I'm Ready

Another day passes, another day closer to my favorite holiday of the year, Halloween. I've always loved dressing up like little kids do. The idea of wearing costumes that make no sense just always seemed exciting to me. I'm a 19 year old guy who slobs around the house all day, yes. And it's no surprise that my costume every year is just a white sheet and cool shades. It's turned into a tradition at this point. When I was five, my parents couldn't afford to buy me a costume. Being five at the time, I was starting to get jealous of the other kids around my neighborhood who went around trick or treating in cool costumes. I didn't have one.

My dad, being the amazing person he was, grabbed the closest white sheet he could find, and tossed it over my head, giving me a pair of shades to complement the outfit. I was confused at the time, but eventually figured out that this white sheet alone would be one of the most important symbols I have in my life. My mom would usually stay home to give out treats, so in the meantime, my dad and I would go out for smoothies and burgers at our favorite place. We would usually finish eating at around 9, and would go out for a night ride right after, parking in front of our neighborhood park to spy out other children's costumes together. We created a little challenge, where we would point out the most bizarre, yet intriguing costumes, and whoever spies the most peculiar one would get a small bag of candy from the other.

I wasn't the type of child who would be desperate to go out with friends during holidays, and this was never a problem for me nor my family. The three of us loved to spend time with each other, and I would cancel plans with my friends if my mom ever had planned something for us.

I didn't realize how much I had until just five years ago, when I came home one night receiving news. News that my father had passed earlier that day due to a car accident right outside town. He went out to go get treats for Halloween that year. Halloween was still a month away, but out of excitement, he went out to go get a handful of sweets both for my mom to give out, and for us to splurge on. I guess you can say that I didn't take it well. After the initial shock came pacing around the room, frantically trying to figure out what to do next. The whole thing was such a blur, and it's a struggle to pinpoint exactly what happened before and after everything, but to explain things easier, I was in a mixed state of panic, distraught, and utter confusion. Things have changed since then. My mom doesn't give out treats anymore. She says that "It's a waste of my time", often rolling her eyes every time she repeats that same phrase.

Today's the 24th of October, exactly a week before Halloween this year, and I've been meaning to ask my friends if they wanted to dress up with me this year. I guess this is my way of celebrating my dad, it being the 5th year since his death. The question has been lurking this whole time, and I figured that today was the best day I could pop the question. I wait till school ends, and since it's Friday, I go over to the parking lot where I spot Taylor and Leslie. Of the four of us, Taylor and I have always been the closest. We'd been friends ever since kindergarten, and I know her better than she does herself. She's the type of girl who would hide inside her room, painting or thrifting outfits instead of going out to malls, shopping with other friends. Beside her is Leslie, a friend of ours. We met her just three years ago when she moved from the other side of the country. We're not that close, but better than nothing I guess. The only person missing from our little group is Ted, who as usual makes his way towards us on his skateboard, often catching the eyes of a group of girls and a set of teachers who were probably about to give him another warning for using 'that dangerous skateboard' of his. He was a transfer student, and was introduced to us earlier this year.

The usual conversation shows up, and the four of us start talking about what to eat, and plans for this weekend.

"Hey, do you guys wanna dress up as ghosts for Halloween this year? We could grab white sheets and shades, put them together and voila, we have a costume!" I mumbled, out of the blue.

"Dress up? Blake, we're not five year-olds." Taylor replied. Knowing she was big on fashion, I kind of already expected a cold response from her. She's never been the type to dress up for Halloween, and no one ever questioned her for it. The conversation went back to its previous state, with me standing there contemplating whether or not I still wanna continue my little tradition. I still want to go, but they already have a whole Halloween weekend planned, and I'm the only one who's gonna miss it.

"Blake, are you coming with us next weekend, or are you going to be missing again?" I almost didn't hear Leslie's question.

"I don't know just yet."

