Chapter 4

Sitting on my tomb, I sighed and rose . It had already been 2 weeks since my last encounter with Skylar. I walked towards the end of the graveyard. I tried getting out but I fell down and landed right on my butt. I tried again,using a different approach. Gently I stretched my hands towards the entrance. It couldn't cross. Clearly, there was an invisible barrier there. I frowned,wondering what life outside the yard would be. Nothing came to mind.

I watched the people who passed by the yard. A couple walking hand in hand, a kid chasing another, a man selling something pink and fluffy. I licked my lips looking at that fluffy stuff. People, don't complain. Like I said, I have a good taste when it comes to food and whatever that man was rolling out of the machine looked delicious. I tried another attempt at poking,breaking summoning whatever power I thought I had to be able to walk out the barrier but nope, I just couldn't get out.

I looked up at the sky. It was threatening. Dark clouds had begun to form.

" looks like my chance of meeting him today will be canceled" I sighed.

I walked back to my tomb with a sad look on my face, waited a while and moved alongside to a bench under one of the many trees in the yard. Sitting down aimlessly like I always did, I lay prostrate, with my back facing the ground and my face, the sky.

My thoughts drifted back to the very day I met the human. He was so smallish compared to now. He swept my tomb and stared directly at me once. Why he pretended not to see me,I never knew till now. Maybe I should ask him, I thought as I traced the clouds to form shapes and animals. A face suddenly popped in front of me.

" Boo " it said and I screamed,springing up from my position. I looked terrified at the person who was now laughing hysterically. Skylar.

" What was that for?" I asked, straightening my position - I had grabbed the arm of the bench, standing near the tip.

" I never knew ghosts could be afraid" he said amidst laughter.

" That wasn't funny. You nearly gave me a heart attack" I replied still with that look on my face.

" I'm sorry " he apologized.

" What took you so long?"

" Today's Friday. I had an extra curriculum practice. That is swimming. It took a bit longer than anticipated because first year's were recruited" he explained,sitting down by me.

" oh " I replied with an astonished expression

He held out a piece of the fluffy stuff I saw outside the graveyard. My eyes widened to the size of an owl. I licked my lips because I was in for the kill. He noticed my expression. I opted to take my share of the fluffy stuff but this kid kept wagging it in front of me. He seemed to be enjoying my food torment as my eyes moved from here to there in the direction if the food. I puckered my lips in anger.

" Okay,okay. Calm down" he said,finally handing me the stuff. I took out my share and took in a mouthful. It tasted like heaven.

" I think I just found my favorite delicacy" I said. He frowned when I took out a ghostly version. I only shrugged and kept on eating the stuff.

" You still haven't figured out how to hold objects?" he asked with an arched brow.

" It isn't bad. At least I can touch human objects".I replied touching the bench.

" You mean only the stuff in the graveyard" he corrected me.

" What's this stuff I'm eating?" I asked, trying to avoid the topic.

" That's cotton candy. I saw you few minutes before entering staring at it so I decided to get you some"

"Thanks" I replied finishing the cotton candy. " Are you going to finish that?" I asked looking at his.

" Are you a bear or a ghost ?. Why do you like this stuff so much?" he asked me.

"Don't know" I replied taking out another version from the original.

The dark clouds became darker and burst open, allowing a large sum of water leak from it. It started pouring heavily. Both of us run with me directing him to the house.

" Why are you running" he asked " you won't even get wet" he added as we kept running.

" Do you expect me to sit and do nothing. If I hadn't run,you wouldn't be following me" I replied as you finally entered the house. He was totally drained it water.

His wet clothes kissed his pale skin,hair dripping wet and he himself looking...

The keeper came out of his room holding a towel. The human kid nearly jumped out of his skin as the keeper approached him. I'm pretty sure he didn't expect to see a ghost suddenly hand him a towel like they were brothers.He accepted it and wiped his wet hair. Skylar did something which sent me into comatose. He removed his shirt, revealing ripped abs. This guy had the torso of what I would call a god according to the pictures I saw in The daily graphics of the 1990s. Absolutely magnificent.

I don't know what happened next because I got out of a dazzled state looking at Skylar draped in a singlet waving his hands in front of me.

" Are you okay?"he asked. I must've blacked out or salivated a bucket full because I was on the ground,the Keeper removing a wet wipe from my head.

Don't be surprised. I died in the 1990s. It's not like I had the privilege to see half naked men. I'm not sure I even had a lover like folks in the presence do. And even if I did have one, I'm pretty sure I never saw him in a half naked state.

" I'm okay "I answered. Sitting up I looked at my surroundings and the keeper who handed a blanket and a pillow to Skyler.

" Seems like the rain will last for a while. You might as well have a sleepover in the graveyard" the keeper said to him. The human embraced the situation. Both men started a conversation which I found hard to keep up with.

" So, you think Eileen here "the Keeper said pointing at me " hasn't moved on because she doesn't know how she died?"

" Yes "

" How do you know?"

" I know by distinguishing them by smell"

"Interesting" Merari pulled on his beard

" Well, I smell emotions in ghosts when I want to know why they're still present in this world. I smell confusion, grief and loneliness. Grief for those who died before their time, loneliness for those who had no one help them move on to the afterlife and confusion for those who don't know how they died" Skylar explained.

" Brilliant,absolutely brilliant" Merari said clapping his hand. " How excellent. Who would have thought gifted one's like you could also distinct " he added.

I stared from face to face as the men kept on conversing. The rain poured heavier. Skylar shivered.

" Looks like you need to get into the room before you catch a cold" Merari spoke, leading him to one of the many rooms in the house.

All of the rooms in the house were neat.I cleaned the house. It was some kind of part-time job I had just to kill boredom. I knew Skylar said I couldn't touch things. Let's not forget, it was only those from outside the graveyard at least that's what Skylar said.

As soon as he landed on the bed, he fell asleep. He must have been drained after all that swimming and whatever else he did before coming over. I found myself ogling at his features. I was so close to him that I could actually feel his breath fanning my face. So cute.

The rain poured heavier. I soon fell asleep watching him