Stop and Stare

We're riding home in the car after getting ice cream and everything just hits different. Watching the road pass by in a daze, so bright and colorful. Everyone looks so happy and I love the energy but something feels off. I feel off. Is it because we had to say goodbye?

"Molly, is everything okay?" Sharon asked.

Molly snaps out of it and smiles. A bit of tiredness behind those usually bright eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Molly replied.

Sharon's still worried, but doesn't want to force Molly to talk about it if she isn't ready. She looks at Pete. While he's focused on the road, he feels concerned for his daughter too.

Sharon then looks to Darryl who's sitting next to his sister in the back, looking at her with worry as she continues to stare out the window with a distant expression.

It's hard, letting go of someone you once felt so close to. A forever friend that was never meant to last. Still, Molly tries her best to smile and keep everyone around her happy. She knows she did the right thing by saying goodbye, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Suddenly, the road stops moving as the car comes to a stop. Molly barely notices this and continues to stare out at their front lawn. It's so peaceful and calm. It feels different to Molly, and the world just seems a little faded.

Then Molly sees her Mom step in front of the scenery, pulling her back to reality.

Molly opens the door and steps out, even the ground seems unsteady as she starts walking towards the house slowly.

Pete and Sharon look at one another as they watch Molly go inside. She's so quiet. Even when they were eating ice cream and enjoying that special time with family and friends, she wasn't as present.

Once everyone's inside, Molly decides to head up to her room even if it's early in the evening. She starts heading up the stairs and stops at the ladder leading up to her room. She remembers the little ghost house is still up there.

My room is going to be so lonely now…I used to always have someone to talk to. Even though we were so different, we were always there for each other. Now that's changed and I'm alone. I know. I need to move on, but goodbye still hurts. Why did we have to say goodbye?

Molly knows she'll have to face the truth eventually. Scratch is gone and, even though he remembers pieces of his life as a wraith, it still hurts to know things will never be the same.

Pete and Sharon watch from downstairs as Molly stands there in silence. It's heartbreaking to watch her try and deny the big feelings she's experiencing about this loss.

"Molly's clearly not taking this well. What are we going to do?" Pete asked.

"I'll try talking to her. It won't be easy, but she needs to know that we're here for her." Sharon replied.

Pete nods and Sharon walks up the stairs. Then she stands next to Molly.

Overwhelmed by emotions, Molly sits down while still staring up at her room. Sharon sits next to her, wondering what must be going through her mind.

Molly's always been so insightful and joyful, always wanting to make the world a little brighter by helping people. Now her light is starting to fade and they need to be here for her. She needs her family and friends now more than ever.

Sharon waits patiently by her daughter's side, knowing Molly will talk when she's ready.

"Maybe he's not really gone. Maybe he'll remember me and come back. Then we can be friends again and nothing has to change." Molly said.

Sharon can hear the slight hope in Molly's voice but it's covered in desperation. She knows how hard change is for Molly. Still, to hear some semblance of joy in her voice, even if it's wishful thinking, is much better than seeing her look so lost before.

"Yeah, maybe…Don't you think Scratch would have wanted you to live your life though? I know it's hard losing someone you care about. We're all going to miss him too. He was part of the family. And I think…No, I know. He'd want you to be happy too." Sharon replied.

Molly takes in her Mom's words. Logically, she knows she's right. Emotionally, she's just not in that place yet. Still, she puts on a smile.

"You're right, Mom. I'll try my best to move on." Molly said.

Sharon looks at Molly and can still see the sadness in her eyes hiding behind her smile. It's not Molly's genuine smile. The one that brightens everyone's day. It's hard seeing Molly like this, but she knows she just needs time.

"Okay, just know that we're all here for you." Sharon replied.

Sharon then hugs Molly, catching her off guard, but she hugs her back. She knows her family will help her get through this.

"I love you." Sharon said.

Once they stop hugging Molly looks at her Mom and gives her best smile. A bit teary but with a little more light in her eyes.

"I love you too, Mom." Molly replied.

With that, Molly takes a deep breath and finally heads up the ladder and into her room in the attic. She waves one last goodbye to her Mom and shuts the door behind her.

Molly changes into her pajamas and once she's all comfy, she lies down on her bed. She stares at the little ghost house in the corner of her room and does her best to smile and focus on the good memories.

