I looked over at the girl beside me, she had obviously had a harder time coming to terms with her death than I had and was still crying silently beside me. Inside the taxi in such close quarters I realised that she smelled good too. She smelled lightly of flowers in a way that was not overpowering, just beautiful like her. I saw her slender pale hand resting on the seat between us and without thinking I took it and squezed it gently in affetion. She hesitated for a second and my heart missed a beat and I thought I had done the absolute wrong thing and then she squezed my had back. I let the breath I had been holding in out in a sigh and smiled.
"I'm Matt"
"Ruben"
Matt then turned her head and continued to look out of the window, I was so scared that I was doing the wrong thing, but I comforted myself in that at least she wasn't crying anymore. This time I stayed awake for the whole journey and saw the town of Hagley passing by the windows. It was much like the world I had left. The trees were turning orange with the change of the seasons and the wind blow up crisp wrappers and moved them across the street. We headed to the edge of town and the houses grew further apart and there were more trees lining the streets. It was then we rounded the corner and Houghten Mews came into view. The taxi driver opened the door for Matt and together we walked up the stairs to each of our appartments. She was on the floor above me in flat 3c and when we reached the door she began to cry again.
"Do you want me to come in at all?" I asked nervously as I found myself fiddling with my sleave.
"No, your alright Ruben. I just want to go to sleep"
"Okay fine, if you need anything..." I let the sentance trail off as I saw a frown form on her face. "Well, see you around" She turned and opened the door and went into her flat. My heart sank as the door closed. I had a little silent prayer then that I had not messed another thing up.
I made my way back down the stairs and looked at the clock. It was 4 in the afternoon. I considered my options, it was too late to go and explore the town but too early just to watch television and then go to bed. I moved into the living area and flicked through some papers on the coffee table that I had overlooked the first time that I was in the flat, my flat, I corrected myself. Amongst them was a map, on which the location of a supermarket was labeled. I decided I was going to make myself a really nice dinner. I grabbed my keys and shoved a couple of the notes I had been given into my back pocket.
On returning to the flat I unpacked the ingrediants to make a lasagne and began making the red sause. At about 6 o'clock I sat down to my diner, when I heard a knock at the door. Confused, I made my way into the hallway and looked through the peep hole. Outside stood Matt wearing the same clothes the people at the hospital had given her and she looked half asleep and very vunrable.
I opened the door and she staggered in. She looked so small and delicate. So I placed my arm round her waist to support her. She shuddered and almost immediately shrugged out of my hold. Annoyed with myself I walked over to the kitchen and plated up another portion of the lasagna and placed it on the table opposite where I was sat and motioned for her to join me.
Slowly she made her way over a sat down with me. She ate my food like she had never eaten before in her life. I watched her fasinated as she wolfed down her plate. She was about half way through when she looked up. She blushed and then continued to eat, taking smaller bites and chewing her food.
"I don't mind. I'm glad your enjoying it so much." I gave her what I thought was a reassuring smile. However she continued to eat the rest of her meal slowly. I shugged and tucked into my own grub. Once I had finished I asked her if she wanted any pudding and she shook her head. Just that movement sent my heart into overdrive again and I had to look away under the excuse of taking the plates to the sink in order to hide my blush. Once I had washed them up I turned back to face her while leaning up on the side counter. We stayed like that for several awrkard minutes with me watching her and her staring intently at a crub on the table.
I sighed and went into the living room and turned the TV on and flicked to the news. I had left the door open as an invitation for Matt to come and join me but she did not come. About 10 minutes into the news I heard her chair scrape across the floor and her feet pad across the carpet and out the front door. I exhaled heavily and turned back to the television. I sat there for a couple of hours just watching whatever was on, while worrying for Matt upstairs then flicked it off and walked up the stairs and knock on the door of flat 3c.
There was no answer so I tried the handle on the door and it opened.
"Matt?" I called out. There was no reply so I walked in a little further and closed the door behind me.
"Matt?" I tried again a little louder this time and there was still no answer. It was then I noticed the sound of taps running in the bathroom. I crossed the floor to the door and knocked on it. Yet again there was no answer.
"Matt?" I was worried now, remembering what I had done on my first evening here and hammered on the door. Silence.
"Matt, I'm coming in now okay?" I took the silence as it being okay for me to go in and I rammed my sholder against the door to break it down.
"Oh god, Matt" I made my way over to the bath where she lay in scolding hot water, that had turned her white skin red. I quickly turned off the taps and grabbed a towel. I slipped my hands behind her shoulders and pulled her out of the water. She stood in the center of the bathroom shivering from the tempurature change while I gently dabbed her dry with her towel. Tears slide slowly down her face. Once she was dry I wrapped her up in the towel and took her into the bedroom, I got her some clothes from the wardrobe. I chose clothes that looked loose fitting and would not rub on her scalded skin. I held the clothes out to her and turned my back while she dressed herself.
"Thank you, Ru" She said in a voice so quiet that I questioned for a moment if she had actually spoke at all.
I merely smiled at her and motioned towards the bed. She climbed in it and I sat in the chair by the door while she drifted off to sleep. Before I left the flat I fetched her a glass of water and placed it by her bed and wrote a note.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matt,
Don't worry about last night I was pretty screwed up the first night I stayed here too.
Stay in the flat until I get here in the morning, after I have been to the pharmacy to
get something for your skin I shall drop in.
See you tomorrow,
Ruben
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With that I left the flat and returned downstairs stripped off my clothes and set an alarm for 7.30 the next morning and slipped into a frettful sleep of girls in baths and her crying face.
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What happens next? (A love story in the afterlife)
RomanceRuben has never felt so alive and he's dead?! When Ruben decides he has had enough of his life. It means he has had enough and decides to find out what the afterlife could be like. Ruben meets Matt, a girl who is murdered in cold blood, and finds fr...
