Part 2 of the long Chapter 12.
Spencers13 – March 2003–March 2004
R – Drama – Angst
Chapter Twelve – All in the Past (pt 2)
Sweet, warm wind blew through the upstairs windows of Kyle Bennington's home a few miles from the small town of Brown Hill, Montana. The breeze was flavored with the succulent aroma of wildflowers and honeysuckle—so delicious!
The fresh scent drifted enticingly into Kyle's nostrils, rousing him from the most horrendous sleep he had had in a while. His eyes blinked open, slowly finding himself awake and feeling like he was about to die from the hangover raging through his skull. He sat up, mindful of his throbbing head, and slipped out from the blankets to stand and stretch fully.
Ahhh…it felt so sucky to be alive!
The human strode to a window and gazed out at his side yard below, grimacing at the bright sun that was already burning in the atmosphere but providing pleasant heat to the land. Everything out there looked so fresh and green; it made a small smile drift over his lips. Maybe today was going to be a good day for once.
Turning and trudging from the room, Kyle took notice that he still wore the same outfit from the previous day, minus his shoes, jacket, and belt. He would have to give Frank a call and thank him for taking him home…again. But the call would have to wait until that damn hangover went away.
With a groan, the man made his way downstairs, one hand on the wooden railing and the other on his forehead, rubbing the sleepers from his eyes. He made it into the foyer without too much of a hassle, then slowly trod toward the living room on his way to the kitchen.
He needed a Tylenol. No, he needed ten Tylenol.
Something out of the ordinary caught Kyle's attention, and he stopped in the entryway of the living room, eyes staring at the back of the couch that sat in the middle of the room facing a twenty-seven inch TV and a large stone fireplace. Over the arm of the overstuffed sofa dangled long, blonde hair, shining in the bright sunlight that filtered through the picture window on the front of the house.
Oh, shit, the man thought suddenly. Don't tell me I took some chick home last night! I don't even remember! I thought Frank brought me home…maybe I was wrong. Geez, tell me I didn't bang that chick on the couch then stumble upstairs to bed at three AM! That's the last time I get so drunk!
Slowly, Kyle stepped forward, wary to see the face of the woman he thought he brought home for a one night stand. Where were his morals? Where was his devotion to…her—the only one that should have been for him?
What's her name? Should I know? Dammit, I don't even remember a blonde at the bar last night! He gasped and stopped advancing. Maybe I picked her up somewhere else. Maybe she brought me home…and took advantage of me since I was drunk. Anger boiled deep in the pit of Kyle's upset stomach, making it flip-flop queasily. The thought of someone doing that to him—using him, making him go against his solemn vows—made him sick. That bitch was going to get a serious wake up call!
Swallowing the hard lump in his throat, Kyle stepped right up behind the couch and looked over, mouth open and hand poised, ready to wake the offending female and get her out of his house as quickly as possible. But he never finished his move, and no sound emanated from his slack jaw. His blue eyes stared, taking in the form resting on his couch.
A sleek, youthful, beautiful blonde was indeed sleeping on Kyle's couch, but that wasn't what shocked him to the core and made the bile rise in his throat. What disturbed him so much was that that sleek, youthful, beautiful blonde was a man! He held his breath as said man stirred, yawning widely and blinking his eyes open.
Immediately, Endri knew Kyle was behind him, and he quickly closed his eyes and pulled his shades from under his makeshift pillow, donning them before the human could get a look at the sparkles in his irises. After he was securely disguised, he rolled over slightly and looked up to his host, a small, sleepy smile gracing his normally impassive features.
"Hello," he greeted quietly, voice a little scratchy with sleep yet.
"Oh, shit!" Kyle shrieked, eyes as wide a saucers.
The sudden shout startled the ghost, and he jumped a little, the rare smile lost to be replaced with confusion.
The human whirled and supported himself against the back of the couch, unable to look down at the man it supported on its cushions. A shaking had flew up to cup against his tightly squeezed eyes. "I knew this would happen someday if I kept drinkin' like I was. But I thought it was just a funny thought. I never imagined it would really happen! My life is officially over! I'll never be able to show my face in town again. I should just kill myself now and get it over with."
