What's It Like To Be A Ghost? (Andley)

Madness

Andy stood on the other side of the worn, yet threatening fence that was intended to keep out trespassers. Before him was the rickety old house, the front porch steps sunken in and rotten. He looked over his shoulder at his house to make sure his parents bedroom light was still turned off, and turned back around.

"Alright. You can do it, Andy. Just- Go in and ask him." Andy muttered to himself. "I can't believe I'm giving myself a pep talk to interrogate a ghost..." He added under his breath as he found his way inside the old structure.

As soon as he was inside, Ashley appeared in front of him. He smiled, becoming fully solid in his visibility.

"You came back..." He mumbled, pleased. Andy shrugged, sliding his backpack off his shoulder and sitting on the dusty sofa.

"I keep promises." Andy responded, offering a smile in return. Ashley lowered himself onto the spot on the other end of the couch, gazing at Andy curiously. "What?"

Ashley shook his head and looked away. "Nothing."
"It's something." Andy cocked a brow.

The ghost looked at him again, his eyes seemingly glowing faintly in the darkness of the room. "I just haven't really... had a conversation in a while." He furrowed his brows. "I kind of forgot how nice it was."
Andy nodded and shifted to face him directly, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Then lets have a real conversation." Andy smiled. "We can talk about anything you like."

Ashley thought for a moment. "Anything?"
Andy nodded to confirm, a smile still on his face.

The dark eyes scanned the room and then landed back on Andy, lingering for a moment.

"Have you ever been in love?" Ashley murmured quietly. Andy felt a blush creep onto his features, but it was a bit too dark in the room to really tell. In response, he shook his head, tilting his head curiously to hear where the question would lead.

"I was. A long... long time ago." Ashley sighed sadly. "It was this boy I knew when I was alive. He was smart... A bit hardheaded, but smart. He had what I thought to be the most perfect sense of humor. He- actually he was kind of like you are." 

Andy blushed darker. "Me?"
"Yeah." Ashley laughed quietly. "Stubborn as hell..."
"Oh." Andy rolled his eyes. "Thanks."
"I call it how I see it." Ashley grinned a bit. That smug expression faded as he moved on, turning into a frown. "You have a heart though, unlike him."

Andy sat up a bit, frowning as well. "Wait, I don't understand. You dated him, didn't you?"
"Oh I did more than date him." Ashley scoffed. "I was like a slave to that asshole. He treated me like dirt but I- I still loved him." He knit his brows together as he scowled at the dusty floor. "I was such a blind fool to think he cared about me for one second."

Andy chewed on his lip, suddenly feeling hesitant to speak. Something about the mood set by the story had made him a bit... uneasy. "What did he do to you...?" His voice came out as soft and shaky.

Ashley pursed his lips tightly into a thin line. 

"Manipulated the hell out of me. I started sneaking out, I started drinking, and partying when I could. I joined a fucking gang for him, and when I wanted out, he didn't take it well."

Andy's eyes widened. "Hold up- a gang?" His hands immediately flew towards his backpack, unzipping the top pocket zipper.

Ashley nodded slowly. "What about it?" He sighed.

"Nothing, it's just- What can you tell me about it? Because I was going through these pictures and I-" He had pulled the photo album out of the bag and set it on his lap at this point, his hand beginning to lift the cover.

Ashley's presence immediately became tense and cold, angry almost.

"Where did you get that." He hissed.

Andy looked at the album and then at Ashley. "I got it from my neighbor. He lent it to me-"
"Put it away." Ashley snapped.

Andy frowned. "Why? I just wanted to ask you about some photos."
Ashley narrowed his eyes, and Andy could tell he wasn't playing around. Before he could react further, Ashley made a swift hand movement and the photo album went flying across the room.

"What the hell, Ashley!?" Andy scowled, standing up to go get it. "I'm trying to help you!"
"No!" Ashley snarled, making another swift movement with his arm and with that Andy went flying to the other side of the room, his head colliding with the edge of the fireplace. The pain in his head spread to the rest of his body as his vision began to fade out to black. The last thing he saw was a small, controlled patch of flames.

Ashley was burning the photo album.