Day 8 - Dream

I never dreamed that this would be my life someday. Twenty-five years old, living alone in a haunted house like this. When I was a kid, I dreamed of being so many things. An artist, teacher, anything to do with spending time with others. And then one day, as if cursed, I started seeing ghosts. I always knew it was a possibility as it’s something that runs in my family, but I hoped it wouldn’t happen to me.

It made me a social outcast in school. And when I graduated high school, I was sent here to apprentice with my aunt to learn how to run Whispering Woods. My parents always told me that I didn’t have to do it, that I could choose to live a different type of life, but I don’t think they could ever understand how hard it is for me to appear “normal” to others when I see things they can’t. And if I wasn’t here, who would be here for all the ghosts?

Sometimes I dream that life could be different for me, less lonely. But that’s all that it is, a passing daydream.

Teddy walks into the room interrupting my thoughts.

“Ready for lunch?” he asks with a smile on his face.

I put my book down, hop out of my seat, and we head out the door.

We’re off to get lunch in town today since it’s his day off. I’m usually stuck riding my bike into town but Teddy offered to drive us there today so I could also visit the library to stock up on books for myself and Calvin.

We walk out to his van together and I stop a good distance away to take in his van, especially the large “Billy Brothers” text on the side of the vehicle.

“Teddy, I have to know, why does your truck say ‘Billy Brothers’ on it?” I ask him.

I see his face drop for a second but he quickly turns it into a smile. “My brother and I used to own a construction company together, he thought it would be funny if he named it after himself. Do you know the Super Mario games?”

I nod, “I used to play them as a kid.”

“Well, you know how Mario and Luigi are called the ‘Mario Brothers’ even though their last name isn’t Mario? At least I don’t think it is… Billy thought it’d be funny to call us the ‘Billy Brothers’ as he’s the older brother and amongst other things, we’d do plumbing together.”

I laugh at this, “Your brother sounds like a lot of fun.”

“He was,” Teddy says, trailing off into silence for a second before adding, “he passed away about a year ago.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, “It sounds like you were really close.”

“Closest person to me in the world.” He doesn’t say more and I don’t push him for the information. “But enough about that, let’s go get some lunch!”

I swing myself in the van and we drive off into town.