Angel's End / reddie ghost au

Ten - The Middle Ground

Time felt different when you were a spirit, Eddie had discovered.
It felt as if time had begun to dissolve into itself, as shapeless as the rain.

You also didn't get hungry.. or tired. Both of which made Eddie feel jittery and numb without. He just felt like he was existing. Existing with no purpose and nothing to do.

He worried if he stood too still he could practically feel the time eroding through him. Leaving him behind.

Richie had made things easier however. They talked all the time. I mean, they were stuck in the same room so they had too. But Eddie genuinely enjoyed his company. He felt so comfortable around him.

Richie had had to explain to Eddie that they were trapped in his bedroom as it was the place they both manifested.
It was an aching fact for Eddie to swallow. He had so many unhappy memories attached to this room and now he was destined for eternity here.

Several weeks had past. Not that the boys could tell. The only clue they had to the amount of time that had past was the amount of knowledge they had learned about each other.

... and the amount of joking around and play fighting they did.

Eddie confided in Richie quicker than he thought he would. He made a liking to him almost quicker than he did with Bill and Beverly. He finally felt happy he had a friend, despite the dramatic circumstances.
Richie had a genuine vibe to him. Innocent, care free, just wanting to please those around him.

Eddie had faith. He had faith Richie wouldn't turn on him.
And thinking that about someone was a big deal to Eddie. He couldn't explain it but Richie felt special.

"Marco," Eddie shouted. His eyes tightly shut and arms waving around in front of him.

"Polo," Richie whispered, skipping agilely across the room, only just avoiding a whack from Eddie's crazy arms.

"Marco," Eddie repeated, stumbling in the direction he had previously heard Richie.

Richie stayed quiet for a second, silently climbing up onto Eddie's bed and standing up. Now towering over Eddie who was still blindly trying to catch him.

"Come on Rich you have to say 'Polo'" Eddie whined.

Richie grinned. He suddenly jumped off the bed and landed directly behind Eddie. Landing with a loud thwack,
"POLO!" He screamed in Eddie's ear causing Eddie to jump out of his skin.

"What the fuck Richie?!" Eddie squealed turning around and slapping his arm, "You gave me a heart attack!"

Richie burst out laughing.

"It's not funny!" Eddie exclaimed, having to try and stop himself from smiling.

Richie ran a hand through his unruly black hair and made a sad face at Eddie, "I apologise Eddie Spaghetti... and I also apologise for this..."

"Wha-," Eddie asked but was soon cut off by Richie leaping at him without warning.
Richie began tickling the small boy showing no mercy.

Eddie erupted into beautiful laughter, desperately trying to push the lanky boy off him, but Richie was too strong.

Eddie fell to the ground, practically laughing his head off, "Stop! Rich, Please!"

Richie couldn't contain his own laughter at the sight of small breathless Eddie. The tiny boys eyes were shut and he grinned the widest Richie had ever seen him smile.

"Rich please!" Eddie pleaded between more laughter, grabbing Richie's arms to try and make him stop.

Eddie was now lying with his back to the floor and Richie practically on top of him.

"Richieeeee!"

"Fine!" Richie laughed, pulling away his hands.

Eddie looked up at him. His face was so close and his legs were straddled over Eddie's hips.

Subconsciously Eddie bit his lip out of nervousness, his eyes everywhere but on Richie. But then the lanky boy seemed to move closer with those eyes that look so deeply into Eddies own.

Eddie's breathing became softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the morning light. His tiny body squirmed just a little as his muscles relaxed. There is something about that gaze of Richie's Eddie imagined he could never find anywhere else, as if in that moment their souls have made a bridge.

When Eddie slowly realised what was happening, he broke the eye contact and turned a shade of embarrassed pink.

Richie also dazed and confused about what had just happened climbed off Eddie and lay down on his back beside him.

Both boys felt so confused. Why did they both feel so hot? So breathless?
They both knew that the other had felt it too, yet neither of them felt as if they could say anything.
They felt sick but excited at the same time. Nervous but relaxed.

Without realising it, Eddie's mind decided to deal with it the same way it chose to deal with all his problems. Push it aside and ignore it.

Eddie, desperate to change the subject, broke the awkward silence, "Rich... you know when I first arrived?"

"Yeah?" Richie replied quietly. Still trying to control his quick heart beat and sweaty palms. He felt too like he needed a change of subject.

"You were going to say something but stopped. You said it was too early to tell me... Well I think it's not 'early' anymore."

Richie sighed. He rolled over onto his side to face Eddie. Eddie did the same.

"Okay." Richie breathed, his tone a bit sterner than usual.
"I don't know where to begin with this..."

"At the beginning?" Eddie smiled softly,

Richie smiled, acknowledging Eddie's comment and continuing, "Well. We- we aren't gonna be like this forever Ed's. Trapped in this room. Powerless souls... Not everyone who dies becomes a ghost."

"What- What happens to them then?" Eddie whispered, staring at Richie's concentrating face.

"They- they either go to a nice place or a bad place."

"Like heaven or hell?" Eddie asked,

"Kind of... but it doesn't matter what you believe or what God you prayed too, you either go up... or down."

"Then which are we in?"

"We are in the third place. A place called Purgatory," Richie whispered, "We are neither up or down. We are in the middle... We are in purgatory because we have unfinished business. Or a final task to fill out before our souls can finally pass on to heaven or hell."

Eddie paused, trying his best to absorb the information he was hearing, "But how do you know what your unfinished job is?"

Richie smiled sadly, "You have to figure it out."

"Do you- do you know what yours is Rich?"

Richie closed his eyes.
He nodded glumly.

And oh boy what a task to complete it was.