. Lori couldn't read his badge from where she sat, but the man was much younger than the first officer. He had blue eyes and dirty-blond hair.

Lori looked back to the first cop.

"Paul tried to... he tried to... He... he TOUCHED me!" Tears came to Lori's eyes, and she didn't bother trying to stop them.

"Then what happened?"

"Officer-" the nurse interrupted. "Can't you do this some other time?"

"I want to go home," said Lori. However, no one appeared to be listening to her.

"We need this while it's fresh in her memory... who KNOWS when that boy's gonna be talkin'"

"What... What happened to Paul?"

"That's what we're askin' Ms. Jenkins. You tell us. Now...you're not in any trouble. Judging from your clothes, I'd say he tried to... well... I'd say it was... You protected yourself pretty good-"

"No... No it was Frank! Where's Frank?"

The officer glanced at the principal, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Frank? This a friend of Paul's? Was there another boy in the room?"

"No-"

"Who's this Frank you just mentioned?"

"Officer, let her finish!"

"Frank WAID! He.... Frank!" Lori began looking around the room. "Frank, are you here!" She stood up and pulled away from the nurse before she could grab her. Lori began sweeping her arms through the air... feeling for Frank Waid's chilling presence.

"Frank? Are you in here?"

"Are you okay, ma'am?"

"What do YOU think, Officer," snapped the nurse. "She's under a lot of stress. I TOLD you not to question her today."

"Frank?"

"Lori, " said the nurse. "Please sit down. Your mother's on her way."

"Mom?" Lori halted her search.

There was a knock at the door. A third policeman stuck his head in the room..

"The paramedics are at the hospital now."

"He wake up, yet?" asked the first cop.

"No. Not yet... concussions pretty bad. How's she doin?"

"She's... uhhh.... were there any signs of a third person in that room?"

"We can't tell much of anything right now. All the lights are burnt out and the janitor can't get 'em back on. Somethin's wrong with those doohicky things in the ceiling... you know."

"Dust that film projector for prints."

"Do what?"

"The Projector. Dust it."

"Oh, okay."

The cop left, making sure to close the door softly behind him.

"You believe me, don't you?" said Lori. "It wasn't ME... it was Frank. Frank Waid... he's a g-"

Lori stopped herself before she finished the statement.

"He's a what?"

"I...uhh... I don't feel so good."

Lori sat back down on the sofa.

"You were going to say something?"

"Uhhh.... no. No."

"Frank Waid?"

"Hey, doesn't that name sound familiar?" said the second cop. The name above his badge read: Austin. His voice had a slow, southern, syrupy quality that reminded Lori of Reverend Jericho. It made her sick.

"Nope," said the first cop.

"Hmmm..." Austin took out his own pad and made a few notes of his own. "I'll check out the name when we get back. I know I've heard it before."

"Well he's not a student here," said the principal. "I have no students by that name. I don't know who-"

"He's dead."

Lori's head spun around to face the nurse. It was she who had spoke. For some reason her words sent a chill down' Lori's back.

"Saw it on the news," the nurse continued. "Died not too long ago... Car accident. Him and his wife. "

"You sure about that?" said the first cop.

"I'm not a tape recorder... look it up for yourself."

"Yep, she's right," said Austin. His voice still made Lori want to vomit. "That's where I heard that name."

"But what does that have to do with THIS? Lori? Did you know this... Waid?"

"Uhhh...n-no. I mean...no."

Lori hoped her lie wasn't as obvious as it sounded.

Someone else knocked on the door. Austin turned the knob, and Rosylin Zaslow burst in. She was the most sober Lori had seen her in weeks... unfortunately being sober didn't do much for her mood.

"Lori Zaslow! What on EARTH are you..." Mrs. Zaslow calmed down significantly when she saw the uniformed officers. "What's going on? The principal said-"

"She was attacked, ma'am."

"Oh, GOD!"

"She'll be fine. She managed to fend the boy of with a... uhh... film projector. He's on his way to the hospital."

"Is he dead? He SHOULD be! I'll KILL HIM!"

"Mom!"

"No ma'am, but he's got a bad concussion. He's been unconscious since it happened."

"My Lori did that?"

"We think so."

"What do you mean you THINK?"

"Mama, I didn't hit that boy, I PROMISE!"

Officer Davis scowled, and scribbled something in his notes.

"She got a nasty scare," said the nurse. "You should take her home and let her rest."

"You're damn right, we're going home! Come on, Lori..." Mrs. Zaslow grabbed her daughter by the hand.

"Mrs. Zaslow," started Officer Davis. "We'd like to finish getting a statement from her if we can."

"Statement? She was ATTACKED at her own school and you want a statement?"

"It's just a formality... besides, just a few minutes ago she said that there may have been-"

"Mom, I want to go home. Now."

<<...another person in the room? Frank Waid? Hmmm...>>

"What?" said Lori.

"You were saying that you didn't hit Paul," said Officer Davis.

"I- I mean..."

"She's confused," said the nurse. "Can't you see that?"

"We're gone, baby," said Rose.

"Ma'am, if we can get your name and address..."

Rose sighed and gave the information to Officer Davis. While she was doing so, Officer Austin walked up to Lori.

"Looks like God was with you, today," he said.

"Huh?"

"Here," he handed Lori folded up piece of paper. "I'm not supposed to give these out on duty... but I don't think anyone would mind."

"What is it?"

"Take it."

"Come on, Lori," Rose grabbed her daughter and they left the room.

On their way to the car, Lori unfolded the paper Officer Austin had given her. It was a flyer for Reverend Jericho's church; identical to the one the teacher had given her earlier.

"What's WITH these people..." said Lori

"What's that?" asked Rose.

"Crap. Just garbage."

Lori balled up the paper and tossed it into a corner as they left the building. She glanced behind her, and saw Officer Austin standing in the hallway. He was looking at her and shaking his head as if disappointed.

<<...the little witch. He said she'd be trouble, and he was right. I'll have to tell him about this. I'll call him soon as I get back to the station. No wait, we have to make that other stop first. Maybe I should call him now. Yeah... I'll do it right now.>>

The officer turned around and walked back into the office.

---

How long had it been?

He was so tired. Soooo tired.

Crossing over always left him weak. And it hurt. Dear GOD how it hurt! Then the darkness almost like sleeping. Could ghosts lose consciousness? He 'woke up' and opened the eyes that he didn't have anymore. He was in the same room, the one with the piles of dull gray shapes. There were people here. Looking around. One was on a ladder. Others were kneeling on the floor, shining eerie lights at a splotch that Frank could barely make out. Flashlights? And was that... blood?

Blood! That boy! He didn't MEAN to hurt the boy but he was... was...

Where was she? Where was the girl? How long had it been?

Frank looked around at the bright shapes in the hallway. He could see them through the wall... but none of them was Lori. Her aura was unique... not like the others. So bright. So different. He had to find her!

Frank floated through the wall and down the hallway. He didn't bother navigating through the maze of teenagers blocking his path... he just passed through them and went on, leaving nothing but a sudden chill to mark his passage.

[To Be Continued]