Endri sat up behind Kyle, that confused look still on his features. "What are you talking about?"
Kyle rubbed his hands over his eyes vigorously, then pulled them away and wiped them on his jeans, thinking better of it. Who knew where his hands had been the night before? The thought made his stomach turn over again. "You. I can't believe I was so fuckin' drunk I brought home a man! Please!" He whirled again, hands gripped into the back of the couch and staring down at Endri with intense blue eyes. "Tell me we didn't do anything. Tell me we didn't…we didn't…" he gulped to swallow the bile rising, "d-didn't fuck last night."
Endri blinked at the question, it not registering that well at first as he hadn't been expecting it. But as soon as he realized what Kyle thought had happened the night before, a low chuckle rose in his throat. The chuckle escalated slowly until it turned into full laughter, and the ghost had to reach up and wipe the tears of mirth from his watering eyes.
Kyle frowned, not liking being laughed at. "What the hell's so funny?"
"You…you thought we had sex! Ah-ha-ha-ha!" Endri laughed on.
The human swallowed, feeling somewhat relieved at that. "We didn't?"
"Of course not," the ghost said, calming from his outburst. That was the first time someone had made him laugh like that in a very long time. It felt good to let go that little bit. "You passed out at the bar last night, and I brought you home. Your friend, Frank, would have done it, but he was too busy cleaning up for the night, so I volunteered to take you home. Although, I am flattered you thought we had a night together. Makes me feel like I'm still desirable," he said suggestively, gracefully pulling off a seductive pose. Had his eyes not been covered, he would have winked as well, further teasing the white-haired human.
Kyle just seethed, not considering it to be good-natured taunting. He thought he was being made fun of—being made fun of in his own home, no less. "What the hell are you still doing here?" he growled. "When you drop someone off, you're supposed to leave right after."
Endri shrugged, sitting up fully and pulling his shirt out of the tangled makeshift pillow he had slept on. "Then I apologize. There are just some things I'm not up to speed on." He donned his slightly wrinkled shirt and tucked it into his jeans, then adjusted those to sit straight. His pale hand went back for his trench coat and he stood, picking it up and shaking it out. "If you want," he went on, pulling the coat around his shoulders and slipping his arms into the sleeves, "I can leave right now."
"Yeah, would ya?" Kyle hissed none too friendly, eyes narrowed.
The ghost froze and turned his gaze to the human, seeing the anger and disgust blatantly displayed in his blue eyes. Those eyes reminded him of the sky. It was like looking straight up into the sky and seeing the part of the atmosphere where it was darkest. But instead of those eyes being a pleasant sight, they were full of contempt and stared icily. It was almost chilling to behold.
Endri looked away from those hateful eyes and finished donning his coat with quick jerks of his arms. "Fine. Seeing as how I'm not welcome here anyway…" He picked up his boots from the side of the couch and pulled them on quickly, hastening to leave. The human didn't want him there, so he didn't want to be there. That was gratitude for you. He finally did something nice for someone after a while, and a cold shoulder was the thanks he got. He was almost disgusted to think that he too was once a human being. Humans were so harsh and heartless. He was never going to help another one ever again.
Grunting, Endri strode from the room, hands clenched to fists and not looking back. The sooner he left, the better. He made it to the front door in the foyer and opened it. A hand reached into his vision and held onto the oak door, keeping it open, and Kyle stood there, glaring, silently saying, "Good riddance."
The ghost glared back at him, pissed beyond words. But before he stepped over the door frame, he opened his mouth to say just one thing. "Your welcome." With that, he left, stepping out onto the stone porch and down the front steps. He rounded Kyle's black Jeep Wrangler and kept going, making a beeline for the dirt road driveway.
Kyle shut the door to his home and leaned his back against it, sagging and closing his eyes. The relief he felt in being alone again came with a wave of guilt. That guy had gone out of his way to bring him home last night, and he just kicked him out of his house without any gratitude. But the way that man laughed at him hurt to no end. His home was supposed to be a sanctuary for him, but a stranger had invaded it, slept in it, and made fun of him in it. He was supposed to be protected by those walls, but they were breached last night—breached and invaded.
