Chapter 4 Part 1:

Sakura's Point of View

I followed the little boy, trying to get anyone's attention, trying my best to get myself noticed, but no one listened. I eventually just gave up. "What's your name?" I asked the little boy.

"My mom named me Jacob," the boy smiled sadly. "She had said that whenever she said my name, she had always felt the purest joy. I'd give anything to let her say my name happily again."

I felt bad for this little boy. It looked like he had cancer, for he was completely bald, so I guessed that was what had killed him, and to never hear his mother call for him again… That must've been heartbreaking. I clutched my heart and almost started to cry as we walked, for I knew that I also wouldn't ever be able to hear it again from her, for my mother was dead. Well, if she hasn't crossed over yet, or once I cross over, then maybe I'll hear her again… but Jacob's mom was still alive. He still had to wait.

"This way," Jacob said, turning down a hallway. I had spaced off. "We're so close. Everyone's in the room at the end of this hallway.

Isn't that the room where all the babies and toddlers play? I thought as I looked down there. I wonder if they can see us. I believe that young kids can see ghosts, can't they?

"We play with the living kids," Jacob said, grabbing the handle. "They can see us, and they think we're just some of the other kids in the room. They don't know that we've passed on, so try not to mention that."

"Am I gonna be the oldest kid there?" I asked cautiously. I loved little kids, but I needed someone my own age to relate to me.

Jacob shook his head. "There was the girl in room 111, who died when she was a little older than you, but there's also two brothers in there, one's fourteen and the other's sixteen, and then there's twin sisters who are ten. I still can't tell them apart." Jacob laughed and then opened the door.

There were many little kids in there, and you couldn't really even tell which ones were dead or not, well, not until one of the living kids touched them. Whenever a little kid ran into a ghost kid, they fell behind like they were just falling through thin air and they both just giggled like it was something really funny. There were miscellaneous toys and balls strewn around on the floor, and almost all the living kids would fall over them, while the ghost kids just went right through them without even thinking. In the corner of the room, one of the twins and the sixteen-year-old that Jacob had been talking about where sitting next to each other, a little too close for just friends, and watching the little kids with affection.

"Jacob!" one of the little kids called, and suddenly there was a dog pile on him, while all the little kids just passed through him and the ghosts actually dog piled.

"You've brought a new friend!" one of the little kids said after they all had gotten up. Everyone crowded around me. "New friend! New friend! Who is she?"

"Saki," I replied, and the young kids all giggled.

"New friend, are you like Jacob and Sam and John and Jackie and Miles?" one of the living kids asked.

I smiled. "Yes," I replied, and I leaved just a hint of sadness in my voice, which the little kids just laughed and giggled, not noticing at all.

"Saki, come play with us!" the little kids said, and I was just about to join in on their game when I was tugged back. I wouldn't expect that, until I turned around to see the fourteen-year-old boy that Jacob was talking about.

"Not right now, little ones," the boy said in a soothing tone. "I want to take Saki on a tour of the building. Is that okay?"

"Sure thing, Miles!" one of the little boys replied happily.

"Just bring her back soon!" a little girl smiled and giggled.

"Don't keep her all to you!" another girl added and giggled.

The boy blushed and glared at the little kids, and I smiled and laughed as he pulled me out of the room and down the hallway. We just wandered the hallways and talked.

"Were you the girl who was in room 465?" the boy asked me. I looked at him confused.

"No, I think I died before I got to see the number of the room," I replied. "Why?"

"I was wandering around the hospital just before you came," the boy replied. "There was a body being taken out of room 465 of a girl that looked just like you. Followed by a boy about your height with brown hair and a girl that was significantly shorter with long brown hair."

I looked down at my shoes that made no noise on the hospital hallway. "That was probably me." Unexpectedly, he grabbed my hand and jumped through the floor down several floors 'til we got to the lobby, where I saw Greyson and Molly waiting there. I saw my father walking up to the door, along with my brother and sister, Jake, who was staring at his feet, and then a figure of a person that I almost cried when I saw him.

Rei.

"Rei!" I called, opening the door, but the ghost boy pulled me back. "If you leave, you'll incinerate. You can't go out there."

"But... My family! Jake! Rei! They need me!" I was crying. I banged against the door, which caused no disturbance. "Rei!" I shouted, which made what seemed like a large wind blow around me, disturbing Greyson, Molly, and whoever else was in the room. I fell onto my knees. "Dammit!" I shouted at the floor. "Why'd I have to die? I'm leaving behind everyone! People are missing me! I'm going to cause so much pain for everyone!"