Chapter 3.

      A man stood to address the class, he looked like he had some very important information and his face was making everyone curious, finally he opened his mouth to speak, "Good morning class, I am pleased to announce that our monthly field trip will commence from next week, be sure to tell your parents, we will be visiting the snow mountains this month, were the most dangerous ghost and the best students are kept, although we will not be entering the prison and sectors we will however get to see what life on the snow mountains feels like, remember to bring your ghosts but make sure they don't drift too far, the snow mountains of Greenville is known for its mysterious disapperance of ghost only because they do not obey their masters, we will not take responsibility for missing ghosts and come with some warm coats as well. Am I understood." 

      "Yes sir." They shouted, everyone was excited at the school trip, which happened once a month, it was considered as part of their training because they made them understand the capabilities of ghost, what they could do and what they weren't capable of trying. The mountain was a few miles away from the city, when approaching the mountains the mountain's peak could be seen from a distance, unlike Greenville which was very warm, the mountains were actually snowy, once you approach you can see the snow falling on the mountains. This would be Autumn's first field trip and she was looking forward to it. 

She barged into the house looking excited and happy, Kazu had one look at her and didnt think she was happy at her field trip as he was told but something else. She ran to her room and began packing up a lot of items and provision.

      "What's got you so worked up?" He asked, she smiled and continued her packing. He looked completely different from the first time they met, Jane did a lot of shopping for him and treated him like one of her own, everyone had come into terms with a ghoul living with them, that they all acted as family.

      "I told you, am just getting my things ready for my big day." She said, he wasn't convinced yet and said.

      "Am not buying it." 

      "Listen Kazu am just preparing myself okay." She said, then he opened his mouth.

      "Or maybe you're planning on visiting the ghosts prison in the mountains." He said, Autumn stopped, he had figured out her plan in a jiffy. 

      She started laughing, "am I that predictable?" 

      "When it comes to you Autumn, we have to expect the unexpected."

He said.

      "Oh wow am surprised, prove it." She laughed as she stood still waiting for Kazu to say something.

      He smiled at her. "Well take a look at yourself you're a law breaker and you do the opposite of everything. Including now."

    "At least am honest."

     "You're lying even now Autumn." She burst into laughter and sat on her bed.

      "Ouch, you caught me. Dammit Kazu, its only been a few weeks and you know me like the back of your neck. I wonder how your girlfriend dealt with you when you were alive." She teased him. Silence fell on all, Kazu's face was down he didn't seem happy at all.

      "I never had one, am sure I never did." He said.

      "Oh, I wonder how that must had been like." She leaned forward and waited to hear what he had to say, but the only thing that left his mouth were sad words.

      "Maybe the reason why was because none of them liked me, I probably wasn't the best boyfriend material. Maybe they didn't want a boyfriend who kept acting like their dad all the time." She rose her eyebrow and yawned.

      "Cheer up." She took a seat on the bed, she signaled him to sit and he did, "says who, take a look at Henry he's exactly like you but he had so many girlfriends back in high school. Normal girls just like guys like you who always care about them." She said.

      "Then how come you don't have a boyfriend yet." He asked, she blushed with embarrassment and hid her smile with her hand, when she removed it she said.

       "Kazu, Kazu, look I haven't found the right one yet, maybe that was your problem too, no one is the same just as our likes, hey I promise I won't push you away. Okay how about this, until we depart you can be my boyfriend just for now." Kazu raised his head and looked at her, she couldn't tell if he was happy or just his usual cheerful self, most people would leap for joy but there he was just staring at her. "Wipe that smile off your face." She said. "It creeps me out."

"I wasn't smiling."

      Although she wasnt sure if that was a smile, her guess work just proved her right. "Sure you weren't." She smiled, she zipped her bags and walked up to her wardrobe. 

***

      They were all cold, everyone was standing in a group, the minute she stepped foot on the mountain her temperature dropped, Melanie and the rest were waiting for her with a bag filled with life supplies so hopefully she doesn't freeze to death. They camped out in one of the numerous caves which the mountains possessed, she stood up that night while everyone was asleep, sneaked passed them without even making a sound. Well except for Melanie, she turned towards Autumn and whispered, "Autumn where are you going?" 

      Autumn turned around checking if there was someone behind her. "Who me?" Autumn said. 

      "Is there anyone else named Autumn. Hey don't tell me you're planning to leave the camp." She said.

     She paused and folded her arms. "Gosh am I that predictable." 

      "I've known you for weeks now, and judging from your actions its better to expect the unexpected." Melanie told her, Autumn's mood changed.

     "Well that's not news to me." Autumn grumbled.

      "This place is dangerous. You should go to bed." 

      "Oh go to sleep." Melanie obeyed her and turned towards the opposite direction like she never saw her. She on her own explored the other caves and came to a halt when she heard her name, she was shaken and scared, she held her torch tightly, walked into one of the caves and gave a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you." She said, she smiled and walked past Kazu. "Am guessing you're here to watch after me huh."

