Death On Two Legs

Chapter One

Delphinius woke up at 3 AM. A pale blue man was hovering over him, just a few feet away. He blinked as the man, close as he was, came into focus. "Seriously?" He grumbled as he rolled over to look at his clock. "Why always at 3 AM?" he asked, sneering. He pulled his blanket over his head, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

When Phin woke up again, it was a more tolerable time. 10 AM, Saturday. He smiled to himself as he grabbed his glasses. He sat up and stretched. He loved Saturdays, and this one was going to be better than most. He had plans with his best friends, Aboiye and Polaris. They were going ghost hunting. Sure, he was the only one who knew he could see ghosts, but Aboiye and Polaris always had fun when they went to those creepy places. Even if it did scare the shit out of him.
He stretched and yawned again before getting out of bed, pulling on a shirt and pants over his boxers as he went to the kitchen. His older sister, Andromeda was already awake. She looked up at him. "3 AM, again?" she asked. Right. His sister saw ghosts too.
He nodded. "Same guy, too. I don't know what he wants with me," he replied as he grabbed a bowl, cereal and milk. He sat down at the table across from her as he ate.
"Probably what they all want; help," Drodema replied with a small shrug. "Next time, maybe ask him?"
Phin rolled his eyes. "All he does is wake me up and stare at me. If he wants help, he should stop waking me up at 3 in the morning," Phin snarked. He looked at the TV. 'Drodema was watching that newer movie, Ghostbusters. "Funny," he said dryly.
"It's really good, actually," she said. "They're funny and the ghosts look pretty badass too." She smiled as she poured herself more cereal and looked at the TV.
"Yeah, sure," Phin said. "Anyway, I'm getting picked up by 'Boiye at noon," he said as he poured cereal and then milk into his bowl. "We're going to the abandoned place on Maple," he said.
Andy nodded and looked at her brother. "Be safe," she said, then once they finished their cereal, went into her own room. Phin followed suite.
Phin looked around his room. It was a wonder he and Andy could still live here. He supposed his late parents being friends with the landlord helped, but Andy didn't make much as a film writer. She could barely get her scripts through, being a woman and all...and a transgender woman no less. Hell, even Phin was having trouble keeping jobs when employers found out he was gay from his coworkers trying to get a promotion decided to out him. He sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. Maybe his earring gave him away too. He had gotten it in solidarity for his sister when she got her ears pierced a few years ago. He shook his head, then began to pull some clothes out of his closet. He eventually decided upon a blazer, button-up, and some jeans. His button-up had some cool stripy pattern, and if he was being honest, he looked pretty radical. He smiled shyly, then cleaned his glasses. He walked outside and presented his outfit to, the now fully ready for the day, Androdema.
"You look great!" she grinned as she pushed up her own glasses. "I think that's my old jacket," she snickered softly.
"I wear it better," Phin snarked. That just made Andy laugh.
"I'm glad," she said. "I never liked that jacket," she pulled her cardigan tighter around herself as she sat on the couch to watch the movie again. "Also, before you leave, Aiden is coming over. He's gonna stay the night too," she said, blushing slightly.
"Use protection," Phin said as he fixed his hair in the hall mirror. Aiden was Andy's longtime boyfriend. He was a pretty cool guy, considering he treated her like...well, like a queen. He really loved Phin's sister.
Andy threw a pillow at him, though she missed. "Don't be gross!" She shouted, blushing. "Just...be prepared..." she bit her lip. "I think he's gonna propose to me tonight," she said.
Phin paused. "Seriously?" he asked. He looked at his sister who had started to tear up. "H-how do you know?" He asked.
"I just...I heard a rumor from that other barista he works with. You know, Gabe?" she asked. Phin didn't. "Apparently he's been asking what kind of rings people think I will like best," she smiled, tiny tears in her eyes.
"Andy, that's awesome," Phin smiled as he sat next to her and hugged her. "If he hurts you, I'll kick his ass," he said. That got Andy to laugh as those tiny tears had begun to drip down her cheeks.
"I'm kinda scared," she whispered to her brother.
"Don't be!" Phin grinned at her. "He loves you. He did even before he knew you were 'Drodema, and he will for like...ever!" He said with a small smile as he wiped away his sister's tears.
"Thanks, Phin..." she said and finished wiping her eyes. She smiled. "Anyway, go catch some ghosts with your pals," she said and gently shoved her brother.
Phin smiled, then quickly got up and left the apartment they shared, just the two of them. He walked down the stairs, and went to the bakery next door. That was where Aboiye said he would pick him and Polaris up from. That is, if Polaris got up on time.

"Wake the hell up, ghosts!" Polaris shouted, getting frustrated.
"Shut up! You're just gonna piss them off!" Aboiye said as he smacked Polaris's arm. They were sitting down in a gross abandoned house. So far, Phin had seen at least 40 ghosts, though they were avoiding the Ouija board Polaris brough like the plague. He figured they were Catholic ghosts.
"Phin, maybe try taking a picture?" she asked, poking Phin's arm holding his trusty camera.
"I mean...you owe me more film," Phin said after debating it for a second. He quickly lifted the camera, and looked thorough the focusing screen. The flash lit up the room for a second, then the room went dark. Slowly, the camera began to whir and Phin set it in his lap. The camera began to print the picture, and Polaris snatched it as soon as it finished. She began to shake the photo like a mad woman to make it develop.
"Careful," Aboiye warned, frowning. He was much calmer than Polaris. While she was an eternal flame, Aboiye was forever chill. Honestly, if she wasn't gay they would be a cute couple, if you asked Phin. They were complete opposites, but that made for a good friendship.
"I am being careful," she squawked as the picture began to finally develop.  In the illuminated room of the image, blue flares floated around, and smack dab in the middle was a fully realized person. Granted, they were blue, but they had a head and arms and legs, nonetheless. Phin's eyes went wide. He had never gotten a picture of a ghost before. As he stared at the photo, he realized it was the 3 AM man. But... Phin looked around the room "We're surrounded," Polaris whispered in the background. Slowly, as Phin stared at the ghosts they began to look like they were rotting away. They had never done that before. The 3 AM man was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, someone grabbed his arm. He jumped, and realized it was just Aboiye.
"Phin, you ok?" he asked. "We...we wanna go," he said softly. "Polaris wants to keep the picture." Phin nodded silently. He was scared. The ghosts stared at him, their eyes just...empty. He gulped, and walked out of that horrid house with the other two.

For maybe a week, things were normal. Or, as normal as things could be for Phin. Aiden did propose, and there were plans for him to move in with Andy and Phin, and help pay rent, starting next week. The 3 AM man showed up like clock work. Things were...normal. But that couldn't last. Normal never lasted for Phin.