'Search. Search for the way home, go find the world of the living, and become one of them again.'

I vividly remembered the voice, deep and rumbling, giving me the instructions. As my ghostly form sat on the old railing out on the front porch of my home; an old farm-house. I raised 2 cautious eyes to the 'for sale' sign, hoping it would go away. When I had died, they sold my stuff, and put my house on the market. I jumped as a black truck rumbled into the drive way.

I perked up and swept into the house, and watched from the wide, first storied window. I watched the truck intently, and gaped as a realtor and a man in his early 20's follow him through the front door. I cringed, hoping that they couldn't see me; they couldn't. I listened to the realtor named 'Patrick' explain the house's history to the guy.

"This farm house has been here since 1952, and has been home to many peaceful people,"

He didn't mention my death. I think nastily. He just doesn't want to scare the customer away…

I nod and decide that my reasoning was correct. I looked at my hands, stuck to be 19 forever. I wish I could leave this house. But if I walk an inch out of the front gate, I get zapped. Zapped in a electrifying way. It hurt. I look back to the people in the front yard.

The guy nodded and looked in my direction. I gasped and hid behind the wall. I peeked out cautiously and he looked taken back, almost surprised. I looked at him, and studied him. He was tall, and had somewhat tan skin.

He had black, kind of shaggy hair, and was pretty normal, muscle wise. My eyes widened as I realized that he COULD see me. I got up and bolted up the stairs, and watched from the top of the stairs, half of me behind the old wall. I never went up stairs much. I was killed in the upstairs bathroom, anyway. I like to stay away from there.

I half expected to see my old dog, Dee, to race up the stairs to meet me, but they had sent her off to my mom's. They walked past the stairway into the kitchen, and the guy pretended not to see me. Maybe he was nice. I tiptoed down the creaky steps, which didn't creak at my almost 5 gram weight. I almost missed its annoying creak.

I peeked around the corner and spied on them. The guy seemed like he just couldn't concentrate. He kept looking around, and nodding every time the realtor paused. Is he looking for me? I think, because he nodded eagerly and asked when he could move in, 'The closest date to today,' he said.

The realtor looked taken back, and said 'this Thursday,'

This Thursday. I floated up to the second story and looked at the calendar that I had found in the yard one day. Today was Tuesday. I felt myself smile and sink through the floor and back onto the first floor. However, I had landed right in front the guy who was wandering around. I gasped and stayed still, not sure if he could see me.

He reached a hand out and it went right through my stomach. I felt a strange tingle around his hand. I grabbed his arm and backed up, and I let go of him. I looked at his face, and he talked.

"Hi," Was all he said. And it was barely a whisper. I smiled and waved. I never talked much in this form, but I mustered the same word he had.

"Hi," He shook his head and held out his hand.

"I'm Fang, and you are..?" I smiled more, and took his hand, and I let myself materialize enough so I could shake his hand.

"I'm Max… I lived here a year ago," I looked up the stairs disgustedly. He looked too, and asked

"Did you die up there?"

I nodded and said yes.

"Do you know who killed you?"

I said no.

He nodded and walked up the stairs. I frowned. He looked back at me and smiled kindly.

"Are you gonna give me a tour?" I shook my head 'no'. He shrugged and kept walking up the stairs. I floated up through the ceiling. I sat in the center of my room, and got an idea. I went to the bathroom, and went into my 'less appealing' form. I was going to play the memory back for him. He walked by the bathroom and looked at me, crumpled on the ground, blood pouring out of the stab wound in my chest.

I widened my eyes, and coughed. I felt it all over again: pain, confusion, light-headed, cold, draining. I looked at the hall, no longer aware of him there. I did exactly what I did that night. I dragged myself to my room. I cringed as I hit the wood floor of the hallway. I crawled slowly and painfully to my room. I finally collapsed at the door way, taking deep, ragged breathes. I felt my hand grasp the hole in the middle of my torso. I felt the life draining out of me, and I heard the door slam. The killer had left. I cried. I cried so much that the blood had been washed out of my vision, and I saw Fang standing there, white faced and frozen. Then, I disintegrate.

This was the relief state. I felt light, and fuzzy. Everything was white, then slowly darkened to the house that I was imprisoned in. I smiled, glad that I was no longer cold, bloody and dying. I turned around and saw the stairs. I felt a pang of sadness. The relief state could take a long time. I saw furniture in the house.

"Fang? Hello?" I called. Had he already moved in? It looked to be about noon. I walked around the house and found Fang asleep on the couch with a bottle of booze on the table and his shirt off. I shook my head and noticed the note on the table:

Oh Fangy! You passed out. I guess I was too much for you!

-Lissa

I snorted and put the note back. I wonder if I can pick things up… I walked to the kitchen, and opened the familiar cabinets. It was almost like I was alive again. I took out a blender and decided to make Fang something for his hangover. I decided that a fruit smoothie would get rid of the bad taste in his mouth. I opened his fridge and see straw berries, kiwis, bananas, and honey. I take out 1 of each, and peel the ones that need to be peeled and place them into the blender. Then I pour in the honey.

I put a drop on my finger and put the finger in my mouth. I couldn't taste it and I looked down at the honey drop on the floor. I sigh sadly, missing the sweet things that I could no longer taste. I put the lid on the blender and turn it on. I cringe at the loud noise, but walk back into the living room. I look expectantly at the couch but Fang wasn't there. I look around urgently, and relax when I hear him puking in the downstairs bathroom.

