Right Through Me

2

Arden decided it was time to settle into this new little place. It was not terribly unlike the one he'd left just a week before, so it was already feeling comfortably familiar. His first order of business was to start unloading these boxes, still piled on the coffee table. The coffee table, he subconsciously reminded himself, where a girl was strangled. The tall, slim man was not afraid. The idea of someone dying in that apartment did not bother him all that much. There was that natural apprehension, as if the space was holy, a small guilt for stacking his belongings on her metaphorical grave, but Arden steadied himself quickly. No matter what the cute chick in the flat across the hall said, it wasn't haunted. The thought of buying a new coffee table, however, did flash in his mind.

Arden cracked open the top box. Serena and he on their wedding day. She looked so beautiful. Like a princess. Like a dream. He remembered how her dress was such a pure white it seemed to sparkle. Her tan skin glowed against it. He smiled and caressed her figure in the photo. He'd have to put it on the desk in the bedroom he'd sleep in. He moved the frame out of the way and pulled out the next few things to place around. Suddenly, he heard water running. The kitchen sink had turned itself on full blast. Huh. I don't know how that sort of thing would even happen. Maybe... maybe the handle is loose or something. He walked over and turned it off. He heard a crash behind him. His late-wife's snowglobe from Niagara Falls was smashed on the floor.

"Damn it!"

Arden sighed. He guessed he had left it too close to the edge. He hadn't packed a broom. He pulled his fingers through his long, light brown hair in frustration. There was a small cupboard in the kitchen, but no luck. However, he did note a few cans of food that had been left behind. So, he kneeled at the mess, trying to pick up the shards of glass. His middle finger was instantly sliced. Exasperated, he sat back. Tears started to flow down his cheeks, into his beard.

Serena had begged him to take her to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon. No matter how many times she had been, she wanted to go back. She loved it. She just wanted to stand and stare at it's majesty for hours. Arden had purchased the snow globe for her so that she could stare at the falls even when they were at home. Now it was shattered, in a puddle of glittery water. The memory of her face lighting up when he had presented it to her cut him to the core.

~

She felt guilty. This was clearly something very important to this new tenant. She had pushed it on to the floor, trying to scare him off. Nothing she tried work. This man didn't even get creeped out by the sink turning on by itself. She could understand, though. She hadn't believed in ghosts when she was alive. And yet here she was, trapped in her apartment. She was still trying to get used to it herself.

Unlike the movies she had seen, being dead did not come with a handbook. She didn't know what to do, why she couldn't leave. Every time she tried to walk out the door, she ended up right back in her apartment. An apartment she was not keen to share, as most were inconsiderate of the dead.

She had discovered a few things. Those who believed in ghosts would be able to see her as long as she was presenting herself as visible. She could still touch and manipulate things. And notably, she could always be seen in a mirror. She had yet to test to see if non-believers would be able to see her, and with this new man, she thought she might be able to test it.

The short blonde sat in front of the man, with the shards of glass between them. She watched him cry. She wanted to apologize. Instead, she pulled her shirt sleeves down over her balled fists. She felt a tinge of sadness in herself. She remembered the many nights she had spent crying after her own death. It was a scary thing, being dead. It wasn't something you realized immediately. She had woken up on the floor next to coffee table, her last memory flashed in her mind. His face looming over her as he slammed her head back on the edge of the oak. His knee digging into her bruising stomach. His angry mumbling, telling her that she should of never led him on. Her hands wrapped around his thick wrists, trying to pull him away.

A tear rolled down her own cheek. She and the man cried together.

~

Arden finally wiped his eyes with his sleeves, sniffling, trying to regain composure enough to stand. He checked his pockets, noting his phone and his wallet, and set out to buy a few things he knew he needed already. A broom and a bandage were at the top of the list. He'd seen a dollar store within walking distance, so he decided that was the place to go.

The rain had let up some, enough for him to trot across the street and into the shelter of the 'Dollar Cheap'. Once inside he gather the few things, including an umbrella, and headed to the one open check out. There was an older woman in front of him, buying a few tins of wet cat food and small, purple collar. She was regaling the story of the cat she had found, and had decided to take in. The clerk smiled politely and nodded, but he didn't seem to care that much. Finally, she pulled her bags together and waddled off.

"Sorry about that. It's a pretty close knit community around here. I saw you moving your stuff into Joe Thompson's building over there. Which one you got?" The clerk said, laughingly.

"Oh, uh, 202." Arden stuttered out, caught off guard. The number was still very new to him and he hadn't expected anyone to ask him about it.

"Well, now... that was little Guin's place. She was a funny kid. Hardly said a word. In fact... the only thing I can think a'her saying was about that guy that always hung around here."

"Did everybody in this town know her?" Arden scoffed. Of the few he had talked to it seemed she were famous. But, he supposed, getting murdered was a claim to fame.

"Well, no, but she worked here. I wish I'd never given her the job."

"Why?" Arden was baffled. The pieces of this puzzle weren't meeting.

"That guy. He was obsessed with her. He came in every single day. Always wanted to know whether she was coming or going. I should've done something sooner. I wish I would've listened to her. I don't know if it could've prevented what happened but... I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't wanna hear about this. You're total is fifteen even."

Arden tossed his purchases on the loveseat with a furrowed brow. His mind was in a tizzy over this girl. Guin... Guinevere. What had her name been? Andrea had said it but it escaped him. It was something fancy, he thought. But he figured he had enough to hunt her story down on the internet. He pulled his slim silver laptop out of it's bag and sat down on the couch. He typed in all of the words he thought could lead him to it. He found nothing he could be sure of being her. He needed her last name. He needed more details. He needed to talk to her.