A few days pass, and I finally make up my mind. Grabbing my coat, and sliding my shoes on, I rush out the door to my dad's old jeep. It's old and run down, as if it's been sitting there all these years waiting to be polished once more, but it still works the same way I remember it when I was still little. I start the car, and start driving off, heading my way outside of town with the one goal of grabbing treats for this weekend. While at the store, I got a set of triangle shades, and a big, white sheet that I could use, paid then left. As I get home, I greet my mom who sends me a soft smile like she always does, and I prepare the candy I bought, placing them in a plastic pumpkin we had lying around the house, I brought it to the porch, covering the top and quickly ran upstairs to get to work. I figured that changing the ghost costume up a bit would make it more interesting, and as carefully as I could, I got to work, cutting, sewing, and gluing beads and sequins onto the white sheet, following a simple pattern just at the edge of the fabric. After half an hour of doing nothing but this, I finally took a step back, and examined my creation.

"He would be proud." My mom, who was standing by my door, assured me.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Today's the day! It's officially the 31st, and as early as I could, I got ready for the day. There were quite a few errands I've been commissioned to for today, and I wanted to get them out of the way as soon as possible. Driving around town, in the same jeep I was in just a few days ago, I finished the checklist my mom gave me earlier that day. I drive home, eventually passing an intersection my mom had always been scared of. She never told me the reason why, but I figured that some sort of accident happened over there, and ever since that, she's just been terrified. I didn't think much of it, but driving through that intersection felt odd. It felt like everything just shifted. I might just be making things up, but there was something there. It's hard to explain what it actually was, I guess I'll just brush it off for now.

I get back home right after taking a short lunch break. My mom had packed a sandwich for me, and as sick I am of sandwiches, It's better than nothing. I get inside, and rush to my room to go find my costume. I left it on my bed right before I left, and was expecting it to be there once I got home but as I enter my room, I see everything in its rightful place besides the outfit I prepared. My mom was out for tonight, so I couldn't ask her where she'd put it, so I decided to go look for my friends. It's still 3pm, and I have time before I start doing my own things, so I head over to our local library where the three of them planned on meeting.

I walk over to the entrance, spying the three of them sitting on one of the couches, the two girls on their phones, showing each other something. Right in front of them is Ted, who seems to be listening to the girls talk, and looks somewhat scared. All the color from his face was drained away, as if he had just received terrible news. I head over to them, sitting next to Ted and immediately ask "Ted, you good?". No response. None from the girls either. "Let's go. We need to find out if this is real or not." Leslie dragged the two out of there so fast, I couldn't even ask them what was going on. I decide to wait till a little later to ask them again, but I can't help but wonder what the hell happened back there. I head back home and plop myself back on my bed, just waiting. Waiting for my mom to come back. Waiting for things to make sense.

A few hours pass, and mom still isn't home. It's 9pm already, and I'm supposed to be out, grabbing smoothies and burgers, but I still have no idea where my costume is. I searched the house already, but it's nowhere to be found. 'Okay, well I guess I'll just go and find Taylor and the rest of the gang instead of spending my Halloween here, alone at home'. Instead of driving to the park, where they usually meet up, I take my bike since it's easier to bring around. Parking my bike next to a light post, I spot Ted and Leslie over near the coffee shop, waving and making their ways over to Taylor who's just across the road from them. As I get closer, I see them put on something, something white. A few seconds of trying to understand the situation, I figure out what they're wearing; a ghost costume, the same type that I was going to wear, and the costume that I made was worn by Taylor herself. 

"I thought you guys said that dressing up was for little kids, let alone a ghost costume? And Taylor, where did you get that?" Again, no response.

At that moment, I was so close to getting mad. They've been ignoring me this whole day without any notice, and are now using my costume as theirs. In the corner of my eye, I see a glare coming from the TV that's inside the coffee shop they came out of, and I watch as the newscaster tells the story of 'The boy who suffered the same fate as his father'. The next two scenes shown in the news were two identical videos of accidents on the same intersection I passed by earlier, then a picture of both me and my dad.

I understand now. Everything that happened today makes sense. I get why my mom was scared of that intersection, and hearing this news might make it worse for her. I understand why Taylor, Leslie and Ted were wearing costumes, and I get why they've been acting like I don't exist.

I turn around to see my dad, holding two white sheets, and the same shades we wore when I was five. "Hey kiddo, you ready to be a ghost for the first time again?"

He grabs a sheet, and throws it over my head, giving me a pair of shades to put on with it. I take a deep breath, and as soon as I put the shades on, I reply with two simple words.

"I'm ready."