Alice

It had been a long time since he had died. He had been burnt at the stake, accused of being a whitch. When he came back, he thought he had some unfinished buisness. It soon became clear that wasn't the case. He didn't want revenge either, and he didn't have anyone to look out for. He had no reason for being back.

Another thing. No one saw him, ever. He couldn't even interact with objects, and not even real mediums could sense his presence.

He soon started drifting. That is what he called the long periods of lethargy, similar to falling asleep. When the living invented the internet, he came out of his trance only to follow someone with Netflix with a habit of binge-watching.

And, like that, years passed. He didn't know exactly how long he had been dead. He lost count after a hundred years.

However, one normal day, everything changed.

"Excuse me!"

He sighed. This girl had been calling out to nothing the past hour.

"Oi! The floating guy! The one who is kinda transparent!" That made him pause and look at her.

"You... you can see me?" He asked. He seemed shocked.

"Well, who else have I been calling out to this past hour then?"

He floated down, looking at her in the eye. Her eyes followed his movements. She was looking at him.

"How?" He said in a tiny voice.

"Well, who knows. Hey, are you a ghost?"

"Yes"

"Cool!" She exclaimed "How did you die?"

He debated telling her. She looked old enough, about nineteen, so it was fine. Also, he seemed to have heard somewhere that the which burnings were seen as needless deaths, so she probably wouldn't be scared of him.

"I was burned at the stake." He finally said

She winced "Ugh. That's horrible"

He smiled "It is."

"Hey, subject change, what's your name?"

He thought hard and long. "I- I don't seem to be able to remember. Sorry"

She smiled at him, a consoling smile. He loved that smile.

"Well, would you like me to name you?"

"YES- ehem, yes please"

She smiled again, this time bright, and he couldn't help but to join in.

"Well, if I'm Alice, then you are... The Mad Hatter!" She exclaimed "A bit of a mouthful though, so I'll just call you Hatter. Is that okay with you'"

Hatter smiled "Perfect"

Years passed. He always stuck by Alice. Even when her friends and family, worried about her seeing things that weren't there, sent her to a mental hospital. Even when she became sick. Even when she died. Hatter always stayed by her side. Even when she started to rot, he stayed with her.

Sometimes, he saw her. And they played together. Just a ghost and a girl