The Ghost Fell in Love with a Human
Our meeting is tied to an inevitable end.
They say the greatest things in life come at the greatest price. I didn't believe that until I was fourteen years old and a freak accident turned me into what I am today. The awkward kid sitting unnoticed on the sidelines suddenly became a figure of great power and responsibility. And, to anyone who knew me personally, I also became a symbol of loss. Triumph through adversity. Self-sacrifice.
More than once I regretted the steps I took leading to that accident. But I was also grateful at times, that I was able to protect the ones that I love with this newfound power.
At least, until I met her.
Our meeting was mere coincidence. Or so it appeared. I was resting in the park, high up in the branches of a tree, watching the clouds drift aimlessly through the crystal blue sky. It was a picture of bliss. I reclined back on the tree trunk, my heads behind my head, my legs crossed in front of me, and sighed contently. It was rare for me to have a break, after all. Being the hero of my hometown, Amity Park, was a demanding job. That day had been a rare treat I'd been determined to enjoy to the last.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
A flash of bright red burst through the leaves of the tree I was sitting in. Gasping in surprise, I ducked and covered my head with my hands. The object curved upwards, losing speed, then fell down, landing on my head in a shower of leaves.
I didn't move at first. Just sat there with the red thing on top of my head like a hat. I'm not sure why. It was like I was so shocked by what had just happened that my brain wasn't functioning properly. On a normal day, I'm sure I would've just dropped the thing on the ground for someone to find it. But on that day, I didn't.
I took the thing off my head. It was a bright red Frisbee. I stared at it like it held all the mysteries in the world, holding on to it so tightly my hands started to hurt. Again, I normally wouldn't have done that. I made every effort to avoid contact with people, and for good reason. But holding that Frisbee felt right. Like I was supposed to have it at that exact moment. Like it was meant for me.
Staring at the Frisbee like a fool was when I heard her voice, far below me at the bottom of the tree. "You just had to throw it like you were playing for Olympic gold, huh? You should be climbing the tree to get it yourself!"
She was screeching angrily. Even though her voice was far away, I still cringed and brought the Frisbee to my chest as if I'd done her wrong. I should've thrown it. Not for myself, but for her. I should've thrown it. But I couldn't let it go.
I heard her, every movement she made, as she climbed up the tree. All the cursed mutterings at whoever it was who'd thrown the Frisbee straight at my head. Heard her as she stumbled once and nearly fell. My heart had jumped into my throat at the sound. I'd almost gone down to help her, but stopped myself once I heard her sigh and right herself quickly.
When she was closing in on my position, I hid from her sight to watch her and put a face to this nameless entity that had suddenly invaded my entire world. A slender hand with purple nails came into view. The other hand followed, then a tuft of black hair. She moved in slow-motion. As if she was doing it deliberately just to drive me mad. A pale forehead there. A glimpse of bright purple eyes before they narrowed. Soft purple lips. White teeth. Silky black hair framing her face.
She pulled herself up onto the branch. Her lean body looked so light I was mildly surprised she'd taken so long to climb up the tree. It must've been the weight from those boots on her feet that slowed her progress.
She glanced around, absently scratching the back of her head, unaware of her invisible visitor. My eyes were instantly drawn to the sliver of flesh I saw between her black tank top and her black and green-striped skirt. It was suddenly a lot warmer up here in the tree.
"It's not here?" the girl said disbelievingly and then groaned. "Where did it go?"
Clutching the Frisbee closer to my chest, I tried to gather the courage to appear before her. All I needed to do was hand her the Frisbee, right? It shouldn't have been difficult. But everything sensible was difficult for me that day. I stayed hidden, all the while watching her with the Frisbee held tightly in my hands.
Slowly, the girl stood up on the branch. She braced her hand on the tree trunk and looked around, searching for the item I held safely in my arms, invisible to her sight. She frightened me by leaning forward, close to where I was, and peering through the leaves of the tree as if she sensed I was there.
