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The action begins this chapter. Go Doc!

Loves, Aina.

It was almost 11 o'clock in the morning when I finally woke up. Usually I wake up relatively early even on weekends, but I am guessing that yesterday's events took a toll on me. Although I did feel refreshed and rested.

I didn't know why, but I have a feeling that today would be a big day. It wasn't based on something concrete; it was a feeling that people termed as 'instinct', a natural impulse for a species to make decisions or respond to environmental stimuli that usually doesn't involve reason.

Since I was not faced with any environmental stimulus as yet, I felt compelled to ignore that feeling and went to brush my teeth instead.

After changing my clothes, I walked downstairs to have breakfast. The house was quiet. There weren't the usual sounds of Brad and Jake arguing over the video game or Dad cooking over the stove in the kitchen.

I didn't know where everyone was and I felt a little discomforted.

On the kitchen counter there was a note from Dad, saying that he was sending Brad to a wrestling competition over at Robert Louis Stevenson and that he has left some bacon and eggs for breakfast.

Who have wrestling competitions on Sundays anyway? I shrugged at my own question.

I decided to have cereal instead. As I turned to the fridge, I saw another note stuck by a magnet on the door, this time from Suze. She wrote that she's going to Pezzini to buy some fruits.

That's strange. I never knew that Suze goes to that store. She could have told us yesterday that she wanted fruits when Dad and I went there to buy groceries. I guess she didn't know that we went shopping.

I poured some milk and cornflakes into a bowl before pouring a glass of orange juice from the fridge. Before Dad remarried, we used to drink straightaway from the carton, but Suze and her mom hated that. They're trying to stop this habit of ours and I figured I would help them a little.

I sat down at the dining table but the silence in the house became a little eerie. A thought struck me, and I smiled to myself.

Carrying the bowl and the glass, I slowly made my way upstairs to my room. I didn't think Dad would mind if I eat in my room. Besides, I could use the computer at the same time.

Sitting down at the table, I turned on the computer and logged on to the Net. I went to Ryan's eclipse website to see the feedback on the article that I've written yesterday. I had uploaded the article after talking to Suze last night, just before I fell asleep. Obviously I didn't manage to complete the English essay but I decided to do that later since I didn't have plans for today.

Usually on Sundays I would go to the library or have a discussion with my friends on a school project or any other side projects that we were working on, for example, the eclipse, or our previous project, which was on the affect of the changing temperature towards marine life. That wasn't too successful since we couldn't find traces of marine life at the beach due to the high number of people, and also because none of us were comfortable being at the beach where swimming costume was practically a uniform.

I was reading articles written by experts of the eclipse phenomenon while eating my cereal when a shimmer appeared just beside my table. I almost chocked on the cornflake, before I remembered what it meant.

A ghost. Just a ghost, David.

The shimmer formed and revealed itself to be Jesse, who smiled at me. Then his face changed, and he looked concerned.

"Did I frightened you?" he asked worriedly.

I shook my head, my racing pulse slowly returning to normal. "No, I was just startled. I think I still have to get used to seeing you appearing out of thin air."

He smiled again. "I'm sorry to startle you. I was just wondering about the whereabouts of Susannah… she's not in her room and I couldn't sense her presence."

"Oh, she went to the supermarket. Pezzini. She left a note saying she wants to buy fruits," I told him.

"…Fruits?" Jesse looked puzzled.

"Fruits," I confirmed. "We don't have any in the fridge."

He nodded slowly, still looking puzzled. I think we all become puzzled with Suze's behaviour at one time or another.

I realized that I was still holding the bowl of cereal and was about to invite Jesse to have breakfast downstairs when I realized that ghosts don't eat. That must be a little unusual…to exist and yet not eat.

"You cannot eat, right?" I asked him.

Now he was the one who looked startled, before answering. "I am not sure if I cannot eat…I just don't do it. I've never tried eating as a ghost because I simply do not need to eat."

"But how is it like? To in a way, live – no, exist in a life and yet not doing all the things that makes life necessary? Like eating and sleeping?"

He thought about it. "I don't think eating and sleeping are essentials for a life, it's just the necessity of living. But even without food, we can still live by our mind and our actions. I may not need to eat, or sleep, but I can still feel, I can still think. I think that is enough for an existence, even if it's not much."

I never thought of it that way. I've always considered the basic needs of life are the things that make us who we are as a human being, or even as an animal in the world. But to really understand life, I think we have to look further into our individuality because not one person is the same as another.

"Do you ever wish that you could…eat again?" I asked tentatively.

He laughed, even though I didn't think what I said was amusing. "Well…I do miss it sometimes. But it is hard to want something that you do not think you need."

I pondered this too. "So is there anything you want right now? Like… maybe being alive again?"

Jesse stopped grinning, and took on a wistful expression. "I think God made me this way for a reason. If I am meant to be alive again, then that is what will be. Otherwise –"

" – you would move on," I continued, not sure I was liking that option.

He looked at me, a little smile on his face. But he didn't say anything.

I sighed. "I guess ghosts are supposed to move on… but it is still unfair. For you to live as a ghost for so long and yet not be given another chance at life."

He had an amused look on his face again. "Many things in life are unfair," he stated.

"Speaking about moving on…" I said, remembering my conversation with Suze last night. "Do you know why you are still here? Suze said usually ghosts have some unfinished business, so I'm wondering if you know what your unfinished business is?"

But Jesse wasn't paying attention to me. He stood there looking at the general direction of my bedroom wall, as if listening to something. Or someone.

"Jesse?"

He turned to me and said distractedly, "Someone is calling me. I'm sorry, but I have to go." And then he shimmered out of sight.

Well, that's a good way of not answering my question.

Although I did wonder who could be calling him. I didn't know that you could call ghosts to you. It must be Suze, since she said she hasn't met any other mediators in Carmel. But it doesn't mean they are not here, it could meant she just hasn't met any yet.

I finished my breakfast and walked downstairs to wash the bowl and glass at the kitchen. While I was washing, the phone rang. I quickly dried my hands and picked up the cordless phone.

"Hello?"

"Turn on Channel 8! Hurry! There's a special news on the eclipse!" Ryan's excited voice came through the line.

I quickly walked to the living room and turned on the TV. There it was, the afternoon news on Channel 8. I thanked Ryan and clicked off the phone.

The news was only for a short while, and I expect that a proper documentary on the eclipse would be a much better production on the stages of the eclipse and the effects on our city. I was about to turn off the TV when the newscaster said there was a breaking news, and the view changed from the studio to somewhere outdoor where a reporter was waiting.

The reporter was Suze's mom.

It was a little strange watching her on TV, with her makeup and formal clothes. But I think sooner or later I will get used to it. I wonder how Suze feels, watching her mom on TV every other day all her life.

When I finally got over my surprise, I listened to what she was saying. Apparently there was a holdup in a supermarket by one of its own staff, who was demanding for some stuff. He was said to be armed, and claimed that he has a bomb placed in the store. The supermarket manager, the staff and a few customers were held hostage until his demands were met.

Wow. I never thought such an incident could happen in a small town like ours.

Then I recognized the place where Suze's mom was standing, right in front of the supermarket, which was at the moment surrounded by police. I felt all blood drained from my face, and the phone slipped from my hand.

The store was Pezzini Farm Fresh Produce.