The Dead Are Living

“What do you want?” I whispered.

“Breath… it is yours or his.” The being said and smiled showing rows of sharp teeth.

“What are you staring at?” Balz asked and looked around.

“They cant see you?” I asked.

“No but you can little witch and that is all I need. Now your breath or his?”

“Don’t hurt him.” I whispered in a choked voice and it lauged before disappearing. The breath was punched from my chest and I hunched forwards out of Angelo’s arms. I fell against the cold hard floor and tried to breathe but there was no air.

“Fuck! CPR or something. Ryan chest compressions.” Angelo yelled and dropped to his knees next to me. my vision was getting fuzzy and my body was relaxing. I felt someone start pressing my chest and it felt almost like they were punching me and then when I couldn’t see anymore someone breathed into me and cold air flooded into my lungs causing me to cough. My body lurched up and I felt arms wrap around me. I coughed violently and rested my head on someone’s shoulder. Three different hands were patting my back and when I was good again I looked up at Balz and smiled softly.

“You’re okay.” I whispered softly.

“Well yeah I’m okay what in the hell was that?”

“That thing was gonna hurt you and I told him no. It wanted your breath or mine and I told him to take mine.” I whispered and relaxed in Angelo’s arms. “It was gonna hurt you.”

“PEOPLE WE ARE HOME!” Chris yelled obnoxiously as the four guys ran through the door with at least ten bags in hand. “What is going on?”

“Something attacked her.” Ryan said softly and fell back against a cupboard.

“What?” Max asked and his protective big brother mode turned on. “Tell us exactly what happened.”

“We were talking and I saw something next to Balz and asked what it wanted and it wanted breath it said and then asked me which it should take. His or mine? I didn’t want to be selfish and let it hurt him.” I said and stood up. I helped Angelo up and then looked back at the floor.

“It isn’t selfish to protect yourself.” Balz said.

“But it is selfish to let other people get hurt if you can do something to stop it when they have only helped you.” I huffed. “Plus I am okay now so I don’t care. Mission accomplished. I woulda done the same thing for Max or Angelo or anyone else in this room and their mothers.”

“Well not ours because she pretty much disowned us.” Max said and sat the bags he was carrying on the table. “But we got you some stuff since yours burned in the fire… and don’t even think of giving me the mean face because you need clothes.”

“It was easy to shop for you because you like basically the same shit we do.” Devin said. “Our friend is coming by soonish and he has some stuff to… not to mention he will be touring with us again and we are all gonna be camping here tomorrow anyways.”

“You guys didn’t have to do this.” I said and blushed. “I could’ve managed.”

“Well we did anyways.” Chris said and sat some bags down.

“And before your tiny brain explodes only four of these are for you.” Max said and pushed for of the biggest bags towards me. “The others are stuff to put on the RV because yup they gots one of those.”

“Cool.” I said and looked at the bags not really knowing what to do with them. “I um what do I… where am I gonna put these?”

“Well I guess five are for you.” Ricky said and pushed a suitcase towards me that had been behind him. “Happy Birthday, Halloween and everything in between.”

“For the next fifty years.” Max added.

“Max I am twenty three and I do not plan on living into my seventy whatevers because I don’t wanna be old and wrinkly but thank you guys for helping like this.” I said and grabbed all of the bags and then kicked the suitcase into the living room.

“Alright I don’t know most of what you got but Devin got you your lady stuff. Chris took care of shoes. Me and Ricky got everything else.” Max said and sat on the couch. “Any sign of Mitch?”

“Sorta.” I said and took out my camera and tossed it to him. “The last picture on there is a little girl but she was a ghost and I got that when she was disappearing. A voice told me that she had moved on and it sounded like Mitch. I didn’t see him though.”

“So you can take pictures of ghosts and see them when they are moving on?” Ricky asked and reached out for the camera.

“Apparently so.” I said. “Her name was-.”

“Lindsey.” Chris said and looked at the camera sadly.

“Did you know her?” I asked. Him and Ricky nodded sadly.

“She was my baby cousin but she was hit by a car two years ago. My uncle and his wife left town a couple months after she died.” Chris said.

“That was her?” Angelo asked. “I didn’t recognize her.”

“It is her. Did she… was she happy?” Ricky asked he looked even more shaken up than Chris did. “I wanna know how my little sister was. I didn’t realize that was her when I first saw it.”

“She was sad. She was worried that her family didn’t miss her. I was talking to her and told her that in time when her family members died that they would be able to be together again in the after life… where ever that may be. She started glowing and I took that picture because she was so happy she was laughing.” I unpacked all of the clothes they had gotten me and I neatly folded them into the space I had. I finished just as the door bell rang.

“I’ll get it.” Angelo said and went to let the person in.