Disclaimer: Yeah, still don't own anything.

Warnings: Dead people, over-eager Kairi and…more dead people. And of course, my terrible grammar. *Coughs* XD

A/N: May I present you: chapter one! Hurray! *Clap clap*

Chapter One: Haunted in Death

– / –

"NO!" I opened my eyes, panicked, and stared at the ceiling. I struggled to recapture wisps of the dream already fluttering away. Something about a cellar…a babysitter…a little boy…and a razor shaped teeth.

I couldn't remember. We didn't even have a cellar – we'd always lived in apartments…but…

A little boy in a cellar, something scary… someone calling. A man...?

A knock at my bedroom door made me bolt up in bed.

"Roxas?" Cloud's muffled voice came through the door. "Are you okay? I heard you scream."

"Yeah!" I shouted him. "I'm okay. Just a bad dream."

"Well hurry up or you're going to be late for school."

"It was just a nightmare," I said aloud to myself, voice low and rough. "Just a nightmare." Then I sighed and crawled out of bed.

– / –

Twenty minutes later I was wearing my favorite black, high-collared jacket, dark blue jeans and gray sneakers. I also wore a wrist band with a black-and-white checkerboard pattern on my left wrist, as well as a plain black ring on my left index finger and a plain white ring on my left middle finger. My spiky golden blonde hair looked as if wind had swept it and my bright eyes looked as blue as ever.

My style made me look ten years old…ten years old emo kid who had a hair like an angel and troll. 16 years old and servers still handed me the kid's menu in restaurants. Couldn't blame them, though. I was really, really short. Cloud swore to me that I'd grow…but he said that also to Sora, who was a year older than me, and he was just as tall as I was.

I ran my fingers hastily through my hair, grabbed my backpack and opened the door. First thing I heard was my brother's voice.

"But Clouuud! You're not even listening to me, are you? Uh, why do I even bother?"

"That's the same question I ask myself every day."

In the kitchen, Sora was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and my oldest brother Cloud was burning something on the stove. He was already wearing his police uniform. Cooking policeman, huh?

"I was just saying Cloud, that that uniform looks nice. I'm sure Tifa will be happy. She said you look hot in it," Sora laughed. "So are you listening to me now?"

It was funny to see Cloud's turning as red as the apples on the kitchen table.

"Sora! Leave our poor big brother and his soon-to-be wife alone," I laughed as I stepped into the kitchen.

"But it's true, she did! She told me that she loves a guy in uniform and hello, Cloud's wearing one right now!"

Cloud made strange choking noises. "Sora, hush! And Roxas, she's not my "soon-to-be wife". She's my friend."

"Riiiight," both Sora and I said at the same time.

My oldest brother Cloud was the sort of man who always looked serious; he had spikey blond hair, fine face and a striking blue eyes. He was also really sarcastic. But on the other hand, so was I. He had a good-natured humor and was really protective of Sora and me. I thought he was also very cool sometimes.

My second oldest brother, Sora, was nothing like Cloud or I. He was positive and therefore highly optimistic. He had a strong sense of justice and he really cared what other people thought about him. Sora had spiky brown hair along with baby blue eyes, and his skin was also tanner than mine or Cloud's.

"And 'cause I didn't say it yet, I say it now: good morning, everybody. Sorry that I don't have time for breakfast," I stated.

Cloud gave me a long stare. "You tell me that I spend my whole morning making you breakfast and you don't even have time to eat it?"

"Isn't that what Rox just said?" Sora mumbled a mouth full of cereal. "And besides, you don't want to give him food poisoning, right? 'Cause whatever you're making, it's burning."

"Sora, don't speak with your mouth full!"

"I'm really sorry Cloud, but sure you don't want me and Sora to be late again, right?" I gave him an angelic smile.

He just stared at me. It was his time to say "right".

– / –

Sora and I took the stairs, as usual. We did it every morning, racing down the stairs until we reached the bottom, I panting and Sora giggling. When we were younger our mother held our hands and we raced together, the three of us. But when I started third and Sora fourth grade, well, there was just Sora and I left. There wasn't "the three of us" anymore.

Our parents died in a car crash. Luckily, Cloud had been old enough to take care of us, so me and Sora didn't have to go to an orphanage.

I touched gently at my moonstone necklace under my jacket. It was the only thing I had left from my mother.

Cloud was already waiting us in his police car. He was the lazy one (ironic because he's a policeman) and took elevator every day. But when he really wanted to, he moved like a bolt.

The sky overhead wasn't blue; it was cloudy and really gray looking. It made me a little grumpy. Clouds always made me hope that I could see sky…and when the sun was shining I wished it would start raining. I was really difficult person.

As we got in, Cloud adjusted the visor.

"Hope it's not gonna rain tonight," he said after we left the parking lot. "I really hate when it rains."

"And your name's Cloud?" Sora laughed.

