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Best Friends Through Death

^{By: [*Phoenix*]}

Story Status: Working in progress-currently unfinished

Background: I was lying in bed one night trying to sleep and I was thinking about Harry Potter. I was thinking about how Nearly Headless Nick was always trying to get into the Headless Hunt, but he's always denied. I started to wonder. Once he became a ghost, if you cut off the rest of his head would his ghostly head fall off? I started to imagine a ghost whose body parts were scattered everywhere because grave robbers stole his body parts. I laughed at myself and then this story washed over me. I don't really know where it came from, but I named one of the characters Nick in honor of Nearly Headless Nick.

Chapter 1

October 30 was a cold day. The weatherman said that the coldest time for October 30 was in 1983, but it felt pretty cold to Lisa who say on a stump in the woods. "Mom would expect me home soon," she thought as her breath made a cloud in the air. The wind breezed through the trees shaking leaves onto the already leaf strewn path as Lisa sat there thinking. Her mother always told her that too much thinking would drive a person mad, but Lisa loved to think. Right now her thinking wasn't very cheerful. Lisa was thinking of her good friend Nick. Her best friend. He was biking to her house yesterday, but when he never showed up Lisa knew something was wrong. Nick was always on time and always kept his promises. Lisa found out the dreadful news a couple hours later that he had been hit by a car and passed away peacefully at the hospital. Lisa was so stunned that she hadn't even cried. Until now. As she fought back tears she wondered what would happen to the costume he made for Halloween tomorrow. It was Jack the Pumpkin King from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas. It was his favorite movie, and him and Lisa had watched it so many times they had it memorized. Nick always loved Halloween and ghost stories. Most people thought he was crazy--even Lisa's own mother didn't understand why she would hang out with him. Lisa loved to hear his storied though. After years of spending time together they became the best of friends--they would do anything for each other. As Lisa sat there thinking she couldn't help but notice how much her life was going to change now. She sighed and wiped away her tears. She started to trudge down the leaf strewn path towards her house shivering in the moonlight.

"Today's Halloween," thought Lisa as she walked down the street to school on a cool Friday morning. There was a party at school for Halloween like they do every year. This year Lisa was planning on going with Nick. She floated through all her classes without even thinking about the Revolutionary War or Algebraic additions. All she could think about was tonight's party. She couldn't decide if she should go or not. "Mom will probably say it's a waste of a costume and a ticket if I don't go," Lisa thought as she made mindless lines in her English notebook. Nick had also made her a costume of Sally to go with his Jack costume. He wanted them to match for the party. "I would look stupid going all by myself." Lisa sighed The bell rand and, as people bustled around her, Lisa slowly made her way to her locker to go home. It took almost twice the time to get home because she was walking slow. Everyday Nick and Lisa would walk home together chatting happily. Lisa normally wanted to get home quicker so she could finish her homework faster, that way she could finish her homework faster so she could hang out with Nick. Today she couldn't find the point. She thought she should stay at school so she wouldn't have to walk past his house. She tried to fight back the tears as she saw his bright green bike laying in the grass. She choked back a sob because she realized the bike she got him for his birthday a couple summers ago would never appear outside her living room carrying her blond haired best friend. Lisa's feet carried her to her home even though her eyes weren't watching and her mind was miles away.

Lisa's mom was worried that Lisa would become lonely and depressed if she dwelt on Nick's death too long. She was concerned about her daughter so she sent her to the Halloween party even though Lisa begged her not to send her. Lisa couldn't understand why her mother was sending her; but she decided if she had to go she would at least wear the costume Nick made her. As she slipped on the costume, it was warm and comfy, the best costume she had ever worn. A not slipped out of the sleeve, but Lisa was to crestfallen to notice so it say motionless on the floor as Lisa left the room.

Lisa arrived at the party all alone. People around her were screaming and hollering. It really was a party, but Lisa was in no mood for happiness. A huge bonfire had been prepared near the haunted house and far away from the corn maze. Lisa watched as some adults lit the bonfire and as it erupted into huge flames. Lisa sat on a log that had been places as a bench near the fire but far enough away that no one noticed her. "If Nick was here we would be munching on caramel apples and sitting so close to the fire our ears would be burning hot," thought Lisa. She sighed and held her head in her hands. She was cold as another wave of grief and tears threatened to overcome her. Her eyes began to burn with the tears she was trying so desperately to keep from falling. As she wallowed in her grief alone, she felt a warmth by her cheek and a hand upon her shoulder. Startled by the sudden comforter, Lisa fell off the log bench and crawled a good distance before looking to see who it was. The air rippled where Lisa was sitting before she fell, and she couldn't understand what was going on. She looked around, but people were too involved in their own joys of the party to notice Lisa's strange reaction to what seemed to be nothing. The air continued to ripple more, and Lisa noticed that it was becoming increasingly blurry. She could no longer see part of the haunted house through a section of air that was forming into a young man. Lisa knew she must be going crazy because every second that it took more form it became more and more like Nick. Lisa shut her eyes and took a deep breath, imagining her dog and her mom, but when she opened her eyes Nick was still before her with a gray tinge to his body. All the colors of Nick-his clothes, his hair, his eyes-were all dull and diluted like he had been washed too many times. As Lisa looked at him, she felt calm in her heart, and she knew she should say something; she could see it in his eyes. Standing up, she dusted herself off.
"Hi, Nick," was the first thing she thought of to say.

Nick's face glowed as he smiled, and he regained some of his color. "I hope I didn't scare you too much." Lisa couldn't believe what was going on. She was at the funeral. She saw his as lifeless as a rock. Her confusion showed on her face so Nick continued to talk. "You're wearing my costume. That was nice of you to do that for me."

