A Future Gained

I went back to the park. There were a few adults walking their dogs, and a few of the dogs made funny noises and started barking as if they could sense me there. I sat down and I thought about my mom and dad, then I cried again. Why me? I didn't do anything bad. I wasn't perfect, but I was good. "Can ghosts go to sleep?" I shouted.

"No!!"

I looked around, but couldn't see Michael anywhere. How does he do that? The rest of the night I walked in the park, around town, then just sat impatiently and waited. Daybreak came and the hustle and bustle started again. Car horns, people shouting, some even running. I'd started to walk back to the pizza house I'd seen last night when I heard a scream. As I looked around there was a young lady lying in the road with blood covering her face. I ran, I didn't know where, I just ran. "Michael! Michael!" He appeared, nearly frightening the life out of me, if that's possible. "Take me, take me. I don't care where you send me just take me. I'm already in hell, so I know the place well. If I was alive God would be locked up for child abuse."

"David, there's a purpose to this, you have to believe that." Then he was gone.

I walked back to the park and was surprised to see Jake, the kid I'd met yesterday, without his housekeeper. He was sitting in the sandpit letting the sand shift through his fingers. "Hi, Jake, your mom let you come then? Where's the battle-axe?" Just as I said that the evil woman walked over looking fierce.

"How many times have I told you to take off your shoes and socks when you get in the sandpit, it just means more work for me, now get them off!!" She shouted.

I tried with all my might to push her over, "Damn." Then I kicked the sand in disgust and it went all over her back. I jumped with glee. I'd done it. She looked around with a glare, "Who did that?"

I shouted, "Leave him alone." She turned her head in the direction of my voice. I thought her head was going to screw itself off. She was looking at me and didn't know it. I again told her to leave him alone. Jake was laughing at her as her face changed from confusion to fright.

She again looked around, seeing nothing. Turning around she grabbed Jake by the arm, "We're getting out of here." I thought she was going to pull his arm off she yanked him so hard. As they were leaving I sat in the sand giggling to myself. The look on her face! The thought again brought a wave of giggles.

I managed to get up and go over to one of the benches that were scattered all around the park without falling over laughing. As I sat down I saw a young girl and her mother walking toward the sandpit. They put a blanket on the grass and both sat down. I was already dead, but I nearly died a second time when the girl walked over and asked my name. I fell backwards in shock. She laughed - I loved that laugh.

"My name is Roseanne. But if you call me that, you're going to be so dead! It's Rose to you. I've told you my name, now it's only fair that you tell me yours?"

"Errr!! David..." She laughed again. "What's so funny?"

"You" she said. "Anyone would think you've just seen a ghost."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "No, but you have." Then I laughed again. The look on her face was priceless. She then came to her senses.

"I'm not talking to silly boys."

I stood up and held out my hand. "Can I touch your hand?"

"See, you're being silly."

"Okay then, do you want to touch my hand?" She thought about it, then nodded, moving her hand over to mine. She tried and tried to touch my hand, her face going from one look to another. I dropped to my knees in hysterics.

After a few moments she instinctively pulled herself together, but still couldn't speak. After looking me up and down, then sitting down on the grass, trying to look calm. "Then you really are a ghost?" she said. More asking than telling.

I went and sat beside her and just as I was about to speak I was whisked away. Michael appeared in front of me. "You can't tell her about your death, it's not allowed."

"Why? You killed me. Why shouldn't she know how you took me away from my family? I didn't know the word at the time, but now I know it as being in 'limbo'. "I'm in between being alive and dead. I told you to take me, that I can't stay like this, but you won't even do that. Now I can't tell someone that God is not as good as they say." I shouted.

A bright light circled me and Michael. In a deep voice I heard someone speak. "My son, this was a mistake due to a clerical error."

I stood there in disgust not saying anything . . . no, I couldn't say anything. I thought to myself that I'm a person, not a number! After calming down I looked at the light. "WHY?? I never did anything wrong to nobody. I even went to church and Sunday school. You kill me and tell me that I have to stay as I am till you sort something out?? I thought God was good, not cruel. You're mean and nasty. How can you make a clerical error in heaven??"

"My son, please. . ."

"I AM NOT YOUR SON!!!" I shouted. Michael was going to grab me, but got zapped before he could.

"I know you're angry, and I know if I were in your place I would be too, but I can do nothing about the past. I can only alter what the future may hold. May I ask if you know how babies are born??"

Yeah, right! I'm nearly twelve years old. Is he really serious?? "Your daddy has sex with your mummy and he puts his thing . . ."

"Errr, yes. . ." clearing his throat. "Well I can't just send you back. I need to find the right people to look after you. After the error that brought you here, we can't make another mistake."

