Flowers on Her Grave

Chapter 19

I whipped around to see the most unlikely person to be alive.

Josie.

She's wearing her favourite tee shirt, the one from Hot Topic that says 'I'm actually a UNICORN!', and a pair of shorts. Her hair is in a ponytail. Her shoes appear to be missing.

"Josie?!" I cried. "You're alive?!"

"Well, not exactly-"

I try to hug her, crying happy tears. My arms go through her body.

"Josie?" I say.

Josie doesn't say a word. Eventually, she utters three words that changed my life forever.

"I'm a ghost."

I think I fainted. I woke up a minute later, Josie carrying me mid-air. I freaked out. Hey, wouldn't you if a ghost was carrying you?

"Josie, I... this is unbelievable." I said. "Ghosts aren't real."

"Or so you thought." she said. "Maybe we are. Maybe you just don't see us. Maybe we're just a figment of your imagination."

I pinched my arm. This wasn't a dream. Ghosts were real. The world has been lying to us for as long as we have been alive. Ghosts.

"Thanks for the flowers. Not!" She stuck out her tongue.

"I heard everything. I've been watching you and everyone around you. Jacob is truly in love with you. He wants to have sex with you."

"Ew!" I cried. "'Kay, maybe not yet."

"Gail just wants to be nice. She has since I died. She actually cared about me, and only me, until senior year. Now she's just trying to fix everything, but can't escape from her past."

"Past? Gail? WHAT?"

"Shhh!" Josie floated towards me, finger over her puckered lips. "That Erik guy? He does like you. He just feels like you can't because of Gail."

"Of course."

"And your parents, well, lets just say their minds are harsher than Everest."

I was pinching myself again.

"Just follow my words, and my words only." Josie started again. "Don't trust anyone, even your closest allies. We all have secrets. You have secrets. And honestly, I see you up in the H-Hood with me very soon because of a secret." She winked. "Remember my words."

And she disappeared. Just. Like. That.