Tuesday 6th May 2008 11:15
"You're staring at me like I'm a crazy person." Mia stated.
Chris stared at Mia for a long time. Standing under the tree outside the library, the same designated area where Tom had died. She had told him everything since Tom's death, about how he refused to leave her alone until she solved this mystery.
"So can you still see him?" he asked, looking around nervously, thinking the ghost might just appear. Actually Chris didn't know what to actually ask. He thought Mia had gone nuts, maybe because of exams just next week.
"I'm the only one that can see him. He hasn't even gone to see his own family. No one can see him. Not even Amy."
"But why you?"
"Oh believe me Chris. I've been asking that same question since he appeared."
Chris readjusted his backpack strap on his left shoulder.
"What's the plan then?"
"I was hoping you could tell me. I've been surfing the net and nothing useful has come up."
"Maybe you are his unfinished business."
Mia grimaced. "Seriously Chris? That's the best you can come up with."
He placed her on the bench beside him and faced her properly.
"It makes sense. First he's acknowledged the fact that he's a ghost. Secondly he doesn't seem to be bound to the exact location of his death because he seems to be with you constantly. Ever since he died he hasn't shown himself to anyone else. Maybe he needs you to help him find something or maybe he wants to tell you something now and he couldn't before when he was alive."
Mia buried her head with the palm of her hands and felt Chris hug her from the side.
"This is the first time in a long time that I really don't know what to do." She stifled a yawn and a sleepy tear escaped her eye.
"Hang on a minute. Has Tom ever mentioned seeing any other ghosts?"
"No," she said slowly. "He's only mentioned the people he hasn't gone to meet - the alive ones."
Suddenly Chris stood up in a triumphant stance and stuck his hand out to her. "I think I know of a place that might be able to answer your questions." She took his hand, linking arms with him and walked into the library. "Cassie Day will know what do to."
Mia scoffed looking around. "I'm sorry did I miss something important. Who's Cassie Day." She stopped and turned him around. "Are you dating someone that I don't know?"
"Eww, she's ancient. Come on you've never heard of the case of Cassie Day. Tom isn't the first student to die at this college."
They walked into the reception area and Chris led her to the glass cabinet of stationary on sale and there on the second shelf was a picture of a student with long straight light brown hair and winged out red framed glasses. Her gleaming braces bore like train tracks around her yellow stained teeth.
"That there is Cassie Day." Chris pointed her out. "She apparently died of a brain haemorrhage in this very library in 1978."
"How do you know all of this?"
"You seriously don't know the lore about this library. Have you been living under a rock?" He shook his head and continued, whispering, "It's pretty much haunted. She was like a total looser throughout her life and she kind of dissolved in the background and volunteered here. She was obsessed with books, like she would spend her time stuck in any kind of book and not bother talk to anyone. Anyway I heard that she sniffed too many old books at the back and that's what caused her brain vessels to explode."
"What a crock of shit." Mia blurted out. Loud enough for the librarian to give them a stern look. She mouthed a sorry to the old lady who know rolled her eyes and bleeped the books through.
"Since her death," Chris continued, "she's apparently haunts the back of the library, under the geography section, where she died. Other students have seen chairs move on their own and books just fall off the shelf."
Mia gaped at the picture of Cassie Day and wonder how awful this girl's life must have been, made to be invisible during her life and after her death she was left alone, her ghost locked in the library and the only reminder of this poor girl was picture and a plaque with her name.
"This year marks 30 years." Mia noticed. "I wonder if there have been any other deaths at this college."
Chris scratched behind his right ear. "I don't know if that counts but Mr Lang lost his thumb in wood class last year."
"Well he's not dead." She folded her arms across her chest and glared at Cassie Day. "She must know what happened to Tom. Maybe she pushed him -"
"Whoa," he interjected. "That's a big accusation."
"I've known Tom since the first day of high school and he's always been the kind of crazy guy who would do extreme things but has always been careful. He first started that parkour thing when our class went to that day trip to Paris. Ever since he saw that street performer jump from building to building I saw something change in him. Apart from being the class clown he also fell in love with it, although I don't really see the appeal." She led Chris to the side, away from people. "What I'm trying to say is Tom was really careful with this craft. He couldn't have an accident. Someone must have pushed him, and the killer, whether dead or alive needs to be caught."
"And where do we start?"
"We start by seeking out Cassie Day."
YOU ARE READING
Loose Ends
Teen Fiction(Formally titled Ghost, Loose Ends) There's always that one guy you can't stand. For Mia Sparrow, that person was Tom Cidal. The class clown teased the geek all through high school and hasn't changed since. That's until his dead body is found outsid...
