By Ataallah Grady
Everyone has some kind of special talent or “gift” as people call it. Some are more athletic than others, some have a knack for art, and some have a singing voice like honey. Runa was like these people, but her gift was more unnatural than anyone else. See, Runa could see ghosts. It all started when she was in seventh grade and she was in the courtyard of the private school she attended, eating her lunch under a big apple tree. An old lady came and sat next to her, looking off into the distance. This struck her as odd because she has never seen her before, and she didn’t have a presence like normal people. She could see her, but couldn’t feel her next to her. It was like she wasn’t even there.
“Um, miss… may I help you with something?” She asked, moving her curly hair from her eyes and putting her lunch to the side.
The lady stayed silent for a while and just as Runa was about to get up and move somewhere else to get away from the lady, she spoke in a whisper, barely audible to the child. “A record…… I would love to hear that record one more time.” This struck Runa as odd but she didn’t question her. Runa had a feeling in her gut telling her to help the woman. To not leave her here alone. “I know where we can listen to a record.” She told the woman looking from her to the school. “....You do?” The woman asked, finally looking at the child. Runa, finally seeing her face saw the lady’s eyes looked faded. They were like the same blue as an old, weathered photo of the ocean, lost time to fade away. “Yes, I do. There is a record player and a bunch of records in the music room on the top floor. Maybe the song you’re looking for is there.” Runa packed her unfinished lunch up and carefully set it back in her bag for later, dusted her uniform off, and gestured for the lady to follow her.
As they walked through the hallways no one paid any mind to the lady trailing behind Runa. It was like she was invisible to them all.
They finally reached the music room and Runa opened the door for the lady and walked in after her. The music room smelled like polished instruments and the vintage artifacts the music teacher liked to collect and put in the classroom. “Alrighty then, the box of records should be arooound… here! Runa exclaimed lifting up the hefty box with her thick brown arms, peeking at the different records from all genres. You can look through that and I'll get the record player. After Runa finished rummaging around the room and finally found the device, the lady stood in front of it clutching a record. “Is that it? Summer Flower huh? Sounds like it’ll be really good! You can put it in now it’s all ready!” Runa said, stepping back for the woman to put in the song.
As the music started up and filled the room, the woman looked like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, letting out a sigh. The song was about a love blossoming in the summer and ending in the winter. A very sad song that the singer poured her heart into, sounding like she had actually lived what she was saying. As the song came to a close the woman sighed and turned to Runa. “Thank you child. You are so very kind. Now I think it’s time to finally see my life again.” The woman shed a tear and in a burst of light, disappeared from the room. Runa stood there reeling after the encounter wondering where she had gone and what exactly was she. After thinking about the encounter for a few days Runa decided.
“A ghost. I saw a ghost!” She exclaimed sitting in her bed looking out the window at the shining night sky. “That's the only possible explanation so that must be it!”
After that many similar encounters with spirits happened and every time she did a favor for them, they would thank her, and they would leave. They all left in a burst of light so brilliant it felt like god themselves had come down in front of her eyes.
There was one encounter with a ghost that was different from the others however. It had happened when she got home for winter break of her freshman year of high school and she saw a boy standing in the snow staring at her house. “Um hello? Is there something I can help you with,” she called out to him, standing out in the cold longing to go inside to finally start relaxing after a tough first semester. The boy didn’t say anything but continued looking at her house like he was lost in space. The young boy looked about Runa’s age and wore a simple white oversized t-shirt and black sweatpants. He didn’t have any shoes on and, despite the cold, wasn’t shivering. He looked unfazed by the weather. Like he was above it.
His strange demeanor made Runa wonder Is he another ghost? But why would he be here? What’s so special about my house? Runa ran up to him and looked straight in his eyes to confirm if he was a ghost or not. Her suspicion turned out to be true as she saw the boy’s eyes had a muted brown color with no pupil, something every ghost she’s encountered had. He had curly black hair and that he swept back with his skinny, brown hand. “Do you live here?” He asked. Runa was taken aback because this is the first time a ghost asked her something in such a normal way. “Uh y-yes I do,” she said, pulling her thick coat around her curvy body. The boy looked her up and down and then back to the house. “You’re shivering. You should probably head inside before you freeze to death.” The way he said it made the kind suggestion sound sarcastic with his monotone voice. “Oh yea I guess so… actually you should probably come inside with me! You can probably get a drink or something else from my kitchen to warm you up! She never hints to the spirits that they are dead in case they don’t know because she believed she didn’t have the right to break the news to strangers.
“I'm a ghost. I don’t need to get “warmed up.” You know that,” he spoke like he knew it for a fact.
“Wha?! You know that you’re…” Runa couldn’t finish the sentence. Even if he knew he was dead just saying it out loud felt wrong. I mean they still looked and somewhat acted like they were alive so why should I treat them like they don’t have feelings. “Yes I do. I’ll still come inside though. I feel like maybe I need to be here for some reason” he stated walking towards the house.” Feeling a little confused but also excited Runa followed him into her house. “Ahhhh home sweet home at last!” Runa exclaimed, kicking off her boots and hanging up her coat. She took her curly hair out of her bun and let it fall over her shoulders breathing in the cinnamon smell of the house.
“Huh, I feel like I’ve been here before,” said the boy.
“Oh? Maybe you used to live here in your past life? That’d be cool!” Runa exclaimed.
“I don't see why that’d be even slightly exciting,” The boy said looking confused.