Kyle felt unclean.
He let his mind drift for a moment, thinking back over the previous night's events. He had been very drunk, but he did remember something. It was fuzzy at first, but soon it became clearer and clearer. A blonde man in a black trench coat with dark glasses had been sitting beside him at the bar. He remembered being cold to the man, saying rude comments and thinking him annoying for displaying curiosity of him.
Then he remembered when Jack Donnogan came in, demanding he move his Jeep. He had been scared, knowing he was about to get the crap beat out of him, but not being able to hold back his contempt and defiance due to his drunkenness. But just when he thought he was done for, that blonde man in the black coat and shades had stepped in and saved him from a certain beating.
Kyle bit his lip and turned his head to the side against the door, looking like he was trying to see right through it and into the yard beyond. And then, that same blonde man in the black coat and shades had been kind enough to bring him home last night. And who did he see curled up on his couch in the morning? That blonde man in the black coat and shades. He must have been too tired to leave and just crashed on the couch, needing a place to sleep.
Blinded by hurt, shock, and anger, Kyle had just kicked out someone that had treated him better than anyone else had for a long time. And was that man really walking away? Where was his vehicle? The human remembered briefly seeing his Jeep parked out front, so that had to mean the blonde had driven him home in his own car so he wouldn't have to go through an ordeal to go and get it in the morning.
Kyle hung his head low, remembering the last words the blonde spoke to him. "Your welcome." He was such an asshole! He just kicked that nice guy out of his home without even a thank you for helping him!
Quickly, Kyle threw the front door back open and bounded outside. He scanned his front yard, not seeing the blonde anywhere. He must have already gotten to the driveway and had walked out of sight, disappearing along with the dirt road into the trees that surrounded the man's home.
Not wasting anymore time, Kyle took off across the yard, his heart pounding in his chest, and his headache pounding in his head. But it didn't matter. He had to get to that blonde before he was gone for good. Rounding a bend, the human saw what he was searching for: the blonde man in a black coat and shades, walking slowly, almost as if sadness haunted every footstep.
"Wait!" Kyle shouted, raising an arm and still running to catch up.
Endri halted, surprised to have heard a voice shout for him. He turned and saw that white-haired guy running for him, and a frown formed instantly on his brow. He spun back around in a huff and continued walking a little faster than before, trying to ignore the ungrateful bastard that was following him.
"Wait!" Kyle shouted again, jogging up to walk beside the ghost and panting for a breath. "Don't…run off yet.… Wait a minute."
Endri halted again and crossed his arms over his chest, turning to glare daggers through his shades, just wishing the human could see it. "What do you want?"
"I'm sorry. Please don't go yet." The man panted, still not having caught his breath.
"Don't go? But I thought you wanted nothing more than to get rid of me. Make up your mind, hu—uh…Kyle." That was a close one. He had almost called the guy a human, not by his name. He usually did that whenever someone pissed him off. He would refer to them as "human", something known by ghosts to be derogatory.
"Look," Kyle started again, "I'm really sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just a little shocked to find you in my house, that's all. An' I got a hangover the size of this state, so it didn't help my attitude. I just didn't think."
Endri pursed his lips and cast his eyes aside, gazing off into the distance through the trees lining the dirt road they stood on. He crossed his arms tighter, his scowl deepening.
Kyle wasn't blind. He saw how tensed the blonde had become. "Please?" he pleaded softly, tilting his head into the ghost's line of sight.
The quiet plea sank right into Endri's chest and grabbed his heart, and he felt the sudden urge to drop all pretenses and accept the apology wholeheartedly. Why? Why did he want to do that? That bastard just treated him like scum, so why was he so ready to accept his apology?
"Hey, where's your car? M-Maybe I can run you out to it, so you won't have to walk?" Kyle asked, trying to be nice. He felt the need to patch the ragged gash he tore between them earlier, if only to ease his guilty conscience.
Endri sighed and blinked tiredly. Why wouldn't that human just leave him alone? Maybe if he answered his questions, the man would be satisfied, and he could leave. "I don't have one."
