Her Otherworldly Friends

Sanity: Still Broken

We all are timid of the phantoms. Some may be less, some more and some, not even a whiff. It all depends on how the person perceives them. As a friend? As a threat? As nothing but the stupid imagination of some mortals? It all depends. There is freedom of utterance. Consequently, opinions will vary. But what about a girl who finds comfort in them, unthinkably, in 'those' eerie beings? How unusual. This world just keeps surprising you each time with distinct types of folk. However, that is what makes us unique.

                                      ❀ 𖧷 ❀

"Alex! Get up sweetheart, you need to be ready for school", Mrs. Katherine yelled out, preparing the tables where she was to put Alex's breakfast.

She was a good mama. After the death of Mr. George, due to a costly sickness, she was the one taking care of everything. It would be a lie if she wasn't worn out of it, though. Alex helped her through the house errands. That made it slightly bearable. She was fortunate, to have someone as reliable as her daughter.

"Okay, mama..." Alex mumbled, still not wholly awake. She now had to be ready. Ready to watch all those bogus people trying to act friendly at that place. The place they lovingly called the 'school'.

What could be worse than it? It wasn't that she hated studies. Studying has always been her favourite, except for the subjects that included heavy arithmetics. She couldn't do it even if her entire existence hung on them.

English was the beloved one. Nailing it in every test wasn't the only thing to boast about. Her English teacher patronized her more than her classmates. Alex couldn't be more pleased about it. At least the teacher's words strengthened her up. It helped her to hold her head up high. Even if it was just for a brief period...

It was sudden. But news came out that Ms. Lory, her English teacher, had been in a huge accident.

The passenger bus that she was riding on caught fire. When authorities reached the area, they blamed themselves for being too late. Everyone that was on the bus turned to corpses, except the irresponsible driver that made a run for himself. The piteous passengers were betrayed and died a dreadful way.

A few days later. In a condolences meeting, which was aired on TV, the victims' names were announced.

"Lory Brigade", the anchor said. The moment that name was mentioned, Alex shrieked and covered her face, while she dropped on the floor. Undefeated tears ran down her cheeks. Why? It is not fair. Just why? It should be over by now. So why does this keep happening to her? She lost yet another hope for her sanity to stay intact.

"Alex! How many times do you want me to call out your name? You know I have a sore throat from yesterday! Come down quickly, the breakfast has already been served."
Alex jolted after hearing her mother's voice.

Blinking her eyes frantically, she clenched herself and looked down. "Lost in the thoughts again, I see..."

She hurried out of bed and went to the bathroom.

After she got all prepared, she went down to the kitchen and sat at the dining table. She looked at what was on the plate and couldn't stop her saliva from coming out. It was her precious strawberry pancakes. Alex didn't wait long and started gorging down on the delicious eats. It had no right to be this savoury. No wonder it was made from her mama's hands. She was the best cook in the world.

Well, at least to her, she was.

"Sweetheart, umm, I wanted to talk to you about...", Mrs Katherine paused for some time. "About what, mom?", Alex asked curiously, the honey syrup still around her lips as she licked them off shortly after. "You know what I am talking about, Alex." She let out sternly. Alex froze when she knew what her mother was speaking of.

It was about her 'spirit friends.'

She didn't like it when she addressed them. It was always in a bad means. They weren't awful, they just lost ways to go to heaven. It wasn't their fault they still had deeds to finish in the human realm.

"Mother-" "No." She was cut off. "I don't appreciate it when you talk to yourself like that. Do you think it makes sense? Talking to the air when a single soul is unnoticed by the eyes? It's so unnerving. You should know your mother care for you. She doesn't want you to suffer a strange illness as your father did", she sighed out of frustration. "Do you even understand what I am saying, Alex?", she looked with bitterness in her daughter's direction.

"Of course...mother", she let out in a slothful manner.

"Why does it seem to me that you do not?"

"It must be your misconception."

"How abrupt. What have you become, Alex? Was I raising you with all my might not enough for me to have a normal child? Why would you pretend to be crazy, babbling all alone?", there was a tinge of grief in her tone.

"I am worried-", her words were interrupted.

"I know, mother. I know how anxious about me you are. But you should also realize, that I am ALRIGHT and doing fine just like a normal person. There isn't anything wrong with me. Also, they aren't make-believe but my friends! The better version that none of "them" could have ever been", she looked down at the ground, with tiny liquid around the corner of her eyes.

This wasn't the right time. She wasn't just about to cry for what 'they' did to her, everyday. A nightmare better to be deleted from the mind. Than to do the mistake of remembering it.

"I am getting late. Heading to school now, see you later mama", she bid goodbye to her mother and took off outside. As if she needed to get away from her house as far as she could. "Ha...what should I do with you, Alex?", Mrs Katherine sighed loudly. Then turned around to do her chores.

"Mother...it's not like I don't understand your worries. I just can't control how I was born. For me to be able to see strange spirits, talk with, spend time with them and...help them. It has already been decided. No one can put a pause on it now. Even if you tried your hardest, things aren't going to change. The duty has been given to me."

"...and I can't rest until I fulfill it."