Ghost of a Hero

Flip Phones are Dramatic

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when I arrived home. I phased through the front door, emotionally drained. Not thinking, I popped into the kitchen for some food. The fridge paused humming for 10 seconds, reminding me that I couldn't eat food.

On the counter sat a gray flip phone, a piece of paper under it. I moved the phone to the side, glancing at the note.

Ahsper, I forgot to give you this phone. We'll call you on it. Don't throw it away.

With love,

Marcus

Blah, blah, blah. Picking up the phone, I resisted the urge to toss it out the nearest window.

I'd already decided that I wasn't playing along with Nemesis's game. Whatever he was up to, I wasn't going to be a part of it. My happiness came first.

I floated up to my bedroom, carefully peeking my head into the room. Cooper was sprawled on my floor, his shirt balled up at the base of a wall. He probably threw it in his sleep. I phased inside quietly, leaving the phone outside the room.

"Ahsper," Cooper was muttering, in his sleep. "If you weren't a ghost, I'd-." He rolled over, a snort coming from his nose. "Strangle the ever-living fuck out of you."

I snorted, floating over to my bed.

Cooper snored loudly. "Angel, if you weren't dead." Cooper reached out and hugged his pillow. "I'd cut out your spleen and feed it to Fluffinator."

Cooper's back was lean, his spine visible. His shoulders were flexed, muscles prominent. His scars were stark white against his back, small cuts here and there. I found my eyes drifting to the largest one, across his shoulder blade.

It was jagged, probably the worst physical scar he'd probably ever gotten. It was the longest one too.

Thinking about it, I gave him that one.

We were playing in the house on my dad's unicycle. For some reason, we were obsessed with it. Cooper was the only one of us who could ride it without using the walls. He was boss at it, too.

We thought it would be funny if he balanced on top of the unicycle...

On top of a chair....

On top of another chair...

On top of a stool...

Balanced on top of a rocking chair...

All stacked on top of the dining room table...

In my defense, it seems like a great idea as a child. I feel like most of my memories say that.

Cooper agreed. If he could balance for 10 seconds without falling, Angel and I would put our piggy banks together, and give Cooper 15$.

If you don't remember, 15$ was a lot of money as a child.

I mean a lot of money.

That was three weeks' worth of allowance right there.

Sheesh. I was stupid as a child. I could've bought myself tons of ice-cream. Instead, I did that foolish dare thing.

Anyway, Cooper got up on the tower of unwisely balanced objects. I think we probably should've balanced the stool on top of the chairs, but there's no going back now.

Cooper did it. He balanced on top of the tower for 10 seconds. He was about to get down when I dared him to bunny hop on top of the tower. He grinned at me like a maniac and did it, keeping eye contact with me.

I think he was trying to show off.

Yeah, those were the awesome childhood memories.

Then the leg of the table broke. It was like an avalanche of wood. Angel and I ran for our lives. Literally. We weren't about to get buried under that pile of falling craziness.