Michael's Ghost Girl

Urban Legends Along the Highway

Part Two: Summer

Time was passing, but bringing no resolution. Spring was showing the promise of summer to come as the days grew longer. Michael's second CT scan was normal and after a week he returned to school. Dewey walked Kit home from the bus stop after her ballet lessons until Michael could take over. Every time Michael walked past the house, he could not bear to look at it and turned his head away.

The missing girl had not turned up. The police department was now declaring her a "possible homicide", but had no clues to follow. Her case went from front page news to the back page and then slowly disappeared. Except for her grieving parents, it was as if she had never existed.

Michael wanted to celebrate his sixteenth birthday with little fanfare. His parents thought otherwise and splurged and charged a mountain bike on a credit card to compensate for his temporary banishment from his skateboard. They were desperate to do something to help relieve the melancholy that seemed to engulf him. Michael had to blink away tears when they brought him downstairs to see it that morning. He'd asked for nothing for his birthday because he knew his parents' finances. Seeing the shiny blue Trek in the living room filled him with a mixture of joy, gratitude--and guilt.

Dewey expressed admiration when he saw it. He had turned seventeen and now had his driver's license. His parents had purchased him a small used car, though limits had been placed on just when he was allowed to drive it. Still, it was a car, a first step to adulthood that was approaching far too quickly, if he gave himself time to think about it. College was looming and he did not feel ready.

Short Round's sixteenth birthday was approaching. Feeling an emotion—guilt—that he claimed he did not possess, he wanted to mend fences with Michael but did not know how without sacrificing his pride.

What would Grandfather have told him? If he had asked him what he should do, his grandfather would have thumped him on his head and said, "Go see your friend and tell him you're sorry". In those days that was all it would have taken.

A few days later, he was alone at the skate park, waiting. Ordinarily he enjoyed having it to himself, not having to share, but today the concrete course seemed too empty. He had the feeling that if he stood at the bottom and yelled, there would be an echo that would go on and on until it passed into infinity. People strolled past the park; some stared at the young Asian boy in his torn t-shirt and mohawk holding his skateboard, shaking their heads. Short Round pretended he didn't care. He lived his life rushing headlong through it, as if he had no plans, caring for nothing. Those close to him knew better.

He felt guilty about how he had treated Mike. Apologizing did not come easily to him, but he was going to swallow his pride so he would not lose his friend. Mikes' friendship was worth more than his ego.

He looked at his watch: it was almost time. "Don't be late," Dewey had warned him. As if on cue, Michael and Dewey entered the skate park together, Michael pushing his BMX. Dewey held up his hand in greeting, Michael looked as though he didn't know what he should do. Short Round watched the two confer quietly, then Dewey pushed Michael towards the Short Round.

Here goes, Short Round thought. He forced a smile wanting badly to make this work. 

"How are you going to retain your title of king of the skate park riding that thing, Blondie?" he pointed to Michael's bike.

"I'm better on my BMX any day of the week than you are on your skateboard, just wait till the doc clears me to skate again." Michael was smiling the broad grin that few saw these days.

"You think?" Short Round countered, "Look, dude, I'm sorry—for everything. I mean it. I let my temper get the better of me and I said a lot of things I wish I hadn't." He looked at Michael, searched his eyes, hoping the apology was enough, however brief it had been.