Read to the End

To Die is a Great Adventure

I'm dead.

And I don't mean I've-done-something-so-horrible-my-parents-are-going-to-kill-me-dead. I mean, I'm literally dead. Like my physical body is rotting in a grave. I think. I still haven't been able to find it, but that's not the point. 

The point is, I'm not alive anymore, but I'm not going to let that stop me from living. You know? So, I'm making the best of it.

That's why I've brought my little brother, Carter, along with me on my first Halloween adventure without a pulse. Just so you know, Carter isn't dead. But it's been boring without him, so I decided to make contact.

I wasn't sure whether I could, but after practicing on several terrified people in town for the past week, I deemed my skills were good enough for the main event. 

But I couldn't just appear next to him and say, "Hey." It had to be something more interesting than that. Something that would stick with him.

I finally settled on a classic ghost scare. It's what I'm supposed to do, right?

I know what you're thinking, I'm a horrible person. If you're thinking this, I'm pretty sure you don't have any little brothers. Besides, it's all in good fun, so just relax.

Anyway, it all went down earlier today. I made myself look like a vengeful, demonic spirit— blackened eyes, hollowed face, despondent gaze—and hid in his room until he got home from school. When he finally walked in, he threw his backpack down, flopped on his bed, and pulled out his phone. 

I watched him for a while, memories flooded my mind. Some good, some bad, and all made me miss being alive. But I didn't come home to get stuck on feelings, so I brushed them aside and made my move. I floated my way over, hovering high above his bed. I helicoptered there for a moment, silent, producing the most horrific face I could muster. He didn't notice. He was too enthralled with the tiny images on his device. 

Kids these days, am I right? 

That's when I whispered his name.

Nothing.

I said it again, adding a gravel to my voice.

Nothing.

I let it all fall out.

"Carrrrterrrrrr!" I moaned. My voice was unrecognizable. It sounded like a mixture of Matthew McConaughey, Liam Neeson, and a demented clown. 

Pretty great!

His eyes darted from his phone to the ceiling where I glared down at him.

Silence for a moment, then, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

He screamed and screamed. 

And I died. Again.

I laughed. He screamed.

This went on for a minute, when suddenly he stopped. He jumped off his bed as though he finally got control over his body, stepped back, and studied me behind frightened eyes. I made myself lose the disgruntled employee look and turned back into my non-imposing self—although a thousand times more see-through, and a million times more good looking.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out.

"Heeeyyyy, Carter," I said.

"T-Trey?"

"That's my name."

His eyes started to glisten. His chin quivered.

"Whoa, whoa, don't cry. It was only a joke," I pleaded.