Second Chances

Chapter 2

The Encounter

Anthony found himself standing, alone, in the alleyway. It was after dark and there was no one in sight. The once dark alleyway was lit by a small light from one of the walls and also by one of the streetlights near the edge of the alley. A sudden feeling of loneliness started to overtake him as he bent down to pick up his books. As he attempted to pick them up, he realized that he couldn't. his fingers kept going through the books!

After several attempts, he managed to notice a body lying on the ground next to his books. The clothes looked familiar- too familiar. Even without his glasses, he could see it well. He finally realized he could see perfectly without his glasses. He decided it was probable best to examine the body. Growing increasingly afraid as he examined it, everything about it being all to familiar. Anthony knew who it belonged to, he just didn't want to believe it. Then he saw the face...

He fell back onto the ground with a shriek of terror, for it was his own body he stumbled across, lying completely motionless. It took a while for him to finally realize that he was dead; he had been killed during the beat down.

"Why'd I have to die today, of all days?" he asked himself.

Accepting the truth that he had been murdered was really hard. The thing that hit him the hardest was the fact that he'd never see Mariah again. Even in death, she was all he could think about. Her hair, her smile, her eyes... He'd never see any of it again. In anguish, he cried out her name and, when he did, he heard footsteps. The steady footsteps came closer and closer with each passing moment; whoever was out walking was headed his way. Anthony was growing more and more anxious to find out who the footsteps belonged to yet, for some reason, he couldn't part with his lifeless body.

A man came around the corner and Anthony got a good look at him when he reached the light. He was a few inches shorter than the averaged man, dressed in business attire: a black suit with a red vest and tie and black shoes. On his head he wore a black top hat. His face seemed calm and bore a mysterious grin. Anthony noticed the man had a neatly shaped goatee.

As he approached, there was a chill in the atmosphere like winter winds with a twinge of heat mixed in- giving Anthony an extremely uneasy feeling. The next thing to catch Anthony's attention horrified him:

There, near the man, was a grasshopper caught on a web, struggling, with a fat, juicy spider creeping closer and closer to it. As the spider drew near enough to strike, the grasshopper suddenly broke loose and devoured the spider. Then it flew off as though nothing happened. A little freaked out, Anthony stood with anticipation as the strange man approached him.

"Good evening child," he said slowly and welcoming. He tipped his hat to Anthony, who still felt uneasy.

Who is this guy, Anthony thought, and what's going on? How can he see me- I'm dead! He's talking to me as though I'm tangible!

"W- Who are you? Anthony found the strength to ask.

"Pardon my manners," the stranger said. He took off his hat, held it against his chest, and gave a courteous bow. "I am Devin- Devin Lucid.

"I know my name sounds a little- peculiar, but there is no need to worry. I am here to help," he assured sensing that Anthony was disturbed.

So in order to be courteous, Anthony decided to introduce himself. "H- Hi. My Name is Anthony-."

"Price," Devin interjected. "Anthony Joel Price, age fifteen."

Anthony's eyes stretched. "Y- You know who I am?"