"Oh, uh…your truck, then?"
"I don't have one of those either."
"A van?"
"No."
"Motorcycle?"
"No."
"Moped?"
"No!" the ghost snapped.
Kyle held back a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Well, where's your vehicle, since I can't seem to guess what you have."
"I don't have a vehicle."
The human paused, letting that answer sink in. "Oh. Okay. Um…the train station? Would you like a ride there? Or the bus station? I could even take you to the airport, but that might take an hour or more, just to warn ya."
Endri rolled his eyes behind his shades, letting an exasperated sigh push through his pale lips. "I don't travel by any of those means. I walk, okay? Everywhere I go, I walk. I don't ride in cars. I don't take trains, busses, or planes. I don't ride bicycles or motorcycles. I don't even sail on boats. I—walk," he spat harshly, trying to drive the point home.
Kyle stood in stunned silence for a good portion of a minute. When finally his bearings returned, he cast his eyes to the ground unable to meet the cold gaze of those black glasses. "I didn't know that." He quieted again feeling a warm, yet at the same time, cool breeze tickle his face and exposed arms. He shivered involuntarily. "If you need some money, maybe I can—"
"Money has nothing to do with it," the ghost grumbled. "I simply prefer to walk. Is there some problem you're having with that?"
The human looked up again quickly. "No! No, no, it's just—uh…" His eyes scanned around, looking desperately for an answer. "Are you hungry?" he asked out of the blue.
Endri was taken by surprise, and he uncrossed his arms and shifted on his feet nervously. "Why?"
Kyle smiled, the first genuine smile the ghost had witnessed on his face, and it was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "I can't let you leave without at least stuffing your face first! You gotta have fuel in you if you're gonna be walking, right?"
Endri quirked his eyebrow uneasily. "I don't know.…"
"Come-on!" the human piped, reaching right through all the barriers the ghost had ever erected around himself for the past six centuries and grasping his arm, tugging him back along with him toward the house. "It's the least I can do…to thank you." He looked back, still leading a hesitant ghost along the dirt road, and smiled again, making his eyes shine and face glow.
Endri smirked and ceased resisting, allowing himself to be lead forward by the human. He was kind of hungry.
Eggs and bacon sizzled together in the same skillet as Kyle poked at them with a metal flipper. He stood before the stove, staring down at the cooking meal a little distractedly for at the kitchen table sat his unusual guest. The blonde man had his arms crossed across his broad chest and was leaning back in a chair, one leg extended straight out at an angle to the floor and the other bent at the knee with his foot flat on the tiles. He looked like he was relaxing, but the tension in his muscles could be plainly seen, even though all of his exposed skin was covered save his face and neck. He still looked apprehensive about the whole situation.
Kyle finally dished out two platefuls of eggs and bacon, buttered four pieces of toast and cut them diagonally down the center, and poured two large glasses of orange juice. He split everything equally between himself and his guest at the table and sat down opposite him.
Endri eyed his plate of oily food warily, and Kyle caught the uneasy stare.
"What's wrong?"
"Forgive me for being picky, but isn't this a little…greasy?" the ghost wondered, taking his fork and pushing the bacon and eggs around a little, watching as whatever he moved left behind a thick trail of oil.
Kyle chuckled and shoveled a forkful into his mouth. "Haven't you ever had country cooking? I grew up on this stuff. The greasier the better."
Endri looked up at the human across from him, confusion pulling at his brows. "But you're so thin."
"So?"
"You would think that after eating such fatty foods all your life, you'd be…bigger."
Kyle frowned, starting to take offense. He was a good cook! I didn't matter the fat content of his food. Besides, he had an overactive metabolism, keeping him rather scrawny for most of his life. It wasn't his fault. "Just eat it." Asshole, he finished in his mind.
Endri played with his food a little more, but soon took a bite. He was very surprised that it really did taste pretty good, but he held it in and ate in moderation. He wouldn't let the smug human have satisfaction in knowing he actually liked his cooking.
He also had to eat in moderation for another reason. It had been at least a week since he had eaten last, and he was absolutely famished. Normally, he would eat at almost blinding speeds, but to do so in front of the human would cause suspicion. He couldn't afford that right now.
