All Hope Lost (4 page)

Steve nods. “So, Sharon, who
is now a ghost, can manipulate electrical currents, yet her ghostly form
apparently can only handle so much it seems. Sounds like she wore herself into
oblivion, yet she returned.” I nod frantically, Michael joining in.

“Sounds plausible. After all, we’re havin’ a conversation
with a ghost, so what isn’t any more, right?” Michael said.

“True” Steve replies. “But this also means that even
though her murderers have been convicted already, why is she still here? You
would have thought this would be what is keeping her here, to get revenge or
something? But that’s no longer necessary. Is there anything else that could be
keeping her in this world any longer?”

Michael looks to me, shrugging. “What he said.”

I thought for a few moments,
focusing on my life up to my untimely death.
Well it went pretty shit for a
couple of years, losing my job, neighbour from hell. I wonder if that might be
it.
I relayed my thoughts to Michael who then repeated them to Steve,
looking thoughtful.

“Maybe you are here to get revenge on your neighbour?”
Steve began. “After all, she made your life hell for two years, why not make
hers hell. I gotta admit, her parties are loud, and it’s annoying me and
Michael here no end too. What do you think?”

I shrugged. “Anything’s worth
a go I suppose. Plus it will be fun scaring the crap out of her next door,
haha!” I sat down and leant up against the sofa. “But how do I do that? I’ve
not been dead that long, I’m not really sure what I can do, or how.”

Michael turned to Steve. “We
need to give Sharon here some lessons in haunting. Steve, you watch a lot of
horror movies mate, give her some tips and we’ll go from there.” He rubs his
hands together with glee. “This is gonna be awesome!”

As I glanced between Michael
and Steve an idea was already forming in my mind. “That would be a good start,
but I’m thinking maybe I should torment her with her own game, right? After
all, she gave me hell for two years with her parties and loud music. But,
learning the basics would be useful too, of course.”

Michael nodded again. “Ok, so
we need to get the basics. Steve, is there anything on the internet about
hauntings and stuff?” Steve opened the laptop back up, and opened the search
engine.

“So”, Steve began, “We know you can affect electricity.
You can move objects, as we’ve seen by the pizza. What else can you do?”

“Well I can create an EMP by exploding, though I don’t
really want to do that again”, I laughed. “It seems to have taken me a few
months to get over it, clearly.” Michael relayed what I said and Steve made
“uhuh” noises.

“How about noise?” he suggested. “Can you make yourself
heard?”

“Well apart from you Michael I haven’t been able to talk
to anyone else.”

“I don’t think he means talking to us. Can you make
noises with objects, or hitting things maybe?” Michael suggested. I looked
about and walked over to the wooden cabinet that held a gaming console.
Focusing on it, I tapped my fingers against the wood. “Anything?” I asked
Michael, who shook his head. I tried again, focusing harder on how I remembered
what it should have been like to feel the wood beneath skin.

Tap, tap, tap.

Steve’s head looked up from his laptop. “Was that Sharon
or someone at the door?” he asked Michael.

Michael smiled slowly. “That
was her; that was Sharon! Do it again.” I grinned and tapped the cabinet again,
but this time I scraped a fingernail across it too, so there was a tapping and
scratching noise.

Steve was still tapping in the
engine searches, as I tapped out a tune for Michael, who clapped and whooped
with encouragement.

“Ok, guys, erm and ghost. We need to find out if we can
get Sharon to actually make a noise herself. This website says about strange
noises, like moans and groans made by ghosts. You think you can do that?” Steve
was looking to the corner where I had been tapping earlier, but not really
seeing me. I shrugged. Michael urged me on with arm gestures.

I feigned a cough, as though
clearing my throat ready for a performance and made a “wooOOOOooooo” noise that
I assumed a ghost would sound like. Michael burst out laughing, one hand
covering his face as though he was embarrassed for both of us. I could feel
myself twitch. Blushing now was obviously not going to happen, so I shifted my
feet. “Hey, don’t laugh! You’re so mean!”

“Hahahaha, sorry, that was just brilliant. Shame Steve
couldn’t hear it, haha!” Steve raised an eyebrow. “Try again”, he said.

