Tear me a face

"Tear me a face."
What she said didn't register in my brain, so I stare blankly at her.
"Tear me a face, that's what the local ghost does."
"Wha—? That doesn't make any sense. Stop making shit up."
This little trip of ours is proving to be outside our normal hike in the woods. Daisy insisted on visiting this abandoned house at the edge of forest, just by the river.
"I've done my research. It says here that many visitors have heard whisperings of the phrase 'Tear me a face' when they walk through."
"That's just fucked up... and a tourist lure. I'm not a sucker like you."
"Judy the pragmatic one!"
Daisy shouts and skips off to the side of the house, abandoning me in the front garden. I find a quiet spot and sit on a rock. I can't help but think of the phrase 'Tear me a face'.

I don't know how long I had sat there before Daisy returned and threw a string of wildflowers at me.
"Look. Daisy's made a daisy-chain!" she giggles at her stupid joke.
"Are we done?"
"Sure."
"Tear me a face."
"What? What did you just say, Daisy?"
"I said 'Sure'. Now, let's get going."
I heard it again a few more times, but I didn't dare tell Daisy. I can't be sure why, but I think I just didn't want her to have the satisfaction of knowing that her research was right.
"Wait, Dais. Let me just pop round the side. I need a bush to wee in."
She rolls her eyes at me and shrugs, sitting herself down on the rock I was at.

Tear me a face

I walk to the side of the house to investigate. No more whispers, no more sounds, but I feel different.
I look at my hands and I see them for the first time. The lines, the colours, the wrinkles. These aren't my hands? I cannot be sure, but my hands reach up to my face. I stroke my face, lovingly. Somehow, I know that underneath, there is another person, someone who has joined me inside.
"Tear me a face," I hear the whisper now from within me.
"You're not from here, are you?" I think the words, but don't say them. I knew it wasn't necessary.
"Yes. Not from here."
"You don't want to actually tear my face, do you?"
There is a pause and I know that she was carefully choosing her words.
"No. I just want to go in your face."
"You are already in my head."
"Yes. Thank you."
I find a bush in a corner, pull my trousers and panties down and peed, just so that I keep to my word. Then, we go and join Daisy in the front.
"Did your business?"
"Yes, and by the way, this place isn't haunted anymore."