A/N: Long one-shot, so buckle your seatbelt.
What is it like to die?
Many people ask this question in their minds, especially Aaron. He wondered this ever since he was five. His grandmother passed around that time and he wondered if death was really all that bad. Did it hurt? Was there an afterlife? All the question bouncing around in his young mind. Which something those questions in his mind slipped out his mouth which made heads turn. Kids begin labeling him as "the weird kid." Since he was so fascinated with all the supernatural and strange. He would read books on it, watch videos on YouTube about, and sometimes ask his late grandmother about it.
After switching schools at age sixteen, the bullying became unbearable. Throwing food, being in a cramped locker, and even name calling was a daily struggle. Aaron did not have a chance to fit in, he was forever known as the weird kid that liked death. They even named him, Ghost Boy, even if the kids did not treat him like a ghost. Not invisible to the world, but bullies parade his weirdness like he was some kind of attraction. A freak show on display for everyone to see, to gaze upon his deformities, to stare at his oddness, and to mock him for being different. Aaron sometimes wished he was a ghost since he wants to be free from gravity, to be able to fly away from his troubles. To be free from all things that are horrible in this world.
At lunch, he was in his favorite spot, under a deformed tree. He was writing poems in his journal. When he notice something, even if he did not look up yet. He saw a figure moving closer and closer to him. There was not any kids near by nor would they ever come back here. He then looked up and he saw it. A
boy looking about his age, facing away from him looking up at something. Aaron looked up as well and saw a red kite in a tree. The boy ran over and started to climb up the tree. Once he climbed up, he scooted closer to the kite until he was with arms reach. The boy tried to grab it, but he slipped and almost fell off the tree. His little arms were holding to the branch for dear life.
"Help me!" He screamed looking at me dead in the face.
Aaron sat there stunned and the boy's fingers slipped, causing him to fall. Aaron closed my eyes not bearing to see what was next. He open my eyes, hearing the bell ringing, he realized that he fallen asleep. Feeling his heart beating out of his chest, still seeing the terror on the boy's face. Hearing his scream ringing in his head. While standing up, he could of sworn he saw a red kite stuck in the branches. He snapped out of it, heading back to the school. Alone, he walked back to his locker. Still scarred of what his psycho brain dreamt of. It was so real, making in feel like ice. His eyes is what he remembered the most, his sky blue eyes staring deeply into his soul. He tried to shake off the fear as he head to his next class.
*After school*
Alone again. Walking in a straight line not making any eye contact with anyone, but the sidewalk. Counting all the crack that he walked by. Hearing nothing, but him whispering the numbers to himself. Only he heard rustling to his left. He looked toward the woods that was next to him, but saw nothing. It was still and quiet, almost too quiet. He slowly walks away, reassuring himself that it was just a squirrel looking for nuts. He heard it again which made him sprint a few blocks. Once he would far enough, he started walking again. Not even a few minutes later, he heard someone giggling. He looked around and saw nobody. No people walking the sidewalks, nobody is outside, the neighborhood looks dead. He looked down, starting to walk again. He heard foot sides walking behind him, he turned around and saw nobody.
"W-Who's there?" Aaron said fearfully.
Silence was the only thing that answered back. Aaron though he was going mad. It's all in his head, don't panic, is what he keeps repeating in his mind. He takes a deep breath and walks forward. He went back to his solitary game of counting the cracks. Only he saw someone standing there as he was coming closer and closer to home. They looked so familiar, once he was close. Aaron was only a few feet away. He saw them, the boy about his age. He was standing in front of his house, looking up at the three trees planted in the front yard. He giggles and runs to the middle tree. Aaron looks up and see a red kite. Once he went to look down at the boy, he disappeared. Once he looked back up at the tree, the kite vanished as well. Aaron rubbed his eyes and squinted a little to see his vision was off. Only he knew it was his mind playing tricks on him. So he shook his head, walked into the house to finished homework, and rethinking everything.