"So, tell me," Kyle said suddenly after taking a sip of orange juice, "where are you from?"
"Lots of different places," the ghost replied cryptically, trying to concentrate on just his meal. Twenty Questions wasn't exactly the game he wanted to play right then.
"What's that accent of yours? I've never heard it before."
At that, Endri looked up, a little surprised. "You can hear my accent?" He thought no one could hear it anymore as it had been muddled over many years. No one had ever really noticed before. Why, he wondered, had Kyle?
"Juuuust barely," Kyle answered, spacing his index and thumb apart to indicate something small.
The ghost cleared his throat and took a sip of juice before replying. "Well, English isn't exactly my first language."
Blue eyes widened as the human crunched on some bacon. "Really? Could've fooled me. So, what's your first language, then?"
Endri could feel the sweat forming. He was nervous. Should he really say his first language was Nordic—a language not exactly spoken anymore? That would raise even more questions that he had no intention of dealing with. In that case, a lie would have to be told, even though he would rather not.
"Japanese," he answered softly, choosing his favorite language.
White eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "But that's not really a Japanese accent, though. And you especially don't look Japanese."
"I travel a lot," Endri snapped quickly. "My accent has been muddled by the rest of the languages I know, all right?"
Kyle sat back, feeling like he was being scolded. "'Kay, sorry." Damn, that guy's defensive, he thought to himself. I wonder if I could get him to open up at all? His freakin' mystery is driving me insane! I gotta know about him, and his unwillingness to tell just makes him even more intriguing. It's his own fault. "Where do you live?"
Endri froze, mid chew. Dammit, why couldn't things just be easier? He should never have accepted to eat breakfast with that man. He should have known a question session would have started eventually, and he really didn't feel like answering things about his intimate life. But then again, no one had expressed an interest in him for a long time, and it was a nice feeling to know he was an intriguing character. Maybe…maybe he would go ahead and answer a few things. Why not? As long as he didn't compromise his superior position, there was no real harm in it.
"Hello?" the white-haired guy asked, tilting his head to look at the ghost's blank stare. "You okay?"
Endri shook off his daze and smirked, poking his fork through the remaining eggs on his plate, trying to stab them so he could get them to his mouth. "I'm fine."
"Where do you live?" Kyle repeated, not relenting.
Sighing, the ghost ate another bite slowly, propping the fork to his plate and supporting his fingers to it in a solemn position. He spoke softly, the softest his voice had been since he said hello earlier that morning. "I…have no home. I wander from place to place, staying where I can, eating when I can, living the life of a…drifter. You could say that I'm a…a wandering spirit…with no place to go or be, trapped in an unforgiving world with no escape in plain sight." He sighed again.
He had told the truth with that answer. He did wander. That was all he was anymore—a wandering spirit with no place to go or be. He was trapped—trapped on Earth with no way to get to where he rightfully belonged: The Neitherworld. He belonged there, and there was also someone else in that place—someone he desperately wanted to get his vengeful hands on. If only he could find a way to get there without spending decades upon decades of searching for those Worm Gate keys by himself.
At times, he thought about asking for help, but humans would never understand his plight. No one had ever understood him, not really, and he figured no one ever would. All the ghosts he had run into in the past had no idea how to get to the Neitherworld either. They were only good for showing him how to use his abundant powers. Other than that, his fellow creatures were a waste of his time.
Kyle felt even more guilt course through him when Endri told him he had no home and no place to go. He had been so mean to that poor man earlier, but at least he felt as though he was making up for it now with a big breakfast and a little time spent with someone to talk to. It had been a while since he himself talked to someone like he was now. A lot of his old friends had abandoned him soon after his family was murdered, leaving him alone to deal with his loss and heartache without their support. Some friends they were.
Something clicked, something turned, and something was brought to light inside Kyle's head. With his high intelligence, higher than even an above average person, he realized that meeting that blonde in the black coat and shades might have been destiny. If all went according to the plan he concocted in about one second, then the plan he had formulated for himself previously would go through much more flawlessly.
