Ghost In Red

—    

"Mi Amor, can we go somewhere? Just a few hours? An hour or two. I want to show you something… again." I asked OJ with a big smile as I sat up on my bed, and she looked at the time on the wall clock and then at me.    

"Where?" She curiously asked me while sitting on the stool next to my bed.    

"Secret. Just come with me. We'll get back here after dusk. I promise." I replied and grabbed her left hand as I stepped out of bed to head out of my room.    

When we were about to walk out of the elevator, we saw my brother and Wendy walking into the lobby and heading into where we were.    

We passed by them, and they got inside the elevator. But then, something caught my attention as I got a glimpse of Adam's face. The bridge of his nose got a bandage, and there was a cut on his lower lip on the right side.    

"What happened to your bro's face?" OJ asked, and I replied, "I wondered the same thing, Oj. He must have gotten into a fight. And I don't know why."    

We continued walking when the elevator door closed, and we finally got in a taxi that could take us to our destination.    

—    

"Woah, you didn't tell me we are going back here, Syd. Do you want to ride the slingshot finally? Rollercoaster? Pony again?" OJ remarked and amusedly asked me as she saw where we were.    

We're in the place where we had our first date as girlfriends, and I want to take her here as it's a part of the plan she had for us yesterday but didn't enjoy that much. We just passed by here and rode the Merry-go-round and other children's rides as their rollercoaster was out of order.    

"Mhmm. We might because it's moving now. But, dude, I'm sad. Look! The Ferris Wheel wasn't moving, and there were no lights. Is it not operating?" I replied and felt gloomy when the ride I wanted us to spend the rest of our time here was out of order, and I don't know why.    

"Oh, no! I wonder what's wrong." My girl muttered and looked around the park.    

"Must be a technical problem. Come on, Oj! Let's ride the rollercoaster first. Are you sure you can handle it? No holding hands, alright?" I said and dragged her with me to the stomach-wrenching ride.    

"Okay! Haha, I'm sure you're the one who's going to cry and hold my hand, pussy!" She taunted me with overconfidence and ran ahead to the scary hell of a ride.    

After waiting for a couple of minutes, the train stopped and loaded another batch of people, then my girlfriend and I sat in the empty seats at the back.    

"Good luck, loser!" I told OJ, who stuck her tongue out in response, and I just laughed while I kept my hands away from her as the train began moving.    

When we were almost reaching the first dropping point, I involuntarily reached for OJ's right hand as I stared in horror at the hell we were about to encounter and how long it would be.    

Oh, gosh, please help me get through this without totally dying.    

—    

"Who's the loser now, Sydee?" OJ laughed at me when we had finally got down the insane ride, and I tried to hold my sickness.    

"B*tch, what the f*ck? I swear, if I'm physically here, I could have fainted up there. And I feel like puking, Oj. Is this normal for a ghost?" I cursed and sat down on the bench while catching my breath.    

"Mhmm. Your consciousness is with you, so I presume it's normal. That was indeed crazy! Come on! Get your sh*t together, Syd. Where are we going next?" She answered while rubbing my back, and I stood up and looked up at the tall unfunctional Ferris Wheel. The sun is about to set, and we must witness something extraordinary. It's why we are here.    

"Let's go up there, Mi Amor," I told my girlfriend as I pointed at the topmost part of the wheel.    

"Oh, okay. You want to make out? I mean, can you make it up there?" She agreed and cleared her throat like she had said nothing controversially agreeable, and I suspiciously stared at her grinning face.    

"What? Let's go, slowpoke. What are you waiting for?" She let out and held my left hand, then she inhaled deeply and levitated with me.    

Damn, this is what I love about being a freaky ghost. You can float and feel like you have superpowers. It's indeed a dream come true.    

When we reached the top, we sat on the bench side by side and faced the horizon.    

"Wow, look at that view! You planned this whole thing?" OJ gasped in awe and asked me, and I shrugged my shoulders in response.    

"I know it's going to be a great view looking at the sun setting by the city. And tomorrow morning… Let's go back here. I'm sure the sunrise will look amazing at the Atlantic." I replied and felt her lean her head on my left shoulder while she intertwined our fingers.    

I brought her right hand to my lips and kissed the back of it.    

"Yeah, sure! Isn't it a great disaster that this ride isn't functional, Syd? We can stay up here and have a glimpse of this beautiful scenery until it is gone." OJ answered, and I wrapped my left arm around her waist to pull her body closer to me.    

"Mm. It's magical." I mumbled and kissed her head, and she sat up straight and looked at me with a sweet smile plastered on her face.    

