Chapter 2

Ennis's co-workers left him alone while they were working, which suited him just fine. He was starting to feel his body weaken now, but he refused to go and see a doctor. He just couldn't cope anymore; he wanted out of this mundane, lonely existence. Jack wasn't here and his girls would be fine now. He didn't want to leave them but he wanted to go on, and maybe find Jack again. Part of him yearned for that summer when they were teenagers, experiencing love for the first time and finding their soul mate.

When he returned to his trailer in the early evening, he could immediately tell that something was amiss. He knew he'd put his ashtray on the kitchen worktop that morning before he'd left, but now it was on the table beside his armchair. His brow furrowed as he looked at it, trying to figure out what had happened. Even with no signs of a break-in, it didn't make sense for someone to rob him and then move the ashtray.

Then he noticed something else; the door to his closet, the one that held the shirts, was wide open. He had definitely closed it that morning after looking at them; he remembered doing so because it was his normal routine, and that hadn't changed in eight months.

Ennis looked slowly around his trailer, and a small glimmer of hope appeared in his heart. Was it Jack, showing him that he wasn't alone? Was this Jack's way of letting him know he was there? Jack had never been very subtle, he recalled, especially not on that first night when everything had changed.

"Jack?" he called out cautiously, knowing it sounded stupid but not caring. There was no answer, and his heart sank again. Maybe he'd done those things himself and was starting to lose his memory due to grief. That made him feel even worse; he was missing Jack so much that it was making him crazy.

He put his work bag down and went into the bathroom, where everything seemed normal. He coughed and hacked a little before getting under the hot shower, thinking to himself. He didn't normally believe in ghosts but this was making him wonder. If it was Jack, then why was this only starting to happen now, eight months after his death? Why hadn't it happened before? If Jack had come back for some reason, what was it? The Bible said that men like them went to Hell for their sins, so how could Jack have come back? And what would really happen when he himself died?

Ennis couldn't make head or tail of it, but he knew what he was hoping for. Maybe Jack would reveal himself if he asked. Even in life, Jack hadn't liked to do anything without checking he was okay with it. He'd sometimes been so wary of Ennis's reaction that it had bordered on fear, which Ennis hated himself for. He'd never wanted Jack to be afraid of him.

He climbed out of the shower and was towelling himself off when he caught sight of the steamed-up mirror. There, on the glass and clearly recently applied, were two words.

It's alright

Ennis stared at them and thought back to that night in the tent when they had first kissed. Jack had whispered those same words to him to get him to relax, and he could still hear them now if he concentrated hard enough. Only Jack would know what those words meant to him, and he bit his lip. Surely this wasn't some kind of sick joke? Nobody else would know those words and their meaning.

"Jack?" he tried again, but there was again no answer. Jack was leaving him signs but not talking to him. Was Jack still angry with him? He hoped not; if he was nearing the end of his life like he suspected then he didn't want Jack to be angry with him. He would need some reassurance. "Jack...I know you're there..."

He shook his head and got dressed, walking back out into the main area. There was nothing strange there, so he proceeded to make himself some dinner. He didn't know what to think now; only Jack could be doing these things but he wasn't revealing himself. Maybe Ennis wouldn't even be able to see him if he did. Maybe Jack would just be a disembodied voice. Still, that was better than nothing; at least Jack would be there.

He jumped when the TV came on by itself, on some news program. He shivered slightly and turned it off. Maybe it wasn't Jack, but something else trying to scare him. He didn't know much about this stuff, mostly due to his upbringing, but he hoped that Jack was just trying to get his attention.

He ate dinner, warily looking around the trailer for any signs of activity and hoping still that Jack would speak to him. After washing up, he drew a deep breath.

"Jack...I dunno if it's you doin' this stuff, but...if it is, don't just ignore me. I wanna talk to you, wanna see you...please, bud." Tears gathered in his eyes and he wiped them away. "Jack..."

A thought suddenly popped into his head to open the other closet door, the one that had a mirror on the inside. He wasn't sure why this occurred to him, but he went over there and opened it.

He saw his reflection, but nothing else. Ennis squeezed his eyes shut and prayed that Jack would come to him. He didn't want to carry on like this.

When he opened them, he opened his mouth in shock at the figure standing behind him. A face he knew so well and had missed so much. Ennis spun around to be greeted by the man whom he'd thought he'd lost forever. The deep blue eyes were sparkling at him like they used to, and there was a small, gentle smile upon those lips that he knew well.

"Hey, cowboy."