Three Idiots and a Ghost

Because breathing is pretty cool (Part 02)

"Warrick, grab her legs."

"This is fucking crazy, Walt!"

"It's not as crazy as some of the shit you do."

"I don't go around picking up dead bodies!"

"She's not dead."

"She's not breathing!"

"This morning's vision was too clear. She's not going to die. We have to bring her home."

"You're fucking insane, Walt—"

"Hey."

"What?"

"Look at me."

"...Okay?"

"Shut the hell up."

"Jesus, Walt!"

"Legs. Now."

"Ah, fine! But you owe me for this!"

Ever opened her eyes to see two boys lifting her out of the river. The one holding her shoulders was much calmer than the one who had her feet. All three of the teens' pants were drenched. The water came up to the boys' knees. It was much shallower compared to the bridge.

Ever's eyes followed the winding river up, retracing the great distance she had drifted down. That was when it hit her. If her body was down there, how was she able to see so much of the river, let alone the tops of the trees?

"Come on, Warrick. Put some more muscle into it."

"Fuck, I swear she weighs a ton!"

Ever was underweight for her height. It had been ages since she sat at her parents' dining table for a proper meal. In other words, Warrick was a weakling.

Ever continued to observe the two boys—twins, she now noticed—as they loaded her body into the backseat of their car parked only a few meters away. Cars weren't allowed in the park except for the camping areas, and this was no place to camp with all of the pine trees scattered across rough terrain. How the boys managed to drive here was a mystery. A mystery that was soon solved by Walt taking the wheel.

The boy drove fast but meticulously, the subcompact vehicle coming just shy of running into a tree on numerous occasions. But they made it out of the woods in one piece. The boys did, anyway.

As for Ever, she was still stuck on figuring out how her body was down there while her view was from way above. She turned to the side and realized she was flying next to a flock of birds. She met eyes with one of them. It paid her no mind.

"Am I a bird?"

Ever looked down at herself. No wings. No feathers. Two feet but not of the bird kind. Her hands had a ghastly blue hue to them.

"Oh, fuck me."

One percent. There was only a one percent chance she would become a ghost. With odds like that, Ever regretted not buying one last lottery ticket on her way to the woods earlier.

Whatever she was supposed to be up here didn't change the fact that her body was being driven away by two strangers. What were they planning to do with a corpse? Everything from organ harvesting (which she pinned more towards Walt) to an eccentric fetish (which she pinned more towards Warrick) crossed her mind by the time the twins arrived at their house.

The moment Walt pulled up to their driveway, Warrick dashed out, shouting, "Granny!"

"Hey! Help me get her out first!"

But Warrick was already in the house. Ever managed to float herself down after him. The living and dead pair entered the kitchen.

"Granny!"

"Hello there, dear," Granny said, taking out a freshly baked apple pie from the oven. She placed it to cool on the counter and looked at her grandson. "Where's Warrick?"

"I'm Warrick, Granny."

"Oh, why, of course. Old age takes such a toll on your memory."

"It's okay. Walt's outside—"

"Hey, I can't get her out of the car by myself," Walt said, walking into the kitchen.

Granny smiled at her other grandson. "Hello, Warrick."

"Hello," Walt greeted back, not bothering to correct her. "Granny, before you say no, I had a vision this morning about saving a girl's life."

"Why, that sounds wonderful. I hope you succeed."

"Yeah, that's great and all," Warrick intervened, "but Walt forgot to mention she's already dead."

Walt sent a cold glare at his twin.

"Oh, my. Well, I suppose once in a blue moon visions can be incorrect."

"No, Granny," Walt said with conviction. "I will save her. All three of us will."

"What?" Warrick blurted out. "No, no, no! You're fucking crazy!"

"Language, Walter."

Warrick didn't feel compelled to correct his grandmother's mistake this time. His lips briefly curled into a smirk before falling back into a serious line.

Granny looked at the actual Walter. "You do know what you'll be getting yourself into by doing this, yes?"

Walt nodded. "I am aware of the risks. But this vision was the first in a long time where I'm certain it has to come true no matter what."

"Maybe it's supposed to be the opposite, then," Warrick suggested. "Wish for something too strongly, and it won't—"

"Will come true." The grandmother smiled as warmly as her apple pie. "Bring her in, boys."