      "Yes." He said, she seemed to remember something and turned back. 

      "Hold on, you're not on a sweater or heater, how come." She asked, "do you even feel the cold." Immediately, she walked over to him and felt his temperature at once she backed off. "Damn Kazu, you're as cold as ice." She said, she pulled off her jacket intending to put it around him when he rejected her help.

      "That would be useless, my body temperature seem to adjust just fine." Kazu said. She looked deep into his eyes and she could sense a mixed emotion of loneliness and sadness.

      "You can't feel the weather can you." She whispered, she once again placed her hand on his forehead. Suddenly an unexpected smile popped out, "Won't that be awesome. Then I'll finally get rid of this feeling, its freezing out here, you can't imagine how cold it is. You know what give me back my jacket you don't need help." She said as she forcefully pulled back her jacket. He was smiling at her gesture and held her hand.

      "Promise me you won't do something crazy." He said.

      "Why?"

      "Well I'll just have to watch you all week if you refuse." He said. She frowned and walked back to her camp, her plans had been ruined and it was all Kazu's fault.

........................

      "And this was where the first soul call took place." Their teacher said. The class were almost at the top of the mountain, they were standing in a circle and this caught everyone's eyes.

Jay rose his hand and said. "Miss Matilda, why was a soul call done on a snowy mountain which no one wants to ever visit again its freezing up here." The teacher racked her brain and smiled.

      "Excelent question, you see performing a soul call at an ordinary place or warm place can burn you to death, not could, but can, if you're not careful but the mountains are the only way to stabilize you body temperature and save you from being pulverized." Matilda said. 

      "Miss Matilda." Emily said.

      "Yes Emily." 

      "How is it possible that the circle is still intact, I mean the snow didn't cover it up." She said, the teacher sighed and rubbed her chin.

      "See the mountains are very strange, sadly no one knows why the markings are still there." Matilda said. They had to walk for many days before they finally reached the top, all the while, Autumn had questions she needed answers to, she still was a beginner at ghosts and this was a great opportunity to have her answers.

      "A soul call, what's that?" She asked Adam but Jay answered before Adam could even open his mouth.

      "A soul call is like teleportation only that you aren't going anywhere and you're actually teleporting a ghost." He said, "it was meant to deliver people from danger and trap terrible ghost away from the city but that didn't turn out so well, this is how it works, you call out to who ever you want, trap the soul and there you have it, although it may sound easy, a soul call is very dangerous, the first human who tried that stuff got roasted and no one wants that. For some reason its not working."

      "Does it works with the mind." She asked.

      "No one knows, no one cares, as far as am concerned I do not want to die." Jay said as he walked away. She was about to leave with the rest when she noticed Kazu's presence, wherever Autumn went she could feel Kazu standing next to her but he was never there and for that reason she refused to do anything stupid.

      She returned home with an amazing discovery, and although she didn't see the prisoners she did gain something of her interest. "Stop giving me that face Kazu, I didn't do it okay." She said, Kazu remained silent, she walked away from him and returned almost immediately. Once again she placed her hand on his forehead and felt his temperature this time it was just right.

      "What are you doing?" He asked.

      "Just checking." She smiled, she stood before him for a while, before she began unpacking. Later after her return everyone had a nice meal and she was in a hurry to rush off to bed when Henry called out to her.

      "Where are you going?" He asked, he had an apron around his neck and was staring at Autumn with a spoon in his hand.

      She rolled her eyes and frowned. "Upstairs, to my room why, did you switch rooms once I was gone." She said, she tried to run again when he stopped her.

      "I believe its your turn to do the dishes." Henry said, she turned to her brother and stood vexed.

      "What do I look like a house wife? No offense mom." She said.

      "You are one Ill mannered little girl." He told her.

      "Am not little any more Henry, I grew up years ago, I believe I have a right to life." She said, her father stood up and walked away while blabbering about something.

      Henry walked towards her, took off the apron, and handed her the dishing spoon. "Yeah but that right only belongs to those with a roof over their heads and seems you don't have one of your own so you're under my rules, off with the dishes you go." He said. She had no option than to obey the laws if she wanted to stay alive, while she handled the dishes Henry bent over and whispered.

      "Hope you we're a nice little girl while you were out." 

      "Of course, I came back in on piece didn't I." Kazu who had been sitting quietly and reading his book rose his head and stared at Autumn before ignoring her words.

      "Well I don't trust that you did it on you own accord." Henry said.

      "But I did." She said, Kazu burst into laughter.

      "Psshh, doubt it." He laughed. Autumn was losing her anger and Kazu was blowing her cover.

      "I guess you had a say in this didn't you Kazu." Henry said.

      "I was just reacting to a statement, am going to my room see you soon, goodnight." He ran off leaving the two alone, Autumn abandoned her work and walked away to her room leaving Henry, he couldn't care less, he just carried on with the chores and smiled.