I go back into the kitchen and get a glass of ice cold water ready. I feel him stumble into the kitchen and I pour the smoothie into a big glass and give it to him. He mumbles 'thanks' and takes it, shuffling to the dining room to sit. He straightens up like he's seen a ghost *ahem excuse the pun*. He whips around and glares at me.

"Max, you scared the crap outta me on Tuesday! What the hell is wrong with you?" I shrugged and said calmly:

"I wanted you to see what really happened. I was kinda mad that you left me behind," I glared back, then I gave him his glass of water. I turn around and wash the blender. I wonder if I can feel water… I turn on the faucet and put my pale hand under the faucet. I squeal happily. I could! I could feel the water! I smile and wash the blender, returning it to its cabinet. I turn around and my smile melts. Fang was staring at me like I had just asked him for a childish slime toy.

I feel anger seep through my joints. I run out the door & into the back yard and climb my favorite maple tree. I felt a tear coming on, but ghosts don't cry. They can't. The only time we can cry is when we are repeating a memory, which is always chased by the relief state. I look out at the street, and sniffle. It was cruel that I could see all of this stuff and yet I could never touch it.

Maybe tomorrow would be better. I lie down on a thick branch and stare up at the sky. Fang wouldn't understand. He's alive, and I would be bound to this house forever. Watching people move in and out, living(metaphorically) in secret. You could always search. A voice in my head offers, but I growl quietly, silencing it. What am I supposed to be searching for? Why? Do I even want to be human again? Yes, you do. The same voice says. I sigh and roll on my side, almost losing my balance.

Then a silver Lexus drives into the yard. I bet it was that 'Lissa,' chick. I should scare her. Gosh I hate how simple my thoughts are now. Nothing is jumbled in my mind anymore. Its only one thought that shoots through my mind now. I jump down from the branch and sprint to the house and slip through the wall. I look for a place to hide, but I stop myself. What's the point of hiding when it would be funnier if I was just walking around giving her tingles. I grin evilly.

She comes in and I decide to start small. I knock over and umbrella by the door. Fang growls at me, trying to ignore me. I stick my tongue out at him. Lissa squeaks pathetically and says a stupid little 'that was a little creepy,'

I smile brightly as Fang glares at me. I follow them to the living room, and I sit down before they do. Fang growls again, but I lean back and cross my legs. Lissa gasps and points at the wrinkles on the couch were I am sitting.

"It looks like someone is sitting there!" I smile and Fang whispers 'please don't,' I smile mischievously. I get up while Lissa is still looking at the couch, and she grabs Fangs hand. I walk around Lissa, making her cold. "Oh I'm getting so cold!" She squeaks again. I almost laugh. I take a strand of her hair and lift it up in front o her face. She screams and jumps onto Fang, and he comforts her.

"Y-y-y-y-your house is haunted!" She sobs into his chest. I laugh out loud now. I'm REALLY gonna mess with her now. I grab her shoulders and I yank her back. She screams and I drag her to the edge of the living room. She is screaming bloody murder and I let her go. I fall on my butt laughing. I feel like I'm gonna fall apart if I don't hold my sides. Fang storms toward me. For some reason I have materialized. He grabs my arm and takes me into the kitchen .

"Max, I am not messing around. I want you stop right now. I won't tell you again!" He whisper yells at me. He has a killer look on his face and he shoves me off like I'm a rag doll. I glare at him and grit my teeth. Ok, I'll stop.

I silently stalk onto the front porch, because Lissa didn't want to be inside anymore. I wouldn't blame her. I hopped up and sat on the railing, listening to them talk.

"So, you can see and hear the ghost? And her name is Max?" Lissa connected. I face palmed and said

"Naw, really?" Fang grits his teeth and says a restrained

"Yeah, and she's sitting on the railing," Lissa jumps and looks frightfully in my direction. I pick a leaf from the bush behind me and throw it at her, but the leaf falls short and lands at her feet. I now start picking a bunch of leaves and throwing them at her, but they all fall short. As long as she knew I'm here.

"Annoying, isn't she?" Fang breathes.

"Yeah, she kind of is," Lissa laughs. I pick a leaf and walk over to Fang, and shove it in his mouth. He jerks back and spits it out. Lissa is snorting like a pig and I pinch her nose together. She screeches and pulls back, rubbing her nose. I smack her cheeks and pinch her arms. Fang angrily get up and grabs my arm again, dragging me to the front gate.

"FANG NO! LET GO OF ME YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME TOO THE FENCE PLEASE!" I screech. I try to pry his hand of, or disintegrate, but it seemed that where ever he grabbed me I was materialized against my own will. I tried worming from his grip, before he could shove me against the border that I couldn't cross. I remembered last time that I tried to cross the border, It felt like being shocked by a tazer.

I stalled by trying to explain to Fang, but he wouldn't listen. He took me by my shoulders and pushed me away, out of the fence. I stopped at the border and braced myself. I felt energy rack my body, shaking me and making me scream. My eyes were squeezed shut and I fell to the ground, crying. I guess ghosts could cry. I writhed on the ground and dug my hand into the dirt. I was surprised, hurt, and humiliated.

I laid there, crumbled up and shaking, whispering over and over

"Please don't kill me," I eventually stopped, and opened my eyes. I was nervous, and I felt broken. I looked up and saw Fang, staring white – faced and frozen, like on Tuesday. I shakily whispered/sobbed:

"You did this to me Fang. I can't leave this yard. I can't believe you… I can't believe…" And I went to the relief state.

Ok, this story (after not doing anything with it for about 6 months) gave me chills… I mean, it really shocked me that I wrote this… that I could write this… I hope you enjoyed it