“Hey That’s rude,” Runa pouted. “Oh yeah, I forgot to ask! What’s your name?” The boy looked at her confused but not in the way where he looked like he forgot but in a way that said why would I tell you my name? “Oh, c’mon don’t be like that! I’ve been calling you snow boy in my head this whole time and you strike me as the type of person to hate that!” She stated. He stayed silent looking slightly offended and as a final push, Runa said, “Ok whatever guess you’ll just be snow boy! Hey, that kinda reminds me of frosty the snowman don't you think?” He finally cracked and let out a “Pfft” and snickered a little. He composed himself and said “Aidan. My name’s Aidan.” He put his hand out like for a handshake. “Runa” she said, taking his hand in hers and giving it a good shake. “Alright Aidan, is there anything you wanna do? Anything that you’d wish you’d done before dying? I have a lot of experience with helping ghosts so I’m pretty much an expert!”
“Hmm, I don't know. There are a couple of things but I don’t know which would be enough for me to pass to the afterlife.” He knows so much about this whole ghost thing! And he’s the most human acting spirit I’ve met. I wonder how long he’s been gone… “Runa!”
“Huh? What?”
“I was asking you what you thought about what I should do.” He signed “I don’t know exactly what’ll work for me. I’m kinda lost.”
“Aww you’re tone is so different from when you first met me! What? You finally got charmed by my winning personality~”
“Not at all”
“Ok, Mr. Rudeman be that way! Anyways if you want my opinion I think that you should do all of the things you wanted to do the most and see what works.” Runa suggested. “Hmm” Aidan pondered the idea. “That’ll probably work. When do you think we should get started?”
“Well, I have chores to do today so how about tomorrow first thing in the morning! While I complete my homework, you compile a list of things you remember wanting to do when you were alive.” Runa stated. “Alright, we better get to work.” Aidan agreed. That whole night they did their own thing, preparing for days to come trying to send Aidan to the afterlife.
As the sun rose in the sky, Runa had awoken bright and early to start her and Aidan’s mission. She tied her curly hair into pigtails, threw on a graphic t-shirt and some jeans, and headed downstairs to fetch Aidan. “Rise and shine ursine! Time to get to work!” Runa exclaimed. “First of all, “ursine?” I’m not a bear. Second of all, how are you so cheery this early in the morning?”
“It comes with waking up at the crack of dawn for school every day. Sometimes you gotta learn how to convince yourself to be happy!”
“That's surprisingly depressing for someone like you,” Aidan said getting up from the couch, stretching. “Anyways I’ve got the list of the things I wanna do I think we should start here,” Aidan said pointing at the top of his list. Runa peered down to see what it said and exclaimed. “Feed the ducks?! That’s so wholesome and unexpected!”
“Hardy har. Well, I guess we both have an unexpected opposite side of ourselves.” Aidan said sarcastically. Runa then stated with pride, “Lucky you the nearest park is really close to my house AND it has the best duck pond in town. Now c’mon go grab some bread let’s hop in the car so we can fatten up some ducks!”
Their adventure with the ducks was a perfect example of how the rest of them to do things on Aidan’s list turned out. A complete and utter failure. Every time they would go on an adventure to find out what Aidan wanted to do in life and every time it still wasn’t enough. It was looking hopeless for Adrian until the last day of winter break. Runa had just finished getting ready for school for the next day and sat with Adrian on her front porch. *sigh* “I guess the entire list was a bust. I’m sorry I couldn’t get you to the afterlife fast enough,” Runa said looking out at the sky. “Eh just cause my list didn’t work doesn’t mean we can’t try something else. Besides, our time spent together wasn’t as bad as expected. Only about 80% of it matched my imagination.” Runa tried to slap Aidan’s arm but her hand phased through him, causing her to hit his chair instead. “Pfft hahahahahahahaha” Aidan laughed. Runa smiled at him and sighed.
“Man I’m glad we became friends!”
“Friends?”
“Yeah, man! We spent a whole lot of time together and went on some really fun adventures that let us get to know each other better! I’d say that makes us friends.” Runa explained. “Oh well that would make you my first friend,” Aidan stated, looking embarrassed. “Well it’s an honor to be THE Aidan’s first friend.” Runa then took her soda can that she was drinking and lifted it. “To us! Runa and Aidan’s ever-blossoming friendship!” Aidan took an unopened bottle and clinked it against hers. “To friends.” As he said that all of the sudden Aidan started glowing.
“W-Woah what’s happening?!” He exclaimed.
“Y-you’re passing! Oh my goodness that must have been it all you wanted was...a friend” Runa said realizing that their time together was coming to a close. “Aidan! I really appreciate you as my friend! You were cool even if you were a jerk at first!” Runa exclaimed. “Wow thanks… Runa. i’m really glad you’re my friend too. Maybe we can meet again in another life?” He said with a sad smile. “Definitely!” Runa said, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She pulled him in for a hug and just as Aidan was about to hug back, he disappeared in the same godly light that the other spirits before him. Runa wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up at the night sky.
I hope he gets more friends wherever he is.
With a sad smile Runa pulled out a notebook and filled out a page. Aidan. Aidan was a very smart spirit who was looking for a friend while he was living and found one in death. I believe me meeting Aidan was fate. The day he showed up to my house wasn’t because it used to be here, but because fate wanted us to meet. He was a good friend and may he forever Rest In Peace. Runa closed that page of her journal and looked at all the other ghosts she helped and was filled with happiness at the thought that they can finally die without any regrets and can live in the afterlife easily. These ghosts were very special to Runa, making her gift something that truly must have been sent from the gods.