Afterlife - A Horror Story

2 - Welcome to Limbo

GRADIENT

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After catching up to Xyan, they told me more about Limbo.

After a little while, I asked them how they died.

"Oh, me?" Xyan said, "Well, I died about five thousand years ago, and I don't remember specifically how. All I know is that I was dismembered somehow."

Huh. That explains the detached limbs.

"What about you?" Xyan asked.

I drew another blank.

"Uh..." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Wow, you left a lot of memories," Xyan remarked.

"Guess so."

We continued through the woods until we arrived at a small neighborhood. The sun was rising in the east, and I could see random people jogging or walking or driving their cars in the streets.

"Won't they see us?" I asked Xyan.

Xyan chuckled. "Only if you want to be seen. I do it sometimes to scare people, but they always get over it. Except for that one time, but we don't talk about that."

I glanced at them warily, but followed them into the streets.

It wasn't unusual for me to not be noticed by passerbys, but I was a bit strange to not feel the breeze that was obviously rustling the leaves of the trees. I could see that it was autumn, for the leaves were gold and brown as they fell to the ground.

"What month is it?" I questioned, not remembering when I died.

"Late September, I think," Xyan replied.

"Ah."

Xyan lead me to a larger, run-down home that reminded me a lot of a haunted house. Funny, seeing that we're ghosts. Or Yudaes, as Xyan had told me a bit ago.

"Welcome to the friendly neighborhood ghost house," Xyan said cheerfully, "Or, if we want to use the technical term, a Spiritual Abode. That sounds weird, so please don't refer to it as that."

I shrugged, and followed him inside.

When we entered, Xyan called out, "Hey, guys! I found a new one!"

A bright green yudae popped his head around a doorframe. He smiled as he saw us standing in the door.

"Aiko, Akhet! Xyan's back!" He called out. He ran out and hugged Xyan, who thrillingly hugged him back.

"Hey, Praxus!" They said, "How are you?"

"Great!" The green yudae replied. He turned to me. "Who's the new guy?"

"Praxus, this is Gradient," Xyan said. "Gradient, this is Praxus."

"Hi," I said shyly. I was never a very social person, so this would take some getting used to.

"Welcome, Gradient," Praxus said, smiling.

Two more Yudaes suddenly came from another door - or, one of them did. The second one, a smaller one, fell through the wall.

"Hello!" The first one said. She was a dark red spirit with multiple black scars along her arms, which were more clustered around her wrists. The smaller one was yellow, and her hands were black.

"Hey, Akhet! Hey, Aiko!" Xyan said. The smaller one, presumably Aiko, jumped up from where she had fallen and darted at Xyan before launching herself at them, wrapping her arms around their leg. Xyan laughed, and shook their leg before Aiko reluctantly let go.

Akhet walked forward, picking up Aiko and allowing the small ghost to sit on her shoulders.

Akhet made looked at Xyan, and gestured silently to me.

"Guys, this is Gradient," Xyan said, "I found him in the woods. It's why I've been gone so long."

"Wait, did I not wake up immediately after I died?" I asked, confused.

"Nope," Xyan replied, "You stay asleep for a month before waking up. No one really knows why."

"Interesting," I said.

Akhet looked at me, and her expression turned to confused. She tilted her head, and looked at Xyan.

"You can't talk to him?" They asked her.

"She wasn't talking before, though," I said, also confused.

"She was mute when she was living," Xyan explained to me, "As a Yudae, she uses telekinesis instead. And no, you don't have it. Only yudaes who didn't talk in their lives have it."

They added that last part because I was about to ask that exact question.

"So, she can't use her powers with me?" I asked.

"Apparently not," Xyan shrugged.

"I wonder why," I said, thinking out loud.

It was awkwardly silent for a moment before Aiko cut in, "Can we go for a walk?"

"No, Aiko, the sun's up," Praxus said, "You know how annoying it is to keep hidden with the sun out."

Aiko made a pouty face. Something told me she was young when she died.

"Let's sleep," Praxus said, "We'll take a walk tonight."

Akhet nodded, and walked away with Aiko on her shoulders.

"We still need to sleep here?" I questioned Xyan.

"It's not a necessity, but once you start sleeping, you don't wake up until it's night," Xyan replied.

"Cool," I said.

"I'm gonna sleep," Praxus said. He kissed Xyan on his head. "See you tonight."

"Love you!" Xyan called to Praxus. The green poltergeist smiled before disappearing through a wall.

"So you two are a thing?" I said.

"Yeah. He's probably the first one I brought here," Xyan said, blushing slightly.

"Brought here as in, to the house?" I asked.

"Yes and no," Xyan said, "I'll explain when the full moon rises. Come with me."

I followed Xyan through the house until we came across an empty room, with an old bed set sideways under a window.

"This'll be your room," Xyan said, "You can decorate it as you want. A plus side of being a ghost - you can steal things from the living and not get in trouble."

I chuckled. "Well, then, good night! Or... day. Whatever."

Xyan laughed. "Good night!"

Xyan left the room, leaving me alone. I looked around the room, mostly bare except for the bed. I sat down on the edge of the bed, which did feel weird, since I couldn't feel the bed beneath me.

After a moment, I finally laid down, looking at the ceiling as I closed my eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

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I'm done now

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