It was about a week since Eileen Galvin returned from St Jerome's Hospital in Ashfield…But things felt different; Henry had gone back to being closed up, he doesn't even seem to want to talk to her anymore. Nor answer his door or anything…
She sighed heavily, tears brimming her eyes. She looked over to room 207 – she couldn't stand seeing a new set of people living there, in Richards's apartment. Richard… When Walter had possessed her, she got access to most of his memories; including the murders of his victims…Every night she had the same nightmare of Richard frying to death in the electric chair.
And every morning when she woke up, she cried. And cried…and cried. She too, never answered her door, even when it was either of her parents. She just didn't want to see anyone but Richard – but she couldn't. If only she'd realised that the Building World ghost was his sooner, she may have been able to get through to him…
She lay on her stomach on her bed, staring at the coffee cup sitting on the windowsill. She sobbed lightly, and then the window burst open suddenly, the cup flew out the window and smashed on the ground outside. She ran up to look out the window, and when she looked down, the cup was…gone.
Confused, Eileen turned round and jumped. In front of her...it was Richard…Like how she remembered him; just with the brand '19121' on his forehead. She shook her head –it had to be a hallucination! It definetly WASN'T a ghost – there was no evidence of being fried to death…
Slowly, the apparition raised its arm, and placed it on her shoulder. It was solid.
"Eileen."
And at hearing his voice once again, she couldn't help crying. She felt a tug on her arm, and was pulled forward into a pair of strong arms.
"Richard…?"
She felt a hand on the back of her head as he gently embraced her.
"I can't be here too long anyway." He said quietly.
"Huh? W-why not?" She cried out, hurt evident in her features.
"It took one hell of a lot of work getting from his world to here, especially since he's dead now…"
She cried harder and clutched at his striped shirt tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Richard…Are you okay? You aren't suffering, are you?"
He pushed away from her slightly, and chuckled slightly.
"No, I'm free now. I can't feel the pain anymore…Just the pain of missing you."
"Damn…Richard. You know, everyone here misses you – despite your bad attitude. Frank misses you too, he was especially unhappy you died there, in your room. He was very hesitant letting it out again."
Richards's eyes widened dramatically.
"He…LET my room out?" Richard looked out the window, and saw two small children smearing the walls with paint. "LITTLE BASTARDS! THAT'S MY ROOM STOP MESSING IT UP! IF I wasn't a ghost, I'd kick their asses!"
Eileen smiled and laughed as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Just like you Richard, getting mad at the young ones again."
"Eh heh…URK!"
Richard doubled over suddenly, and Eileen couldn't help but yelp.
"Richard, what's wrong?"
"J-just…my time…is running…out."
"Oh god no...Can't you do anything?"
"No…Hell, I would be doing it now if I could!"
Eileen felt her eyes tear up again, and Richard gripped her wrist in his hand gently.
"Eileen…Once I'm gone, I beg you, please, stop mourning over me. You're breaking yourself."
"Richard!" She squeaked out sadly.
Richard was slowly becoming transparent again, and Eileen started sobbing again.
"Goodbye…It was nice meeting and knowing you kiddo…"
"Goodbye Richard, it was nice knowing you too…"
And in that moment; he was gone. Eileen fell to her knees in the near empty bedroom, head in hands. There was a tiny noise behind her and she looked round, the cup was on her windowsill again, and the contents still piping hot…
And there was a knock at the door.
"Coming…" Eileen called out, not noticing the small long piece of fabric on her pillow…
It looked suspiciously like a tie.