"You're welcome...It was nice of you to make it," Lisa responded slowly.

"I know you're probably as confused as I was, but I'll try to explain the best I can. Would you like to sit?" Lisa was still unconvinced that this was real, but she say without objection. "You know that today's Halloween, and how many people believe it's a haunted day," started Nick as he say next to Lisa. "Technically, they've been right all these year. You see, when I...died...I wasn't sure what was going on. I'm not allowed to tell you certain things, but I'll tell you everything I can.
"Halloween really is a haunted day. I am a ghost. It's plain and simple, but ghosts' stories have been twisted to scare people. October 31 is the only day ghosts are allowed to reveal themselves to their loved ones. If their loved ones accepted their invitation to allow the ghosts to remain on the earth, they were allowed to do so. Once the living moved on and no longer depended on the presence of the ghost, the ghost was forced to return to the spirit world. Thus the day was hallowed to those who had lost a loved one." Lisa nodded as Nick continued his story. "As more and more people died, many ghosts couldn't find their families during the allotted time. The story became twisted to frighten little kids and for businesses to gain a profit on another special day. Many ghosts don't bother returning because of the twisted alteration."

Nick paused and Lisa looked into his dull colored face. His green eyes that used to sparkle with life were dull and muted and brought a new sadness upon Lisa's heart. "Lisa," Nick grabbed Lisa's hand which felt like a brush of a feather even though Lisa could see her whole hand engulfed in his, "would you accept my invitation to allow me to stay on earth with you?"

Lisa was shocked, and tear began to well in her eyes. She went to hug him, but fell off the log because there was nothing to hold on to. Some people looked at the noise, but Lisa's cover as the school's biggest klutz kept her from looking insane. "Lisa?" Nick asked with a slight panic rising in his voice. "Lisa, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Lisa voice cracked as she looked up at Nick. "Why did you ask me? Why not your family?"

Nick's faced was shrouded in confusion. He tilted his head slightly, much like a puppy does, and Lisa's skin broke out in goosebumps even in her warm costume. As Nick's dull eyes were trying to focus on something, they still stared blankly at Lisa. Nick let out a small sigh. "I don't get it," he whispered as he shook his head. "You're wearing my costume, but I thought the note explained it all." Nick's eyes flashed up to make contact with Lisa's. His color was diminishing as he say there preoccupied with his thoughts. "You did get the note, right?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Sure they had passed notes in class, but why would that be so important right now?

"Never mind, we'll find it later. What matters now is your answer. You have to decide by midnight or I can never come back."

Lisa had temporarily forgotten about her decision as she stared at Nick while he talked. His lips never moved but she could hear every word perfectly clear. "There's no decision to make." She said with confidence.

"What?"

"The decision's already been made."

"No...no, I don't think it has been, Lisa...maybe you hit your head a little hard."

"There nothing wrong with my head. What do you think would have happened?You came back on Halloween to be with me and I say no? You must be the one who hit your head."

"So...it's a yes?"

"Obviously," said Lisa as he rolled her eyes and started laughing.

Nick jumped up into the air with a fist pump. "All right!" He enclosed Lisa in a hug even though she could barely feel him. "This is going to be great." Lisa smiled because some of Nick's sparkle of life had returned to his dull eyes and his color didn't look so dull.

Lisa thought for a moment. "So, what happens now? Is there some mystic-mumbo-jumbo we have to go through?"

"No, silly, you said I could stay so I'm staying," Nick smiled in response.

"Well, do you mind if we go home? I keep seeing people look at me goofy. It looks like I'm talking to myself," Lisa whispered.

"Right. That could be a problem."

As Lisa and Nick walked silently back to Lisa's house, Lisa began to think. Was this all a dream? It couldn't be. Nick said something about a note, but I have no idea about it.

Nick took notice of Lisa's "thinking face." "Hey, is everything alright?" he asked.

"What is the note you were talking about?" she asked boldly and aprubtly.

"It was in your sleeve. I don't know how you missed it."

Lisa waved her arms around. "My sleeves are very note free."

"Maybe it fell out when you put it on."

"Wouldn't I have felt it?" Lisa asked disapprovingly.

"Maybe, maybe not. Look, we're here. We can search your room and see if we can find it."

Lisa sighed as she opened the door and went to her bedroom. There on her floor was a folded up piece of paper with her name on it. "I found it," she said quietly as she opened it and began to read.

Lisa,
I've know you for years now, and every happy moment I can think of was spend with you. I love you to death and back, and want to spend eternity with you. I love you.
Your Best Friend,
Nick

"I didn't realize how appropriate 'to death and back' would be when I wrote it," Nick said sheepishly.

Lisa began to cry. "Oh, Nick..." she murmured as she gave him a hug. "I love you more than anything or anyone...." Her voice trailed off as more tears began to fall.

"It's okay, my love," Nick said as he patted her head. Lisa squeezed him even tighter. If only... she thought. She let go of him abruptly and took a step back. She could feel him; really feel him. His eyes were vibrant. His skin was healthy and tan. Her mouth gapped open as she stared at him.
Nick laughed. "I've become flesh again. You love has filled my heart so it completely overflowed. I'm not truly alive, but I look like it. I love you so very much." Nick spread out his arms and embraced his love.

~ The End ~

And what happened to this happy couple? They went on with their life, got married, and even adopted a child of their own. Once Lisa passed on, they left this earth and spent eternity together full of love and happiness.

^{(c) 2010 April Halcomb}

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/[*Phoenix*]