The Art of being Strangers

x.

I arrived late for school today. I didn't get a single drop of sleep last night. My mind kept going back to Basil's request. I kept replaying the scene in my mind.

"What?" I asked.

"My killer," he said like it wasn't a big deal.

"But don't you know who killed you?"

"No, I don't."

"I'm confused."

He sighed. "I was taken by surprise. Killed from behind. I didn't get to see their face."

"But after you died, couldn't you see them?"

"I was only conscious after a few weeks. I found myself in the place I died."

"The place you died?" I repeated his words.

"Yes. It was cold. And night. I didn't know I was dead. I thought I had lived, after all. My house was too far so I made my way over to the school instead. There was a guard, he was probably just about to leave. I ran to him, screaming. There was no reaction coming from him, so I figured he didn't hear nor see me. But then I got next to him, begging for his help. The man didn't even look at me. He just passed by me, leaving me panting and exhausted. I collapsed on my knees, screaming at him again. I was so confused. The guard left the school's door unlocked, so I made my way inside. I went to the bathroom to wash the blood from my fingers and my face. As I arrived at the bathroom, I turned the sink on, the cold water running. I washed my hands until they turned light again. I raised my glare to look into the mirror so I could clean the mess on my face. I screamed when I looked in the reflection and found the walls of the bathroom. There was no me in the reflection. There was only a dirty wall. I couldn't believe it, but everything started making sense. How I felt numb, no pain from my injury. How the guard ignored my presence. How the mirror refused to acknowledge me. However, I still wasn't believing it. I stayed the night in the school and slept on the couch from the principal's office. I woke up the next day due to the voices in the room. When I opened my eyes and saw the principal talking to a kid, I knew it. Basil Farrow was dead. I was now a ghost."

My mouth was dry. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. I knew my voice had just failed me, so I just pulled him back into a tight hug. The hug was enough for Basil.

I agreed to help him.

My head was hurting badly, and I was sweating. I didn't want to go to school today but I knew my parents wouldn't let me stay home. Even though I knew they already left to go to work, I still felt like I should go to school. Plus, I didn't want to make Basil think that I left him. So, shaking, I made my way up from my bed. The pillow I laid on was wet from my sweat. I figured I'd feel better when I'll get out. The cold air helps, doesn't it?

I tried looking for pills but couldn't find any. I rarely got sick, so my parents never bought pills. I swore and hurried to leave my house.

I already missed the first period, which wasn't such a big deal anyway because it was chemistry. I hated chemistry anyways. When I arrived, Basil wasn't waiting at the door like yesterday. I got worried again.

But my concerns were quickly erased when I heard someone.

"Creek, good morning," called a voice.

I turned my head in the direction of the voice. Basil was leaning on a wall.

"Basil!" I call.