Angel From My Nightmare

Jack woke up groggy, a foul taste in his mouth and trouble remembering where he’d been the night before. Walking into the kitchen he got himself a bottle of Sprite and an Advil, as the events of the previous night started to come back to him, the alcohol, all of it, the argument with Rian and Alex. He’d wanted to see Alex, but who could he find the boy? He had no phone number, no address, no last name. He just seen him sat by the same grave, surely he wouldn’t be there again? Three days in a row. Jack had no other choice, if he wanted to speak to Alex he’d have to go to the cemetery again.
He showered and dressed, grabbing his favourite Ravens hoodie before leaving his apartment. Even if Alex wasn’t there at least he could have a look at that grave, Alex said it was his mother so at least then he’d know a last name. It was just after 1pm by the time Jack pulled up outside the cemetery gates, his stomach rumbled and he realised he’d gone out without anything to eat, maybe he should stop off to get something. He decided against it, chances were that Alex wouldn’t be there anyway and he could just go get himself a MacDonald’s or something.
He walked past the security guard who was probably beginning to think it odd that Jack himself was here for the third day running, no at least no longer in his pyjamas. Jack caught sight of his mother’s grave first, still no headstone but the exact plot they’d picked out for her. He didn’t go up to her; he wasn’t here to talk to his mum today. Walking past and around the church he came to the grave of Alex’s mum and well Alex. There he was again, this time sitting at the foot of the grave staring up to the sky.
“Hi” Jack called out, Alex looked back and smiled.
“Hey” he called back. Jack went and sat on the slightly damp ground opposite Alex.
“What brings you here today?” Alex asked.
“To talk to you actually”
“To me?”
“Yeah well, yesterday you said that you’d lost your mother too and I thought you’d understand. My friend they just don’t...”
“Don’t get it”
“Not at all, and well I thought you might”
“Believe me I understand. How did you mother hmm pass away?” Alex asked.
“Cancer, it was terminal from the diagnoses but it doesn’t make it any easier. I watched her suffer for months on end”
“I know what’s it’s like to watch people you love in pain and not be able to do a thing about it” Alex admitted.
“It’s a horrible feeling, I know people keep saying that she’s not in pain anymore but she’s not alive either. I’ll never wake up to her cooking pancakes for breakfast; her random phone calls where she wanted to ask if I was brushing my teeth, the way she would take me out of school just to see a movie...”
“The soup she made when I was sick, the way she spoiled me, the way she believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself” Alex continued.
“Do you think there really is a better place?” Jack asked.
“I totally think there is, I just don’t know if getting into it is that easy” Alex said.
“What do you mean?”
“I think you can get stuck, like half way between living and death so you’re kind of neither” Alex explained.
“So like a ghost?”
“Yeah like a ghost”
“I don’t believe in ghosts”
“I do”
“Is that why you’re always here? To find your mum’s ghost?” Jack asked.
“Yeah kind of”
“Kind of?”
“It’s hard to explain...” Jack rolled his eyes and lent back on his hands, he could just make out the edge of the grave behind Alex.
Died 2009
-taken from us.
“How did your mum die?” Jack asked.
“Oh her heart, it was hmm really unexpected”
“That’s hard I’m sorry” Alex just nodded and looked down at the grass, playing with it between his fingers. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Alex for strange for sure but for some reason Jack felt strangely comfortable with him. Until Jack’s stomach rumbled again, he realised he’d been there for nearly an hour and hadn’t had a bite to eat.
“Hey I need to get some food, do you wanna come?”
“Oh hmm I can’t”
“You can’t? No offence dude, but you look like you need something” Jack said, taking in Alex’s pale appearance.
“I really can’t I’m sorry” he sounded generally hurt.
“Okay well hmm can I take your phone number? It was really nice talking to you and you know someone who understands”
“I don’t have a phone...” Alex admitted staring at floor so his hair fell in his face.
“What? Are you from the Stone Age or something?!” Jack exclaimed.
“Something like that...”
“How can I contact you though?” Jack asked.
“I’ll be here”
“What, all the time?”
“Pretty much”
“Wow, you need to get out more” Alex just shrugged.
“Well I’ll see you around Alex”
“You too Jack” Alex smiled and without realising it Jack did too.
Once back in his car Jack drove around the Church at where Alex was but as he turned the corner the boy was gone.