Ghost Boy (Lams)

The Celebration

"I suggest you do it sooner rather than later then," Alex sighed, walking his bike back across the road with John floating on his back beside him, hands resting on the back of his head and gazing up at the sky.

"You know what, I'll go tonight then," John nodded slowly, glancing over at Alex.
"That's the spirit," Alex beamed. "Uh, pun intended," he added with a laugh. John chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Let's hope my family hasn't missed me too much," he sighed bitterly.

---

John arrived outside his front door, slowly floating down to stand with his hands shoved in his pockets. Inside he could hear... laughter?

John frowned and hesitantly stepped inside, through the front door, and his posture instantly convulsed protectively. The laughing only became louder, it was mainly a man's booming laughter.
John squinted carefully and continued walking in, finally arriving in the kitchen and living room.

His stomach dropped and he clutched the fabric of his hoodie pockets in his fists, staring ahead with wide eyes. His siblings were nowhere to be found, but his Dad stood centre of the room with a pint of something alcoholic, his mates from work all crowded in the kitchen also sporting alcoholic beverages, there was maybe 10 of them, a few bringing their wives along too.

John came closer, leaning against the wall trying to catch what they were talking about.
"Listen, Henry, we're sorry you lost your son, it's a horrible-" one of his colleagues chuckled lightly but Henry waved him off dismissively, tipping back another sip of his drink.
"It's been a blessing in disguise,"

"A blessing? My death was a blessing?" John hissed under his breath, his stomach swirling uneasily.
"How so?" One of the colleagues piped up with a chuckle.
"The boy was gay, couldn't have him ruining the Laurens family name," his Dad scoffed bitterly with a slight slur, earning a few hearty chuckles from some of the men. John felt tears prickle his eyes but he hastily blinked them back. So this is how his death was taken? A celebration?

"To be fair, I ruined it when I married his mother!" He laughed drunkenly.

Last straw. He had been here five seconds and Henry was already dissing his Mom. John's whole body felt like it was lit on fire. He flew up and smashed one of the lightbulbs on the ceiling, feeling no pain in his fist as he blew out the light. The laughter abruptly stopped and people looked up at the ceiling, the room a little darker now due to the loss of a light.

"What was that?" One of the women muttered timidly.
"Just-"
Henry was cut off when John smashed another bulb. He stormed across the island bench, smashing each light down until the room was plunged into pitch black. "Alright what the fuck is going-"

"I don't care about you being glad I'm dead, honestly! I expected it!" John laughed bitterly, not that anyone could hear him, kicking a platter of crackers and cheese off the bench and smashing it into the floor, earning a few screams and yelps. "But do not bring Mom into this!" he roared, launching forward and grabbing henry by the collar of his shirt, hovering up and holding him suspended in the air.

One of the men fumbled to his phone and switched on the inbuilt flashlight, a chorus of screams erupting as Henry's dinner guests saw him suspended midair, kicking and thrashing in John's grip, but every wild swing of his fists swung straight through John.

John stared right into his father's eyes with a cold steely glare, and for just a split second, a flash of recognition sparked in Henry's eyes before John threw him to the floor, bursting up into the ceiling and flying out through the roof, disappearing into the night.