Those who knew the dead

I wake up to the sounds of the city - buses, cars, ambulances - and it's like a punch to the gut. The building is alive with the hum of neighboring apartments, but I've never felt more alone. My name is Isabella Nicole Norman, and I'm trying to hold on to the pieces of my past.

It's been a while since my family was taken from me, but the ache inside me still feels like an open wound. I remember the warmth of our home, the laughter, and the love that once filled every room. Now, it's just a distant memory, a dream I'm desperate to cling to. When the recollections start to fade, I pinch myself, reminding myself that it was real, that I once belonged to a beautiful, whole family.

Arya, my cousin, has taken me in, offering a roof over my head and a sense of security. But her words of comfort, promising a peaceful future, feel like a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. I'm not sure if she believes them herself. We're both just trying to navigate this new reality, where the familiar has been replaced by the unknown.

I'm struggling to find the right words to describe the emptiness inside me. Sadness doesn't quite cut it. It's like someone is peeling back my skin, exposing my vulnerabilities to the world. Hollow, empty, frustrated, lonely, lost - none of these words can capture the complexity of my emotions.

In Arya's house, I find myself wandering through the rooms, searching for a sense of belonging. The kitchen, a separate room from the living area, feels like a stranger's space. I miss the warmth of our old home, where every room was filled with the scent of fresh-baked cookies and the sound of laughter.

I try to imagine the floor beneath my feet, the sensation of solid ground beneath me. But it's a fleeting feeling, a reminder that everything can be taken away in an instant. I'm left with a sense of longing, a yearning for a place to call my own, where I can feel safe and loved.

I've learned to lose, to let go of the things that once brought me joy. But it's a painful process, like slowly unraveling the threads of my identity. I'm left with a sense of disorientation, a feeling of being lost in a world that's moved on without me.

I'll write this story, call it fiction, but it's my truth. A story of love, loss, and the echoes of memories that haunt me still. It's a tale of death, ghosts, and the angel of death, a reminder that some wounds never fully heal.

I'll keep writing, trying to make sense of the world around me. Maybe someday, I'll find a way to heal, to fill the void within me. Until then, I'll hold on to the memories of my family, of the love we shared, and the laughter that once filled our home. Though they're gone, their echoes remain, a bittersweet reminder of what I've lost, and what I'll always carry with me.

But you cannot go to some damn place look this up and say now I know what this story is about.

Because if you did, it will burst the grim reaper..

The sun hangs in the sky like a lost Carnival balloon. I finally understand what that book I read last summer meant. After a long day at school, I return home with my cousin Christopher. I look exhausted, but he seems unfazed.

Arya, christopher mom is in the front yard doing some gardening as her hair freely hang over her shoulders and her beauty one cannot deny. It feels so good to see her at least it is much more in a billion ways better than staying with this rude dude in this house. "Quite a relief." I say to myself as i let out a breath.

"Hey Arya, you're back!" I say, wrapping my arms around her in a big hug.

"Uh, Bella my baby, you look...tired," she says, eyeing me critically. "But okay, I guess."

"You back early, you said you won't come until next tomorrow." Christopher says with tiny emotion written on his face. Cold jerk.

"Missed you too, honey" Arya answers totally ignoring his attitude, she must have been used to it. "And that's no way to welcome your mother, I'm hurt"

He scoffs.

"Oh, my bad. Hi mom, what about your trip? You're two days early, missed ya. Better?" Christopher chimes in, his tone flat. Fake dude.

"Much better, my trip was so fine..... I had a great time, trust me honey, you might want to come next time, I met this very cute eighteen year old, she....."

"Mom!" Christopher interjects. "I've told you a billion and one times already i am not interested in that, i'm sure she cannot be different from Celine always wearing lenses, please mom"

"Whatever, y'all took breakfast?"

"Yeah" Christopher answers sharply you could tell he was lying. Apart from being annoying, cold, fake and insensitive, he lies too?

"I'm glad you two took care of yourselves, go freshen up who knows i might treat you both to something nice."

"Sounds interesting." Christopher deadpan.

The fact that they eat a lot of instant stuff here is one of the first problems I've been struggling with since i moved here. Back home, it has a whole different vibe. Nothing is literally freshly cooked here so I am not in any bit excited.

"Liar" I say, I just couldn't help it.

