By Jordan Mosey
Chapter One
Most people think their best friends are crazy, doing stupid things, partying. My best friend was normal. At least compared to me...
I started seeing ghosts the day my parents died, I thought I was just delusional after everything that's happened but now I still see the, three years later. I haven't told anyone I see ghosts because I know they will judge me. From what I've been told from them that to live earth first they must find peace in 40 days and if they don't they come a contact people like me to help them. I often see my parents they can't find peace because I'm unhappy but as much as I try I just cant bring myself to be as happy as I was, even with my bestest friends.
The only I find myself unhappy is because if my new family, there not very nice people at all. The only thing any good about them is their 16 year old daughter Lyra. She's ever so kind to me, which is surprising since she's a Goth (call me judgemental if you wish) She hates her parents which makes us bond quite well. She gets bullied at school too but not for the same reason. I'm mostly bullied because of my brother (Jason, 17) got into a fight and killed the lad then ran off and now nobody knows where he is. Everyone takes his actions out on me. Lyra just bullied because she's a Goth.
Sometimes I wish Lyra and me and my mom and dad could just leave and go leave together, but that's only happens in fairy tales.
"Aphrodite waits up!" Lyra yelled after me. When she caught up with me she gives I a quick hug then she start to walk home from school. "How was your day?" She says, I know by her tone she's just waiting to tell about something big that happened in her day so I just shrug say
"Fine, I guess. How was your day?"
"Well you know Matt? The one I told you that asked me to prom...?" She mumbles the last part I didn't catch it.
"What?" I pleaded
"Well today in P.E they were doing some long distance running, right? And then Matt is asthmatic and he left his inhaler inside and he had an asthma attack and died on the field within minutes..." I managed to see a single tear escape from her racoon eyes; she wiped it away fiercely which ruined her racoon-like eyeliner.
"I'm sorry." But I can't bring myself to mean it with everything that's happened in my dead family.
"Oh, Aphrodite, I'm so sorry I shouldn't be complaining about Matt what's happened to you and your parent...and...your brother and sister..." Ouch. Someone saying it out loud hurts more than I imagined. Parents are dead, well they were murdered by someone unknown but it's not hard to guess. Nathaniel, he's my brother. He was Satan all in one person, mom and dad's first child at 23 he's deadly as the devil, no friends, all haters, hates everyone especially. I always knew he had in for them since the day I came home and found him with a knife to my mother's throat. Two days later...there dead. Nathaniel left with my sister Rebecca who was 16 at the time but would be 19 by now. Nobody knows where they are but sometimes I see them out of them corner out of my eye, so maybe there dead? But there not in black and white like all the other ghosts. Maybe they want me to join them? Maybe they didn't kill my parent? I don't know and I don't like it.
"Hey Aphrodite you still there...?" Lyra said waving her hand in front of my face, we were nearly home must have been lost in thought for ages.
"Huh? Oh. Hello." I mumble. Lyra suddenly stopped walking, eyes wide.
"Hey! What is it?" Lyra blinked a few times then smiled.
"Sorry just thought about the perfect dress to wear to prom" She beamed.
"Really?" she nodded "good you scared me for a minute."
"Ha ha Aphrodite calms down your safe here." Yeah I am. I mean since I've moved here nearly a year ago I haven't seen Rebecca or Nathaniel or any of my little floating friends either.
"APHRODITE! COME HERE QUICKLY, SAM IS ON THE NEWS! BUT IT'S BAD!" Lyra screamed up the stairs to me. I ran so fast down the stairs I stumbled twice.
"What, what is it?" I choked quickly between panting breathes. Silence they 5 of them looked at the T.V. No. Sam Hardy my best friend has been reported kidnapped.
"Police are baffled by how 15 year old Sam Hardy has just disappeared. Last time she was saw was walking into her family bathroom by her brother then 5 minutes after he waited outside to use the bathroom, he said walked in the check if she's alright. And she vanished, her brother Alex Hardy claims that since she went in she never left-." I switched the T.V off I couldn't stand to hear any more of this reporters crap. This can't be true. It just couldn't be. I know her brother Alex very well he hates her cuts always told me it's a matter of time before she 'disappears'.
"Alice are you okay?" Lyra called my Alice for a nickname.
