I froze. None of the dead had ever interacted with me before. Urban myth states that they only interact with you unless youre their partner. I goggled at her. Surely not I thought. Fear, if Im honest, was the only thing I could feel. It pumped through my body and made my heart beat so loud I could have sworn it was audible. My breath was quickening and my palms beginning to sweat. Despite everything my soul yearned to know her. I approached even though my head was screaming at me to run, to turn around and forget I had ever seen her.
"Hello?" I asked hesitantly.
"Hello." she replied. Her voice was soft and melodic and tempting.
"I uhhh umm M-my name umm" I wished Mark was here. He had always been better at me at talking to girls. I was stumbling and I could see in the set of her mouth that she was faintly amused. I swallowed, took a deep breath and started again. "My name is Matt."
"Hello Matt. My name is Flo and Ive been dead for 150 years." She said it so matter-of-fact like that I almost asked her if she did this often. "Matt, are you ok? You look a little faint. Maybe you should sit down. I know 150 years is a long time and I shouldnt be here..." her voice trailed off.
I stared straight ahead. I was so shocked. Slowly I fell to the ground about a foot away from her. "What What year did you die?" I asked in disbelieving tones.
"2016, Easter."
"How?" I demanded.
"Car crash," she replied glumly, except I was too wrapped up in my own shock to notice. "I could show you where if you wanted, its just round the corner in fact." Now she sounded almost hopeful.
"Ohhh?" I had barely registered her response.
"Yeah, my mum, my brother and I were driving back from Alton Towers and a large truck was hurtling round the corner and," she gestured to herself, "Here I am."
"Why havent you faded yet? You should have faded over 50 years ago. Why are you still here?" I was impatient now.
"Well, before all the changes I was a Christian." She noticed my look of confusion. "You know all the old religious sects; Christianity; Islam; Sikhism" I nodded. "I used have these dreams" She had my interest now. I also dreamt. She continued but I could have sworn she was almost reluctant. "In these dreams I would dream of people drowning and dying. I would also dream of love and happiness, often in the same dreams." I nodded in encouragement. I also had the same dreams.
"But I don't understand how this links into your faith."
"Well, people I've told have suggested that my dreams could be concentrated because God wants me to do something, I don't know, its a crazy theory, right? But I suppose when you think you are possibly going crazy then youll grab onto anything that sounds like a reason, right?" She sounded like she was begging me to tell her she was sane, that she wasnt going crazy But I knew deep down I could never give her that reassurance if I wasnt even secure in myself.
"So that's why you've been around so long. Maybe what you've got to do is so important that you can't fade until you've done what you were born, and possibly died, to do?"
"I suppose thats one way of looking at it." She grinned and it sped up my heart a little. "Anyway, tomorrow I'll see you again. Won't I, Mark?" Another winning and yet knowing smile.
"Ummm Sure. Tomorrow. Ill see you here tomorrow, Flo," I grinned back, "I'll try to get away as early as I can but I have a load of school work so I probably won't end up seeing you again until gone 4." Damn my stupid schoolwork.
"Yeah, sure Matt." She confirmed as I got to my feet.
"Bye Flo."
My feet were touching the ground as I walked away but I felt as if I was walking on air.