"The fuck?" Christopher says frowning at me.

"You didn't eat anything, you lied"

"I did, girl"

"When? How?"

"I did the STTM thing, everyone knows that" He fires back and well, what is STTM?

"I didn't see you do that!"

"Wait, do you even know what that means?" He says shifting his gaze to his mom outside the window.

"Maybe." I roll my eyes.

"Then why bore me with stupid questions when you don't even know what that is, y'all live in the 60's back home?"

"Your STTM isn't a biggie and it ain't a criteria for a good life or grades, freak" I say as i march to my room door. Dude is way more annoying than i imagined. STTM blah, blah, blah, knowing that doesn't guarantee a free concert ticket or a damn scholarship to college.

Wait, relax Bella is it straight to the mouth? No, sounds dumb, I tell myself.

After sometime I began to feel bored inside my room and yes the urge to speak to Christopher came upon me three minutes ago. Guess who is knocking on his door. Stupid, still pissed me!

"What do you want?" He ask as i walk in.

"I was bored..." I try to say and he interrupts, is that a habit?

"Does the door say clown or comedy house?" He asks, his gaze still fixed on his phone.

"Ha ha, very funny" I roll my eyes.

"What do you want, bella?" He asks, his tone dismissive.

"I was thinking maybe we could hang out or something," I suggest, trying to sound causal and polite.

Christopher snorts. "You want to hang out with me? That's a joke, right?"

I feel my temper flare. "What's your problem, Christopher? Why are you always so rude to me?"

He looks up from his phone, a smirk on his face. "My problem is you, Bella. You're always so... annoying."

I take a deep breath, trying not to let his words get to me. "Well, maybe I'm annoying because you're always so mean to me!"

Christopher shrugs. "Maybe you're just too sensitive."

I feel my anger boil over. "You know what? Forget it. I don't even want to hang out with you anymore."

Anyways, lisa's having a party."

"Is she inviting you or are you planning?"

"Not planning, i am a fucking top guy." He says bragging. Top guy my foot.

"That's a relief 'cause if you are a planner who knows what the party would be like" i say smiling, yes, it may or MAYNOT be a great party.

"Coming from someone from the 60's, and who cares what a 17 year old thinks, planned someone's before and it was lit, far better than expected." He says being rude again and i am not kidding, he might push me off the limit soon but, NOT offended.

"Really?"

"She's inviting me, i can take you if you want"

"Oh"

"What? In or not interested?"

"Not sure"

"Okay"

"Because a girl from the 60's is definitely not a good idea for your party"

"Okay, cool, you aren't coming. Would be fun you know might get to meet people like you..." Wait, what? "Maybe hook up with one or two, won't tell mom and sure would be better than hanging around me like a remora does with a shark. Shit is exhausting you know cuz you is boring" He says finally looking at me and yes that is the height of it!

"What do you mean remora and shark? The fact i am new here doesn't make you in any way bigger than me! If my parents are.... alive do you think I'll be here in a thousand fucking years? They said i should put every single damn thing behind me, do you even think that is easy? every single damn time i try you insolent jerk keeps behaving like I'm shit. After everything buttering up to you who look like my next family, i has siblings too so don't ever think of my as desperate. Fuck you, and guess, attend your bloody pity party. Fuck, you are worse than i imagined! and i will tell you for free, you are nothing but yet another salty- rude jerk" i say with my voice high up and all my pain and anger all at once. Fuck, i am fuming for the first time since it happened. I begin to walk out of his goddamn room and he has this very surprised look all over his face. Arya rush in obviously she heard my outburst, she tries to hold me but i am too fast and matter of fact i DO NOT NEED any fucking pity from any damn body. I am neither a sorry ass nor a pushover.

As I walk into the room, the argument with Christopher fresh in my mind, feeling frustrated and angry. I slam the door behind me, so hard that I know within myself i am transferring aggression to the innocent door. Poor thing.

As I walk into the room, the argument with Christopher fresh in my mind, feeling frustrated and angry. I slam the door behind me, so hard that I know within myself i am transferring aggression to the innocent door. Poor thing.I lie on my bed, replaying the event in my head. My eyes burn, but I refuse to cry. I close them tight and swallow hard.How did i even survive without a scratch? Am i a witch?

