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Teenage Ghost
Evan walked up to Jeff during the lunch break, “Why was your mom so upset when she got home last night?”
“She lost her job.” Jeff had plenty of time to think about this overnight. “I don’t know how much you’ll want to come over now that she’s home all the time. I never told you this but, she has an addiction problem.”
“That’s alright.” Evan wasn’t bothered by this news. “Anything is better than what’s going on at home. I’ll take her kind of crazy over the kind of crazy that s going on over at my house.”
“What do you mean?” Jeff became concerned.
“I mean at least she yells out. Tells you something.” The bell rang for class interrupting Evan. “At least she tells you what’s wrong.” he pointed out as he walked away to class. “At least you still exist.”
Since his granddad had died the whole house was a mausoleum. The living might as well have joined his granddad on his last day. No one spoke a word. It was as if they were waiting for Evan Sr to break the silence himself. The silent tears that streamed down the face of everyone he encountered. The whole house was a grave.
He was tired of the dead, he was tired of being dead too.
He was one of the living, he wanted to live. While the sun is shining, warm and bright, it should be shining on his face. When the breeze blows through the air, it should be blowing through his hair.
He was not dead. He would not go to the tomb.
After school Evan and Jeff walked home together.
Jeff began with the probing questions, “Doesn’t your mother worry about you being away for so long at a time?”
“My mother doesn’t even realize I’m gone.” Evan complained. “You know that one weekend I stayed over the whole time?”
Jeff nodded.
“She never even knew I was gone. I didn’t even tell her I went. I came back and she was still the same as when I left her.” Evan continued with little concern.
“How does she act?” Jeff questioned.
“She just cries all the time.” Evan barked at his friend and stopped walking. He quickly faced Jeff, “She doesn’t say anything, she just cries. Constantly. Day and night. They all do. All of them.” He turned away and continued walking towards Jeff’s house. “No one says anything there. It’s like I don’t even exist. It wasn’t just my grandpa that died, it was everybody else too.”
“I’m sorry.” Jeff tried to console his friend. “I didn’t know. You never tell me.”
“I don’t like to talk about that place. It’s enough.” Evan stopped mid sentence as he saw a woman smoking on the porch. It was the same woman he had seen last night.
The woman threw words like daggers at the two intruders. “Good you can keep it to yourself while you’re here. I don’t need to hear anymore sad sap stories. I get enough from my kid here, little bleeding heart.” She paused and took in a drag. “What was your name again?” she said as smoke accompanied the words.
“Ha ha, very funny Mom. You know I’m Jeff.” Jeff tried to play it off as a joke, but it was no joke how much like his real mother she was.
“Well you and your little friend don’t make too much of a mess. Mommy needs a nap.” She opened the screen door and walked down the hallway. “And some Gin.” could be heard as she entered the master bedroom.