Then Molly starts to cry. Letting out her sadness and feeling the grief. It's not easy, but she knows Scratch wouldn't want her to be sad forever. Just like her Mom said.

"Goodnight, Scratch. I know you're happy traveling the world with Adia and following your dreams. I'm happy for you. And I'm going to do my best to move forward and live my life just like you are." Molly said.


Suddenly, Molly wakes up shocked to find that she's not in her bedroom, but back under the street light with Scratch. This is the moment they said goodbye forever.

The girl who brought a ghost back to life. That's what Molly did for Scratch. Even though she's back in the past somehow and there's a part of her that wants to change it, she can't bring herself to do that.

This time is different though. This time they're both sitting in silence and it's scary. It's like they both know what's going to happen and neither one of them wants to speak.

Molly thinks about this before making any moves to change the future.

I would love to go back and change the past. Maybe that's what this is, a chance to hit restart so everything can go back to normal. I wouldn't feel this deep hurt and sadness anymore…No, Molly. That would be selfish. Scratch would still be hurting having never lived his life to the fullest. I can't do that to him. Time to say goodbye. Again…

Molly gets up, knowing how this all plays out. She goes through the motions and says what she needs to before letting go of her ghost friend. It's over. All over again. And it hurts more the second time.

Molly stands there under the street light, waiting to see if Scratch will recognize her. He just gives her a hopeful smile and a bright light shines as his ghost finally reunites with his body. Then he goes back inside.

Molly stands there alone. It's dark and cold outside. The only source of light is the street light she's standing under. Then it hits her. The pain of being separated. The trauma she's felt over and over again growing up and moving so much. It's all too much.

Suddenly, Molly feels her heart beating in her chest so hard and fast that she starts to feel faint. The world around her blurs as she grabs onto the street light for balance. She starts breathing in and out really fast and she knows what this is. A panic attack.

Trying to calm herself, Molly sits down and tries to steady her breathing. As she does this, she starts to feel cold and shivers. Tears fall and she feels like her heart is going to burst. She can't scream or call for help. It's scary but she keeps trying to calm herself down.

Oh no…Come on, Molly. You can do this! Everything is okay. You're okay. You just need to breathe. In and out…That's it. Don't think about the pain, just keep breathing and everything will be…

Then everything stops.

Molly feels her heart slowing down and her breathing coming to a slow pace. She feels colder. A sense of peace comes over her. Like the pain will finally end.

Molly's heart slows to a dangerously low rate. She watches helplessly as her bright yellow ghost starts to leave her. Her body going pale and her eyes looking tired, like she does when she becomes a wraith and has to leave her human body.

Still, there's still a spark of light in Molly's eyes as she reaches out for her ghost one last time. She can barely see. There's just a bright yellow silhouette of her ghost looking back at her with sadness in its pink eyes. Then her ghost speaks.

"I'm sorry, Molly. I tried to save you..No, us, but I couldn't. It's over." Molly's ghost said.

Molly sheds one last tear. Then, everything goes black.


Molly wakes up in a cold sweat, gasping for air as she sits up in her bed and looks around frantically. She puts her hand on her chest, feeling her heart beating and sighs with relief. A smile across her face as she cries tears of joy.

"I'm alive." Molly said.

Reality slowly overtakes her dream as she begins to realize she's okay.

It was just a dream. I'm okay. I'm alive. I'm alive! I'm so happy to be alive and I'm going to make sure I live every moment to the fullest. Who knows how much time I have left? I might as well make the most of my life like Scratch is now.

Molly looks at her phone and realizes it's time to get up. Then she sees a text message from Ollie and can't help but smile. He wants to make sure she's okay after what happened.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, Ollie. See, I still have something…No someone. To live for. So many people care about me and I'm not going to fall into whatever darkness my mind is trying to force me into. Not this time." Molly said.

With that endless positive attitude reignited, Molly plays one of the most upbeat pop songs she can find and starts getting ready for the day, dancing and singing along. Enjoying every second.

Then Molly stops dancing for a bit when she sees Scratch's little ghost house. She stares at it for a moment, reminiscing about the past. Holding the memories close and letting them keep her company. It's lonely, but she knows she'll be okay. She has to be.

"Don't worry, buddy. I'm happy and I'm going to live my life. Living my dream by enhappifying the world, one person at a time. Everything's going to be okay." Molly said.