The In Between

Everyone seems to think there are two places that a human can exist. In life, and death. We can either be frolicking in flowery fields, or sitting beneath the ground, unliving. It's simple, you breathe, or you don't.

What they probably don't know is that, in between those two worlds, there's a gap. It's always been there. And it is within that gap that I am sitting now, contemplating what would happen to the world if holidays didn't exist. It is things like this that I tend to think about in the afternoons, as I sit between the two worlds. On my right, there is a gaping hole full of life, and on my left is the realm that leads to the land of the deceased. I can't tell what exactly is in between. Me, I guess. All around me, it is dark. The only light comes from the living realm, as it spins slowly. I've never visited the land of the deceased, and frankly, I'm not very eager to.

Halloween is coming up, suffocating the world in its grasp of skeleton decor and pumpkin themed nonsense. It is because of this that I wonder what would happen if no holidays ever came to be at all. We all know of the movies that claim that holidays bring us together, but it is right now that I am thinking about how the world would be ripped apart if they weren't there. 

So I sit, motionless, legs crossed and arms resting on my legs. I sigh and lay on my back, my arms stretched out across the nothingness that lies beneath me. How I discovered this otherworldly place, I couldn't tell you. All I know is that every time I don't want to live in the land of people with beating hearts, I come here. When life becomes too unbearable, I fall asleep, and I wake up here. It’s not a dream, I can say that for sure, but wherever I am seems to be a crack in time, and not going to lie, I enjoy it. I wonder if the grim reaper waits in the realm of the deceased, just waiting for me to crack. Waiting for me to not want to live anymore. Waiting for the paranoia and exhaustion and loneliness to drive me to complete insanity. But still, my stubborn ass sits here and thinks about stupid things and wonders about stupid things and asks if any of it is really stupid.

I usually only stay here for less than an hour, but I've lost track of time at this point. I don't want to go back outside, but I don't want to stay.

If you squint pretty hard, you can see stars when you lie down here.  I stare up at the emptiness, unsure if it can be called a sky. There's no sign of anything around me, living or not. I enjoy the empty space, allowing me to be with my thoughts. I like having plans, and know what to expect, and having that reassurance when things go the way you want.

What I didn't expect was to hear violent screaming.

I bolt up, wondering if that was just my own head. It's a couple of seconds before I can be sure. Yes, someone is screaming. There's faint scratching. But from where?

I stand and look through the living realm. It's a blurry view, but no one seems to be outside. I start to panic when I hear violent yells coming from behind me.

Coming from death's door.

I turn and watch, and listen. Nothing.

I try to shrug it off but stare at the hol a bit longer. It’s huge, towering twenty feet high at least. I squint and lean forward a bit...

I stumble back when a figure rushes out of the deceased realm and falls forward onto their stomach. It's a boy, who appears to have just vomited. He looks tired, and I'm almost positive he's the source of the screams. 

I gasp silently. What the hell?

Questions run violently through my head, completely outcompeting any other thoughts.

Who is this? How did he get here? 

But most importantly, why did he come out of the death realm?

I don’t have time to ask any of these questions, because he’s already slowly getting up, and failing at it. I freak out, panicking and shaking, before realizing he’s looking at me.

A small “help” escapes his mouth as he starts crawling towards me. I can’t stand it. I rush towards the living realm and am about to jump through before it closes. It seals up, just like that. Everything goes pitch black and I fall to the floor.

I scream the loudest I’ve ever screamed when a cold hand grabs me from behind.

“Help,” he says again, weakly.

I’m breathing way too hard, my chest rising and falling way too fast, and my lungs burning. 

“What is going on?” I yell, slowly turning around.

“You don’t need to scream,” he says, trying to get up again, “I can hear you.”

“Who are you?” my cautious voice echos.

“You don’t remember me?”

I shake my head before realizing he can’t see me, “no.”

I hear him blow on something, a couple of sparks, and suddenly, he’s holding a fire in his hands.

“How do you do that?” I say, getting nearer.

“Practice, and a bit of magic,” he answers.

Clearly, he’s given up on standing, and sits criss-cross in front of me.

I have no idea what’s going on, and I’ve convinced myself that I’m dreaming.

I notice the features of his face lit up behind the glowing flames. Thick eyebrows, long lashes, and sharp cheekbones. He looks… familiar.

“I,” he sighs, “am the keeper of Halloween. We met once, don’t you remember?”

I gasp almost silently.

“I had… a dream about you,” I say, my brows knitting together.

“Yes,” he nods, “you did.”

For the next couple of minutes, we sit in silence, as I remember the dream.

I don’t remember my dreams often, but this one is clear in my head. Me, standing in front of a train, a subway train, about to go somewhere. As I climb in, the entire wall of the train is covered in Halloween decorations. Something glows from the corner of my eye and I turn, to see the same boy staring at me, and he winks.

“Listen,” he sighs again, “I need you to take me to the land of the living.”

“What?” My surprise is obvious.

“There’s been mischieves waltzing around there, and I need to capture them. Take them back. Before Halloween.”  

“What is that?”

“A mischief? It’s a bit of slang for an evil spirit. Now, will you help me?”

“Why me? And besides, it’s closed, the realm,” I put my hands towards the fire.

“I can open it again, and because you’re the only person who’s seen me before. The only person who can see me. Please.”

I don’t really remember the next conversation. All I remember is me agreeing to help the Keeper of Halloween and taking him into the living realm with me.