The Life Of a Ghost

XI

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- K O G I E -

"Well, you ready for today, Kogie?" Leo asked, helping me straighten out my bow tie. Strife had been dead for nearly twenty-five months now, and something very special was happening today.

Very, very special.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I took a deep breath, smiling as I fiddled with the new engagement ring on my finger. I had lost the old one in the blast so instead of just getting me a new ring, Parv had decided to propose to me all over again. It was really cute, that night. I could remember it vividly; he took me out to the cliff, and we had a little picnic next to a roaring fire and once we were done he told me to close my eyes and when I opened them again he was on one knee in front of me, a smile on his face and an open ring box in his hand.

To be honest, I was hardcore stressing out about the wedding. I had gotten a shave and my hair was all combed out, but it just didn't feel right. Like something was missing or out of place.

I ran a hand through my hair in frusturation and sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. It was just me in the room now, trapped in the small box with my thoughts and the furniture and small trinkets that lay on the Speo dresser.

Clips from the various dreams I've had about Strife killing Parv started surging through my head, and I groaned, taking a sip of the alcohol sitting next to me.

One of the worst dreams I ever had about Parv's death had to be the one where I was in his situation. It was like a picturesque reminder that at the time of his death, I wasn't the one facing the most fear, but it was him. Maybe I was scared of loosing him, or frightened of the pained look on his deceased, almost entirely rotted face.

But that wasn't nearly as bad as what he felt.

I could remember the dream like it happened two seconds ago. The pain of Strife stabbing Parv with his knife errupted in my stomach, and more pain entered the area as he twisted it around, a twisted grin on his face.

But I refused to cry out.

I refused to be weak.

Parv went through this, so surely I could, too.

At that very moment I realized what I needed to do and got up, walking towards the door with my arm clutching my stomach.

Leo looked up as soon as he heard the door click. "You okay Kogie?" He asked, looking down to the placement of my arm over my stomach, "You need any painkillers or anything? What's—"

"I'm fine." I closed the door behind me and started off towards the other one leading to the outside world.

"You su—"

I cut him off by slinging my dress coat over my shoulder, looking back at him. "I'll be fine, Leo," I reassured him before walking out the door.

Starting off into a jog, I thought about what I would do today and what the effects of it could be to the surrounding area. That thought was slowly shrugged off though when I remembered that there was little to no forestry around the area I would take action in so no damage would occur in the surrounding area.

"What the hell?" Trott questioned as I let myself in the Hatsome house.

I turned to the chest next to the door, rummaging through it to look for the stuff I needed. "What do you need?" Ross asked, his legs swung over the arm of the couch.

"Flint and steel and gasoline." I found the flint and steel and shoved it aside, digging deeper into the chest.

"The fuck you need that for?" Smith raised an eyebrow at my list of items, but I shrugged him off and grinned when I found the gas.