Three

The third chapter of Post Mortem. Isaac's nightly night with a surprising morning.

I have a secret, one that I’ve kept from everybody for the past four years. Except from Gary, nobody but you and I know. Except, you know, the people that are dead.

 

The dead aren’t much different from the living, except they’re slightly paler than is normal. Oh, and their eye colors are different, too. Everybody has different tells, but those are just some all around ones.

 

There’s a reason I’m this way. Deep down I know it, but I’m not ready to accept it…yet.

 

Drew comes over a few hours later, bearing pizza and soda. We eat and talk and I realize just how much he likes Ashley. Now that I think back, I realize how alike they are and I wonder how I didn’t see this coming.

 

“So where are you taking her?” I ask, taking a bite of my third slice. Drew freezes and I can’t hold my laugh, “You do realize that you’re going on a date with her?”

 

He scowls at me, making my grin wider, “Funny, Isaac. I just may have forgotten to plan that far.”

 

“So plan now,” I suggest cheekily, “while you have your expert best friend with you to keep you from messing it all up.”

 

 Drew laughs for a moment before the smile slides off of his face. He asks hesitantly, “Do you think I will? Mess it all up?”

 

We’re serious now, and I know I have to be the friend I always have been. I don’t mind, not really. Like I said before, that’s who I am. When Drew gets serious though, I know that it’s not a laughing matter. Not a lot of people know, but he has self-confidence issues buried deep, deep down.

 

“No,” I say, a hand on his shoulder. “You care about Ashley, maybe a lot more than you think. I think she cares a lot about you, too. If you do happen to be in that one percent and mess it up, I doubt she’ll care. Ashley isn’t much for perfection, we both know that.”

 

Drew nods, looking thoughtful. I wonder if I did this when we were little as well. We’ve been friends since the age of six, going through almost the whole of our lives together. In school, Drew was the more popular friend. He played soccer for years and all the sports fans of the school admired him.

 

I, on the other hand, played no sports and joined no clubs. I was just an average kid, who mouthed off sometimes and did crazy things with my friends. Until I turned seventeen, that is. After that, some people began to walk on eggshells around me.

 

“You okay?” Drew asks, his brows furrowed. I realize he asked me something while I was thinking. “I asked if you think you’ll ever be in love.”

 

I almost very nearly snorted. Drew and the word love seemed abnormal when used that closely. But I answered his question anyway, “Maybe. Probably not.”

 

He looked uncomfortable for a minute and then quietly asks, “Are you sure this is want you want to do with your life?”

 

No. I don’t want to be haunted by death, night and day. I don’t want to make deals with dead people to let me sleep at night. I never wanted to be a groundskeeper at one of my local cemeteries. But I have to. It’s my curse to bear.

 

I don’t want to think about this. It will send me into another episode. I know they leave Drew feeling helpless and I feel bad when I involve him, leaving him with no one to talk to. The first time it happened, he was sitting in the chair next to my hospital bed. I asked him not to tell a soul.

 

“I’m fine, man.” My answer comes with a fake smile that is so perfected I wonder if he sees through it. “Life here’s easy, and that’s what I want.”

 

Drew rolls his eyes, breaking through our serious moment. He leaves around eleven, having to work at the shop tomorrow. When I’m alone I nervously edge around the small cottage, waiting for what is sure to come.

 

I take my nightly shower, washing away the grime I’ve acquired throughout the day. I emerge smelling like Old Spice instead of dirt and sweat. Pulling on my South Park pajama pants, I crawl into my bed. I feel like a lot has happened today, but I can’t recall anything seriously major happening.

 

For some reason, I fall asleep to thoughts of Natalie, the girl I met at the mall. I should have asked her for her number or her last name at the very least. Maybe I’ll see her again…

 

“Isaac!” Mum’s calling to me. She sounds frantic. I don’t know why, after all, she’s waking me up and I’m still groggy.

 

Opening my eyes blearily, I glace at Elenor. She’s giving me this weird look, and clutching her favorite stuffed animal in her hand. Louie the Lion, the one I bought her for Christmas. El had been begging for it; the lion was her favorite character on Safari Friends, her favorite show.

 

“What’s going on?” My voice sounded heavy and thick. I couldn’t see my mum anymore, only my kid sister.

 

“Why?” She asked, her tiny voice hurt. “Why you?”

 

“I…don’t…know,” I answered slowly, fear creeping up my body. Something’s going to happen, I know it.

 

“You don’t deserve it!” She screamed at me, throwing the lion at me, which had eyes that were staring up at me.

 

“I know! I’m sorry! El, I’m sorry!” I cried as she unlocked her door. I realized we were in a car. She opened it and grinned back at me.

 

She whispered two words that I could miraculously hear over the roar of the highway. Then she took a step forward and I bolted up in my bed, breathing heavily. I realized I was crying.

 

I glanced around my room, reaching for the above my head. My fingers touched soft fur, and I grabbed the small animal. “I’m sorry, El,” I choked as my voice broke, hugging the lion close.

 

When I got up to begin my day, I drove my golf cart to the entrances. I was shirtless because no ones ever there. I didn’t see the point of unnecessarily changing.

 

This time though, there was a white Sedan parked just outside. When I unlocked the gates, trying not to blush too hard, they stepped out of the car. I didn’t recognize who it was at first.

 

“Calvin?” I asked, hesitantly. A girl was standing behind him, but I couldn’t see very much of her.

 

“Isaac, right? My dad sent me here to pay you. We must have forgotten to yesterday,” He said nervously. I realized that I’d forgotten to tell them.

 

“The funeral home should have told you this, but I don’t get paid by clients. You pay the funeral home and then they pay me. Sorry for the mix up.” I smiled helpfully, and tried not to laugh at his blush.

 

“Oh. Well, okay then. Sorry for bothering you, I guess.” He turned to leave and then turned back again. “This is my sister Natalie, by the way. She’ll be visiting the graves as well.”

 

Low and behold, the girl I’d met at the mall was standing before me. She looked surprised and I’m sure I did as well. “Oh, hello again.”

 

“Hi…” she said hesitantly. Natalie gave off a unpleasant vibe for some reason, and I wanted to frown. “Cal, can we just go? Dad’s waiting back at the house.”

 

He shot her a confused look, but said goodbye anyway. I heard him mutter, “You know him?” as they walked away and I laughed.

 

Then I realized I was still shirtless and clad in pajama pants. Shrugging I thought, At least I have her number now.

Author's Note

Um, so the font might be a bit big, but I can't fix that :(

As always, keep calm and carry on...but not without reviewing first.

Reviews

[Bella Luna]

This is so well written and it just keeps getting better and better! Great job!

[Dark and Mysterious]

Me too.. Keep me updated..

[Sophie]

Great chapter! Can't wait for more