I couldn't help myself. It was as if fate was manipulating my will, my actions, like a marionette on a string. Without a word of warning, I appeared in front of her eyes. Blinking into existence and immediately throwing her world, and mine, out of balance.
With wide eyes, the girl stumbled backwards. Arms flailing, she screamed and slipped off the edge of the branch. Terror rose up within me. Even as she fell, her eyes were glued to mine. Deep within the dark violet irises, I could see my horrified face and my gleaming, otherworldly emerald eyes.
Gripping the red Frisbee in one hand, I propelled my body towards her, pushing off the branch with my feet. I reached for her outstretched arm. Entwined her fingers in my own. I pulled her up to my chest and wrapped my arm around her body, pressing the Frisbee against her back. Instantly, her arms flew around my neck, nails digging into my skin. Her breathing was ragged. We were so closely pressed together that I felt the smallest movement she made and I heard her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
Her mouth opened but no sound came out. She looked down, then back to me, blinking rapidly. "Uhh, we're flying."
The sound of her voice broke the spell her closeness put me under. Tightening my hold on her, I moved and set her down on a lower branch. Under the weight of her scrutinizing gaze, I wasn't able to look at her. Nervously shuffling my feet and clearing my throat, I extended my arm to return the Frisbee. When she didn't immediately take it, I risked a peek at her face. Her expression, rather than being one of fear as I'd imagined, was one of awe.
"Inviso-bill?" she said softly, a questioning tone in her voice.
I frowned. That was the moniker the people of Amity Park had begun to use for me. It was a ridiculous name, really. "It's Danny," I grumbled. "Danny Phantom."
"Good," the girl said with a nod, putting her hand on her hip. "That name was too stupid to be real. I'm Sam."
I looked up at her, surprised, enthralled, puzzled, scared. "Sam." I tested the name on my lips, still staring into her violet eyes. The name suited her. Everything about her.
She smiled at me and finally took the Frisbee out of my hand. "Thank you," she said. "For the Frisbee, and for saving me. Though I suppose me falling in the first place was your fault." She looked at me accusingly, with her eyes narrowed and lips puckered.
My face grew warm and I averted my gaze, murmuring an apology she didn't hear.
She laughed softly. "Anyway, thanks. So can you help me get down?"
I nodded quickly and she laughed again, laughed at me for being so childishly shy. But what was I to do? I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't know what to say. I wanted to see her again, but wasn't sure how to go about asking for such a request.
The ghostly me and the human she.
I already knew the ending to this story.
Trembling with nerves, I wrapped my arms around her waist. Her hands moved up to my shoulders. I felt her eyes on me, felt her breath in my hair, felt her heart beating against my hollow chest, felt her warmth crawl through my skin. I pulled her as close to me as I dared and slowly lifted her up off the branch.
She gasped and her arms tightened around my neck. "This is amazing," she whispered. "But you're a ghost, aren't you?"
Her words brought a sense of desolation. I nodded slowly, sadly. Yes.
I was dead. And she wasn't.
"So how come I can touch you?" she asked, peering up at me with a baffled expression.
I stared at her, looked into her eyes, saw in her the world I could never return to. The heart that would never start beating.
I shrugged and she didn't make any further comment.
As our feet touched solid ground, she pulled away from me, but kept one hand on my shoulder. "Will I see you again?"
Elation, shock, wonder, hope, sadness. All those feelings swelled up in me at once. If I could have seen my face in a mirror, I'm sure I would have been wearing the most despondent expression, one which she chose to ignore. "I'll be here," I said firmly. An ominous sense of the end was felt in those words, by both of us, I'm sure.
No matter what—through the most hectic days and the calmest nights, through the hours and days and years that passed—I would always be there, waiting and wishing, resolutely and stubbornly holding on to something dear.
Something I could never have.
She walked away from me and I stared at her retreating form until the tears blurred my sight.