Unfinished Business

Clear colorless eyes, flickered open.

Incorporeal arms, resting lightly in the air.

And a piercing cold wind, that could not be felt.

Streetlights backlighting an insubstantial figure.

Autumn leaves swirled at the feet.

Seeming to flow right through it.

It seemed to look up.

Gaining definition as it did.

Dusty brown hair.

Hollow eyes.

Rayden started at the perfect moon.

A sphere of glowing light.

That at this moment seemed unnatural.

It tingled at his spine.

And its light, seemed to pull at the edges of his form.

Studying himself.

He somehow knew, what he was.

Laughing children, waving plastic lanterns, tumbled down the street.

Masks barley concealing their smiles.

Bright costumes, fluttering as they ran through the discarded leaves.

Rayden breathed, or tried to.

His chest didn’t move.

And when he stilled.

His heart, made no sound.

The sky was painted with fading orange.

Even, as the darkness slowly consumed it.

Rayden willed himself to move.

Not really walking, not really floating.

Just moving, like the wind.

Silent, and invisible.

Effortlessly gliding over the earth.

He was surrounded by neighborhoods.

Houses decorated with lights and decorations.

Doorbells and knocks ringing, in an almost eerie melody.

Once, a little one stopped.

A boy in a dragon costume.

He had curiously picked up, a brightly decaying leaf.

Studying its colored edges, before running to show his mother.

He’d run towards Rayden.

And, before Rayden could apologize for not moving.

The little boy.

Passed through him.

Like Rayden was no more, than a cloud of smoke. 

Rayden’s fingers shimmered in tiny twinkles.

Not like candle or electric light.

But like the feint wisps, that emanate from the stars.

And like the flickering sparks, of fireflies.

He wandered the busy streets.

Watching the tricker treaters with their parents.

Who used gentle hands, and laughing voices.

As they guided their precious ones.

A teen girl, in an enveloping yellow sweater.

Wearing shining earrings.

Waved at him, smiling cheerfully.

He stopped, freezing.

She’d pointed down a street.

He’d blinked, and she was gone.

He followed the street.

Seeing almost half of it, before realizing.

He recognized this street.

How could he not?

When he’d spent, his entire childhood here.

The curb, him and his sister used to paint for holidays.

The driveway, that had the best rain puddles to play in.

The stump, where the old elm tree used to stand.

He came to a house.

The front steps were buried in painted pumpkins.

A bright fall wreath hung on the door.

And a cheerful sign, welcoming everyone, rested by the porch swing.

He breathed in, as best he could manage.

Resting one, intangible hand against the door.

Like water, through a strainer.

His form, seemed to seep through the barrier.

He watched with tired eyes.

As his family filled his childhood home with laughter.

The happy sound, mixing with the old records on his dad’s player.

Filling the house, even as his parents tried to wrangle his siblings.

Two teens, rested in the living room.

Watching a non-Halloween themed movie.

Just like they always did.

While complaining about the cold, and the too loud kids outside.

Hayden hadn’t known it was cold.

He couldn’t feel.

Everything just felt static.

Numb.

It hurt.

seeing them.

He didn't know why.

He passed by a wall.

Covered in framed photos.

Filled with faces he knew.

They looked so happy.

A sense of dread.

Unfurled within him.

He flickered past the candles.

Wishing that he could smell.

Their comforting aromas.

He drifted to his old room.

Only to find it filled in.

Someone else's things.

Filled the space.

That used to be his.

A familiar boy sat on the floor, leaning against the bed.

Hayden smiled gently. 

Michael didn’t move.

Not knowing who was watching him.

Two crystal dark tears, slipped down the teens face.

Hayden watched as they glimmered in the unlit room.

Staring in shock and horror.

As his sixteen-year-old brother.

Opened a pocket knife.

And stared at the gleaming blade.

All at once, they all slammed into his mind.

Memories.

Rayden had been at college.

He was leaving work.

Going to meet his fiancé.

At the church.

Snow.

As white the dress.

He would never get to see.

Tires that couldn’t find traction.

A screech of metal.

The horrifying moment when, he met the eyes of the other driver.

Eyes he knew.

Blindingly bright snow.

Pain.

Leaves.

The moon.

Opening his now faded, gray eyes in a different place.

His parents didn’t know yet.

His siblings didn’t know.

What would it do to them?

He flowed forward.

Pushing the knife away.

As his ephemeral frame.

Became solid for this.

For his brother.

He wrapped his arms around his brother. 

“Michael, I’m here buddy, I’ve got you”

His words, stilling his little brother’s shaking form.

Rayden pulled back.

Smiling as his brother whispered.

“Ray?”

“Hey it’s not time for you to join me yet,

you have to keep going, they can’t lose us both,

promise me, you’ll find something you want live

live for”

“Ray what? How are you here?”

Rayden ruffled Michael’s hair.

“Just tell mom and dad, I love them okay?

and remember, that I love you too, so much Michael”

The house faded around him.

He was back under the hallowed moon.

The girl in the yellow sweater was waiting.

“Your business?” She inquired.

 As a cloak, the same color as her sweater.

Lightly wrapped over her shoulders, and fell over her form.

A gently curving scythe, rested in her hand.

But he wasn't scared.

“It is finished” He answered, smiling.

She smiled, reaching out her empty hand.

He placed his in hers.

And let the world fade away.

Leaving, knowing he would see the eyes.

Of the driver, on the other side.

Eyes.

He wouldn't get.

To spend his life with.

Instead he would spend.

Eternity with them.

Knowing he would be with his soulmate again.

And let the woman, lead him beyond.

Into the world where the living.

Finally find their rest.