The next day was a blur.
School wasn't fun. Opening gifts in class, like she did every year, was... well, like what she did every year.
All Raven could think about was the TGB. The transparent boy in her dream was haunting her, always managing to stay at the front of her mind, pushing everything back into the darker, more forgettable places in her head.
After dinner that night, Raven hurriedly ran to brush her teeth and change into her pajamas so she could get to bed and hopefully talk to the boy about what he meant by 'you aren't who you think you are'.
Once again, she found herself deep in sleep right when she hit the pillow. Her mind showed her those terrible pictures again; the rapidly growing claws, the laughing woman, and the eye, which Raven had realized earlier in the day was the TGB's.
Then it faded. As she had the night before, she opened her eyes to find endless white in all directions around her. She looked down at her clothes. They looked a lot like the boy's; flowing downward at the waist and ankles, and pure, unstained white.
When she looked up, she had to catch her breath to keep herself from screaming out loud.
He was there, but he wasn't the only one.
He was talking to someone, who was a little taller than the TGB. Raven couldn't see the other ghost's eyes, but his hair was neatly trimmed and combed, and was a calm, light shade of blond.
TGB was facing Raven, but he hadn't noticed her. He was locked in an intense conversation with the other ghost.
He through his hands up in exasperation. Then he pointed to his right. A big rectangular object faded into existence slowly, becoming solid, then fading, then becoming solid again. It was a door, Raven realized.
She could hear now, and she realized she hadn't been hearing anything before.
"Go away!" TGB screamed in the same watery tone he had the night before.
"Why? What have you been hiding from us? You barely come out of your room, you're becoming less transparent by the day, and when you do come out, it's to complain about a headache and get one of the others to check your temperature."
TGB looked at him. "So?"
"You, of all the Awake in this place, should know that we don't have temperatures! That's a human thing. What's happening to you?"
Raven thought, What's an Awake?
TGB was at a loss for words. He looked down. "I... I don't know." The door faded, signifying his surrender. "I just... I'm not feeling like myself, that's all. I'm fine." He raised is head as he regained his confidence. "I'm fine." He repeated. "You're being paranoid."
"Oh, so now you start talking about paranoia. Look where we are! Look at yourself! You're transparent, glowing, and dead!"
TGB coughed. "Um, excuse me, did you just say dead? We aren't dead."
"Well, we aren't alive."
"Exactly. And we can't be dead if we were never alive, because you have to have been alive at one point to have died."
Raven nodded. Smart thinking, TGB. Now, just notice me and we'll all be happy...
TGB's friend opened his mouth, as if to say something, and then closed it again.
TGB nodded. "Thought so. Now that you know I'm fine, move along with your little quest to find out what everyone in the villiage is doing."
The door reappeared, but more solid. The other ghost sighed in exasperation and walked to the door, fading as he walked through to the other side.
TGB watched him leave, then he exhaled and sank into a magically appearing couch. The door faded once more.
Raven took a step closer.
The ghost boy's head jerked upward, and he flung out his hand. A transparent wall shimmered into existance an inch away from Raven's face, and before she knew it, she was on the floor, rubbing her nose.
The boy's eyes widened as he realized who he had just hit in the nose with a wall.
He walked slowly to the other side of the barrier and touched it with his index finger, and it faded.
Raven picked herself up off the ground and looked at him. "Seriously, TGB?"
He looked at her with a mix of confusion and shock. "TGB...?"
Raven ignored him and said, "Do you hit everyone in the nose with a wall?"
"Yeah, sorry. I... I never know anymore."
He seems so sad... Raven thought. "Anyway, um... can we talk? I have some questions, and you seem to be controling our connection just fine."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah, we can talk. What do you need to know?"
