Full length chapter this time and something different.

I didn't know if this was real or not but it certainly looked real, the people here acted like this was real and that I didn't exist. It was kinda cool. I could listen into any conversation if I wanted, but only if I wanted.

I was standing in some sort of waiting room with at least five single doors leading in and out and one set of double doors. There was a reception desk and a pair of receptionists who couldn't care less about anything but their nails. People were coming in and out all the time, out of all the doors but one.

I couldn't be in America, more likely Canada. She was Canadian and all the writing around me had a French translation underneath. Somewhere in Canada, probably in the west. Thick carpet, beige walls, cheap and out of date magazines, definitely a surgery of some sort; but why would I be here?

That's when I saw her. She was curled up on a chair in the corner; trying to hide from some sort of invisible being, another invisible being other than me or was it me? She looked different from when I last saw her. Obviously she wasn't dying now, or was she? No, this wasn't a GP's so it couldn't be anything related to her health, physical health to be precise. Her cheeks was hollow, her hair was undone and fell around her face. Her skin was pale, paler than usual, and her eyes were dark. She looked ill, but all the signs said she wasn't.

I stood in the middle of the room, watching her. I was pretty sure that this was the real world because no one had noticed me; she wasn't looking the same as she did in the 'dreams' and I had never seen her like this. I attempted to walk to the side as someone headed for me. I moved too slowly and they walked right through me. Yep, I am a ghost, ooh that sounded surreal. I wonder if I can walk through walls?

I went over to Atlanta and crouched down next to her. I didn't know what to do. She was there, alive; and I was here, dead. I wanted more than ever to take her in my arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. I placed my hand on her knee and stroked her leg. I whispered her pet name (`lanta) to her as I did it. She shifted sharply and I pulled back. I stared at my hand. Now that I was a ghost, what could I do to her? She rubbed her knee and was breathing heavily. I was struggling to hear her voice over her breathing. She hugged her arms in a protective manner.

"Okay Lannie, calm down. You're under a lot of stress, just relax. This is nothing to worry about. It's just Dad being paranoid. He's gone and he's not coming back. You can't be hearing him talk to you. He's-" She choked on her words. I remained where I was, just looking at her. I tried to touch her again. I let my finger tips brush over the back of her hand. She flinched again, stared at her hand and turned it over so my fingers rested on her palm. She laughed slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear. She smiled and I couldn't help but smile back at her. Her gaze was questioning but her voice was sure. "Luke..." I was going to say something back to her when a receptionist decided to have a go at her for having her feet on the seat. Atlanta scowled at her but she twisted round and put her feet on the floor. She looked even more uncomfortable now.

I sat crossed legged next to her and wrapped one arm around her legs. She shivered but didn't flinch this time. She was starting to get used to me. She waved her arm around, as if she was trying to find me. I took her hand and held it. She smiled vaguely before pulling back. She curled in on herself, ignoring the receptionist's protests. "Get a grip Atlanta. He can't be here. He's in the underworld. He's safe. He- oh gods, I'm never going to see him again." She choked on her words again. "Luke, I miss you so much."

I stood up and kissed her cheek. Tears spilled over her water line and she hiccupped. "I miss you too `lanta, I haven't stopped since, gods knows when." She hugged her knees and started fully crying into them. I wanted so badly to wrapped my arms around her and hold her tight against me. I knew I couldn't though; I'd only make her feel worse.

"Ms. Hunter?" Atlanta looked up as someone called her name. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were wet. "Dr Van Wolfensteign will see you again now." The consultant went back through the door that had incidentally had a 'Dr Van Wolfensteign' plaque fixed to it.

Atlanta unfurled herself from the corner and placed her feet on the floor again, right on my right foot. I shifted as she stood up next to me. It was the first time that I noticed how skinny she was. I had seen her in that shirt before and I don't think that it hung off her as much as it does now. She started murmuring to herself again. "Dad's just being paranoid; there's nothing wrong with you, you just miss him that's all." She went over to the door the woman had disappeared into. She paused with her hand on the handle before pushing it open. She closed the door behind her and I was left standing in the lobby. I followed her through the wall. Guess I can walk through walls then.

"I wondered when you'd be joining us." It was a middle aged guy with glasses and greying hair who spoke. He was sorting through a pile of stapled paper sheets with Atlanta's photo at the front. She went over to the other guy in the room and let him put his arm around her shoulders.

"Okay Lannie?" She nodded slightly and stared at the floor.

"Atalanta is it?"

"Atlanta actually."

"Right." The guy that I guess is Dr Van Wolfensteign put the papers down and looked at her over the top of his glasses. "I'm afraid it's bad news." What in Hades was going on here? "I've just been talking it over with your father here and-"

"And what? I'm upset that he's dead and there is nothing left for me. I can tell you that and I don't have some flashy diploma in psychology."

"Lannie, he's doing his best."

Dr Van Wolfy coughed. "Quite. Thank you Mr. Hunter. As I was saying, I'm sorry to say that, according to the test results, you, Ms. Hunter, have clinical depression and anorexia."

"What? There's nothing wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine!"

"It's natural to for you to react like this-"

"This has to be a joke, some sort of sick joke. There's nothing wrong with me!"

I had to agree with her. She looked fine; she was acting like she always did. How long had she been like this? I couldn't- Gods, no. It's my fault. It's my fault again. Even now I'm dead I'm still ruining her life. That's just not fair!

Her dad was trying to calm her down as she struggled to come to terms with it. I felt myself being pulled back down; down to the only world I'll ever know now.