The Ghost of You

Mikey never made it home.
It was nearly twenty four hours before we heard about Mikey's death. How they found my baby brothers body lying on the side of the road. Dead from a gunshot wound.

When he didn't come home that night my parents were worried sick. Mikey wasn't the kind of kid who stayed out all night and if he was out too late he'd call. But he didn't call and we got no answer from his cell. His friends hadn't seen nor heard from him.
I tried to remain positive but when morning came and he hadn't shown up, we called the police. It was if he was gone without a trace. It wasn't until that night while we were sitting at the police station, worried out of our minds, did we get the news.
They found a body matching Mikey's description and his car was about a half a mile away. He was found in Salem. What was he doing way up there?

That was six days ago. Today was Mikey's funeral.
I was standing in my room tying my tie, staring blankly at my own reflection in the mirror. This was like a bad dream I was ready to wake up from. The police have no leads, no evidence as to who could have murdered my baby brother in cold blood. I think about the future he could have had, the man he could have grown up to be. Mikey didn't deserve this fate. He was a good kid.
I brush my hair off my forehead and head downstairs.

My parents, particularly my mom, had been inconsolable. Today she's putting on a brave face but I know she's dying inside. My dad was trying his best to keep his composure. I, myself had been feeling to numb to cry, so I'm not sure how I'll react today.
We barely speak to each other as we make our way to the church,. There were no words we could say to make it better.
Family and friends are already gathering to pay their respects. People coming up to my parents and me, saying how sorry they were about Mikey's death but I didn't even notice who said what. And I didn't bother to respond. My mind was elsewhere.
I thought I could be strong, I thought I could face this but when I saw his body in that casket I nearly lost it.

His thin body looked even smaller. I wanted to pull him to me and never let him go. His blonde hair was brushed off his face but his face wasn't at peace. I wanted the blood of whom ever did this. This wasn't fair, why would anyone do such a thing?

The service went by in a blur, I held my mothers hand as she sobbed. My father went up and said a few words about Mikey, my mom was crying too hard to to it. Other family members spoke as well. At the end I was the last person to get up and speak.
I've always been good with words, always knew just what to say. But when I tried to write down what I was feeling just how much I missed him I just couldn't. Maybe putting it on paper made it seem too real. So as I stood in front to the packed church full of mourners, I decide to just speak from the heart.

“Um” I swallowed hard. “Where do I start? Mikey was my best friend and the best brother anyone could ever ask for.” I took a deep breath to calm myself then continued. “I loved him more than words can say. When we were growing up Mikey and I were like two peas in a pod. Inseparable.” I smiled. “He used to love for me to read to him the stories I'd make up. He used to follow me around, imitating my every move. When someone asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up he said that he wanted....” I paused and looked down. “That he wanted to be like his big brother. Like me. I only hope to make him proud.
“Mikey was a great kid, shy yes but very kind, talented, smart and even funny once he let you in. He was bright. So so bright, he had an amazing future ahead of him that was cut entirely too short. I wish I had went with him that night, I wish I had asked him where he was going then maybe he'd still be alive. I don't know. There was no one in this world like Micheal James Way, and there never will be.” I walked back to my seat, tears in my eyes.

The procession made it's way to the cemetery soon after. This seemed too final, and too much for most of the people there to handle. I was one of the pallbearers, carrying Mikey's casket from the hearse over to the six foot deep hole which would be his final resting place.
The pastor said a few words, none of which I absorbed. Then we said our final goodbyes.
I laid a rose on top of the casket and rested my hand there for a moment. I didn't want to let go, I couldn't. I tried to imagine a world where he doesn't exist and couldn't. I just can't.
They lower his casket into the ground. Everyone was leaving in groups of two's and three's. My parents went over to the cars to talk to some family. But I lingered around.

I must have been hallucinating because I swear that I saw Mikey near a huge tombstone on the other side of the graveyard. “Mikey” I whisper a second before the image disappeared. I walked towards the place where he stood. “I'm losing my mind, that's it.” I mumble to myself as I look all around me. I rub my eyes and take a deep breath.
“Gerard.” my father called making me jump. “Come on we've got to go.”
I reluctantly back away from the tombstone and with one final look at Mikey's plot I walk to the car.

As we drove away I saw the image of a pale skinny blonde guy looking down into the grave where Mikey's body now rests.