"You can say that again." I was a little tetchy. "How long will I be stuck like this??"

"There's no easy fix for this - this may take some time to correct." The light seemed to dim a little.

That said, I stood there quietly thinking. God was probably thankful for the peace. . . "Can I go back now? It's bad manners to leave the girl sitting there and just walk away." Next thing I know I'm sitting in the same spot as I was before I was rudely interrupted. "Hi," I said, "I'm back again; and yes, I'm a ghost. You're pretty."

The girl's mom walked over to see who she was speaking to. "Who are you speaking to, dear?"

"David," she said. "He's a ghost." Mom had a face that looked like a prune that had been in the sun to long. "He's there, Mom, honest."

"Yes, dear," she said sceptically. Just at that moment, a man walked past with his dog. The dog started howling and going berserk!! They stood and just looked at the dog in amazement.

"I'm sorry, he's never behaved like this before." The poor man didn't know what to do to calm his dog down. Eventually he pulled on the dogs lead and walked away quickly . . . very quickly.

Mom still stood in front of Rose, her daughter, in protection. "Come on, dear, we need to go."

"But, Mom. Can't we stay a little longer?"

"No, dear, we have some shopping to do, then get home to make dinner for your father." I asked if she would be back and she said no, that she doesn't really like going to the park. She said she was glad that she'd met me, said bye, and walked off as calm as you please.

Not knowing if I was allowed or not, I followed them out of the park. They walked across the street and into a general store, purchased some food and drinks, then were on their way again. They walked to their car, unlocked it, got in, and drove off. Good thing I had the good sense to get in the car with them. After a short drive we pulled into what looked like a side road, then up to a really nice house. They got out, walked to the rear of the house, then walked inside.

The house looked nice. At the front of the house was a lawn with trees all along the edge, it looked like it had been done for privacy. I went to the back and couldn't believe my eyes. They didn't make gardens this big, did they? There was a long swimming pool with some buildings at the side. As I walked farther to the rear of the house, a dog the size of an elephant came running towards me. I thought this is it, I'm gonna be dead now for sure. Wait, I'm already dead . . . must remember that. The dog stopped and sat down right on my toes. I yelled. Why did I do that, I can't feel anything. This dead thing is confusing. I patted the dog on the head and it reacted like it had felt the contact. Cool!!! I sat down on the grass stroking the dog. The dog seemed to like it.

Sometime later I felt the dog licking my face so I giggled. Next thing the mom came out. She looked at the dog very strangely. Well, if you saw someone licking fresh air wouldn't you wonder?

"David!! You're here!!" Mom turned around looking at her daughter, then turned to see who she was talking to. "Mom, this is David."

"I don't think she can see me," I said. The dog started licking my face again and I giggled. Her mom looked 'I'd say lost.' She was staring into nothing. With a shake of her head she walked back inside. Rose walked back inside after looking over at me. Being a ghost did pose a problem. A little one.

A few minutes later Rose came back out with her mom and her dad. He looked at where the dog lay, then looked at Rose. After he studied things for a moment he walked over to where the dog was lying. He walked all the way around the dog, used his hand like he was making a ripple on water, shrugged his shoulders, then walked back inside. I couldn't help but giggle again. The dog then started licking me again, which got more giggles. Rose stood there shaking her head, then walked inside the house. She did it like my mom used to do with my dad. "Men," she'd say, then walk off. I giggled some more as the dogs tongue was tickling my face.

Sometime later Rose came back outside. "David," she said, "why are you dead??"

"I don't know why I'm dead, I only know I am." That started me off crying again. "I'm sorry," I said, "I must be a big baby to keep crying for nothing." She tried to hold me, but couldn't. I gave her a kiss and she jumped. "What!" I said.

"You kissed me?"

I blushed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean . . ."

"No, I felt you kiss me. I liked it, it was cool."

"I need to go, but I'll be back in a bit, okay?"

Do you ever feel like whatever is happening you have no control. I wanted my mom and dad to just come and get me and take me home. That wasn't going to happen. But I can wish. I always wanted a brother but that was never to be. I would have loved to have a sister and be a big brother. I would have looked after them like mom and dad did me. I know ghosts can't sleep, but it was dark the next time I remember. I looked up to the sky and again cried.

Michael was standing beside me before I could blink. "I need to show you something." Everything went bright and we stood beside some really big gates. We walked inside, then he led me up a pathway. A few minutes later we stopped in front of a gravestone. I stared at the stone, then started reading what it said.

I fell to my knees and sobbed so hard that I couldn't breathe. Now I knew that I really was dead.

To Be Continued....