The Sufferer And The Witness

Part 1: Ghost Boy

It's been a week since the "incident". Well, that's what people at school are calling it. I won't try to hide anything, I attempted to kill myself. Nothing too flashy, just an old fashioned knife and my good ol' wrist. As usual, I failed, just like anything I ever try to do. First things first, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Elena Miller, but my friends call me Ellie. Sorry, I meant my friend. Singular. That's right, I only have one friend, pathetic isn't it? You want to know the best part about it? He's dead. That's right, I'm friends with a dead person, a ghost. If you stop reading right now, I won't blame you. To be frank, I don't even know why you're reading this.

I'll try and explain my situation as simply as I can. I'm Ellie, a normal girl with a lot of issues. A normal girl who feels alone all the time and who doesn't see the point in life. A normal girl who has no friends and no one to talk to. A normal girl who- Well, I think you get the point. I go to school where I sit alone, eat alone and talk alone. Alone. It has a nice ring doesn't it? Anyways, I couldn't stand it anymore, so I decided to flush it all away. No one would miss me right? Well that's when I met him.

As I watched the knife glare back at me, I felt as if someone were there with me. Surely enough, there he stood. Tall, bushy hair and big brown eyes.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Ellie."

"Who are you? And how the hell do you know my name?"

"The name's Leonard, but you can call me Leo."

"Leave me alone! I'm in the middle of something."

Somehow, his presence soothed me. I was in no way uncomfortable or even scared. He slowly started to walk up to me.

"Come on Ellie, it's a beautiful day outside. Why end it today?"

"Don't you dare lecture me. You don't know what I've been through. No one would miss me anyways."

It was really odd. There I was, pouring my heart out to a complete stranger, but it somehow felt right.

"I know a lot more than you'd think. Being dead isn't fun."

I must've have the most confused look on my face because he just burst out laughing.

"Let me introduce myself again. Hi, I'm Leo and I'm dead."

"Whatever you're trying to pull here, it ain't working."

"I'm not lying. I died some time ago."

"Stop bullshitting me!"

That's when he grabbed the knife from my hand and stabbed it right through his heart. Needless to say, I fainted. And that's how the school found out. Elena Miller, unconscious on the ground with a knife next to her. Would make a great set up for a murder mystery wouldn't it?

As I was saying, it's been a week. Somehow, he became my only friend. What have I done to ever deserve this...

I'm now stuck in a hospital room, with doctors constantly pestering me. And him.

"Hey Ellie!"

Can't he go annoy someone else?

"Eeeeeeeelliee!"

I'll ignore him. He's a ghost right? I'll just pretend not to see him.

"I know you can see me Ellie, you're the only one who can."

Damn it.

"What do you want?" I said.

"I thought you might want some company, it must be awfully lonely here."

"I'm fine. I like being alone."

"Suuuuure you do."

I turn my head and see that stupid grin on his face. Asshole.

"Don't look at me like that Ellie! I saved you!"

"Saved me? Really? You saved me? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be in this stupid hospital with everybody pitying me!"

The nerve!

"Calm down Ellie. I didn't want you to make the same mistake."

"Mistake? It's only a mistake if I regret it! I chose to kill myself. It was not an accident, or a mistake or anything! It's something that I wanted goddamnit! You just had to ruin it, just like everyone else. I can't even have one single thing go my way!"

Wow. I didn't know I could talk that much. Once again, I was pouring my heart out to this ghost.

"Trust me, Ellie. You'll regret it."

He turned his head away, staring at nothing.

Damn it! I didn't mean to say that! Gosh, I should really get a filter. I really hope I didn't hurt him.

"Hey, ghost boy..."

Nothing.

"Hey, um. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw all that at you. It's been really hard and..."

Slowly his head turned back. I could see that stupid grin on his face.

"Y-you. B-but." I stuttered.

He immediately started laughing. What an asshole. He was teasing me the whole time.

"Hey, asshat!"

He wasn't stopping. The roar of laughter filled my empty hospital room. The more I tried to be mad at him, the more I smiled. His laughter was infectious.

Before I knew it, I was laughing with him, laughing my lungs out. Laughing until my tears blinded me. I hate to admit it, but it's a nice feeling. One I haven't felt in a long time. Thanks a lot asshole.