"Mum why are we moving again?" Alex asked. She know perfectly why they were moving as she had asked the same question every half an hour for the last three hours. They were moving from the town she had lived in for the whole of her seventeen years to a town in a different country.
"Darling like I have said the last hundred times England holds too many horrible memories of your father." Alex's father was in the army and had been in Afghanistan until he stepped on a
"Mum do you think I could have an Xbox in my new room? Does New York have Xboxes?"Nathan Alex's younger brother interrupted.
"Yes dear, whatever you want."
"Of course they will have Xboxes; there will be everything that we had in Southampton." Alex muttered as the air hostess wheeled a trolley of lunches along the aisle. After Alex ate her lunch quickly then went to sleep as they had another seven hours in the air. She woke up for her dinner then slept till they got off. They passed through the security and luggage collection quickly. Alex's mum hired a car into Manhattan. After a ten minute drive they stopped outside an old building that looked like it was two hundred years old. There was an old man standing outside.
"Good mornin' you must be Mrs Roberts. I have your keys here."
"Yes I am. May I ask why was it so cheap?" Alex's mum said.
"Oh, er its cause people say there are ghosts living on the roof."
"Really wow, ghosts were going to live in a haunted house. Tell us more please." Nathan squeaked.
"Um well this is where they lived in the late 1890's. They were Newsies and they have never left. Wanting to keep it the way it was at the turn of the century."
"Wow they got names?" Nathan asked getting more excited. The old man shrugged.
"No-one has got ear enough to ask."
"There's no such thing as ghosts." Alex mumbled.
"Don't spoil your brothers' fun dear." The old man gave Mrs. Roberts the keys then walk off down the streets. Nathan and Alex rushed in to the old lodging house to choose their rooms. Upstairs there was one huge room where the Newsies slept Alex guessed, and then there was a smaller room next to that, on the top floor was a medium sized room. Alex quickly unpacked in top room before her brother got up the stairs. Alex fell asleep on her new bed quickly.
Blink sat on the fire escape staring through the window. On the bed lay a girl about the age he was when he died and will always be. She was beautiful, her brown hair fanning out over the pillow, her hands up next to her face. She looked so peaceful. She suddenly she woke up and stretched and sat up. She stared out of the window to where he was sat she seemed like she was staring at him but that was impossible because he was a ghost and no one has ever been able to see him. He sat perfectly still hoping she would think he was just his imagination. She stood up and slowly made her way towards the window. Blink slowly made his way towards the steps that led to the roof and safety. When he reached the stairs he scampered up them as fast as his old legs could carry him. He had now seen 128 years although he had only lived 18 of them, he know strangely felt thankful to the mass murderer who stabbed him in one of the alleys, he somehow know that if he died of old age he would never have seen the beautiful girl who was chasing him. Wait chasing him? He glanced behind him and sure enough the girl was racing up the ladder after him. He toppled over the edge of the roof and crawled behind a chimney. He saw the girl standing by the ladder searching for him.
"Hey where are you?" she asked in a very strong English accent. "I only want to talk, why you hiding? I aint gonna hurt you." Blink inched into view, out of the corner of his eye he saw his friends' Race and Skittery chuckling from another roof. "There you are."
"Ya can see me?" Blink asked.
"Of course I can see you, why are you on my roof?"
"I er live, lived here." Blink murmured.
"What in the house?" she asked pointing to the floor.
"Er yer, with my friends." Blink pointed to Race and Skittery.
"Really? When?"
"Er 110 years ago, they lived here longer than me." The girl started to laugh.
"Yer right, that would mean your all ghos... oh you're the ghosts that creepy old man was talking about right." Race and Skittery stood and floated over to them. "And that proves it. So you were Newsies." She started to shake. "My brothers going to love that there really are ghosts living here."
"Um actually you're the foirst person to actually see us since we died." Skittery confessed.
"Oh, I won't tell him then, he'd kill me. So since we will be living in the same building I better introduce myself, I'm Alex."
"Er I'm Blink, dis is Skittery and Race." Blink said confused. "Aint ya scared of us?"