"This is crap." I spat out. I grabbed my school jacket and run out of the house, ran all 2
miles to Sam's house. When I reached their house, after half an hour of running. Police were still there but arresting Alex and moving Sam into an ambulance. I knew it.
"Sorry lady can't go in there." An officer stopped me at the edge of Sam's front garden.
"No, let her through." Said a small squeaky voice. I looked up to see Sam's mom Carol standing behind the officer her hair was scruffy; her mascara left black streaks down her face. When she looked into my eyes, I saw intense amounts of pain; she showed no sympathy just pointed towards the ambulance where I saw Sam a few moments ago. I stayed a few moments to show what I thought would be respect.
"IT WAS HIM!" Carol screamed as watched her son been driven away in a police car.
"It's okay he's not going to touch her ever again. It wasn't your fault." I said half-heartedly. I tried to comfort her by laying my hand on her shoulder but she shook it off and walked away.
I started walking towards the ambulance not with real direction my mind was left buzzing with questions.
"Hey lady, where you going" I looked up to notice I've gone the wrong way.
"Well...I was looking f-for...Sam" I barely manage to chock out. Staring down at me was a strange looking man who was wearing weird clothes but had a police badge. He was quite tall and what I could see black, maybe brown hair. Wearing white accept from his trousers they were a faded red colour.
"Afraid she's not here kid. She's been sent to the hospital for further treatment."
"Why? What's happened? What's wrong?" Fear creped through me like a virus.
"Can't say for sure but she hit her head pretty bad. The paramedics say it's not as bad as it looks."
I went home after that I couldn't understand whyAlex did. Yeah he hates her buts that's not until recently when she played the best prank ever on him ever, despite the fact that he cried it was awesome! They just finished watching the Grudge and I got to come in and crawl across the floor pretending to be the Grudge. It was pretty rubbish because I have red hair but he was so, so scared he cried. It happened a couple weeks back but still was trying to get his revenge.
Those were no reason to try and kidnapped your sister and possibly kill or maybe torture her. Eww it grossed me out thinking about Alex torturing her. I never thought he would take it this far, I mean it was only a joke. I also never thought that he'd have the cuts to do something on this scale.
"Alice! Jeez I've been worried sick!" There was Lyra I didn't realise I was home so quick. Alice was a nickname she gave me. "Please don't run off like that! Mom well Sarah to you, said that you'll won't return like go all psycho over the death of Sam and-"
"-Sam's dead!" There must be a mistake I mean I saw her like 20 minutes ago and the police lady said that it's nothing serious.
"Aphrodite. Sam died three hours ago." Before I could protest that she's insane I was engulfed in one of her bear hugs. "I'm so sorry Alice. I-I thought you knew." Her voice barely a whisper in my ear.
"She's not dead. I saw her like 220 minutes ago. I was there and she got taken to the hospital and then I came straight home." I managed to choke out I was crying uncontrollably. Lyra pulled back and studied my face with confusion.
"Ali-Aphrodite you've been missing for three hours." What? How's that possible I didn't stop on the way home
"I-I-I don't understand." Three hours that's, that's, that's a lie.
"Yeah you left at about nine and now it's about nearly twelve. Never mind come inside, go to sleep I'll explain everything in the morning." Her voice was soothing as she led me inside.
Once in PJ's and in bed I realised I was exhausted and worried that I'll never be able to sleep. As soon as I closed my eyes, surprisingly, I feel straight asleep.
Morning came too early for my liking. I woke up numerous during night due to nightmares of Alex's face a few inches from mine laughing at me as I was tied up to a hard wooden chair, in their attic which me and Sam had explored a few times. Then I saw Sam's ghost, she was sad, Oh, ever so sad. Every time I saw her she was saying something, something I couldn't understand buy the end of the end dream of the dream she was shouting at me and then I got it. Run. She was telling me to run.
"Morning gorgeous." I opened my eyes to see Lyra's beaming face holding a tray of toast and orange juice. For a second, just a second I thought Sam was only a dream. But Lyra was never this nice on a daily basis.
"Hey" My voice didn't sound like my own. Sitting up in my bed she laid the tray on my lap. Damn I'm actually starving. The toast was going cold but still was amazing. The orange juice was sensational, I was extremely dehydrated. Lyra eyed me with caution, watching my every move. I tried not to notice her but I found myself becoming aware of everything I did.