A Halloween Spirit

Halloween crept closer with every tick of the clock, and Adam could barely contain his excitement, his face was bursting with anticipation. His teacher decided to play a movie on the day of Halloween instead of doing work, Adam thought it was childish to show middle schoolers a movie in school, but he wasn’t complaining. 

He flopped into his seat and opened his book, The Wizard of OZ. The pages were coarse and sandy and Adam felt there was no better scent than the crisp aroma of an old book. He let the smell fill his nostrils and began to read. He scanned the pages with his eyes, it was almost as if the book had come alive and Dorothy and the tin man danced around the dimly lit classroom. 

“Books are away right now!” His teacher, Mrs. Price scolded him and seized hold of the book, Adam tried to grab the book back but her grip was tight, in the slim chance Adam could take the book he wouldn't be allowed to read it. He let go of the book. She was infuriated, her face filled with rage, she towered over him. “SUCH BEHAVIOR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!” she bellowed, now the entire classroom was gaping at his attitude toward Mrs. Price.

Adam wandered along the side of the road in disbelief. How could his teacher just send him home! His family was paying her to teach, not the other way around! As he walked he began to feel weary his legs ached, it was a long walk home down the winding road and he was only halfway back. 

Adam was overwhelmed by the pungent reek of gasoline, then the ear-splitting roar of an engine made Adam stagger backward in alarm. Before he even knew what had happened an excruciating pain in his chest sent him to the ground. 

The dark emptiness was pure bliss, Adam had been so disoriented only moments ago he didn't even want to question the murky ink surrounding him, he wanted to savor the veil. It was like when he read his books, a surreal trans, too delightful to put into words, so freeing he felt as if he let go he would slip and never return.

“All good things come to an end.” That's what Mrs. Price had always told adam. 

He never appreciated Mrs. Price but even he came to admire how she had always known just what to say. And though he didn't want to admit it he knew that's what she would say right now.  

He logged to stay in the black, He sought solace in the shadow he lay in. 

Adam awoke in a haze then stumbled to his feet. He was sure had just been killed by that loud and frankly irritating car. He launched himself up off the ground and sure enough, he remained there in the air, even though he was finally free he felt empty and alone like something was missing. Then it came to him, he could no longer smell or use any of the senses he had taken for granted all those years. 

Adam collapsed on the ground and shattered like glass. He hadn’t taken the time to understand the intensity of the situation at hand. He was really dead, he was trying to deny the fact but he no longer could.  He could no longer go to the books he once hid away in And he could no longer talk to the people who comforted him what felt like forever ago.

“C’mon lighten up kid, it's Halloween, this is the time we dead are worshiped like gods!” A short man with broad shoulders and a wispy silver beard stood beside Adam. Adam slowly uncurled himself to look up at the man's face. He was a short man with broad shoulders and a wispy silver beard, His face was rough yet still kind. Adam felt as though he had seen the man somewhere before and then it came to him

“On the mantel… ON THE MANTEL! You’re the man from the picture on the mantel above the fireplace!” Adam yelled, not even aware of his volume. The short man jumped backward in shock, taken aback by the boy’s remark. 

“Wait you wouldn’t happen to be from the miller family would you?” The short man inquired with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. 

“Why yes… I'm Adam, Adam miller.” Adam was confused but he had a feeling he knew what was coming next. The man was about to speak but Adam interrupted him with a hug, he knew the feeling of loneliness The short man had endured and all Adam could do was give him a hug. A warm embrace could comfort the short man but it couldn't do much more, Adam felt so helpless. 

The small man began to walk away, he was swift and agile Adam didn’t expect that from the short chubby man. But just then he felt a rush of guilt, he could barely believe he would think such an insolent and disrespectful thing! He snapped back to reality and realized the man was long gone. He chased after the man and flew as quickly as possible, it was a lot easier to fly than he had anticipated. 

The night was extensive and the dazzling stars shimmered in the dark void of a sky. 

Adam and The short man walked around and talked, he comforted Adam, after all, he had just been through one of the most troubling days of his life.

They had both grown close in the short time they had been together. Adam was still tense, The short man had said something to adam about people never being the same after they died. He was afraid something like that had happened to the short man, Adam told himself that lie but he knew he was more frightened something had happened to himself. He didn’t sleep much that night and he knew it would be the same for the nights to come.