“So I saw your book today.”
MUM! Why does she always bring up the book! SHE finds it odd but I don’t. I can’t be the only one its happening t! She doesn’t see them floating around! There my friends not like either people. They don’t see why people treat others differently!
“I invited Stacy to come round for tea,”
Here she goes again! She invited Stacy round. You could become friends! Why does she never listen. I mean just because they are dead doesn’t mean they are my friends! She doesn’t understand there is a world more attractive to me than this one. Once we are home I look through my Book of Soul Interactions. I reread the first entry.
February 29th
Today was the first day I saw them. Our conversations go as follows:
“How can I see you when others don’t?”
“Others don’t feel the same emotions as you, think the same as you!”
“I can see your names engraved on cold hard slabs of stone and that is all you are!”
“My darling, you do not understand! In life are you only the name of your birth certificate? No! There is a whole world of names and words but we live in a world of people. We are not names but people!”
“You look so different from us! Here I see liberated souls! I see resentful souls! I see remorseful souls! Everyone is different, what is it like?”
“You are an inquisitive soul! Go and find out!”
The entry ends there. It reminds me of how welcoming Patrick was. I flip through the pages of the book. They are worn out. Mum tells me to get ready for Stacy. I ignore her and look to a page where I saw three other girls. They were singing nursery rhymes yes I remember them. They were singing Baa baa black sheep. It’s a short entry.
March 15th
Today I saw three little kids. Our conversations go as follows:
“Why are you so happy? Why aren’t you worrying?”
“Why should we worry?”
“What reasons have we to worry?”
“Dance! Sing! Skip with us!”
“Don’t you need to learn? Do you not need knowledge?”
“Knowledge?”
“What need?”
“What knowledge is greater than the tales of reality?”
Stacy is going to be here soon. I don’t like when mum invites her round. Mum always sits with us and to make conversation. I don’t need her help! I was perfectly fine telling Stacy about Patrick and the girls and everyone but mum butted in and said Stacy didn’t want to hear about all that stuff! Anyway at least I have time to read one more entry. I turn the Pages until I see the first day that mum came to the graveyard.
April 4th
“I see a tall and handsome man to my right. He speaks with words of wisdom, real emotional wisdom. He is enraged by the choices he made. He says he betrayed the affections people for his never ending labour. He has nothing to show for himself now that he is gone!”
“Others can fill jobs but others cannot fill broken relationships!”
“Do you not see this man beside me? Do you not feel his pain? Can you not notice this man’s regret?”
As I look through the entry I can feel the powerful emotions running through my veins. How could she be so oblivious? How did she not hear the words he spoke?
I look up at the date again. April 4th. That’s the weekend of dad’s birthday. He came to visit. He always does when it’s my birthday, his birthday or Christmas, except he brought a woman with him this time, she was friendly but I don’t know who she was!
I hear mum tell me that Stacy will be hear any minute. I don’t want her to be here! I want to see Patrick! “Mum I will be back shortly!” I yell running out the door and down the street. I flee to the graveyard. I visited them every day last week but I haven’t seen them since Monday and its Friday already!
Patrick greeted me warmly, “Where have you been, Missy? We were beginning to think you had left us for good!”
“I would never do that! Mum invited Stacy again.”
“Well it’s awfully dark; wouldn’t they be looking for you?”
“What makes you say that?” I follow Patrick’s finger as it points behind me and at Mum and Stacy. I hid behind a tree. “Patrick,” I whisper, “I don’t want to go. I want to stay with you. Why do I have to leave?”
“You don’t” He winks at me as Mum and Stacy make their way over to me. “Oh, there you are!” Mum begins “You had me worried for a minute! Well everything is fine you can come back with me and Stacy now.” I stand there and refuse. I cross my arms. “Come along now we have to go home!”
“I want to stay here with Patrick!” I look to him. He is still there he asks me who I am talking to. “My Mum” I tell him “and Stacy is here too!”
“Who is Patrick? Oh wait yes, of course. Well he’s not here I can’t see him!”
“I can see him” I’m so annoyed at mum. Why doesn’t she understand this matters to me! “And so can I!” I hear Stacy add. We all turn to look at her, including Patrick.
“Come join me! You were always meant to!” Patrick spoke kindly to me but I didn’t understand what he meant by “You were always meant to!” and that’s when it clicked. The first time we meet he said you are an inquisitive soul. I am one of them. I just wasn’t yet! That’s why I could see them! Patrick stretches out his arm and offers to help me in. I grab his hand. “Goodbye Mum” I say turning back and I wave. I hear her screams. They watch me as I slowly disappear with the rest of the souls. I asked Patrick when I get to see her again. “You don’t”!
“Baa baa black sheep have you any wool?”
“Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full!”
