Death may be the greatest of all human blessings (ghost dream)

strangers

The ghost floated gently along the prime path, picking at the skin that had been damaged when he landed in the water.

He wasn't quite sure why it had happened but decided it was nothing to dwell on, seeing as he appeared to be healing rather fast, the injuries barely visible unless you knew they were there.

That was more than you could say about his back. The ghost knew something was there. His back had ached ever since he awoke, and the rough fabric of his hoodie felt irritating. Of course, he didn't know what exactly was wrong since he failed to remember anything, and it wasn't like he could just look, not without a proper mirror at least.

The ghost came to a stop in front of a large mansion. Something on the roof had caught his interest. It appeared to be a curious shape made out of bedrock. He wondered who could possibly have put it there.

A small giggle left the ghost's lips as he realized what the immovable shape resembled.

He continued to follow the prime path, up some stairs and past an archway. There were Jack-o'-lanterns placed on either side of the path. How long had they been there? They didn't exactly smell fresh.

The ghost started to wonder if the rest of the server was just as weird as the parts he'd already seen.

Continuing his walk(float), he started seeing more buildings in the distance. One particularly large tower caught his eyes. There seemed to be some red specks scattered across the surface of the tower, vestiges of something that has since disappeared.

Lost in his thoughts, the ghost failed to notice the hastily approaching person before it was too late and a body collided with his, throwing him to the ground.

The other stumbled back but managed to steady himself. A string of swears left the other's mouth as he straightened out his clothes.

"I'm so sorry! I should've been paying attention!" the ghost blurted out an apology seemingly out of instinct.

"It's fine, I didn't even fall"

The other appeared to finally take a look at whoever he had collided with and his eyes widened ever so slightly.

"So who are you? I've never seen you before"

"I'm a ghost!... I think" said ghost replied.

Confusion washed over the other's face.
"Ghost? Ghost of who? No-one's died lately, as far as I know at least"

The ghost shrugged and glanced off to the side.
"You see...well, I don't know"

The other blinked.

"I woke up in some strange room with a body that I assumed was me cause it looked like me. I don't remember anything, not even my name" the ghost explained.

"Well that fucking sucks, man. But I'm sure something will trigger your memory eventually. I can help you in the meantime" the other offered.

"Really? Um, thank you!" the ghost smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, don't mention it" the other offered his hand, helping the ghost up.

"Are you going somewhere in particular?" the ghost asked, as the other started walking with determined steps.

"I'm supposed to get a bunch of stone for someone, but I need to find a new pickaxe" the other explained.

The ghost nodded in understanding.

"What's your name, by the way," the ghost asked after a minute or two, realizing he would have to call the boy something.

"I'm Tommy"

"Nice to meet you, Tommy"
The ghost was trying his hardest to be nice. He wanted to be this boy's friend.

"So what do I call you then?" Tommy asked in return.

The ghost shrugged. He didn't really have a preference.

"Then I'm just gonna call you Ghost" Tommy decided proudly.

"Okay," the ghost agreed. Tommy could call him that if he wanted to.

The ghost wondered briefly if his name would be anywhere in the books he had picked up. He would have to check whenever he had time.

Suddenly Tommy averted from his path, jogging across a patch of grass, towards a pair walking together.

The ghost followed Tommy.

"Tubbo!" Tommy called out, waving at the pair.

The pair looked up, the shorter of them excitedly waving back.

"Hi, Ranboo" Tommy greeted the other as well.

"Hi, Tommy! How are you?" the taller one, Ranboo, Tommy had called them, greeted.

"Just fine, bossman. I was looking for a good pickaxe cause I still need stone" Tommy replied.

"A pickaxe? Wait, I'm might have something"
Ranboo placed an enderchest and rummaged through the contents until they triumphantly retrieved a netherite pickaxe.

"It's fully enchanted. I will want that back though" Ranboo said, handing Tommy the pickaxe.

Tommy nodded.
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Ranboo!"

"So, who's your friend?" the other, Tubbo, then asked, nodding towards the ghost.

"This is Ghost! He says he's a ghost and doesn't remember anything, not even his name, so I'm just calling him Ghost for now" Tommy swung his arm around the ghost's shoulder and the ghost couldn't help but flinch, even though logically he knew it was just a friendly gesture.

What on earth had happened to him when he was alive, he wondered.

"Hello, Ghost! I'm Tubbo, " Tubbo shook the ghost's hand, "and the tall noodle over there is my platonic husband Ranboo" Ranboo shook the ghost's hand as well.

The ghost noticed some peculiar scars marking Ranboo's cheeks. They almost seemed carved into their skin with some sort of acid.

"Nice to meet you both" the ghost said quietly with a smile.

He liked these people. They seemed nice. Ranboo was a tad intimidating, but the ghost had a feeling it was only their appearance. He was sure the tall man was very nice.

"So are you guys doing anything?" Tommy asked.

Tubbo and Ranboo turned to each other, completely synchronized, then back to Tommy.
"Noup! Just chilling" Tubbo said while Ranboo shook their head.

The ghost found their synchronization fascinating, although slightly creepy.

"Well, since Ghost can't remember anything, I'm going to try to help him by showing him around or some shit" Tommy explained.

"I mean, we can help! Sure!" Ranboo offered, Tubbo nodding in agreement.

"Cool! Let's go!" Tommy grabbed the ghost's arm, involuntarily making him flinch again, and started walking.

Ranboo and Tubbo followed suit, offering the ghost an apologetic smile for their friend's energetic behaviour as it was obviously overwhelming the ghost a tad.

The group followed Tommy, eventually coming to a stop in front of a lake...