“Sorry Michael but I can’t look at you and do this, it’s
embarrassing!” I spun around so I was facing the large window at the front of
the house. Seeing the world outside I watched as a cat jumped onto the outer
wall of the small stamp-sized garden. Its lithe body balanced perfectly on the
narrow wall, and looked to the window, sensing my presence. Its brown eyes
pierced through me, then rubbing its ear with a front paw, it continued on its
way. I took a deep breath, and tried to emanate a moan from deep within me.

It started off deep and quiet, but as I focused more on
the depth, my form shivered and flinging my head back, I let out a striking
wail, getting higher pitched then dropping as my arms stiffened at my sides,
fists clenched.

“HOLY SHIT!” Steve shouted, covering his ears. “STOP!
STOP!”

As I screamed, Steve’s cry was
a voice in the background. This was exhilarating. Who knew that being dead was
going to be so interesting?

“SHARON!” I heard my voice and spun around, still making
a wailing noise, I faced Michael. He jumped back from me, fear spread across
his face, hands on his ears trying desperately to block me out. I stopped abruptly,
seeing the look on his face bringing me back from the excitement.

Both men, suddenly dropped
their hands, and sunk into their chairs. “Dammit, Sharon that was loud, a bit
too loud.” Michael scolded. Steve just nodded. “That was good, but let’s try
and keep our hearing thanks.” He laughed nervously.

My hands clasped together in a
nervous gesture. “God I’m so sorry, I, I, it was so amazing I didn’t realise
what I was doing to you both.”

Michael shook his head slowly,
side to side. “It’s ok. This is what practise is all about, eh?” I glanced over
to Steve, who was wiggling a finger in his ear. “Seriously though, let’s not do
that again in close proximity”, Steve grumbled. “Got ringing in my ear now” he
complained poking his finger around in it, as if that would help.

“Alright”, I began, “What next?” Steve tapped again into
the laptop.

“Well now”, he spoke slowly. “Can you become an
apparition? That seems to be a common haunting occurrence.”

Pondering, I wondered how to
do it.
How on earth am I supposed to make myself seen? Michael can see me,
and we still don’t know why he can and not Steve.
Michael could see I was
confused. “Don’t overthink it Sharon. We don’t need you to become a full form
like I can see you, just the hint of something there, you know?” I tilted my
head to one side. “Steve, give us an example, a picture or something so she can
see.”

Steve bought up some ghost images on the laptop, and he
spun it around so it was facing to me. I stepped closer to see the photos, the
monitor flickering slightly as I neared.

The image I could see was of a
ghostly white figure on some steps.
Oh these
, I nodded understanding.
To
scare people, you would see a hint of a form, a ghost, a shadow, a movement in
the corner of your eye.
I looked over at Michael who was relaxed in a chair
eating a slice of pepperoni.

“Try it on Steve” Michael spluttered around a mouthful of
pizza.

I shook my hands at my sides
as if loosening up for something sporty, which never happened even when I was
alive. I bought an image of a ghost to my mind and waited. Nothing appeared to
be happening so I waved an arm in Steve’s direction. No response. I sighed and
scratched my head thinking.
Well I can move objects, I can moan loudly so I
can be heard, if not coherently. I can manipulate things. Mmmmm. Can I
manipulate whatever this place I am in, this plain of existence?
It was a
long shot but I scrunched up my face in sheer concentration, staring at Steve.
Still nothing.
I’m missing something. Maybe I need to physically make this
void move?
I looked up at the ceiling, hearing the crunching noise of
Michael still eating pizza, and watching me as entertainment.
Who needs a TV
or games when you can have your very own ghost in training!
I mused to
myself.

Trying again, I focused on the
air around me. I could see the swirling movement of it, tiny molecules floating
this way and that, with dust motes clinging on, on rollercoaster journeys
across the room, being breathed in by the living, moved about by the spinning
of the earth itself. I steeled myself, and started to imagine the air around
me, shimmering. My ability to manipulate objects and energy coming into play.
Steve looked up from the laptop, and squinted in my direction. “Whatever you
are doing, keep doing it!” he cried. I tried harder, making the air vibrate
faster around me, and causing my own form to shimmer rapidly. Steve sat up
straight and was staring intently.