"You aint trying to scare me so why should I. I better go though; mum will want me to help unpack." Alex said as she walked back to the ladder. "Hot ghosts can't be scary anyway." She said just before she disappeared. Blink turned to race and Skittery.
"We don't have to scare them out do we, I like them."
"You mean her, ya haven't seen her bruda, ma or pa and dey could be horrible." Race joked.
"Yer well we could go help them unpack cant we, see what her bruda dinks." Skittery asked with a cheeky smile plastered across his face.
Alex raced downstairs to help unpack. "Hey mum you want some help unpacking?"
"Yes, your just in time the lorry with all our stuff has just arrived, I am glad I sent our furniture ahead of us, It obversly takes a month to get here on a boat. Why you so happy, I thought you wanted to stay in England?"
"I did but now I want to stay, I've met some very special friends." Alex said proudly
"Ow thanks, ya so kind." Race said as he floated cross legged in the air. Alex jumped then rolled her eyes.
"Don't do that you scared me." She said chuckling.
"Do what dear?"
"Oh nothing mum."
"That's what ghosts are for." Skittery said from another corner of the room in the same position as race. Alex snorted.
"What you doin here?"
"We want ta help ya unpack." Blink said from the doorway, he was the only one who was not floating.
"Alex who are you talking too?"
"The ghosts mum." She answered grinning.
"Alex you know ghosts don't exist, I'll let your brother believe that there are ghosts her but you are ten years older than him and you should know better."
"Yes mum." Alex chuckled. The boxes and furniture had know been moved into the hall. Alex grabbed a box and so did her mum. Race floated to the ground lifted a box up and walked upstairs.
"What was that?" her mum squeaked
"What was what mum?"
"That box it moved upstairs on its own."
"it's was your imagination mum, what else could it be, a ghost?" the unpacking went quickly with all six people helping, although Blink, Race and Skittery didn't do anything when Alex's mum and brother were around."
Alex spent most of her time on the roof the next few weeks till college started. The first day at college was horrible. First no-one would talk to her as she was new AND English. The teachers where nice but they were teachers so they didn't count. At lunch she chatted with some people who sat at her table.
"Hey ya new?"
"Er yer, I'm Alex; I arrived half way through the summer."
"I'm Rachel and this is Sarah, where ya live know then?
"Um in the old Newsies lodging house." Alex replied.
"The haunted house? Why would ya want ta live there?"
"Um one it's not haunted." Alex promised Blink, Skittery and Race not to mention them to anyone. "And two it was the only place mum could afford at the time, she was in a rush to move."
"Why would anyone be in a rush to move to America?" Sarah asked
"Mum couldn't stand living in England after what happened to my dad, too many memories or something."
"Oh what happened to ya dad?"
"Um he was in the army."
"Oh sorry." The bell rang for the end of lunch. By the end of the day everyone was talking about the girl who only hangs around with ghosts and loves war and violence. Alex rushed home and went straight to the roof. She sat against the wall with her knees up to her chest and cried.
"Hey Alex wats da matta, college isn't that bad." Blink sat next to her.
"They won't listen, I tell two people where I live and that it isn't haunted and now I'm known as the ghost girl, she only wants to be friends with ghosts. Why won't they listen?" She wept
"People like that aren't worth it; ya just have ta ignore them. I'm sure someone will believe ya lie." He tried t reassure her. She laid her head on his shoulder and cried till she couldn't cry anymore. They stared across the roof tops in silence till Alex noticed who she was leaning against.
"Blink?"
"Mmm."
"I thought people couldn't feel ghosts?"
"They can't." He replied not looking away from the view. "Their hand would go straight through the ghost."
"Then why am I leaning against you, I should have fallen through you right?" Blink suddenly looked at Alex.
"The only way someone can feel a ghost is if they truly loved the ghost deep down, sometimes they don't even know it. The ghost would have to love them back of course" Alex started to grin.
"I better let mum know I'm back, thanks for the talk." They stood up.
