Alone in the Stable (Open)

[Oliver]

It was rather dark, very stormy, and very windy, outside the dimly lit Stable as Oliver sat on the ground near the Stable that once housed many Horses, and now only housed paint cans, as well as other stuff the owner decided to store in what is now being used as a storage room, nearest the door that led into the B&B. Oliver sighed, the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the Stable would be enough to relax anyone, but Oliver had heard that sound many times before, and it did nothing to relax him.

He had lived inside this Stable since his death in 1866, and he started liking it, the new owner was a nice lady who seemed rather nice, and knew of his existence. He had become sort of an attraction to the guests in this B&B, most reportedly having seen him or captured him on film. Oliver loved this, having company, and yet, he longed for more. Even when a British TV show came to this B&B to film a show about Ghosts, and actually capturing him on film, he longed for more company.

He sat there, hugging his knees as the sound of Thunder roared in the distance, followed by a bright flash of Lightning. "Another dull night." He said to himself as he continued hugging his knees, not even caring as the sound of footsteps, either from someone living or another spirit, came close to him and stopped. He sat there, the very spot he died at, eyes closed and listening to the rain pouring down onto the roof, not even caring that someone, living or spirit, was now beside him.

[♥ a z r y l i t h]

Azrylith sighed, running a hand through her tousled hair. It was pouring outside. She was a ghost, so the rain poured right through her and made no impact, not even being chilly; so technically she shouldn't care about it. But Az was very new to the world of Everlost, a fresh spirit, since she had died quite recently, and she still retained some of her human instincts. The instincts nagging at her now were: Get out of the rain, you idiot, before you get pneumonia! It doesn't matter where you go, as long as you get shelter from this... this thunderstorm. But her ghost instincts pulled her away, telling her instead to stay out there or go and haunt the Dance Club again. But Az's energy was spent, so she put an end to the internal conflict by heading to the nearest place she could see: the stable.
A huge bolt of lightning, not more than a yard away, followed by a tremendous roar of thunder made Az nearly jump out of her skin. The ghostly figure was more pale than normal, even her rose-tinted cheeks being almost iridescent with fright. She had nothing to fear technically, but Azrylith was just so... so used to being a human. I liked being a human. I hate being a ghost! Ghosts are just so... so dull! Why did I have to die? I want to go see my family, but it's torture, to see that they're right in front of my eyes and still mourning me, that they don't know I'm right next to them... for the first time, Az cried. Tears slid out and eventually her shoulders shook, racked with sobs.

More thunder and lightning frightened the hell out of the teen. It was right next to her this time. "What? So are you trying to screw me over, too, just like everyone else?" She screamed bitterly at the sky. Which just made the rain fall harder. Typical. Az grimaced, her frustration building. "Go on. Strike me!" She yelled at no one in particular, to the sky again, inviting to be struck by lightning. Actually, Az wasn't sure if ghosts could be struck by lightning. But if they could, Az was sure that even a ghost would be able to feel at least a dull shock of the million bolts of electricity running through the lightning bolt.
So Az took a run for it, cursing under her breath at her own stupidity. Her tears had dried by now, her usually attractive face twisted into an ugly expression of anger. The Stables seemed to move farther away with every step she took, but when she arrived there, the hallways seemed endless, endless... Az shivered. "Shut up. Stop it. You're delirious," she told herself over and over. To her dismay, her voice quavered. After a few minutes of muttering this under her breath and drifting aimlessly from one stall to another, Az suddenly stood straight with shoulders erect.

