Merry-Go-Round
Following
Another perk about being a ghost is that it’s so simple and easy to follow someone. When you’re alive you have to drive three cars behind whoever you’re following and always make sure that you aren’t noticed. You have to be invisible, which luckily I am. I don’t have to abide by any of these rules. All I have to do is drive right behind them. I don’t have any worry about being found out or losing them at a stop sign. All I have to do is drive, so simple and easy.
The red truck drove on one of the roads in town that led to all the old abandoned houses on the out skirts of town. Leper, used to be a town that relied on farming just like most towns in the south. However, people were beginning to see more job opportunities in the city and before you knew it all the land out here was obsolete. Nothing was here anymore but bare rolling hills with dots of houses that are now falling apart.
When I was little we used to drive on this road to get to see my grandma that lived in a nursing home one town over from Leper. It only took an hour and thirty minutes to get there but to a child that was only nine it feels like forever. My parents always packed me books and a CD player to keep me entertained but it never mattered. I always felt trapped inside the car and nothing could distract me from the anxious feeling. The only thing that seemed helped me was the houses. Some were placed close to the road but some were placed far back. So far back I could never really see the details of the architecture that was now deteriorating. The houses on this part of town never failed to make my mind wonder. Wonder about who used to live there, why did they leave, where did they go, were these houses ever missed? Just pointless curiosity of a child and questions that would never be answered.
The red rusted truck began to slow down and pull over to the side of the road. Why would anyone come out here in the middle of the night? This place was empty, hardly any cars traveled this road and when they did it wasn’t at eleven o’clock at night. Although, that may be the reason why they drove out here. Because there were no people.
Tonight however there seemed to be another car. The darkness prevented me from seeing what kind or who the driver was. All I could make out was one figures and it seemed to be a guy with broad shoulders. I parked my car right next to the tucks and got out to see what exactly was going on. Steven got out of his car and left Tabby waiting in the passenger seat with the over head light on. It was the only light.
“Hey, Steven.” The silhouette, that I could now almost see, walked up to Steven and they exchanged friendly high fives. “Where have you been, man? I’ve been trying to get a hold for the past few weeks but you never returned my texts.” I recognize that voice. I’ve heard it before but my mind was blocked. I couldn’t match a face or a name. “I was worried that you were all out.”
I walked over and stood next to Tabby’s window. Her face was emotionless as she lit a cigarette and brought it to her lips. This was another dramatic change in Tabby that I caused. My Tabby hated smoking, she said it was one of the worst things you could do to your body along with drugs. It was painful to watch her take in the smoke and then exhale it with such ease. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the seat with her lips showing a tiny little smile. So small of a smile that most people wouldn’t have noticed it on first glance, I could because it was something that she always did. It was a glimmer of who she used to be, that small smile of hers.
“Your ass is lucky your one of my favorite customers otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now.” I walked over to where the two were standing and I watched. “You know I have to be careful now. I think my brother is starting to suspect what I do to make my extra cash.”
“I’m just glad you showed up tonight, man.” I was now close enough to see the owner of the voice I couldn’t place. I don’t how I could have ever missed it. Freddie Jenkins. He held quite the reputation at our school. He was one of those people who I knew ever since kindergarten and we always seemed to have a class together ever year. Freddie was known throughout the school for many things. He was known for cheating; he cheated on his girlfriends and he cheated on his school work. He was also known for throwing a party almost every weekend. His parents liked to stay in London most of the time. Apparently, it’s easier for his dad to work there. Freddie also used to be one of Craig’s best friends. That is until I showed up.
Freddie and I never really got along and things didn’t get much better when I started to date Craig. In fact Freddie went from being that asshole in class to being that asshole who tried to get Craig to dump me. Freddie would have girls flaunt themselves in front of him to try to tempt him into cheating on me. He always failed because no matter how many slutty girls offered themselves Craig would always say no. He loved me too much, that’s what he always told me. After awhile Craig stopped talking to Freddie and told him to stay away from our relationship. Freddie continued on with his life of parties and cheating without Craig which is something that I was always thankful for.
“Steven, how long is this going to take?” Tabby’s voice was agitated as she threw the cigarette to the ground. She placed her boot over it smashing it into the pavement. She walked over to Steven’s car and sat on the hood. “I mean you’re just trading drugs for cash. How long does it have to take?”
“Well, it looks like Tabby finally found her voice after all these years.” Freddie said obviously looking at her low cut top down to her revealed legs. Tabby noticed, I could tell that she was uncomfortable but as always she hid her emotions. She was so good at it she had it down to an art form. At least something of my Tabby exists in this person that has invaded her.
“Bite me.” Tabby barked back making Freddie’s lips turn up at the corners.
