The Death of Colleen Rivers

Chapter 3: Colleen

Being dead, but not really dead is frustrating and quite creepy for many reasons.

1.) My boyfriend can't see me, but I can see him.

2.) He can still touch me and hug me, but he can't see me.

3.) I want to know why he can't see me.

I walk home, trying to act like a living person as much as possible. I mean, it wasn't hard; I've only been dead for a little while.

I was just glad I had all my senses still. I could feel the cool fall breeze around me, the leaves crunching under my feet as I walked. I could smell the outdoors, and almost taste the night air. Most importantly, I could smell Baylor's hoodie that I had on. It smelled like Heaven. I took a big whiff of it and pulled the hood closer to my face.

The other weird thing was that I could see myself. I was only a little transparent. I could see myself in mirrors and reflections, but no one else could see me.

I finally arrived at my house, about to step through my front door when I realized that would be the most bizarre thing to do at the moment. I would not want Mom and Dad to think that someone broke in. That is not what they needed in this time of grievance. So instead, I ran around the house to my bedroom window and climbed up the same way Baylor always did when he wanted to see me or surprise me.

To be honest, it was a lot harder to actually climb up than what he made it look to be. I also had the bag with a fragile computer in it to carry so I had to take my time.

I finally made it to the top, sliding up the window-which I never locked-and climbed inside.

I felt like a trespasser somehow, but this was my room. I looked around to see if anything had changed, or had been moved, but all my stuff was in its place, untouched. I went over to my nightstand and saw my phone, still plugged in from the last time I used it.

I picked it up and turned it on, the screen instantly lighting up and vibrating rapidly with so many notifications. Geez, where was all this attention when I was alive?

I unlocked it and ignored all the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram notifications and opened the Messages app to see I had over 200 texts. Okay, I had too many. Did people really think I would see these texts?! I'M DEAD. Dead people don't text! Well, now they do. But that's not my point.

I went to Baylor's messages first and read the last one he sent me. It was from a couple nights ago, the last night I was actually alive, it read:

Babe, it'll be alright. Just go to sleep :) goodnight love :*

The one I sent back read:

Oh alright. Love you too. Goodnight Bay :p

I could remember why I didn't send a kissy face back-I was furious. Not at Baylor of course, but at my family. Though I couldn't remember why I was so angry. That's what I needed to figure out later.

I quickly began to type a text again and sent it, saying:

Baylor, I'm home safe and no one is aware I'm here. Everything of mine is still here and I found out I can still text you so yay :)

In just a few seconds, he responded.

Yes! Happy you're safe babe :) But how'd you get in?

I texted back:

Oh ya know, the same way you always came in my room. It was super hard though lol

In a couple of minutes he said: