The Troublemaker's Ghost | ✓

23: The Pancake War

Chapter 23: The Pancake War

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the bruise, it was black and blue- looking every bit intimidating in daylight. The wound had healed but the scar was a harsh reminder of Max's unknown death.

"You were murdered? But how?" I just couldn't believe what Max was saying.

"I don't know, I don't remember anything", He said finally facing me, he looked sad as if he didn't want to recall the horrible incident.

"Max, who would murder you?"

He snickered, "There were people after me. I wasn't the best guy out there Grace. After high school I decided to move to New York to live by myself instead of going to college. Not only that I was involved with local gangs and eventually got into drugs", he flinched regret flashing in his eyes, "My parents tried to help me but I refused them. One day my mom came to me and begged me to leave all this after she caught me injecting heroin. The next day I left for rehab and avoided the gang at all costs but they weren't happy, after getting back from rehab I shifted to another place, just so they could leave me alone, find another scapegoat for their nasty business. If I connected the dots right, that's how I got this apartment Grace, you guys moved out in a hurry and they were looking for someone to rent it. I got this place at a cheaper price. Even after a year in rehab, the gang wasn't ready to let me go, I returned all their money and told them I won't be coming back. They tried to attack me a few times but I dodged them."

"Do you think your gang members tried to murder you?"

"I don't know , like I said I don't remember anything. The last thing I remember was my parents came to visit me from New Jersey that day. Mom wanted to cook lunch for all of us, upon seeing my empty fridge I decided to run to the nearby grocery store to get supplies. After that I don't remember anything, I woke up to see my house burned down, my family dead and Mia being rushed to the hospital", he gulped the pain he felt evident in his tone. "Grace I couldn't do anything....I.. I tried to hug Mia, take her to the hospital but I couldn't touch her or anything. No one listened to me or saw me. I was invisible to them, that's when I saw my dead body lying on the floor and I realized that I was dead and helpless."

"At first I was pissed at coming back as a ghost, I watched my parents and my brother get buried in the ground, saw my sister cry till her pillows soaked with tears and I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't console her, hug her or talk to my baby sister. I hated being a ghost, I still do....I started finding ways to vanish from this world, I tried searching my uncle so that he could get rid of me. But I couldn't find him.. After months of searching I gave up. I wondered around hopelessly with nothing to do accept for keeping an eye on Mia. That is when I started to discover my powers. One day I decided to visit Mia to school and that's how I get to know she used to get bullied in her class but she didn't tell this to anyone. A bunch of boys were pulling her hair, teasing her, I tried to stop them but I was useless. I screamed for them to stop and then they froze in their places. At first I was shocked so was Mia who was shivering in fear against the wall. She immediately ran away but I stayed back to observe them, they couldn't move from their place even if they wanted. After some time I commanded them to move and then they started moving. From then on I decided to stay just to protect her and take care of her".

"But why do you want to leave now?" I couldn't help but ask that.

"Mia is old enough to take care of herself now, she even has John, her fiancé to take care of her. I think it's time for me to go- to my parents and my brother. That's why I refrained myself from talking to Mia on her Wedding day, I don't want her to miss me when I am gone".

"Oh", that's all I could say after hearing Max's tragic yet heroic life story. Max. He was the invisible hero without a cape who protected his sister from all kinds of trouble. I was touched but also sad to hear about his story- he went through a lot. But he never showed this side to me- he looked vulnerable like a lost child in a crowd. I felt my heart squeeze in my chest. And just like that he vanished into the thin air leaving the leaves rustling in his wake.