“Noo… do you?” Carla whined.
Almost exactly like Carla, Divya whined, “Noo… I have an idea though.” Divya bent Amber forward. “Hold her here” Carla held Amber’s shoulders in place, where Divya said to hold her. Divya winds her arm back. She brings it to contact with Amber’s back. A wet piece of popcorn came flying out of Amber’s mouth. Carla checks for Amber’s pulse once again. Carla’s eyes began to water.
“I don’t think… Amber’s… coming back.” Carla managed to squeak out. Carla laid Amber back on the side of the sofa.
A tear from Carla rolls off her cheek and lands on Divya’s hand. Divya lets out a yelp and steam sizzles off her hand. A red mark “burns” onto Divya’s hand where the tear landed. Divya’s hand shot to her breast to calm the burn.
“She can’t be.” Divya said physically and emotionally in pain, holding her hand.
More tears came out of Carla’s eyes. Divya would be crying as well if she could without burning herself.
“Amber is dead!” Carla said with her temper rising. “And we could of saved her! We were only in the kitchen! It’s all our fault!”
Carla breathed deeper and fuller, trying to calm herself. Divya rose to her feet. She was shaking. She was so young. Only twenty. We can die at any time. We all don’t live until we’re gray and old. I could die at any time. Life isn’t what it seems, now is it? Life doesn’t seem real right now, almost fake. Divya thought to herself. Divya came back to reality and heard Carla’s sobs. Divya composed herself just enough to walk over to the telephone. Without shaking, Divya began to call 9-1-1. Carla was going off again about how it was their fault.
The cops came with paramedics. Divya and Carla were questioned nonstop about the death, as Amber’s body was taken away. After the cops left, Carla and Divya reluctantly walked to their rooms closing the doors behind them. When they closed the doors, they were also closing themselves away from the rest of the world. They didn’t change into their pajamas, they didn’t brush their teeth, and they didn’t turn off the lights in the house. They were afraid the darkness would bring more death.
In Carla’s room, Carla was having a hard time just lying down. She was leaning on the backboard of the bed. Knees up. Knees down. Knees up. Carla rested her chin on her knees and hugged them tightly. She wished she could have hugged Amber one last time.
I don’t want to ever leave this place. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Not after what happened tonight.
A long low-sounding moan came from the corridor. The moan was the same tone quality of Amber’s voice.
Poor Divya. She can’t release her feelings without burning herself. I should go comfort her.
Carla swung her legs over the bed. She stood up and crossed the room to the bedroom door. She opened the door. Divya and Carla, both had their hands on their newly opened doors. They were face-to-face.
“Are you alright?” Carla asked confused. “I heard you… um moaning.”
The long low-sounding moan issued again. It wasn’t Divya’s or Carla’s. Amber came out of the Bathroom. She was rubbing her neck as if it was in pain.
“Great,” Carla puffed, “I’m seeing things now.”
Amber looked from Carla to Divya and back to Carla. Amber gasped in disbelief.
“You’re not seeing things, Carla. And neither are you, Divya.” Amber said with her voice an eerie drone.
Divya’s and Carla’s eyes bulged, jumping out of their sockets. Both girls were speechless. Finally, Divya piped up.
“You’re a ghost.”
“I’m not a ghost.” Amber countered.
“You are a ghost.” Divya countered back.
“I’m not a ghost.”
“But you’re dead.”
“So is Michael Jackson but he’s not a ghost.” Amber paused looking at her friends’ facial expressions “But seriously I’m not a ghost… I’m a poltergeist. I can travel wherever I want to.”
Carla stepped in front of Amber and held her arms out in a hug. She wrapped her arms around Amber only to have them go right through her. She was a gas and not the smelly kind, she was no longer a solid human being.
“I can’t hug you.” Carla said slightly upset.
Amber nodded, feeling guilty. Carla and Divya exchanged looks of puzzlement, still confused about the poltergeist.
“Sorry I didn’t show up sooner. Apparently, a lot of people were dying today so the office was a little busy.” Amber stated. “You girls should get going to bed. You have a big day tomorrow.” Amber looked at their more confused faces. “Finals tomorrow!” Amber paused. “I died just in time so I don’t have to take the tests. There’s a positive side.”
Divya’s face contorted into a look of fake grumpiness. “Meanie.” She said in a babyish voice. She turned around. “Goodnight.” And stalked off to her room.
Carla stared right through Amber, shaking slightly. “You’re right. I have to get a goodnight’s sleep if I want to pass.”
“Sweet dreams you two.” And then Amber disappeared.
Chapter 1
Start from the beginning