Clearing his throat softly, Kyle lowered his head to hide his sudden trickster smile. "Man…that's gotta suck," he said quietly, not betraying his inward elation. "Can I ask you something?"
"What?" the ghost replied, leaning back and concentrating on all that was left of his breakfast, namely his juice.
"Would you ever like to settle down? Live in a nice place and have a home of your own?"
Endri closed his eyes behind his shades and allowed a wistful smile to play on his lips. "I've thought about it occasionally. But I've never found the right place, the right opportunity, or the right feeling. When I pick a home, it has to make me feel like it's a home."
Kyle nodded slowly, understanding and still scheming. "How does my place make you feel? Does it feel 'homey'? Like…do you think I did a good job in making it feel like a nice place to be?"
The ghost opened his eyes and smirked at the human across from him. If only that man knew he had traveled about the house the previous night, marveling at everything. But he would never tell him. He would never allow the human the satisfaction. "I must admit, Kyle, your home is quite beautiful." He let his gaze drift to the side, staring off at the surroundings. "These walls…they're old…but they're so full of memories. Some happy…some sad. You can almost feel the emotions locked in them." He paused for a few seconds. "Some might say it would give them a 'creepy' feeling…but me…I find it…calming."
He looked back to Kyle who sat and stared at him with an almost unreadable expression. It was a few moments later that he noticed a shining gloss over the man's eyes. It was the first real glimpse into the human's inner emotional turmoil Endri had seen thus far.
Kyle allowed a slow smile to drift over his lips, and he sat back in his chair casually, ignoring the sting in his eyes. "Tell me your name, stranger," he asked softly, using the 'stranger' as only a playful title for the man he suddenly wanted to call his friend.
The ghost smirked back. Why did that human not give him the same feelings of anger and resentment he held for most of the Human race? That man, even though they started out on a rocky beginning, actually made him feel as though he was welcome. He had never quite had that before.
"My name is Endri."
Kyle's smile grew. "Nice name. Very unique."
"Yes, you could say that," the ghost answered, his smirk also growing. A hand was extended toward him.
"Kyle Gavan Bennington," he introduced himself formally. "It's nice to meet you, Endri…?"
The blonde's smirk fell just a little. "Just Endri," he answered, reaching his own hand out and clasping it with Kyle's, shaking strongly.
The human just smiled on. "Okay…Endri."
They released hands and sat back into their chairs again.
"Endri, let me make you a proposition," Kyle said suddenly, catching him off guard.
"What would that be?"
Casually, the human indicated his new acquaintance. "You don't exactly have to be anywhere anytime soon, right?"
Endri quirked a blonde brow. "Why?"
"I was thinking," Kyle went on, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table before him, "You have no place to go, but you're already here, in my house. What say you to staying here?"
"Excuse me!" the ghost gasped, unable to believe someone had just offered him something like that. It had never happened before, and it completely blew his mind. That wily, white-haired human seemed to be giving him quite a lot of "firsts" and "never befores", and he was doing it all in a matter of minutes! To say the least, Endri was shocked and very curious as to what the man would say or do next.
"Hear me out. You have no home, but here's mine. I'm the only one living here, and it's a pretty big house, so there's plenty of room. You already said you liked the place, and you've sorta proven how good a person you are by what you did for me last night. So, I wouldn't mind having you around. You can stay as long as you want, and leave whenever you want, just as long as I know. I got plenty of food and upstairs bedrooms for you to pick from. And…besides…" he lowered his gaze, suddenly coming across as a little sad, "it's kinda…been lonely here…by myself." He looked back up, a nervous smile plastered on his lips that was obviously fake. "I guess I could use some company, heh heh!" he laughed, swinging an arm up to scratch at the back of his head in uneasiness.
Endri simply gaped. His mind had gone blank. He was utterly astonished that a complete stranger had offered him sanctuary in his home for as long as he wanted. "You…certainly have a lot of blind trust to ask a perfect stranger to stay in your home. What's the catch?" he was able to utter without a wavering voice.
"Oh, no catch! Just offer me at least one good conversation a day, and maybe help keep the place clean," was the answer.