Cloud scowled. "So? The name is Cloud, not Rain. Clouds don't have to rain. They can just…glide," he ended lamely.

"Of course, clouds can just, krhm, glide." Sora was laughing harder.

"Sora, leave Cloud alone," I said smiling and added, "If he likes gliding, it's his business."

"Roxas! Please, not you too."

"Sorry," I laughed.

Sora and Cloud started talking about some school stuff and I used the opportunity to look out of the side window. There was brown haired little girl standing beside the road. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless dress, even if it was already pretty cold outside and was holding a red balloon on her right hand. Suddenly she just leaped off the sidewalk, landing right between us and the next car.

"Cloud!" I screamed. "Watch out – "

I slammed painfully against my shoulder belt.

"Roxas? What's wrong? You really scared me," Cloud said. Sora was moaning on the backseat.

"I – there was…" I looked over the hood of the car and saw…nothing. No body, no blood. Nothing.

"I thought I saw…never mind."

– / –

My school, Twilight High, was one of the best schools at Twilight Town. That was how decisions-makers lured people into our town; the best education possible for their children.

I was halfway to my friend Olette's locker when I heard a voice calling after me.

"Roxas! Roxas, wait!"

It was Kairi, Sora's best friend. I knew she'd a huge crush on Sora, but like she knew, Sora was gay. She and the whole school knew, really. So that's why she decided I was pretty good-looking too.

She fell into step beside me, so close her hand touched mine. "Morning."

"Morning."

Kairi was usually very cheerful and upbeat. She had dark red hair and beautiful violet-blue eyes. She was really pretty, I guess. But she just didn't interest me like that.

"So…" she started, "how was your weekend?"

"It sucked. Sora made me and Cloud watch Finding Nemo again."

"Oh. Well…It's a pretty good movie, right?"

"Hng, yeah, I guess it is."

Our talk was getting really awkward.

"Roxas?" familiar soft voice called.

I glanced over to see Olette at her locker. She looked from me to Kairi, looking puzzled. I mouthed "Save me," and her soft peach-colored face lit up in a grin.

"Oh, there you are, Roxas. I promised you would show your history essay to Hayner, he didn't get his own finished. And did you read that chapter we supposed to? I tried, but – " Her bright green eyes widened as if she'd just noticed that Kairi was standing next to me. "Ah, Kairi, hi! I'm sorry but I have to steal Roxas. I really need him right now."

Olette tugged my arm, pulling me away from her. "So, I said to Pence…"

She continued babbling for another minute, and then finally glanced over her shoulder.

"Aaaaand she's gone."

"Thanks, Olette. I don't understand what does she sees in me. I mean, I know I'm not hideous but I'm not exactly handsome either."

"That's not true; I think you're looking absolutely handsome today. If I wasn't going out with Pence I would be making out with you right now."

"I'm really happy to hear that," I said dryly. "Who cares about homework when one of your best friends' wishes to make out with you front of the whole school?"

"Ha-ha, very funny Rox."

– / –

I just couldn't stop thinking about that little girl on the sidewalk. Who was she and how'd she just vanished? It was bugging me.

"Oh, come on," Hayner said as we were walking towards the cafeteria. "Your mind just created something not real because you haven't slept enough lately."

It was already lunchtime. Hayner was trying to make me convinced that what I saw was just a hallucination and Olette and Pence were talking about something not important behind us.

Hayner had brown eyes, light skin and spiky, blond hair. He was really impulsive and determined sometimes, but he was still my closest friend. Pence on the other hand were a good-humored boy with an even temper and he was close to Olette like a brother. This was weird because they're dating. And Olette – she had this tomboy attitude that mixed with her happy-go-lucky attitude and that made her fit in our team.

"Yeah, maybe you're right," I said.

"I'm always right," Hayner snorted.

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"Not."

"Yes!"

"Not!"

"Boys, shut up!" Olette finally cried out. Pence just rolled his eyes.

I smiled at her and checked my watch. "Oh shit, I promised Sora that I would see him at his locker. I catch you guys' later, 'kay?" And with that I ran away.

When I arrived at Sora's locker he wasn't there. I thought that he had probably forgotten and I should just call him. When I started to search my cell I heard noise. Something thumped. Then I heard someone's voice.

"Hello, little boy. You can see me, can't you?"

I spun to see a man walking toward me.

He looked absolutely terrifying; he had a dry-as-bone corpse body and his left eye was bulged, exposed. His left hand looked like somebody had crushed it with hammer. His mouth was little open, showing his rotten teeth.

The twisted lips parted more. "Oh, you can see me. Great, now we can talk. Just you and me, boy."

"No sense of hiding…I'll always find you in the end…"

Oh dear. The boogeyman. And a cliffhanger! :D Hope I didn't make too much mistakes. I'm now too tired to check. I just wanna curl up in bed.

Reviews are welcomed. I think...*checks*...oh yeah, they are. XD