"Are we about to kiss now?" I boldly asked her, making her snicker, but she held my chin and pecked my lips.    

"Just that? I thought we're going to make out?" I asked her, playing dismayed, and she giggled and pinched my cheeks.    

"Silly, how can we enjoy the view? But yeah, sure, why not? Later after the sun is gone, you'll get what you're hungry for." She replied with a smirk and patted my head.    

"Excuse me? Me? Dumbass, you were the one who asked if we could make out up here. But yeah, later. That sounds like a great plan to me, though." I retorted but later on agreed, and she wiggled her eyebrows and went to lay her head on my shoulder again, saying, "Great!"    

—    

After dusk, we decided to visit the room we rented to check our things, only to see that it was empty.    

Our things are gone, and I wonder if the landlord threw them all out.    

"No, sh*t, Syd. Where are your things? Your suitcase and… Sylvia? Oh, no!" OJ worriedly asked as she looked around, and I gulped as I feared that my things were all gone.    

"I don't know, Oj. It can't be gone. But, ugh, f*ck! I must have… due. No. They could have at least… tried to… no. I have some important things in my suitcase… and Sylvia… it's yours, Mi Amor. I'm so sorry." I sighed and sat on the bed, and I felt my girl resting a hand on my lap as she sat beside me.    

"Hey, it's okay, Syd. Maybe you can claim it back soon. They must have kept it somewhere." She assured me, and I hope she's right.    

We spent a couple of minutes trying to find my things around this establishment, where the landlord must have kept them, but we failed. Then we went back to our empty room and sulked.    

"What if your pals went here and took it, Syd? That would be possible." OJ let out and sat down near the edge of the bed while I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling.    

"That would be great, if so," I replied and let out a breath. I only hope my best friend got them. Those are all important.    

"Come here, Mi Amor. Let's cuddle while we still can. We'll be going back to the hospital soon, and we won't have a peaceful night there because of my noisy homies and friends." I replied and invited her as I opened my right arm to let her lay her head on it. But instead, she laid her head on my chest and placed her right arm on my belly.    

A peaceful and emotional moment passed that we had stayed in that position, and I heard my lovely soulmate whisper to me.    

"You know what, Syd? For the long time that I have been in this form, it's the first time I felt like it was alright to close my eyes and sleep. Knowing that you are with me like this, I feel safe and sound. It's amazing how happy this moment is making me." OJ confessed and gently squeezed my left hand with her right one, and I smiled, thinking she was happy with me.    

"I'm happy, too, Mi Amor. I wish we could be like this forever." I said with all my heart and kissed her head, and she brought my left hand to her cheek after kissing it.    

"I love you, Syd, whatever happens. Always remember that, okay?" She sincerely told me, making me close my eyes and try not to think of anything tragic.    

Tomorrow is the day, and I am not so sure what we thought would happen. She could be gone from me forever, or she could stay with me as a ghost for the rest of my life. But both of us hope that it will be the latter. There's nothing else more wonderful than that. I'll be more than happy to have her as my ghost girlfriend, and I'll make her my ghost wife soon.    

While I was thinking of our happy thoughts together, I suddenly heard OJ call out my name as she let go of my hand, making me hastily open my eyes.    

"Sydney! What's happening? Your… your hands! You're… no!" She yelled in terror as we both sat up on the bed and looked at my hands in panic. It's something familiar. And it shouldn't be what I am thinking of.    

"No, they're fading," I muttered and looked at my girlfriend, who shook her head while trying to hold my face.    

Why is this happening? Is my condition that bad? I know it's kind of…, but I… I don't know. I don't really know. Maybe this is a good thing after all. But am I ready?    

"Syd, no! Don't… don't leave. Don't leave me." OJ cried and looked me in the eyes, and I saw how my life suddenly flashed in my mind.    

Is this really it? Is this my end?    

"Don't leave… please. Stay." My poor girl sobbed while begging me, and I didn't know what to do. I can't understand what I am feeling right now. There is pain, anger, worry, panic, sadness, and fear rushing into my system. Is this really what it felt like to perish?    

"Hey, it's okay. Don't cry, Mi Amor. I guess… I guess I'll see you soon." I hushed her and warmly smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere. She shook her head while whimpering and closed her eyes.    

"Don't say goodbye. No. Please. Stay with me, Sydney." She kept crying and embraced me, and the last thing I heard was the love of my life telling me, "Don't go."    

Don't worry. I will always love you, Olivia Jillian Hunters, wherever and whenever we meet again.    

And finally, everything around me faded.