Martin should have realized something was wrong that morning, but he didn't have the time.

He awoke in his attic room dressed in his pilots uniform and feeling a bit off. Before he could even begin to panic over the possibility of wrinkling his uniform and looking unprofessional after apparently falling sleep in it, he saw the time and rushed out the door. None of the students paid him any mind. They hardly ever did on any other day.

He arrived at Fitton airfield with his apologies ready. Martin went onboard GERTI to find the crew distraught.

"Where could he BE?"

Carolyn sighed with an air of annoyance. Martin opened his mouth to announce his presence when Douglas spoke.

"It's been at least an hour. Maybe we should try to check on him? He probably overslept. You have his address on file, Carolyn?"

Carolyn went in search of the file. Martin stepped forward but no one had yet to acknowledge his prescence. He was beginning to feel unnerved.

"I'm here. Sorry I did oversleep an-"

Arthur spoke over him.

"Is Skip alright?

"You think something's wrong, Arthur?"

"Well yesterday he didn't look too happy. He wouldn't eat anything from the cheese tray! He loves the cheese tray! And he just looked kind of sad. Do you think he's ill?"

"Perhaps..."

"I brought him something that might cheer him up!" Arthur pulled a stuffed otter out of the bag he was carrying. It was wearing a captains hat. Douglas laughed and remembered the trip to Ottery St. Mary and Martin's refusal to have imaginary otters on the flight deck because it would be against regulations. He pictured Martin arriving to find the animal in his seat and the resulting verbal catastrophe, maybe tripping in the process.

"I think he would love it."

Martin was used to being invisible, but not to his friends. Not a single glance or snide remark was made towards him. He tried to think of reasons why he hadn't been noticed but that word overtook his mind. Dead.

"N-no no no no no no no. I can't be dead. I can't. be. dead. Douglas?"

He tried to tap Douglas on the shoulder but his hand went right through him. Panic began to pool in his stomach.

"Arthur?"

He tried to get the stewards attention only for the same thing to was a sudden flash in his head and an overwhelming smell of gasoline. His legs twitched and could hardly hold him up. Sounds circled around him but nothing was clear. It was gone just as soon as it arrived and left his head spinning. Martin sat down and immediately found himself in Carolyn's car on the way to the student house. She complained bitterly about not being able to reach anyone reliable by phone. Arthur sat in the back and adjusted the hat of the strapped-in otter sitting next to him. Martin sat in the other seat.

"Mum, did you turn the air on? It's a bit chilly."

"I think that is usually what occurs when Carolyn is around."

Douglas' attempt at humour went un-countered, but it gave Martin hope that someone might notice his presence. He wasn't sure what to do. What do ghosts normally do? Don't they haunt places? Everything felt sort of numb. When he tried to think about what could have killed him, his memory was blank. The last thing he remembered was landing at Fitton. They arrived at the house after a long uncomfortable silence.

Carolyn marched up to the door and knocked. A young male student opened it, squinting in the sunlight and clearly hungover.

"Have you seen Martin?"

"Mar...who?"

"The pilot that lives in the attic!"

"Oh! Him. I don't know."

"You don't know? Has anyone checked on him? Knocked on his door? I need to a plane flown today and I am short one ginger pilot."

"I don't think so. We're never sure if he's in. He's very quiet."

Carolyn pushed him aside. The place was a mess. Dishes and cups were stacked in the kitchen sink. The young man seemed to be the only person still in.

"Good lord man, why is this place so filthy?"

"Someone usually does those so we leave them in the sink."

Martin may be a social oddity but he still pitched in around the student house. No one bothered him so he thought it was polite enough to clean up after the parties.

Carolyn knocked on the attic door. Douglas and Arthur stood behind her. Martin could see Douglas was steeling himself for whatever lay beyond it.

No response.

"Arthur, go wait in the car."

"But Mum..."

"The car. Now."

She had realized something was off and there was a possibility what they found in that room wouldn't be pleasant. Martin stood by the door holding his non-existent breath.

AN: I noticed some lines were deleted and fixed them.