"Hi Daddy," I say as his figure appears across my bed. F*ck it, i am not mad and this is the reason i went to that insensitive jerk's room in the first place.

"Hi Nicole," he replies, his voice clear and familiar. I am not surprised I've finally lost it. Not in any way, is it not bound to happen? Or am i dreaming? I pinch myself and man, it is real.

"I must have taught you to be really strong, you ain't even gonna shed a tear. Just one!" He says, a hint of pride in his voice.

"I guess so." I shrug. I know I must be hallucinating but it feels so real.

He takes a step closer but i am not scared, it is just dad, no big deal."You are reeking of anger, kiddo, it isn't just about us, is it?"

"Maybe" I shrug. I hesitate, unsure of how much to tell him that it is just a tough day and the whole thing with Christopher.

"Girl, you ain't gon' admit shit even when i am ten miles and six foot in the ground, is it the dude? Tell me about it"

"Does it matter? I'm no longer seventeen, dad, I'm eighteen now"

"Eighteen and so what?" He ask softly.

"Eighteen and so adult , i don't have to cry to you again you know"

"Adult? You've grown without me, that's whelming"

"Dad, you aren't even real, you don't even exist again"

"Ouch! That hurts, like really"

"Sorry dad but you know day has been shitty since, life sucks for real and it's kinda tough trying to blend in and i think I'm trying too much, you feel me?"

"Aww, my baby" Mom says sounding all sad across the room, it is kind of faint and it looks like she has been crying for a long time.

Man, all members of the norman family, the late ones and the remaining one needs healing energy. Every one of us.

"Mom? Okay I've finally gone mad."

"L...M...F...A...O" Tessa's voice chimes in, her tone soft and melancholic.

I roll my eyes, feeling a mix of emotions because apparently I am happy and not happy to hear from her specifically. Don't ask me why, you will definitely see it for yourself soon enough. You cannot hide a tiger's stripes.

"Tessa? You too? What the hell?"

"Tessa?" Dad's voice shakes "where are you?" If this is a joke i am not in for it.

"Drop it dad, she's right beside you" I say rolling my eyes, nothing is funny down here!

"He can't see me dummy, stop acting up, that's lame dude" Tessa chimes in squeezing her face at me. I guess it is safe to call her a devil because how can you be dead and have your same attitude.

"We can hear ourselves but we just can't see each other, sucks to be us, Bella bear" Mum adds her tone sorrowfull, i guess that explains why she sounded as though she has been crying for a long time. Sucks to be them to be very honest.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Norman, sucks to be you, not me" Tessa fires at mom. You see what i am saying. She is just out of this world, literally. Out of control.

"Wait, y'all mean to tell me you haven't seen your asses since it happened!"

"What happened?" Tessa asks squeezing her face at me again. What the hell is with her?

"What about Jayden?" I ask sharply, my panic growing. My mind races and it sends shivers down my spine.

"Nobody's seen him."Tessa says but this time her voice cool and you can tell she is concerned about something. If mom is alive and this kind of shit happens, then a couple of beers and a few cigars would have been her companion. Poor mom.

Back track to every single day last week, i started perceiving Jayden's distinctive perfume from my sleep last Monday, i could have sworn he was there because when i woke up i could still smell it although it was faint.

Tuesday last week, i saw someone with Jayden's build from the back, he turned and smiled at me but i thought it was just two strangers being nice to each other.

On Wednesday, the Uber driver sounded exactly like Jayden but he would not look at me. At that point i thought i was going crazy took some pills and took a nap.

It was Thursday and i felt Jayden's dead stare, that feeling you get when you know you are being watched but the one i felt was really intense, it was so scary that i couldn't use the toilet the whole day.

As if that was not enough, on Friday, i heard the guitar play the way Jason used to play it, curiosity made me look inside but no one but a girl with scattered hair was inside. The funny thing is, She wasn't even playing the guitar, she was arranging the place. Then, i thought i was stressing over my family's demise so much.

On Saturday, the jerk in the next room was watching jayden's favourite football club play and i could feel someone was sitting next to him.

On Sunday, i heard Jayden's laugh while the Choir sang praise, that one he does when the choir hits an insanely high pitch.

It was as if Jayden's ghost was stalking me, specifically stalking me.

But Monday this week, i heard nothing, i saw nothing so i figured I was not going nuts so, i was rest assured.