Dead or Alive?

Adam woke up with a banging headache. He could hear the sound of a wood block being tapped.

Toc. Toc. Toc. Toc.

There was the monotonal sound of a hundred people, all chanting the same liturgy. Permeating through all this was the scent of sandalwood incense.

This was definitely a temple of some sort.

He opened his eyes and looked around. Did he just die and transmigrate into someone else's life? Did he suddenly become a monk?

He was lying in a monastery of some sort, that he knew for sure.

Adam reached up and touched his head. He still had that longish blonde hair, so that hadn't changed.

He looked down at his body.

He was wearing some monk robe. It was a bit too short for him but that was not surprising. He was a nordic giant after all.

He was still in his body. Same scar on his hand from working the motorbike. Same tattoos on his arm from his younger days.

This must mean he was still Adam Stuart, common street cop by day, guitar god by night.

He groaned and rubbed his head. It was aching like the devil had just jumped all over his brains and played hopscotch on it.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he saw a fluttering little baby. It had a large head with big eyes and a tiny body.

In its hand was a half-gnawed…gummy bear???

He blinked. His bad headache was giving him serious delusional visions. He needed to get out of this place.

He sat up and felt the room whirl around. Maybe it was better not to stand up just yet.

Another two little flying babies hovered about, followed by Blake Johnston, the bass guitarist of his band.

"Hey Blake." Adam waved his hand. "What day is it and where am I?"

"You can see me?"

"Nothing wrong with my eyes. Something wrong with my head though. It's hurting like mad. You got an aspirin on you?"

"Adam."

"Yeah?"

"I'm dead."

"I know that. I was there when…"

Adam stopped for a moment as memories began flashing back into his mind. Blake had died of suicide at his apartment days ago.

Holy shit.

"Since I can see you, does that means I'm dead too?" Adam sighed and shut his eyes.

"You're not dead Adam." Blake responded.

Adam blinked and looked up at him.

"But I can see you, man. You're not see-through or anything. You look just like your normal self. Well, without your lime green guitar."

Blake gave him a wry smile and pulled from somewhere, his bass Ovation.

"I still have my guitar." He patted it lovingly.

"Do you still know how to play it?" Adam asked without thinking.

In answer, Blake began picking out a complicated riff and playing it with ease. It was the same old Blake that everyone knew and loved.

"Fuck, Blake. If you're dead, how is it I can see you and hear you? Did I suddenly get schizophrenia or something?"

"You got possessed by a couple of spirits. It must have whacked opened your inner eye."

Adam groaned and rubbed his eyes with tired hands.

"Are those little floating babies real too, or is that just my overactive imagination?"

"They're real. The girl next to you is named Petal. The one beside me is named Bubblegum.

"Petal and Bubblegum huh?" Adam sighed. "Right."

He rubbed his head.

"Where's Jazzie? The last thing I remember is being in the car with her and driving to the police station."

Blake was silent.

Adam looked up.

"Blake?"

"Adam, she's been kidnapped."

"What???"

Adam struggled to get up but then groaned and held his head in his hands as the pain became urgent and palpable.

"I need to call my partner, John Greer."

"Adam. Jazzie was with John when she got kidnapped. He's missing too."

Adam groaned.

"Then I need to talk to the Chief." He looked up at Blake. "Don't tell me he's missing too."

Blake shook his head.

"No. He's still at the office. He called some other cop named George to find John and Jazzie."

"Good. George is a good guy." Adam sighed.

"I think George is your new partner."

Adam took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"I really need to call my Chief. This place wouldn't happen to have a phone, would it? My mobile phone seems to be missing."

"I saw a phone in the front office."

"Come help me up," Adam held out his hand.

"Dude." Blake stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. "Didn't I already tell you I'm dead? Just 'cause you can see me doesn't mean you can touch me."

"Well come closer and let me whack you one." Adam grumbled. "Let's see if that's real."

Blake sighed and moved within reach of Adam.

Adam reached out with a hand and pawed at Blake's body. His hand passed right through.

"Hot damn. You really are an apparition. Why am I not scared?"

"'Cause you're an idiot Adam."

Adam laughed.

But then he broke down and cried.

For a moment, there was no other sound but Adam quietly sobbing.

"Blake, what the hell happened to us man? Did the entire band die except for me?"

Blake sighed.

"Everyone is dead Adam. Terry, Ray, me. Jazzie is kidnapped so I don't know if she's still alive. She and your partner John were the ones who took you here, so the monks could help you.

"You're alive because of them. You're the only one left who can avenge our deaths."

Adam was about to respond when someone appeared at the doorway.

"Mr. Stuart. I'm glad to see you are finally awake."

Adam turned towards the sound. It was a female nun wearing a gray robe.

"Are you a ghost or are you real?"

The nun blinked and said nothing.

"She's real." Blake informed him in no uncertain terms.

"I'm sorry. I need to call my boss. Is there a phone here I can use?"

In response, she pulled a mobile phone from her pocket.

"Su Dai Tu Liem said you would probably ask for a phone to call your family and workplace, so I came to offer you assistance."

Adam took the phone with a grateful nod and dialed the direct line to the Chief.

"Hello."

"Chief. It's me Adam."

"Adam! Aren't you at the psychiatric ward at the hospital right now? How are you able to call me?"

"Never mind that Chief. Where's John?"

"He didn't come in to work today, Adam. I sent George out to look for him but so far, I got no word."

"What about the girl he was with? Jazzie Hunter?"

"You mean Jasmine Love? She's missing too but she's civilian. We can't even start looking for her for at least another 20 hours."

"Boss. They were together at the time they disappeared."

"Yeah, so if we find John, we will probably find her too."

"Right. Listen, I'll try to come in—"

"No. You stay home and recover from whatever it is you got. I have men covering your shift. I want you well and back on your feet before coming back to work."

"Chief. I need my phone, my badge, and my gun back. I think the hospital's got it."

"I'll tell them to bring it back to the office for you."

"Okay. Thanks Chief."

He hung up and looked at the nun.

"Would you happen to have some headache medicine I could have?"

The nun nodded and left the room.

Adam looked over at Blake.

"Where are my clothes and why am I wearing this?" He looked down at the brown monk robe.

Blake laughed.

"You came here with nothing but a hospital gown and even that got taken away. You were naked for most of the time you were here, Bro."

"Wait. You said John and Jazzie took me here?"

"Yep. She saw you with your pee pee hanging out bro." Blake laughed.