"Why is it so cold?" Jarred muttered.
It's been Winter for a month now, he's asked this exact same question every morning and yet I still hangout with him.
"It's because you love me." he says, answering a question i never asked. I have grown numb to his mind reading antics, considering he's been doing it for years. He says it's all about, "Reading facial expressions and body language etc." but i know the truth. I've known it for long time. And i got used to it so i don't really care anymore.
I check my watch and it 21:50. Ten minutes till Ray's shop closes. Ray is this really chill dude who sells me sweets and snacks for cheap and if I miss him today i will have to wait till Monday since tomorrow is a Sunday. I look around a notice a very convenient but shady alleyway to our right. It's a bit dark but i can see the street on the other side, which could potentially reduce the journey time from like 15 minutes to 7.
"Yo, shortcut!" I call to Jared, pointing to alley, and he looks me dead in the eyes and says, "Absolutely Not."
"Why?"
"It's Shady, Dark, creepy and there's probably dead bodies in the shadows."
"We can walk Fast."
"Walk by yourself, i'm not stepping foot anywhere in there!"
"Fine."
I step into the dark and creepy alley, Jared calling me dumb and trying to convince me why i shouldn't. He's always been scared but he usually pulls through so i know he'll be behind me in a second.
"I hate you so much." he says after jogging to catch up. A smile forms on my lips but I remain quiet.
The alleyway is a lot creepier up close with rats darting around trash bags, random pools of liquid everywhere and the random pair of legs with no body and a giant pool of blood where the torso should be.
"HOLY SHIT!" we shout in Unison. Jared grips my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh but i can't feel the pain cause i'm just as terrified. My tongue goes dry, my teeth are chattering and my whole body is shivering. My eyes dart around looking for someone to call the police since I didn't have my phone on me, but nobody could be seen moving at either end of the alley. As if people had vanished from the streets entirely.
"Woah!" Jared exclaims but less in fear and more in wonder. I look at him and follow hie eyes to see a torso made of white gas. I open my mouth and no sound comes out. I inch closer to it, Jared right next to me, and notice a mouth on what is supposed to be the head, but no other features such as eyes or a nose. We both crouch for a better look and i lift my finger up over it's torso and move it down slowly to the center of it's chest to feel what exactly it is I am looking at when i hear a voice.
"Back up!"
I freeze. I feel Jared tense up next to me and we both stand up slowly, looking around for a face to put the voice to.
"You can hear me?" the voice says.
We nod in unison, still searching for someone hiding in a corner or up above.
"Amazing, not only can you see me but you can hear me as well. Your natural sense must be amazing. The Keepers must know of you." Me and Jared turn to each other, and slowly turn our eyes back to the body made of gas and notice the mouth move as it says, "The 3 lords will not notice mortals such as you but the Keepers will definitely want to take you in. Just wait there for a moment."
Jared's arm goes weak and I start feeling lightheaded.
This can not be happening. The half-ghost person is talking to us. How is this possible? We need to leave.
I grab Jared's arm and slowly begin to step away from the body. Jared still staring at it with amazement plastered all over his face. My heart was beating so fast I thought I would collapse in a n instant, my steps were clumsy and I was scared again.
Then it all went dark. "Oh, I think the Lords did take notice of you!" the gas man exclaimed, "This is terrible, I am doo-" his voice cut off.
I could still feel Jared's arm in my hand and i could hear his shallow breathing but I couldn't see an inch ahead of my face. I felt the ground beneath my feet shift into a smother texture, no longer like rough concrete and more like smooth marble.
"Who are the kids?" said by a deep voice, echoing around us as if we were in a large and empty hall. Jared's body stiffened and I felt the hair rise on my body. We were moved to a different space entirely, being watched by what i assume are more gas people and I can't see anything. We are helpless and scared.
Then i heard my watch chime. Ray's Shop was closed,