"Anytime, I love talkin ta ya." Blink murmured. Alex smiled as she reached up kissed him on the cheek, then she hurried down the fire escape. She didn't see Blink blush slightly as he watched her disappear. With all the homework Alex didn't see her ghost friends for weeks. One night she lay in bed trying to sleep, she had a strange feeling that she was being watched. She glanced over to the window and there he was, in the same place as he was the first time she saw him. She beckoned to him with her hand. She slid through the closed window. She was never going to get used to that she thought.
"It's not nice ta spy on people." She joked; she was starting to pick up an American accent.
"I couldn't help it; we thought ya forgot about us." He whispered as he sat next to her on the bed. "I was worried you didn't want to see me anymore because of what I told ya."
"Remind me what that was again, I have a bad memory." She teased.
"I said that I loved you like I have never loved anyone in my whole life before and after I was a ghost." He murmured slowly in a husky voice. They stared deep into each other eyes for what seemed like ages.
"I love you too, I'm glad I met you, you make living bearable."
"And you make death bearable." Alex started laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"That I'm in love with a ghost and I can't imagine life without you."
"I talked to the boss," Blink pointed to the sky. "He says that when ya touch me I become human again, ya know, I'm basically alive when ya touch me, but only when ya touch me so other people can see me." Alex started smiling.
"So you'll be able ta meet my family and they'll see ya." Alex said hugging him.
"Yer, that's right." He smirked. They lay down on the bed curled up. Alex fell asleep in his arms. The next morning sun shone through the curtains forcing Alex's eyes open.
"Morning beautiful." Blink murmured.
"Morning handsome." Alex muttered sleepily. She turned over and snuggled deeper into Blinks arms. Five minutes later there was a knock on the door.
"Alex its time to get up, can I come in and talk about you a moment?" Alex's mum called.
"Yer wait a minute." She called back. "Blink let go of me, she'll go mad if she's sees ya." Alex whispered. Blink flung himself off the bed and into a corner. "Ya can come in now." The door opened and in stepped Alex's mum. "Wat ya want ta talk ta me 'bout?"
"First talk properly, our still English and second stop putting stupid ideas into your brother's head. There is no such thing as ghosts. You know that so stop talking about them." Mrs Roberts said calmly.
"How do ya know there aint no such thing as ghosts, just ya never seen one before don't mean dey don't exist." Alex growled. She had never argued with her mum before but she won't let her tell her blink didn't exist.
"Calm down dear, you didn't believe in them before we moved here. You need to make some real friends."
"That was before I fell in love with one." Alex growled again.
"Fine believes what ya want." Alex's mum walked out of the room. Alex fell back against her bed and curled up.
"It is very hard for people who don't see us; you just have to be patient." Blink wrapped his arms round her again.
"But she dinks I'm goin crazy." She sniffed. Alex spent the day on the roof playing poker with Race and Skittery. Blink sat behind Alex with his head resting on her shoulder.
"Alex! Can I come up?" Nathan called from the fire escape.
"Sure come on up. I got some friends ta show ya." She called back. Nathan quickly climbed the stairs. He stood at the edge of the roof.
"Alex why are there cards floating in the air? And who is that sitting behind you?"
"Um their the ghost that live here. Come here if I hold ya hand you will see them properly." Nathan ran over and grabbed her hand. Instantly his face lit up as race and Skittery appeared. "This is race, Skittery and Blink. Blink is my Boyfriend. 'es comin ta dinner tamorro'."
"And their ghosts?" Nathan asked grinning
"Yer kid, were ghosts." Race laughed.
"That SO cool!" Nathan exclaimed. "Can you go through closed doors and stuff?"
"Yes, we can fly as well." Skittery said as he started to levitate.
"Wow, this is so cool, I can't wait to tell mum and my friends."
"Nathan you can't tell anyone, mum won't believe ya, neither will your friends." Alex told him firmly.
"Ok" Nathan sighed." I won't tell, I promise."
"ALEX, NATHAN! WHERE ARE YOU, DINNERS READY?" Mrs Roberts shouted.
"OK WE'RE COMIN'" Alex shouted back. She kissed Blink on the cheek and stood up dragging Nathan down the ladder.