“Maybe I will one of these days.” Freddie reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet as Steven reached into his and retrieved a tiny plastic bag which was full of little white circles.
“Tabby?” Mine and Tabby’s head both snapped in the direction of the voice. We both recognized it instantly. “What the hell are you doing here?"
The red truck drove on one of the roads in town that led to all the old abandoned houses on the out skirts of town. Leper, used to be a town that relied on farming just like most towns in the south. However, people were beginning to see more job opportunities in the city and before you knew it all the land out here was obsolete. Nothing was here anymore but bare rolling hills with dots of houses that are now falling apart.
When I was little we used to drive on this road to get to see my grandma that lived in a nursing home one town over from Leper. It only took an hour and thirty minutes to get there but to a child that was only nine it feels like forever. My parents always packed me books and a CD player to keep me entertained but it never mattered. I always felt trapped inside the car and nothing could distract me from the anxious feeling. The only thing that seemed helped me was the houses. Some were placed close to the road but some were placed far back. So far back I could never really see the details of the architecture that was now deteriorating. The houses on this part of town never failed to make my mind wonder. Wonder about who used to live there, why did they leave, where did they go, were these houses ever missed? Just pointless curiosity of a child and questions that would never be answered.
The red rusted truck began to slow down and pull over to the side of the road. Why would anyone come out here in the middle of the night? This place was empty, hardly any cars traveled this road and when they did it wasn’t at eleven o’clock at night. Although, that may be the reason why they drove out here. Because there were no people.
Tonight however there seemed to be another car. The darkness prevented me from seeing what kind or who the driver was. All I could make out was one figures and it seemed to be a guy with broad shoulders. I parked my car right next to the tucks and got out to see what exactly was going on. Steven got out of his car and left Tabby waiting in the passenger seat with the over head light on. It was the only light.
“Hey, Steven.” The silhouette, that I could now almost see, walked up to Steven and they exchanged friendly high fives. “Where have you been, man? I’ve been trying to get a hold for the past few weeks but you never returned my texts.” I recognize that voice. I’ve heard it before but my mind was blocked. I couldn’t match a face or a name. “I was worried that you were all out.”
I walked over and stood next to Tabby’s window. Her face was emotionless as she lit a cigarette and brought it to her lips. This was another dramatic change in Tabby that I caused. My Tabby hated smoking, she said it was one of the worst things you could do to your body along with drugs. It was painful to watch her take in the smoke and then exhale it with such ease. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the seat with her lips showing a tiny little smile. So small of a smile that most people wouldn’t have noticed it on first glance, I could because it was something that she always did. It was a glimmer of who she used to be, that small smile of hers.
“Your ass is lucky your one of my favorite customers otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now.” I walked over to where the two were standing and I watched. “You know I have to be careful now. I think my brother is starting to suspect what I do to make my extra cash.”
“I’m just glad you showed up tonight, man.” I was now close enough to see the owner of the voice I couldn’t place. I don’t how I could have ever missed it. Freddie Jenkins. He held quite the reputation at our school. He was one of those people who I knew ever since kindergarten and we always seemed to have a class together ever year. Freddie was known throughout the school for many things. He was known for cheating; he cheated on his girlfriends and he cheated on his school work. He was also known for throwing a party almost every weekend. His parents liked to stay in London most of the time. Apparently, it’s easier for his dad to work there. Freddie also used to be one of Craig’s best friends. That is until I showed up.
Freddie and I never really got along and things didn’t get much better when I started to date Craig. In fact Freddie went from being that asshole in class to being that asshole who tried to get Craig to dump me. Freddie would have girls flaunt themselves in front of him to try to tempt him into cheating on me. He always failed because no matter how many slutty girls offered themselves Craig would always say no. He loved me too much, that’s what he always told me. After awhile Craig stopped talking to Freddie and told him to stay away from our relationship. Freddie continued on with his life of parties and cheating without Craig which is something that I was always thankful for.
“Steven, how long is this going to take?” Tabby’s voice was agitated as she threw the cigarette to the ground. She placed her boot over it smashing it into the pavement. She walked over to Steven’s car and sat on the hood. “I mean you’re just trading drugs for cash. How long does it have to take?”
“Well, it looks like Tabby finally found her voice after all these years.” Freddie said obviously looking at her low cut top down to her revealed legs. Tabby noticed, I could tell that she was uncomfortable but as always she hid her emotions. She was so good at it she had it down to an art form. At least something of my Tabby exists in this person that has invaded her.
“Bite me.” Tabby barked back making Freddie’s lips turn up at the corners.
“Maybe I will one of these days.” Freddie reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet as Steven reached into his and retrieved a tiny plastic bag which was full of little white circles.
“Tabby?” Mine and Tabby’s head both snapped in the direction of the voice. We both recognized it instantly. “What the hell are you doing here?"
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