Ghosts We Carry Home.

The sun was shining, and I wished I could feel it burning on my skin. I’d do anything to feel the heat of the sun again. Anything.
Jack and I were walking in silence. He on the pavements, and I on the streets. An uncountable number of cars had already raced through me, and every time a car did, Jack started to scream. I could do nothing but laugh when he screamed, and ignore him when he pleaded that I would walk on the pavements like him. I wanted to do something that no other could do, something that would be dangerous to everyone but me.

“Mel, can you walk on the pavements, please?” Jack asked.

“I don’t want to,” I smiled. “This is so cool. Why don’t you walk with me here?”

“You want me to die?”

“Yes.”

Jack raised one of his eyebrows and looked at me like I offended him.

“I’m just kidding,” I said. “I don’t want you to die.”

Jack had a small grin on his face as he walked further, on the pavements, of course.

“But I am kind of curious. Let’s say you die, and we have sex when you’re a ghost like me, and I got pregnant ... would we have a ghost baby?”

Jack stopped walking and stared at me vaguely.

“Where are you with your mind?’ he asked.

I didn’t answer, I just smiled at him.

‘I don’t think ghosts can get pregnant,” Jack said.

“Why not?” I wondered.

“Because ghosts are dead people, Melanie. Of all the people in the world, you should know that. Besides, you remind me of that all the time.”

I wanted to open my mouth to say something, but got interrupted by a young girl that walked over the streets without looking. I heard Jack scream again. A loud bang made every passerby on the pavements stop. People started to scream and after a few seconds some ran into her direction.

“Jack, what’s going on?” I asked.

“Come here, Melanie, carefully,” Jack said.

“What? Why?”

“Just do it, please.”

I did what Jack asked me to do and carefully walked towards him.

“What’s wrong?” I demanded.

“Holy shit,” Jack just said. He looked over my head to whatever it was I just walked away from. “Do you see that, too?”

I turned around to see what Jack was talking about and it felt like my mouth fell open. There was a car, lots of glass, a girl on the ground, and a replica of the girl standing next to her. At first I thought the girls were twins, but I soon realized that the girl standing op was everything but a twin. She was a ghost.

“Is that her ghost?” I asked.
I already knew the answer, I just wanted Jack to confirm it.

“Is she dead?” Jack asked me. I’m pretty sure he knew the answer to his own question, too.

We didn’t answer each other’s questions. Both of us were staring at the ghost that was looking at her own body. She looked so young, it was such a waste to die at such a young age. But then I reminded myself that I died at a young age, too. I couldn’t have been older than this girl. Jack took my hand and carefully walked to the crowd that had gathered around the dead girl. I didn’t even realize Jack touched me. The ghost of the girl smiled and reached to something that was in front of her.

“Ah, come on,” I said.

“What?” Jack wanted to know.

“They seriously need to stop doing that while I’m looking.”

“Do what?”

“Going to the Light,” I said. “It’s not fair.”

Jack didn’t answer, he just looked at the place the ghost used to stand. I looked at the body that was lying on the ground. It was like it was calling on me. I let go of Jack’s hand and walked towards the body.

“Mel, what are you doing?” Jack whispered.

“I want to test something,” I answered.
I wondered if it was possible. I had tried it before with my own body, but maybe ... maybe it was possible with another one.
I kneeled next to the girl and placed my hand on hers. It was like her body sucked my hand right where this girl’s was. It was a perfect fit. I tried to move the hand, but it wasn’t possible. Maybe if I put my entire arm in it.

“No, Melanie, don’t!”

Jack pushed the people away and fell to his knees in front of me. I ignored him and placed my entire arm in the girl’s.

“Melanie, don’t!” Jack yelled.
He didn’t care that he was screaming for the entire street. People were staring at him, but he didn’t even notice it. The girl on the ground could have been Melanie, and Jack could have been her boyfriend. Little did they know. I pulled my arm out of the body again, and looked at Jack.

“I fit in her body perfectly,” I said. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t do it. If it works, I can live again.”

“It’s not a life you want,” Jack hissed.

“And how do you know that?”

“Because I’ve considered it already.”

I hadn’t gasped for air for a long time now, but Jack made me do it again.

“But I want to. Let me try, please.”

“No, Melanie, don’t do it.”

“This is not your choice,” I said. “This is my life.”

“But it’s not your body.”

“She’s not going to do anything with it anymore.. Her ghost has crossed over.”

“Please, Melanie,” Jack begged. “Don’t.”

I shook my head and placed my hand on the girl again.