Seeing Ghosts

Death in the Family

  It's been four years since I first met Ghosters. They still haunt my sleep, even more than the woman living in our house. Herm and I still have to listen to her as we try to fall asleep. She even ruined our sixteenth birthday. I had a panic attack when she showed up. That was when the few friends I did have, decided I was crazy.

  Herm is the only one that sticks by me. Our oldest brothers do a bit, if people at school say anything, but they don't believe me either. Mom became worried that it wasn't just a phase of imaginary friends. So I stopped telling her. Dad tells her I'm fine, that I just need some space.

I have met a couple more nice ghosts in the last couple years. I've also had to fight some. Herm and I learned to fight at age twelve. Not long after we met the Ghosters. We asked the three to teach us. We already had to learn to protect ourselves because they liked to play rough and fight each other and us. The only one that's never fought, is Lysie. Because she's the youngest.

They group me in with the boys, I think it's because Herm and I are twins. Plus we're both very close. Even now. Especially now. In the time that we met the Ghosters, I came to realize I'm even more different than I originally thought. No one else I've ever met can touch and interact with ghosts. There's ones that can see them of course. Like the Ghosters, but not touch them.

"Eres, come on." I look up at Theo. "What?" He rolls his eyes. "Hermes and you said that you needed a ride to the old school." I nod. "Oh, right. I forgot. Where is Herm?" He shrugs. "I don't know, I figured you would. I mean, you have some sort of twin connection with him, right?" I sigh. "Not really." He shrugs. "Whatever."

I stand up. "We'll meet you at the truck. I'll go find him." He nods and walks away. I start walking towards the tree. "Herm?" I look up into the branches. His face peeks through. "Hey." I start climbing the tree. "Theo said that he's waiting at the truck to take us to the old school." He nods. "Alright." I look around.

"The view is still as amazing as when we were kids." He smiles. "That's true. Have you seen any today?" I shake my head. "Have you heard any?" He shakes his head. "No." I nod. "I guess we should go. Theo will get mad if we don't." I climb down. He lands beside me. "Lets go." We walk towards the truck. I sigh.

Theo has the truck on, waiting. Herm is wearing a grey hoodie. I have on a grey tank top. We climb into the truck. "Here, put this on." Herm hands me a black hoodie. I smile. "Thanks. What's wrong with my tank?" He looks at me. "It's cold outside. It makes me cold to see you in that." I nod and put it on. "Ready?" We look at Theo.

"Yes, thanks again for driving us." He nods. "I was planning to go to town anyway." Theo is eighteen now, and he has a girlfriend. Almost every evening he goes into town to eat supper with her. That's why we ask him to drive us. Denny and Jason are busy doing other things.

"If you're still here when I'm on my way home, I'll drive you. If you're walking, just be careful." We climb out. "Thank you." We wave as he drives off. I start walking to the school. Herm is close behind. "I miss them. We didn't even know them long." I nod. "At night, I can still hear her pleas." He looks at me. "I'm sorry." We sit beside the wall.

He blames himself, for making us leave, but if he hadn't, those men might have taken us. "Thank you Herm, for coming here with me." He nods. "They were my friends too. Besides, I can't let you come here alone." I lean my head on his shoulder. He puts his arm around me.

"Why are you here?" I freeze up as the woman appears in front of me. His arm tightens around me. "This school is officially off limits. It's been walked by evil. Ghosters came here." I nod. "We were here. They took my friends." She puts her face right in front of me. I squeeze my eyes shut. "It's okay." I nod. She laughs. "I'll haunt you." Herm pats my head. "Please go."