Soul Salvation

Rania laid sprawled out on her bed, her algebra book open before her as she worked on the problem set for homework. Brian was across the room, spinning around in the computer chair at the desk.

“So where did your family move from?” he asked. Rania didn’t even look up from her work.

“New York City. Why?” she asked, finishing one problem and moving on to the next.

“No reason, I guess,” Brian answered. “I just realized that I don’t really know anything about you, and you’ve been living here at least a month now.” Looking up, Rania stuck the end of her pen in her mouth.

“Well what is there to know, really? My name’s Rania Lone, I’m fifteen, I moved across the country. I’m mostly uninteresting,” she said with a shrug.

“Surely there’s got to be more to you than that,” Brian chuckled. “Don’t you have any hobbies? Things you like to do? Anything?” he pressed. Rania thought for a moment.

“I like school, and learning,” she said, laughing at the look of distaste that passed over the ghost’s face. “What?”

“I never liked school. I couldn’t wait until I was out of there,” Brian said with a sigh. “Is there anything fun you like to do?”

“Well, I like photography, and reading. But my camera broke on the ride over from New York. I haven’t been able to get a new one yet,” Rania said, becoming a little sad as she thought of her broken camera.

“Hmm. I could show you a bunch of cool spots for when you get a new camera, if you want,” Brian offered, and Rania’s frown quickly grew into a smile.

“Really?”

“Of course. I lived here in Huntington my whole life, and then some,” Brian joked, causing the both of them to laugh. For some reason, having a living friend to talk to and be around made it easier for Brian to begin to come to terms with his own death.

“That would be amazing. Are you able to leave the house, though?” Rania asked. “I thought ghosts were stuck to the place where they died?”

Brian thought quietly to himself for a moment. He didn’t know if he could leave, for it was something he never tried.

“I’m not sure, really. We could always find out,” he reasoned, slowly beginning to spin the chair again.

“I’ve been wondering,” Rania suddenly began. “I know you said you can’t remember your actual death, but… Do you remember what happened that day? Leading up to it?”

Brian stopped the chair, remaining silent as he folded his hands together and placed them in his lap, looking down. He allowed his mind to wander, remembering the last day he had been alive…



”Brian, no,” Michelle said, and there was a bitterness to her voice. Brian followed her around their bedroom as she tore clothing from hangers to pack into various suitcases. “I told you already, I’m leaving.”

“Please Michelle,” he pleaded, but she turned away from him. “Please, can we just talk about this? It doesn’t have to be this way. We can work things out…”

“We’ve already tried talking; it didn’t work. I mean, look at us even now!” she said, growing exasperated as she turned to face her husband. “What could have been a single event has once more turned into a fight.”

“I’m not really sure how you leaving me and taking my son with you is supposed to be a ‘single event’,” Brian shot back. “How do you expect me to be calm about something when you’re breaking my heart?”

“I’m sorry. But I really can’t stay. And I’m not going to try anymore, because I won’t put Kale through anymore fighting.”

“Maybe if we just tried counseling, like your mother suggested-“ Brian began, but Michelle put her hand up to stop him.

“It won’t work. We’re done here.”



One of the very last things I remember is a fight,” Brian finally spoke up. “I know there was more to what I saw…that something happened afterward. But it’s blocked.”

“There’s got to be something that could trigger the rest of the memory. Like with amnesia patients, or something.”

“Like what?” Brian asked.

“I don’t know. But I’ll think of something.”