haunted. //joshler

four.

word count: 615

tyler was at the cemetery near the property. josh sat on a stone. 

"this is.. depressing."

"they call it the dun murder. nobody even knew our names. we were the rich outcasted hated family. everyone hated my dad. his family. so forth. my mom was the only one who liked him. nobody cared that we died. we were just the 'unsolved mystery'."

"you know this technically counts as being buried."

"no it doesn't."

"it does. which means that's not why you're here."

"it's supposed to be."

"josh."

"but that doesn't even matter anymore. still nobody cared about us. the duns."

"oh josh."

"that's fucking bullshit i say."

"josh."

"don't do that."

"don't do what?"

"that little pity voice."

"i-,"

"i'm dead. i know. but every time i come here it still hurts."

"i will do it."

"huh?"

"i will get you buried. i will get your murder solved."

"why? i'm just a random spirit you hate that showed up in your house."

"okay, so what? i need friends."

"heh."

tyler walked forward.

"i, tyler robert joseph, hereby claim that i will solve josh's murder, get his body buried, and be his best friend."

"thanks."

"nobody should ever be treated as your family was. tossed away, not cared about."

"thank you."

"now let's go back to my house? your house? our house!"

-

tyler grabbed out a notebook. 

"ok first! where's this body?"

"second living room. the one downstairs."

"oh shit, lucky me, we have yet to go to the basement."

"this is kinda creepy, don't you think?"

"i'm talking to a spirit, it can't get much more worse than this."

"okay, that's.. fair."

"show me toward the body."

tyler followed josh to his body. 

"its this door."

"okay."

tyler opened the door. and walked down the steps into the basement. he flipped the switch and the whole room lit up. there in the hallway.... laid... nothing. 

"the fuck?"

tyler looked around. nothing.

"JOSH!"

"what?" josh flew down.

"there's no body."

"but. i never got buried. i-."

"josh..."

"that bastard probably burned my body."

"okay, well, do we just cross off burying your body?"

"go ahead."

"alright. now time to solve your murder, josh."

-

"what did he look like?"

"uhm. well, he looked, like you, kind of actually? but older."

"the fuck?"

"you have a dad?"

"no," tyler deadpanned.

"okay, no but like, seriously. any photos of your dad?"

"you think my.. my dad killed your family?"

"no. it's dumb, you're right."

"yeah. no fucking shit."

"your dad is pretty shitty. i've seen the late nights."

"just shut up would you?" tyler snapped.

"oh don't be that way. you're alive. i'm dead."

"SHUT UP."

- 

tyler walked home alone. no pesky spirit on his shoulder. his silence was his virtue. his silence was the only thing that brought happiness. when he walked in the door, his parents were with his siblings. 

"tyler." his father said. 

"dad."

"we're going to take your siblings to a party. have any plans?"

"why can't i come?"

"ten and younger." 

"chris, i told you, he minds, we shouldn't go."

tyler's father looked at him. his eyes squinted in anger. 

"he doesn't mind, does he?"

"no, mom, he's right. have fun. i'll just be home."

"but honey, you're always home alone recently."

"it's fine."

"invite hal, over maybe?"

"a girl? no."

"yeah mom it's fine."

"ty-."

"mom it's fine! damnit."

"tyler-."

"just go, mom."

tyler ran up to his room. the faces his dad gave him. the tone of his voice. he blocked it out most of the time. a few hours after it happened he wouldn't remember. that or it was on repeat in his head. 

today.

today it was on repeat.

-

tyler didn't know what to do, his thought wouldn't shut up. so he walked around town. he ran into hal, at the local park.

"hey weirdo."

"hello, h."

"hey that's a new one."

"nice."

"you haven't talked to me since monday. you have my phone number."

"i'm not used to having friends. don't wanna be a bother."

"hah. i wouldn't have friended you if you were gonna bother me, joseph."

"heh. that makes me feel better."

"good! now, do you wanna swing with me?"

"that'd be nice."