Somewhere In-Between ~ An Adventure in the Afterlife

CHAPTER 28 - WHAT DO YOU WANT ON YOUR TOMBSTONE?

While Lizzie disappeared in the nurse's office that afternoon, Max wandered around the school looking for signs of Dave and his gang. He almost felt unsettled by the fact they were nowhere to be found anywhere on the school grounds. Max decided to just wait in front of the building for school dismissal. It gave him quiet time to think without distractions. He hopped up on one of the empty cars parked in front, feet dangling off the side.

Tomorrow was the funeral. Apparently the light would return and he'd have his second chance to go into it. But if he did that, he would become like her dad, unable to ever communicate with Lizzie again. He couldn't believe how attached he was getting to this girl. She was definitely the best friend he'd ever had. Sure, she could be a real pain sometimes, but they were starting to feel like a team.

What would existence be like once he crossed into the light? Here in the In-Between there was danger, sure. But at least it wasn't boring. Who would he hang out with in the next dimension? Bob?

Thoughts raced through his head.

Finally he heard the dismissal bell, and there was a rumbling sound coming from inside the building of students rushing from their classrooms. He waited to catch Lizzie and Carl come out on their way to the bus.

"Carl... sheesh..." He muttered under his breath and shook his head. He had to admit he was kind of starting to like Carl. He had a knack for research, and was very eager to be helpful. At least he doesn't seem quite interested in girls yet, he found himself thinking. And Liz doesn't seem interested in him either. "Oh, jeez!" He winced and shook his head, scolding himself. "Am I crazy? Crushing on Dizzy Lizzie?" He let himself drop completely down with his back on the hood of the car, arms lying out at his sides. "And what's the point anyway? I'm freakin' dead! Yeah, brilliant move falling for someone when I can't even hold her hand! I'm such an idiot!"

"Hi, idiot!" Lizzie's voice startled him.

Max jumped off the car. "Oh, um, hi."

Lizzie had apparently just been walking by, and didn't bother stopping. Carl walked with her, blabbing about a blog he wanted to start. Lizzie turned to look at Max with a laughing smile and mouthed the words, help me. Max chuckled and followed.

On the bus, Carl and Lizzie sat together again, with Max in the seat behind them. They spent most of the trip discussing plans of how to get their parents to allow them to go to Max's funeral. The service was during school hours, so they knew they'd have to be very convincing that they truly wanted to go for the sake of Max, not as an excuse to skip school.

"I'm doubting my mom will get to take time off work to get us to the service," Lizzie said, "but she might at least let me go if I've got someone to take me there."

"My parents both work too," Carl said, thinking. "But I do have an idea. Just tell your mom you have a ride. I'll make sure it happens, trust me."

The bus stopped and they went their separate ways. Max followed alongside Lizzie down the path to her house along the graveyard.

They stopped as they noticed a tent way back in the cemetery, and a figure digging a new grave. "Wow." Max stared. "Is that my grave?"

Lizzie couldn't help but stare as well. "Jeez," she whispered, and looked at Max. "This must feel really strange to you."

Max couldn't even decipher what he was feeling, watching his own grave being dug. "Yeah, this is definitely super weird," he finally said.

Lizzie let out a single chuckle. "Super weird. That's true, Max." She nodded, and looked again at the men digging in the distance.