The black shadowy figure stands infront of me , a gun in the crooks hand. "give me your money or I'll shoot." I reach for my wallet. He must need the money more if he's going to do such things for it. I reach for my wallet when the gun goes off. I look up at the man to notice his face is shocked. He grabs my wallet and runs. He's scared. I'm scared. Where did it hit? I don't feel anything. Times moving to fast. My hands there's blood now... Lots of blood... Am I dying? I don't want to die... There's so much I haven't done. I never got married. I never felt love. Breath Philly boy. Oh god it's coming from my mouth now. It's happening to fast. The light it's too bright. I can't see. I'm on the ground now. I am not ready. My blood is pooling. My visions getting darker. I don't want to die. I want to live. My vision is fading. I'm not ready. I'm not ready at all. I don't want to go. Please don't let me die...
"DAN, TIME FOR SCHOOL" I hear a voice shout. Where am I? I don't understand. Where am I? Heaven? No. It looks like a bedroom. Who's? I look around. I see a boy. He looks like an angel. I rethink of it being heaven. "I am coming " he says back to the shouting voice. He walks right through me. How rude. He shudders for a moment, but then continues to walk. I am dead... But why am I here? What am I supposed to do? So many questions that no one is going to answer. I follow him. Why am I following him? I feel drawn to him. I want him to be happy. Why? I don't know. I feel myself wanting to protect him. Ha ha, ghost guardian Phil. Maybe that's why I am here. Maybe I will find out if it is true. I want him to live a long life. I didn't get enough time, he should. He looks young, at least 3 or 4 years younger. He should live.
__________It's been 2 years since I started protecting him. Everyday I learn more and more. How he walks and talks by himself or with a group. Or the way he just sits and thinks. I wonder what he thinks about. I wonder if he knows I am here. I wish he did. He'd get to know me, falling in love with him. But today he looked paler than usual. I wanted to see if I could make him feel better but he collapsed. I don't like this. I am failing. I don't want to lose Dan. I love him... No. I need him.
He's rushed to the hospital. My spirit with him. I don't like this. He looks bad. Can I fix this? I want to fix this? Why can't I fix this? Gosh darn it Phil. Get better at guarding. Dan gets into the hospital. I float above listening to doctors talk. He gets stable but sad eyes fill the room. " I'll talk to the family" says a young looking doctor. Talk about what? There was too much noise to figure out what they said. He looks fine. Please be okay Dan. I follow to his family. "I'm sorry, but we need to run test. We think he might have a tumor on his brain, we fear it is growing and it is much to big to remove " I don't like this. I feel rude. His family all look sad and shocked. I don't deserve to feel upset. But it kills me seeing him like this... Ha how ironic. I'm already dead. It hurts. I feel myself dying again. I sit at his bed side. I stay by his side as test are done. I pray for him to be okay.
My prayers continue to be unanswered.
Dan is sick. He does treatment with a bitter smile. Everyday I learn more and more. Like what he looks like without hair. He looks sad. But that's Okay. He still smiles. I think it's mostly for his family. He never smiles without them. I just wanted him to live a long life. I didn't want to die either. I don't win. He looks worse, he's getting worse. Make it stop. I don't like this... He's not getting enough time. Oh please give him more time. I don't even know who I'm talking to anymore. It's obvious no one is listening. I don't care, I want him to get more time. I want him to do what I couldn't. I want him to live. Oh please Dan get better.
... He's not getting better.
He looks dead. I don't like this. He can't hold on anymore. You can see it. It's hurting to hold on. He wants to live. He needs to let go. Please Dan. Let go, it's hurting you. Stop hurting yourself, it's hurting everyone. Dan, I know you can't hear me but, it's okay to let go. You've held out long enough. I'm sorry Dan. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you. I notice his heart monitor change. It starts flat lining. I look around for his face. I see him. He's standing next to his own body looking at it sadly. I'm sorry Dan. He sees me.
"who are you? " he says confused
"where am I? Why is my body doing that? Why can I see it? Am I dead? Oh my god I can hear my mum crying. Please make it stop."
I go over to him and hug him. I cover his ears and walk him out so he can't hear his family cry.
"hello Dan. I'm Phil. You are dead. When I died I was sent to watch you... Now I feel guilty about saying this but" I hug him tightly and put my face in the crook of his neck. "I've been waiting for the moment I could do this " Dan stays still for a moment. I go to pull back but Dan suddenly wraps his arms around me. "maybe we're soulmates" he states. " if we can't be to gather in life we shall be in death. " he smiles. I feel our body's float upwards. His smile is my only focus we go past the clouds and stars. Where we find our final destination for rest. Amongst the stars... Good night Dan. May our souls meet again someday.