After Life

Chapter six: The note

A clean bedroom is a sign of misspent time.

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 Lauren Matthews,

Welcome back. As you well know you are at the destination of your death. You have 6 months to complete your 'act of kindness' as you may also have realised this will be difficult as none can see you. You can't touch move or talk to anyone or anything. You are invisible. A ghost. You may in counter other ghosts along your journey. Do not get distracted. You can communicate through a mind link with ghosts you have met or knew when alive. But there are also perks, you can walk through walls, flit ( travel incredibly fast and you can even fly/hover if technique is mastered.) I must warn you however, of the ghost hunters.  

They are a unique breed of humans hell bent on killing you, they can see you and if one sees you they will hunt you and kill you.  

If you have any questions contact me through a mind link.'''''

"What the ...?" I say out loud since, apparently, I can't be heard anyway. This whole ghost thing is going to severely piss me off.

From the moment the words left Death's mouth, I knew my good deed would be to help Megan.

But how? I am completely stuck here. I have no idea how to help her if I can't talk to her or anything, this sounded a lot more simple in theory.

I just wish Riley was ... Riley!!! Riley! He's a ghost right? So I can Mind link him right? Finally, some good news.

I close my eyes and picture Riley clearly in my mind, his blonde curls soft but strong face, tall stature, and his beautiful blue eyes.

Riley. Riley. Riley. Riley.... Nothing. Just as I'm about to give up and have a mini rage at life.... Or death or whatever, I can her Riley's voice in my head. "Lauren?" He asks, his voice a mix of anxiousness, relief and disbelief.

"Yea Riley it's me." I think back.  

"Lauren what's happening? Did you get a letter? Where are you? Are you in the same place that you died?" I can hear him get more panicked, and even if I don't know this boy, it hurts me to hear him in pain.

Tears prick at my eyes. What the hell? I don't even know him ... I... I don't even know. "Riley, calm down, it's all going to be fine, we're are you? Ill come to you and we can talk and sort everything out"

"O okay... Um ... I'm at my house." Ooh shit. He died at his house? Jeez no wonder he's so shaken up? And that blood stain .... Omg. I don't even want to know.

"Okay where..." I was about to ask where that was but an image flashed into my mind and I instantly knew where to go and how to get there.

This ghost communication thing is pretty cool.

I have so many questions but they are not a priority at the moment. I start my walk down the path towards his house, he lives about a 20 minute walk away, but since I can 'flit' or whatever it will probably be faster. If only I knew how to flit.

Death. Right I suppose I better talk to him. I really don't want to. I would never admit it but he scared the crap out of me. Just being in his presence has a cold dead feel, like all the happiness is being sucked out of you. Not that I have much of that anymore, I didn't think I had any till I felt it drain.

"Lauren" I hear in my head.  

"Um... err.... I ..." I fumble for words because that 'presence' I mentioned earlier.... It's in my mind, and I hate it. I begin to feel cold and lonely, and scared. I stop walking.

Death chuckles. "You needn't be afraid of me lauren. You will feel better when I'm gone. You are not supposed to want to talk to me that's why you feel like this. It's part of my eternal curse."

Usually I would have questioned somone about something as silly as a curse, but I'm a ghost so .... I can't really go round thinking that anyone is crazy right now. Plus I want to keep this conversation as short as possible.

"I was just wondering ...." I began.

"How to flit?" He finished.

"How did you ...?" I tried.

"Read your mind" He cut me off. 

"It's easy to take someone's thoughts when you share a mind link. Takes practice. You can stop people seeing as well. Also ..." He continues.

"Takes practice?" I finish, I would have grinned, if I hadn't felt so damn depressed.

"I didn't have my wall up." He said. 

Again usually would have argued but, this needs to needs to end soon or I'm going to end up hanging myself.

"Just run. Keep running and you will build up speed. Easy. It's a natural thing for a ghost. Like breathing.... For the living anyway."

"So I just ..." I stop because I know the link is gone. Thank god. I start to feel a little better, fuelled on the hope that Riley can help me get through this.

Right. Just flit Lauren. I jump twice on the spot then break into a sprint. There is a tree, which I probably would have just gone through but I dodged it anyway, not ready to chance it yet.

Before I know it I'm traveling so fast that everything around me is a blur. But some how my brain took in the information fast enough for me to know where I'm going. This is great, ill be at Riley's in like 5 minutes.

But I don't know what I'm actuly gonna say or do ..... I mean I like Riley he seems nice enough so far, but I hardly know him and here I am going to his house. But then again I suppose he's my only friend now. In the ghost world.

But what if he... THUD!!!!

Ugh I groan from the ground and slowly sit up. Probably hit a tree. I spend way too much time falling over. Way too much time. That actually didn't hurt but it's still a pain in the ass.

I roll over and get up slowly, not in too much of a hurry to do that agin. Now standing I realise that it wasn't a tree it was a person. Which means I've run into a ghost hunter. Trust my fbloody luck. He is watching me. My every move. I start to move ever so slowly away.

"Where are you...?" He starts to ask but I am already gone flitting for dear after-life.

"Where are you going?" A voice in my head says. I skid to a halt. Oh shit ghost hu....  He's a ghost. Trust me to jump to conclusions. He chuckles inside my head.

"You must be new at this" I hear directly behind me. I spin to face him.

"Yea. How ever would you know?" I remark sarcastically.

He laughs again. "Well hello, new ghost, my name is Scott" he smiles and does a little bow.

"Lauren" I reply also smiling, but i don't bow. i just stifle a laugh because he bowed.

Now that I'm not worried he is going to kill me, I notice how incredibly hot he is. Seriously he' like DAMN! Now this is very unlike my luck.

"Well since your a noob, id love to show you the ropes, teach you the trait. If you would like?"

Erm let me think..... Learning the ropes with a hot ghost .... Struggling on my own, well with Riley..... Riley. Totally forgot about Riley. Guit wells inside me at that thought, I feel like I have let him down.

"That would be great, but I'm just on my way to see a friend, he needs my help, but I can mind link you when I'm free and we could try then?"

"Of corse of corse, I look forward to it" He winked then he was gone. Just like that.

Right now Riley's house, got to get there before it gets dark or it will be harder to recognise. I break into a run again filled with fresh hope and two things to look forward too. Here I come Riley.

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So what do ya think or the whole ghost thing now? Trying to make it original but ghosts have been 'done' quite a few times before :s

Thanks for the reads ill update soon

comments and votes welcome