The Red House | Editing

4

Four days later, I heard a familiar knock on my door. "Lester?"

I heard his voice again, "Venancio! You came back!" I shouted in excitement, but quickly, my excitement was buried when I saw how afraid he was,

"Don't come any closer!" He shouted, clearly terrified,

Because of his shouting, I was hurt, and I saw that there were tears in his eyes. "They say you're a ghost? Is that true? Do not lie." He sobbed,

"Is that why you don't want to touch the food I buy? Because you can't touch things that don't belong in your house? Is that why you can't leave? Because when you try to go out you can't be seen? That's why it seems like you already know everything I'm going to tell you? Because you're watching me at my house?" His questions continued, and I couldn't speak anymore so I just answered them by nodding.

Because of my nod, his crying got louder as well as mine. My vision is almost blurry because of the tears that keep falling from my eyes. I want to explain to him that I only did that because I want him to continue to be my friend. I looked into his eyes, and I saw the pain that I was also feeling. I saw regret, fear, and sadness.

"You lied!" He shouted,

"If I didn't lie, would you come by?" I asked, my voice breaking as I sobbed too,

"You're dead!" He shouted to me,

"I'm sorry I died, okay! I didn't want to die!" I shouted back, "It's not my fault that I freaking die in flames!"

"I love you, and it hurts because you are dead." He said, looking down as if surrendering,

"I love you too, you're my only friend Ven. Thank you for playing with me." I replied walking towards him, but in a sudden, his eyes met mine and it's filled with fear. Did he think that I'll do something bad to him?

"Don't follow me anymore! You scare me!" He ran away and I felt like my whole being was on fire again,

Since then, I haven't watched him and I never saw him again. I was left alone and the only things I heard from other people was that they had moved to a distant place. I also heard that this house will be demolished, so I will never really be seen again. And I'll be left alone. I understand his decision, I was a liar to my only friend, it was painful but what he did was right to leave me.

I just smiled sadly while looking at the space. Here I am, sitting on the roof where we were last happy. I wanted to tell him that I tried to bring his parents to him, but I couldn't because they couldn't see or hear me.

I just hope he's happy, wherever he is now. Finally, he realized that maybe it was right and he should just listen to his parents instead of wandering around every night.

While quietly watching the moon, I closed my eyes and followed the light in the distance that was waiting for me, I felt relief and there I also felt the freedom that I longed for when I was reunited with my family.

The End