“I don’t bloody believe it! I can see something but it’s
so weird. Michael you seeing this too?” Michael was sat upright.

“Dude, I could see her perfectly before but now she is
moving so fast it’s making my head hurt.” He closed his eyes. “Ugh”.

I could see Steve staring at
me, so I attempted to move closer at the same time. I was still shimmering in
and out of focus for him but he was tracking me.
Yes it’s working
I
thought and moved across the living room to the front door, Steve still
watching, disbelief written across his face. “It’s like a floating apparition”,
he spoke to no one in particular. “It was weird, shimmering in and out, like a
phase. Really freaky man!” He had a smile plastered across his face. “Dude, we
clearly have seen way too much freaky stuff, we ain’t even phased by this!” he
gestured to the room. “What if it don’t work on others?”

Michael opened his eyes, and
found me standing by the living room door. “That’s a good question. I guess
there’s only one way to find out.”

A banging noise was heard as
the neighbour from hell returned from dropping the kids off at the ‘possible
dad’s’ house. The weekend had started. Sure enough, a booming beat began to
vibrate the house walls slightly, as the woman started getting her house
organised for her party guests again.

“Well, I know who we can start with.” I grinned.

Revenge is sweet

For two years I wanted to get
revenge on my neighbour for making my life hell, and now, I could get my
chance. Shame I had to die first to be able to do it, though.

“So how do I get in there?” I asked the guys, gesturing
to the neighbours’ wall.

Michael barked out a laugh. “You’re a ghost, how do you
think?”
Oh geez.

“But I’ve never done that before, do you think I can?”

Michael nodded. “All ghosts can walk through walls.
That’s a fact. And it has to be factual now, as we have you as proof!”

I considered his point. “Ok, what do think I have to do?
Just walk into it?” He shrugs slightly and gives me a faint nod. “Good luck” he
says.

Ok Sharon, you can do this!
I readied myself, walked into the hallway and at the party wall. The
sensation was strange, like my body becoming full as I walked into the wall. I
instinctively held my arms out in front of me, as though feeling my way through
the wall would help. I saw brick, woodwork, and cavity wall fillings.
So
there is something between these walls then. Damn she must be playing that crap
loud.
As my head popped out the other side, I found myself in the complete
reverse layout of my own house. I was in the hallway, stairs going up to the
bedrooms and bathroom, living room in front of me, kitchen to the back of the
house.

Walking into the living room,
I was greeted to kids’ toys stacked high in one corner, no form of children’s
storage anywhere, two worn sofa’s in cream, with brown and cream cushions’ to
match. My neighbour was currently reclining in one, listening to the music
whilst taking a long satisfying drag on her cigarette. I decided to have a
snoop about before I started, so I left the living room and headed to the
kitchen. It was similar to my own; however this room was in need of a deep
clean. I spied the grease stains in the grout around the plain tiles, as well
as the yellowing from the nicotine everywhere. Bottles of alcohol were lined up
ready on the sides, with glasses set out on the table for whomever was about to
turn up. I could probably guess who, as they were always the same people every
weekend. Many slept over; I say slept, more like party all night until five or
six in the morning and then pass out.
Well this weekend was going to be a
whole lot different.
I cheered
inwardly.              

               
Snooping about someone else’s house was interesting, and apparently, according
to many TV documentaries I had seen over the years, you could find out a lot
from somebodies belongings and their housekeeping. I wasn’t so interested in
the ins and outs of this woman’s life, I already knew much of it and it had
impacted on mine in ways she didn’t even care.
After tonight though, she
will change her ways or so help me, she’ll be institutionalised along with all
her so-called friends
. I headed for the stairs, and found myself amidst the
clutter of dirty laundry left on the landing, and clean laundry drying on the
top banister railing. I picked my way around the filth, still believing it
might touch me and bite me or something, and entered the first bedroom. It was
the children’s room. Two small beds were pushed up against opposite walls, both
decked out in blue Toy Story duvet and pillow sets, with matching curtains. The
carpet was blue, the walls were blue. Everything that could be blue was blue.
Toys were scattered about the floor, clothes strewn across the beds, and
hanging out of the wardrobe.
Even for kids, this is a bit much blue!
I
thought.