*Later That Same Night*
Tired. Five hours of homework and studying for the history exam can give a person a terrible migraine. Staring at the boring text for long periods of times their eyes hurt like hell. Aaron turned off the light and started was rubbing his head; he was trying to prevent the migraine from becoming worst. He did not have any pain killers since his mom could not afford it. So he laid in bed as his head throbs.
He laid in bed as he attempted to sleep in this lonely house. The wind started to whistle, the trees begin tapping on his window because of it. It scared Aaron at first, but he start becoming use to the annoying sound.
"H-Hi," a voice said suddenly.
Aaron shot up out of his bed as soon as he heard the voice. He looked around, but only saw darkness. Panic sets in and starts crippling Aaron's ability to do anything. So the only working ability he had was his speech.
"W-Who's there?" Aaron asked with a shaky voice,"Please don't h-hurt me.."
"I w-won't hurt you," the voice said back,"I won't hurt a f-fly let alone a human being."
The room suddenly feels colder, Aaron's heart was beating out of his chest. Too scared to move a muscle. He heard footsteps coming closer to his bed. Aaron begins to cry his eyes out since it was too much for him.
"N-No please don't cry," it said with reassures,"I-I promise I won't hurt you, I just want to t-talk."
Aaron cannot find any fiber in is being to run or even move. Something about this presence is so... alluring. Inventing even, the voice seemed so calm and warm. Still terrified, but also curious, Aaron turn towards the voice. He saw nothing, but a silhouette.
"W-Who are you?" Aaron whispered.
"M-My name is H-Hayes," he said sounding timid.
"Don't be afraid, Hayes." Arron said feeling safe,"Come here."
"No, I don't want you to see m-me, especially like t-this," he said hearing his voice well up with tears.
"Okay, if you don't feel comfortable yet then that's fine," Aaron said smiling,"So why are you here?"
"It was my old house, I come visit it from time to time," Hayes said sounding more confident,"Do you w-want a tour?"
"I've already had one, but thank you," Aaron said politely.
"You haven't seen all of the rooms, there's my secret room," Hayes says with a giggle.
Aaron smiled at that since it sounded so innocent and pure like a child. It sounded so adorable. Aaron quickly snapped out of it and heard something creaking like a door, but all his doors are shut. He then sees a light coming through the wall. It was a secret door, when it opened it was filled with all kinds of toys, games, and many other fun stuff. Aaron was in awe as stared into this secret paradise. He stepped into this toy land and looked at all these things.
"Oh my... goodness gracious," Aaron said excitedly,"It's absolutely wonderful!"
"I-I'm glad you like it," Hayes said sounding content,"Would you like to have one of the games or toys?"
"M-Me? Oh no I couldn't possibly take any of this," Aaron said shyly.
"Why not? I literally scared you almost to death," he said,"It's the least I can do, so pick one."
Aaron looked all around, gazing at the many train sets, action figures, and stuff animals. It was nothing like Aaron has ever seen before. He then saw a little teddy bear, old and raggedy, but still adorable. Aaron quickly walked to it and held it in his arms. He looked closely at the stitching of the bear. Aaron smiled down at it, as he becomes lost in its little button eyes. Aaron turns around and looks at the door.
"C-Can I have this?" Aaron asks nervously.
"Ben the Bear? Of course you can," he said giggling,"He was my best friend, I used to be afraid of the dark, but he kept me safe. So now he can protect you."
Aaron smiles down at the bear and hugs it tightly. He begins to yawn and stretches a little. Aaron begins to sleepily walk out of the room and started heading to bed. He heard the door behind him shut as he climbs into bed. Aaron lays down as he brings the bear close to his chest. He feels the blankets being draped over him as he slowly drifts off to sleep.
"Hayes?" Aaron mumbles.
"Yes?" Hayes answers.
"Can you stay here?" Aaron asked as his heart beats fast.
"Well, I'm not planning on going anywhere," Hayes replied.
"Good, because maybe tomorrow after I come home you can take me on a tour," Aaron says as he drifts off to sleep.