"I don't know," the ghost uttered, standing abruptly. His coat was caught under the chair, however, and it tripped him up. He lost his balance and fell, hitting the tiled floor of the kitchen hard, and his black sunglasses flew off and skittered across the floor. "Ah!" he shouted, his hand flying toward his eyes to cover them.
Kyle was at his side in a second. "You okay!"
"M-My glasses!" Endri stuttered, half panicked, hand clamped firmly over his eyes as the human helped him into a sitting position. The dull pain from his fall went ignored in the light that his cover was almost blown by such clumsiness. "Where are they? I need them!"
"O-Okay," Kyle stuttered as well, patting a black clad shoulder. "It's okay, I'll find 'em. Hang on." He got up and searched around the kitchen, not seeing them right away. Crawling on his hands and knees, he searched under appliances until he found them resting in the dust behind the refrigerator. How they got back there, he had no idea.
"Found 'em!" he called happily. He reached in and pulled them out, his smile falling instantly.
A large chunk of the left lens was broken and missing.
"Woops…" he half whispered.
"What?" Endri asked, unable to see. "What is it?"
Kyle swallowed nervously. "Um…they broke."
"What!" Oh, great, that was all he needed. He couldn't have himself revealed yet. It was too soon. The human would never understand!
"Well…do you really need 'em? I mean, they're just sunglasses. Why do you wear 'em anyway?"
"I told you last night at the bar; my eyes are sensitive to light. I'd be blinded without them," Endri grumbled. Now what was he going to do? He hated telling others he had a weakness, but at least it was a fake one. But, still, he was worried that the human would find a way to use that fake weakness against him. It was what he would do.
"I know. Stay right there. I'll be right back." Kyle stood from the floor and headed across the kitchen to another door. He opened it and descended a set of stairs, then reemerged a minute later with something in his hand. "Here," he said softly, taking the ghost's free hand and placing the object in his palm. "You can have these. They're just a prototype and only work half-assed, but they'll cover your eyes. I wouldn't expect you'd need the extra features anyway."
Endri fingered the object in his hand and couldn't help but smile. It was another pair of glasses. He couldn't believe it. Kyle wasn't exploiting his faux weakness to gain any upper hand. The human was actually helping him…without any thought of repayment. Was that even possible?
Cautiously, he leaned his head down to let his hair cover his face and donned them. When he looked back up, he had to stifle a gasp. Brilliant blue waves were emanating from Kyle's body, seen through the lenses of those glasses.
The human took notice to the man's slack jaw and smirked. "You musta turned them on when you put 'em on. Neat huh? I invented those, you know. They detect energies given off of everything. People, plants, the fridge, whatever'll put out energy, those things can see. I made 'em to help with search and rescue, so finding people buried in like a crumbled building would be a lot easier."
Endri was, once again, awestruck. "You invented these?"
Kyle's smirk grew. "You're lookin' at a certified genius. I got PHD's and doctorates to prove it." He refrained from buffing his nails on his shirt cockily.
The ghost almost screamed with elation. Kyle was a genius! Maybe he could be the one to help him get to the Neitherworld! Maybe he could help him find the rest of the keys for the Worm Gates as well! Perhaps running into that wily, white-haired human wasn't such a waste of time after all. Now, to figure out how to get his help without revealing too much…
"Thank you so much, Kyle. These are amazing," Endri admitted, allowing the man to reach over and switch the shades off with a tiny button along the right arm.
"You're welcome."
The ghost grinned and sat back casually, propping himself on the floor with his hands. "You know…I could get to like staying here. That is…if the offer is still open?"
Kyle grinned right back. Perfect.… "I'd be honored to have you stay in my home, Endri."
One final tear dripped to the dusty earth from Endrithi Juice's now muddy face. He scowled and pushed himself up, knocking his father, who had been cradling him, back. More determined than ever, the ghost sprang forward in a run. He had to find his best friend. He had to find his brother—the man that changed his afterlife into something worth having. If he failed…there would be no hope for himself. Kyle was his hope—the only hope he truly had.
Japanese / pronunciation / English Translation:
None this time
Next...death?...