The Day I Did It

I didn’t want to wake up on Halloween. Oh, yes, ghosts indeed do sleep. The only way we’re different from you living freaks is that we’re incorporeal entities, meaning that we don’t have bodies, and we don’t consume food or water. Or have bodily functions. Yes, we can touch ourselves and each other, and, yes, we can feel. And yes, we do wear clothes. Ghost clothes.

Back to the subject of discussion – the day that had dawned on me. Halloween. 31st October. A day, that, even just a year ago, I regarded as a way to get free candy and spend at parties. And scare people without being mean.

My name is Rosetta Thornton. “Hey, you’re that girl – from TV! The one who was brutally murdered? The one whose story was plastered to every single news channel in existence for weeks after she was 6 feet under?” Yep, that’s me. Rosetta, a.k.a Etta.

Anyways, kindly allow me to jog your memory. I’m Rosetta ‘Etta’ Thornton and am 17. 18, now, technically, but since I was 17 when I died, my ghost will look 17 for the rest of eternity.

I was killed by an overdose of potassium. A nurse, Sarah Robinson, to be precise, pumped me with it purely out of spite. She says that it was ‘’personal issues’’ she was dealing with, but neither my ghost self nor Judge Bailey believe her, so she’s somewhere now where she can never hurt anyone again. Or ‘nurse’ anyone again.

However, I’ve become a ghost now, courtesy of being murdered, and am now bound by the Ghost Code, a code of conduct that all ghosts follow. It’s basically common sense – don’t pick up stuff in front of humans, don’t scare humans on purpose, don’t make yourself known to anyone, don’t forget the above. 

But as we all know, Halloween is a spooky season. It’s probably just in my head, but I don’t want to leave my abandoned shack I call home now. At least till tomorrow. Because, well, I’m a ghost. I-I’m what the essence of ridicule of Halloween is. I once had a reputation, but I still have my pride. I don’t want to hear kids tell stupid stories about ghosts when I’m hovering literally right above them. I don’t know about zombies, or vampires, or werewolves, but ghosts are real, and I don’t want to feel the scepticism nor the ridicule in the air surrounding ghosts.

“Etta, are you really not going to wake up?” a girl with caramel hair, a natural tan, chocolate brown eyes, and luscious pink lips says, appearing in front of me, close enough that our noses touch.

Meet Kelly Louisa Andrews, my now best friend, since Andrea, my old BFF is, well, still alive, and can’t see me anymore. I visit her every now and then. I talk to her. I have a gut feeling that Andrea knows I’m there, since she often checks the locks, and asks “Anyone there?”.

Kelly’s a ghost too. She died after someone drowned her in a river back in the time of the Civil War. Unfortunately, Kelly is yet to find out who did the deed but is getting closer every day.

“Kelly, go away.” I said, swatting her away. She dodges my hand in the nick of time and reappears next to my hips. She poked me hard in the ribs.

“Ettie, I know Halloween is hard. My first Halloween was hard, too. Every ghost has a hard time on their first Halloween. But if you can get through your birthday, Easter, Christmas, and all those other days, then Halloween isn’t a biggie. It just takes the incentive to get up.” Kelly says, lips slightly parted, eyes pensive.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” I reply sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I once again burrow into my blankets. 

I can feel Kelly shift uncomfortably on my bed. She sighs, and says, albeit reluctantly “You want me to tell you something you don’t know? Then I will. I didn’t want to tell you this until the “parties” started, but people who believe in ghosts can actually see us. Nobody knows this, I think, except me. I found out the hard way a few years ago. It turns out that as long as you abide by the Ghost Code and the Humans don’t look at your feet, all should be hooty-tooty.”

I gasp. Then, I laugh. “Hooty-tooty? Really, Kelly? Even you, Miss Straight-out-of-the-19th-century can do better. Please tell me that a)This is just a huge joke, or b)This is real.”

Kelly sighed. “B.”

“No way.” I say, eyes wide open, but Kelly doesn’t lie. She can’t lie to save her life, mortal or ghost. So, thrusting the blankets off me, I get up, and say “Well then, Kelly, we have a LOT to do, don’t we?” She’s shocked at my sudden change of heart, but I grab her hands, and spin her in a circle. Kelly’s chocolate eyes are wide with shock and uncertainty, but she decided to give in.

And the parties we went to were awesome. We were invisible, but present. I saw quite a few of my old pals there, but couldn’t spot my little bro. The music was rad and the costumes were great, but me and Kell were the best dressed.

 After all, we were the spookiest. 

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It was cold, and the wind was howling. The pine trees at the edge of the forest were starting to shake, and the sky was grey and downcast. Black clouds littered the sky, and it looked like it was about to rain. It was my favourite kind of weather.

I looked down at the gravestone in front of me.

R.I.P

Rosetta May Thornton

Died 8th November, aged 17

A beloved sister, and beloved to many friends and family.

“I spread my wings and fly like an eagle.”

“Etta.” Kelly said. “Etta.”

“I’m okay, Kelly.” I said, with surprising firmness. 

“Ettie… you have the rest of eternity. If it’s too soon, then leave. It’s okay.” she said, voice wavering.

“No, Kelly. I have to do this.” I replied, almost robotically.

I looked at the grave. A few roses and marigolds lay carefully placed in front of the marker. A small smile lit my face. They remembered me. 

I looked at the measly bouquet of roses I had in my hands. I felt Kelly put her hand on my shoulder. I crouched down, slowly, and placed the flowers among the others. 

“Etta.” Kelly croaked, her voice breaking. I turned to her, and a small tear slipped down her cheek. I wiped it off with my thumb. I could feel the waterworks breaking inside of me. 

As soon as I turned back to the small stone in front of me, the pipes burst open, and I openly sobbed. Kelly caught me, and I sobbed into her shoulder. “Etta, Etta...” she murmured into my hair, stroking me softly.

We left the graveyard just as the first drops of the rain began to fall to the Earth.