The next morning, Aaron woke up, smiling for for the first time in a long time. Thinking it was still a dream, his smile starts to fade until he saw the teddy bear at his side. His smile grow and his heart raced with excitement. He couldn't wait until the end of the day. So he jumped out of bed and began getting ready. The sun seemed to shine brighter to him. The sky seem less gray. All the colors seemed to be brighter. While he was heading to school, he stood up tall and smiled brightly. All his classmates looked at him weirdly, like he was an alien of some sorts. Everything was going fine, nobody was bothering Aaron, until lunch.
Aaron was sitting in his spot away from everyone. Only the bullies found him. One of them pinned him against the tree and started screaming the hurtful names in his face. The names like the knives that people stab the innocent with. The bully kept slamming him against the tree as he yelled. Nobody came to help him, no teacher stopped them. Aaron was just weak and let them throw him around like a rag doll. They slammed him into the tree one more time and let him fall on the hard ground. All the sounds around became distant, all the colors became darker. All he remembers seeing before he falls unconscious was someone running up to him.
When he walks up, he's a hospital bed with an I.V. in his arm. Panicking of the realization of being in a hospital, he begins hyperventilate and started to cry. A nearby nurse saw this and attempted to comfort poor Aaron. Conveniently, Aaron's mother was walking down the hallway with flowers. Seeing her son awake, but also having an anxiety attack, she rushes to her side, soothing him. Aaron looks up at his mother with tears in his eyes and hugged her tightly.
"H-How did I get here? Why am I her-" Aaron asked anxiety in his tone.
"Shh, you were brought here in an ambulance, you lost a lot of blood," she said stroking his cheek,"Thank God you're alright."
The mother and Aaron talked for hours on end. Until the topics of ghost arise, his mother was surprised on all the knowledge he knew of the supernatural. She was intrigued as she listened to her son talk about many legends and investigations that were in some of his books. He showed her the many videos he watches and his mom enjoyed every second.
"Oh that reminds me," she said rummaging through her purse,"I found this online."
It was an old new paper with the headline saying,"Youngest Son of a Local Family Beaten to Death by Father." Intrigued by the story he read it and he was astonished on what it said. Apparently, in the 1960's, a family of three kids lived in the current house that Aaron and his mother are living in now. As he reads on, it says that the father was known to beat his children, but has been the hardest on his youngest son. He was known to have a stuttering problem and his father would become furious and called him a retard at any chance he received. This made the young boy's stuttering problem become worse. One day, the boy's kite got stuck in the trees, while he was getting it out, he fell out of the tree. Miraculously, he survived the large fall. Only not even two weeks later, while the boy was laying in bed, the father snapped, beating his son to death, using multiple objects, like his bare hands, a pan, screwdrivers, and many other items for his death to be slow and painful. He died on his sixteenth birthday, June 8th, 1965. The boy's name is Benjamin Grier. Aaron looked at the picture of the boy and he looked oddly familiar. Then suddenly he remembered seeing that exact boy falling out of the trees when he was trying to untangle the kite out of the trees. Not daring to tell his mother about his realization, he remained quiet and tried to act natural.
A few hours later, Aaron was released from the hospital and sent home. Once he stepped into his room, he was looking for any sign of Hayes. It was extremely quiet, almost too quiet. He called out to Hayes, but there was no answer. Aaron turned off the lights and sat in his bed. Then he heard faint heavy breathing. Coming from the dark side of his room. Crying became audible to Aaron and he knew it was Hayes.
"Hayes, is that you?" Aaron whispers.
"Y-Yes," Hayes stutters.
"Can I ask you two questions?" Arron asks.
"S-Sure," he says hearing him gulp.
"How old are you?" Aaron asks.
"Six-sixteen," Hayes answers.
"When is your birthday?" Aaron asks.
"J-June 8th," Hayes says quickly.
"What year?" Aaron says.
"Y-You said you were asking two q-questions," he said hearing him begin to cry.
"You didn't give me a full answer," Aaron said becoming annoyed,"Tell me what year were you born and don't lie."
