Ghost Boy

Ch 1. The Funeral

Huh? What's going on?
Why's everyone crying?

I wave my hand in front of my friend's face, "Caleb! Dude, don't ignore me."

"He can't hear or see you kid." An old man says from the corner of the room near the organ.

I stare at him, "What do you mean?"

The old man frowns, "look in the coffin my boy."

I walk slowly up the isle to the casket, looking in.

I freeze, "No... No, this can't be happening."

The person inside the coffin.. is me. Pale white, and dead.

"This is just a dream Lock, you'll wake up soon. It's just a dream."

The old man sighs, "I'm sorry kid, but it isn't a dream. You're dead."

I feel like I'm about to cry. "No, I can't be dead! How did I die?!"

"Look at the fliers."

In loving memory of Lock who died in a car accident.

"Oh.. so that's how I died.."

"Do you not remember what happened my child?" The man asks.

"No.. I don't."

He smiles, "Do you want me to show you the last few minutes of your life..?"

I sigh, "yeah.. I do..."

Everything goes black.. and then I'm in the back seat of my sister's car.

"Siri, text Caleb."

I look at the driver, It's me driving the car.

'What would you like me to say to, Caleb' the robotic voice of my Siri says.

"I'll be there soon, I love you asshat."

'Are you ready for me to send it?'

"Yes"

'All right I'll send it.'

The truck infront of me stops suddenly, I hit the breaks. The car swerving on the icy road. The car spins off the road, tumbling into a ditch crashing head on into a tree. Then pain, I feel it. My arm, I can't move it.
I reach for my phone to call help,
"Help is on its way." Said the lady on the phone.

I call my sister.
"Hey there fursuit, what's up, where are you?"
"Keykey.. h-help.." I said tears running down my face.
"Lock, what happened? Are you okay?"
"Your car is wrecked.. I'm sorry..."
"Lock. Talk to me, what happened are you ok? Are you out of the car?"
"I can't move.. the car is upside down..."
"Lock I'll get Naia to call help. Where are you?"
"I love you.. I hope you know that.. you were always my favorite sister..."
I hear her crying, "you are going to come home safely. You hear me? You are going to come home."
"I love you. . ."

Then everything goes dark.

I look over at keykey, her eyes are red and puffy. Tears rolling down her face, hugging the security doll I used to love. As well as Caleb's arm.

"You may as well enjoy your funeral while it lasts. Then you can watch any one of your family as you'd like." The man sighs.

Caleb stands up and walks up to the microphone, note cards in his hand.

He clears his throat, and starts to speak; "Lock was my best friend. I've known him since first grade, where he came up to me demanding that I become his friend. And honestly, I think I was afraid of him." "One of my first memories of Lock was when we just started becoming friends, we were outside on a walk with our class. And me, being the questionably 'hetero' first grader I was. Attracted quite a few girls, and I'm not sure if Lock was jealous or not. But when a girl asked if I'd like to walk with her lock jumped in front of me. Saying that we were  walking together, and he dragged me away from her as fast as he could." Caleb wipes the tears out of his eyes and continues. "Lock was one of the nicest people I've ever had the honor of knowing. He talked me out of almost killing myself so many times, and I wish I could've done something to save him. He was. M-my best fr-friend. And I don't k-know what I'll ever do without him." Caleb surprised me on how long he was able to keep his sobbing at bay. "I'm s-sorry..." Caleb sighs, "Lock was the type of person to defend you if someone was being hurtful or didn't respect your boundaries. He was headstrong and had a temper. But I loved him. I never told him how much he ment to me. And I should've said it aloud sooner. But I was afraid to lose that rude asshole of a boy who we called our family, or friend."
"The last things he said to me was 'I'll be there soon, I love you asshat.' Oh, he had such a way with words. My response to him was "I love you too loser." But it sent too late. I'll never forget him, and I'll always love him. And I'll try to stay alive a little bit longer, for him. It's what he would've wanted.." " I've never believed in a life after death or ghosts. But a part of me hopes that it exists, just because I want to see him again. He will live on in our hearts, and his memory will never be forgotten."

I smile, "he's trying too hard to keep the tears back."

The old man grunts, "most people choose to stay hidden. But if you choose now. One of the people in your life will be able to see you."

"Really?!"

He nods, "it's to make the pain more bearable for them, until they're ready to let go. But they'll only be able to see you once you're ready."

I smile, looking back and forth between my sister and my best friend. As people cycle out of the room, Caleb lingers behind, a look of shock on his face as he stares at where I stand.

The man laughs, "so, you made a decision I see."

I look at him, "What do you mean?"

"He saw you.."

"But How?!"

"Caleb.. you coming?" My sister asks, waiting for him at the door.

Caleb looks over at her, a sad smile on his face. "Yeah.. you go on ahead, I'll catch up with you soon. I just need some time with him... before I say goodbye."

He walks over to my coffin, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket.
And with a sigh, he starts to read. "Lock, I know you aren't alive and you can't hear me reading this, but I'm telling you how I feel about you. You've always been there for me. You dealt with that one ex of mine, you saved me from myself multiple times, and I want to thank you for that.
You made me feel like everything was going to be okay. And I wish I could've thanked you for it. But life has always treated me terribly. And I've learned that all good things that happen to me end sooner than they should. Life is hell, and without you I might not be able to bear it.
I never told you how much I loved you, and if you were still alive.. hell, I'd kiss you. You were the best thing that could've ever happened to me. And I'll never forget you. The day you died.. I was going to tell you how I felt, if you handled it okay I would've asked you out.. god, you're such an asshole. You died too soon. I didn't get to let you know that I love you so much. And all those times that we, being two gays, would Tell each other 'no homo' after we complimented each other or 'flirted' with each other. I just wish you were still alive with me, because my world is ending without you..."

He looks at my lifeless body, then, taking a flower out of one of the bouquets, he places it under my hands along with the note before walking out.

The old man sighs, "You have to follow him."

"Why-"

"Go now, I have other funerals to attend to." He groans

"May I ask, who are you?" I inquire

"Why," he grins " I am death."
And with that, he's gone.