Ghost of You

Emmett inched closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing me tightly. “Will you be alright?” he asked.

I sniffled and nodded, wiping away a tear and hiccuping. Emmett rubbed my back gently. A sudden wave of exhaustion trickled through my body and I leaned my head on Emmett's arm, sighing slowly.

“Tom, I think it'd be best if I talked to your folks,” said Eli, whipping around the corner and onto my street.

I shrugged one shoulder. “I guess so,” I muttered.

Eli eased his SUV through the dip in our drive, shutting off the engine. He leaned back in his chair and blew out air as if he were pushing out smoke from a cigarette. I unhooked my seatbelt and climbed outside, feeling the fresh air whip through my dreadlocks. Eli looked back to his sons.

“Are you two coming in?” Emmett shook his head and Luke continued to stare at his hands. “Guess not.”

Eli shut his door and followed me up to the front door. Taking a deep breath, I pushed in the door. “Mom?” I called out. “Gordon?”

Mom emerged from the basement, a teal laundry basket in her hands. She smiled at Eli, setting the basket onto the kitchen table. Gordon came from his and Mom's bedroom, pulling a shirt over his head.

“Eli!” he called out, grasping Luke's father's hand. “Good to see you … Tom, what happened to you?!”

Gordon knelt down in front of me as Mom rushed to his side.

“There was an … accident down at the lake,” said Eli solemnly.

“Accident? What...?” questioned Mom.

Eli took a shaken breath. “Carl DiMarco died.”

Mom gasped, wrapping her hand around her mouth.

“You're kidding?” Gordon nearly shouted, his eyes black slits.

Eli shook his head. “Him and some of his buddies were drunk. They jumped on top of Tom and nearly drowned him to death...”

Mom cried out before Eli could finish his sentence, throwing her arms around my neck, nearly crushing me. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, sobbing into her neck, feeling as she trembled against me.

“Oh! Oh!” she cried out, a shuddering mess. “I almost lost my baby. I almost lost my baby!”

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek as she squeezed me that much tighter. “I – almost – l-l-lost my baby! Not again, oh sweet Jesus, not again!” she cried through tears.

“I'm right here, Mom,” I whispered into her ear calmly.

Slowly, I pulled back, giving Mom a peck on the cheek. Eli and Gordon stood off to the side by the door, talking lowly, Gordon with worry etched all through his face, nearly in tears. Mom went back with busying herself with the laundry. Quietly, I slipped to my bedroom, shutting the door and taking a deep breath.

I went to my closet and pulled on my wool red-and-black sweater, hugging myself, though I don't know why; I wasn't cold. I knew I needed a shower and some clean clothes, but my body was stiff as I curled up on my bed, shutting my eyes for only a moment....



“Bill! BILL!” echoed in my ears as the cold water rushed up above me. I struggled against the current, coughing and splashing around. I could see my flashlight wedged between two boulders sticking from the cliff. I tried to reach for it, but I was thrown back, my skull colliding with something sharp. My vision blurred into a soft haze, everything seeming to go into slow motion. A warm feeling entered my body as I slowly drifted away...



...he always appeared at the the worst of times, he did.