"N-Nineteen forty n-nine," he mumbled.
Aaron was astonished, he was the boy that was brutally murdered by his father. Aaron started breathing heavy.
"Y-You're the ghost of Benjamin Grier," Aaron whispers,"Are you not?"
"Y-Yes I am," he said as he begins to cry more.
"Why did you lie to me?" Aaron asked beginning to cry,"I was such a fool, all the signs were right in front of me."
"N-No, I would never lie, my full name is Benjamin Hayes Grier, my b-brothers called me Hayes," he said through tears,"You n-never asked me when my birthday was and how old I was b-before. I never meant to hurt you, A-Aaron."
"Why can't you show me your face?" Aaron asked.
"I-It looks like how my f-father left it, unrecognizable," Hayes said.
"I don't care, please just show me," Aaron said practically begged.
He heard Hayes stand up and head towards the light switch. What Aaron saw in front of him was something he would of never imagined. Hayes' face and scalp was horribly burned, his hair is mostly gone, eyes were gone, his jaw is broken, teeth are missing, there were strangle marks on his neck, his arms were burned also cut up, and he has no fingers. A monster is what he looked like that would make anyone scream, faint, or run away. Hayes begins to cry as Aaron sits there, stunned. Aaron snaps out of it and walks up to him to have a closer look.
"Why aren't you s-screaming or r-running away?" He asked.
"Because I see your beautiful heart through all of this, outside beauty is great and all, but your inner beauty hides your flaws," Aaron said smiling,"I wish there was a way I-I could help you since I cannot touch you."
Aaron reaches out his hand hand feels the cold mist on him giving him goosebumps. He sees Hayes attempt to smile, but his broken jaw wasn't letting him.
"E-Even though you cannot feel me, I-I feel you," Hayes said looking down at my hand,"I wish you could feel me, but you wouldn't want me to exist since I-I'm a monster."
"No, you're not, you're beautiful," Aaron said.
Suddenly he sees Hayes' jaw being fixed which gave Aaron an idea.
"You also caring, lovely, adorable, and the best friend I could ever have," he said as he sees Hayes' wounds being to heal,"I wish you were alive, so I could hug you."
Soon Hayes looked like his normal self, even more gorgeous than his picture. Aaron started to smile when Hayes look down at himself. He looked back at Aaron and smiled. His smile was so beautiful like the sunrise.
"You fix me," Hayes said then covered his mouth in amazement,"I'm not stuttering anymore!"
Hayes jumped for joy and was about to hug Aaron, but he realized he can't. Suddenly a bright light was shining through the windows. Hayes looked back at Aaron and realized it was time to go. Hayes did not want to leave him, he wanted to stay with Aaron forever. Aaron begins to cry as he knew it was time for him to go.
"You have to go now," Aaron said in a shaky tone.
"B-But what about you?" Hayes said tearing up as well.
"I'll be okay, you need to go now," Aaron said as tears stream down his face.
Hayes nodded. "I'll always be with you," he whispered.
With a faint smile Hayes head towards the light. Once the light was gone, Aaron collapsed on the floor and burst into tears. He cried and cried as his heart was in the most pain its ever been in for a long time. He cried until the early hours of the morning when he cried himself to sleep. Two days later, Aaron was in his first period class, being his quiet self still upset that Hayes left. The teacher announced there was a new student, but Aaron did not care to listen. The new student sat down in the seat next to Aaron. Aaron then felt a tap on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, but do you have a pencil I can borrow?" the voice said.
Once Aaron looked up he couldn't believe his eyes. Hayes was in the classroom with him. Hayes winked and moved closer to his ear.
"I told you I'll always be with you," he whispers.
Aaron's eyes well up with tears and immediately hugged him. Warmth and a heart beating quickly is what he felt against his chest. He did not care who was watching so he did the unthinkable and kiss his cheek. Hayes was surprised, but he also did the unthinkable and kiss Aaron's lips so sweetly. Nobody even cared they were there, it was almost like they were invisible, like Ghost Boys.