Void || A DreamNotFound Story

Eight

(Clay's thoughts are in italics and brackets as shown. They'll also be underlined)

~~~

"How do you not now if you're dead?!" Clay questioned.

~~~

Clay could only hope that this voice was not dead; that he was an actual person and not a ghost or a figment of his imagination.

"I don't know, I have been stuck here for a long time. I have forgotten what the world looks like. What people look like."

"Wait, so- let me get this straight. You're not dead, well- you don't think you're dead. You're somewhere on the property and you have been here for a really long time, there can't be any windows where you are... You have to be in the shed. There are no windows there."

"What? No- I'm not in the shed."

"But that's the only place without windows here."

"Then you haven't looked hard enough."

"Are you sure you're alive? Do you even have a body? Are you human? How are you even speaking through my m-"

"I am alive. I have a body. I'm not a ghost. I am human but I can speak through peoples minds. I can't speak to everyone though."

"How come not everyone?" Clay asked, attempting to sound slightly calmer.

"I- I don't know. I've only ever been able to do it once before but I haven't seen him since he passed away years ago."

"Oh...I- I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's not your fault; death happens. He was never without a smile, he lived his life happily and he passed peacefully; satisfied with what he'd done with his life."

"You must've spent a lot of time with him..."

"My dad. He taught me everything I know now."

"That must've been tough..."

"It was but I've had plenty of time to think about it, being stuck here. I honestly am not too fussed about it now. I loved my dad and so I'm just happy that he was proud of the life that he lived."

"That's- uhm- that's pretty wholesome." Clay didn't know what to say; he was just thinking about his past. Why couldn't he be happy?

His ex-lover had felt like he'd done enough in his life to the point he wanted it to end... Clay thought to himself. I should let him go. He fulfilled his life; I need to fulfill my own. I need to stop thinking...

"Can you see me?" Clay blurted out as an attempt to distract himself.

"No, I wish- I mean- no I can't see you."

~Clay POV~

(He wishes he could see me? What's that supposed to mean?)

(...Does he like me? Surely not right? For now- he is practically a ghost... Do I like him? No- I know pretty much nothing about him either- at the moment that is. We know nothing about each other. All I really know is that he has the most perfect voice I've ever heard in my life).

"Clay."

"Yeah- How do you know my name by the way?" I asked, genuinely keen.

"Your brother- Snapmap I think it was-?" he managed to say before I interrupted him.

"SNAPMAP?!" I wheezed.

"I think?" he said with uncertainty.

"I'm lightheaded, I just laughed SO hard!" I managed to let out, still laughing.