The Dead Are Living

October’s POV:

I really wanted to play with Angelo’s hair. It was so soft and thick and damn I wish I could have hair like this.

“So are you going to take the job?” he asked and looked at me.

“I want to because I love taking pictures but I don’t know how to be a TM.” I said and put my chin on his shoulder.

“Well all you really have to do is make sure we get to our interviews on time and that we leave from one venue to the next on time. We could all help you whenever you need it because we are to wild.”

“Really? Because Chris said that you could all be problems.” I laughed and he smiled.

“Well that is true also. In the mornings I need my coffee or I am useless. Chris, Ryan, and Ricky all get grumpier that shit when they are hungry. Balz and Ricky are messy. Devin is pretty easy to live with because he is so quiet but he has his diva moments. We don’t intentionally wreak havoc… although it does happen.” he said and patted my leg. “We are always moving around when we are on tour. I think ETF will be on it with us but you will have us, Radke, and our ghostly friend Mitch at least. I am sure everyone else will be there to help you also.”

“But what if he gets you guys in trouble?”

“Then we get him back. Easy as that. We really shouldn’t sink to his level but it is sooo much fun. I don’t think that Devin would mind going after TJ… we heard him yelling at you also.”

“What did TJ do to Devin?”

“Oh he keeps going after Kylie and hitting on her. Stupid shit as such but he is so in love with her that it doesn’t matter and he wants TJ’s head on a shiny silver platter. I mean the rest of us hate him for how he just abandoned us and all but… fuck all of that. It is in the past and I try to forget it but if he tries to pull anything I’ll protect you.” he said and I smiled. “So with all of that said… will you take it?”

“I need to get Ryan, Ricky, Balz and Devin to say that they are okay with it first before I can say yes or no.” I sighed and he looked at me out of the corner of his eye. He had beautiful blue eyes. “And you all do realize that if I am to go so is Mitch right?”

“Yeah.” he said quietly and looked up. “It is so weird you know. He died and we went to his funeral but now he is back. It is… a lot to deal with.”

“I can understand that.” I murmured and remembered the day he died. “He was one of those musicians that I looked up to and adored and when he died I was so sad and I cried. I cried worse than when my grandma died and I didn’t even know him. Then one day I had taken a shower and was cleaning my apartment and I found this necklace that I had picked up when I was on the beach and I liked it so I put it on. After that I started hearing music playing when none of my electronics were on. I would feel something touch my shoulder. I would catch glimpses of movement. I thought that it was just exhaustion from being so afraid of Craig but then one day I stepped out of my morning shower and just as I wrapped myself up in a towel there was Mitch. He scared the living shit out of me. but since then he has been nothing but a good help and a great friend. I trust him completely which is why I am in Scranton.”

“So he saw you naked?”

“Well yeah… but it’s whatever. I don’t have a gorgeous body nor do I have a terrible one and at least he wasn’t staring at me. He wouldn’t stop apologizing. He is so polite and such a gentleman.” I laughed. “After I got over my initial panic of him being in my living space we talked and we went to the beach. I could talk to him then because it was night and no one was there. He was really happy that I could see him. He had been trying to talk to me for so long and he really did need to vent. It was so sad. He said that he had been at his funeral… every time he would get close to his wife or daughter they would start crying even harder though… so he gave up on that.” I said and felt tears prick my eyes. “He loves them so much. All he wants is to be able to tell them that he loves them one last time and say sorry to his wife for not listening to her and say sorry to his daughter for leaving her and say goodbye. I-I even went with him to this little café where they were and he tried talking to them. He screamed at the top of his lungs that he loved them and that he was sorry but all they could hear was a faint whisper. He screamed until his voice cracked and went away and he was crying so hard he was unable to do much. It broke my heart. Kenadee heard him the best though. She said 'Mommy did you hear that? I think I heard daddy.' she was crying and he tried to comfort her but the closer he was to her the more sad she got. I think it is the curse of being a ghost.”

“Do you know why he is still here and why he hasn’t moved on yet?”

“I… he should be the one to tell you guys that.” I said softly and laid my head in his soft hair. He leaned his head against mine and then out of nowhere Mitch appeared in front of us.

“Super surprise for you little one.” he said and smiled. “Your brother is here. That is the distress I felt. He is worried as hell about you.”

“Does he know about you yet?”

“Nope but you really should get there as soon as possible. Angelo walk faster or something.” he said and Angelo quickened to a fast walk but ended up running. We got to the steps then I hopped off of his back and leaped up the stairs and ran through the door. Max was sitting on the couch chewing on his coat sleeve nervously but when he saw me he jumped off the couch and pulled me into a tight hug.

“Thank god you’re okay. I was so worried and I thought you were gone again and- don’t you ever run off like that again!” he yelled and buried his face in my shoulder. “I thought I had lost my little sister again.”

“I wouldn’t do that again Maxie.” I sighed and patted his back. “I promised you and Ronnie that I would never hurt myself again and I am gonna keep it because now I have another life depending on me.”

“You had a kid?” he asked and scrunched his nose up. I started laughing so hard I fell onto the ground. “What? Why are all of you laughing at me? Stop this isn’t funny. I wanna know what is going on.” he pouted.