"Mum? Can my boyfriend come to dinner tamorro' nigh'?" Alex asked when they were all sat down and eating.
"Of course, dear. What's his name? You have never mentioned him before." Nathan opened his mouth but Alex glared at him so he shut it quickly.
"Um he's called Blink and I have mentioned him before but you never listened." Alex replied. After that dinner was quite, Alex decided to go to bed early and Blink lay with her again. At dinner the next day Blink Knocked on the door and Alex introduced him to his family making sure she was touching him otherwise he would disappear in front of her mum's eyes. Dinner went great, Alex's mum asked lots of questions but she was polite, Nathan was on his best behaviour. After dinner they watched TV until Blink had to go home in case his mum got worried or so he said.
"See ya in a minute." Blink whispered as he walked out the front door. Alex rushed upstairs and there he was lying on her bed. "Wow ya were fast" he mumbled as Alex lay down next to him.
"I was missing ya" Alex stared up into Blink's blue eye as he had a patch over his left eye. She reached up and traced the curve of his face with her finger.
"I love ya, Alex" Blink murmured leaning into her touch, he leaned towards her and his deathly cold lips landed on hers. The kiss started off gentle but then he started kissing her life his death depended on it. Alex reluctantly pulled away for breath.
"I love ya too Blink." She mumbled against his body. "Ya ok? Ya were acting a bit strange at dinner."
"I was talking to the big boss and he says that now I have fallen deeply in love my time as a ghost is over."
"What! Ya mean ya will be going up to heaven?" Blink nodded. "But that's good aint it, you won't be a ghost no more."
"This means I won't see ya anymore. I won't be able to be on earth, I'll have to stay in heaven."
"NO, I won't let ya." Alex grumbled. Tears started to fall down her face. Blink wrapped his arms round her. She cried in to his chest till she had a great idea. "I'm comin' wid ya." She said pulling away from him.
"What, ya can't do that, wat 'bout ya family?"
"I love ya, I can't go on wid out ya, and if ya go I'll die of heartache anyway."
"I love ya too, but I can't let ya give up ya life for me."
"But I want ta, I can't live wid out ya, you've made livin' in New York bearable."
"I know but ya can't come wid me, I 'ave ta go now." He slowly got off the bed and walked towards the window.
"Do ya have ta go know?" Alex asked looking like a lost puppy on the bed.
"Yes, but even though we're miles apart ya will always be in my heart." With that Blink was out the window and gone forever. Alex clasped on the bed and cried till morning. The next few months she just went to college or stayed in her room crying. She couldn't go up to the roof. One night she was sitting on the fire escape staring out at the stars when she decided what she must do. She quickly writes a note then climbs down the escape into the darkness. She strode through the night to the cemetery, she searched till she found Blink's grave. It was small, modest and covered in weeds. She cleaned it up till it looked almost new. She fell asleep next to him and she spent all her spare time there. A week later she couldn't take it anymore so she ran to the Brooklyn Bridge. She climbed over the rail and stood there for half an hour. She let go and fell to her destiny. She fell through a blinding light and she was back in her room. Blink sat on the bed with his arms crossed.
"I told ya not ta throw ya life away for me."
"I couldn't live life wid out ya."Alex rushed over to the bed knocking him over. "I've missed ya." She whispered as she landed on him.
"Hey darlin' ya fancy being wid me for all eternity?" Blink said. He wrapped his arms round her.
"Of course I'm never leavin' ya arms again, I promise."
"And I am never leaving you, I love ya Alex." They lay on the bed side by side staring into each others eyes." Did ya know ya can get married in heaven?"
"No I didn't, why ya tellin' me?" Alex said grinning, she know exactly what he meant.
"Marry me, Alex." He asked in a husky longing voice."
"Why do ya need ta ask, I would have married ya da foirst time I saw ya." She responded smiling. Blink and Alex married and lived eternity together.
hope you liked this. i got the idea when i was telling an eight year old about the ghost who lives in my bedroom called Kid Blink. please review