"No. I'm not going to have a mental breakdown. Maybe life -- death, I mean --"--laughing bitterly at her own twisted joke--"--hates me, but I'll let it pass. I'm a ghost now. Ghosts cannot get ill, nor become delirious like I was a moment ago. We just think we are when we aren't. I just broke down in the rain back there because I'm not over the impact my death had on me yet. I'm still in a deep shock despite the few weeks I've been wandering." She was talking to herself which most people deemed weird, but there was no one else to talk to, and it made her feel better.
Az walked out of the stall, not bothering to float. She just wanted to feel like a human being once again before finally accepting the truth: that she was dead, and would always be. Always dead... never get to see your family again... Tears once again threatened to spill over her face but Az tried to push them away, just as she had in the Dance Club, and succeeded. I'm not a ghost who died in an insane asylum. I'm a ghost who led a normal life, minus the date rape, AIDS, and suicide, so I'm going to act like a normal ghost. But how could one consider ghosts normal? I have to stop questioning myself. I'm an idiot.
It was only then that Az spotted a small boy. She almost missed him, he blended in so well with the background. Studying his clothes, Az realized he wasn't from her century. Was he an old ghost? Fascinated, Az almost reached out to touch him, but stopped. Some people snarled at a simple pat on the shoulder and she wasn't sure if this ghost was like that, but she was not going to risk it, she was not going to mess up like she always did. The boy's eyes were closed. He was obviously unhappy; like all people Az could sense other's emotions, and his seemed to be dreary, depressing. In a soft voice, Az asked, "What's wrong?" Then she added quickly, "My name is Azrylith. If you don't want me here, just tell me to leave and I'll go." Az had a deep empathy for other people and it was displayed now.

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[Oliver]

Oliver slowly opened his eyes when he had hear a female voice talking to him. A smile spread over his face as he raised his hands and rubbed his eyes, as if he was trying to see if this girl was real or not. He wiped a fresh tear, glad to finally have someone to talk to. "It's lonely not having anyone to talk to. I...I spent most of me life alone and living on the Streets." He explained to her before standing and walking toward her.

"Do you ever wish you could feel the rain again? Feel the snow, and the heat & cold on you? I just wish I could feel all that, and to have company, aside from the Living." He explained to her as he looked down at his feet. "I died right where I was sitting you know, beaten to death by the old owner of this Stable back in 1866." He told her. "Me body's buried underneath the Concrete over by the window over there." He told her, pointing to the far off window.

Finally, remembering she had introduced herself, he removed the hat he had been wearing, revealing his messy brown hair, and placed it quickly back on his head. "Me names Oliver, like Oliver Twist. Me mate Axe, he was killed by an Axe by the owner back a few years before I died, read me the book, since I can't read or write mind you, and after I forgot me name, I took on the character's name. Me mate left during the war when they dropped those...things that made the loud noise..." He didn't know they where bombs. "over the city. He went to the states last I heard." He said calmly, thel ast of his tears drying up.

"To be honest, aside from me being lonely, I like Death. No one can hurt me anymore, I can't feel pain. It's...it's...it's great really." He smiled at this, before his smile faded. She looked like she was new to Everlost, he could sort of tell by the way she acted. "Did you just die?" He curiously asked as a clap of Thunder could be heard, followed by a flash of Lightning. "Seems the only thing a Ghost can feel is the Lightning striking you." He said very randomly as turned his gaze from her to the Window.

[♥ a z r y l i t h]

Az smiled. So all that was wrong was that this ghost was lonely. Unlike some people in her life, he wouldn't chase her away, yell at her, hurt her.. or try to, seeing as when you were a ghost almost all your nerves vanished, leaving you unable to feel almost anything. The teen listened to him and her eyes misted over with sympathy. Poor kid! Alone and on the streets? He must have been one of those wandering orphans. And the owner of the stable killed him... Az felt her body go rigid with anger. Who would dare to touch such a kid? He must've been tough when he was alive seeing as he had survived to his current age, but the owner, being older, would've been much stronger. Who would want to beat up and kill a helpless child? And an orphan at that?! Man, if the stable owner was still alive today... Az would've definitely killed him. Slowly. And tortured him first.
She nodded in agreement to his words. "I... I wish every minute of every day as I float around as a ghost to just.. to just be alive, to put it bluntly. I had AIDS, so I would've died anyway." Realizing he didn't know what that was, since it had not existed in his century, Az hurriedly added, "AIDS... it's a fatal disease that will definitely kill you. There's no cure for it yet. I eventually jumped off a building because I couldn't take it anymore. I regret that now... I just wish I had stayed alive for even one more hour to enjoy life and really appreciate the things I hadn't noticed before. You never really treasure something until it's gone." She sounded like an old guy, rattling on about lore and wisdom and... Az decided to keep her mouth shut and listen to the boy's words.

He introduced himself as Oliver. Oliver Twist, pretty nice name. She felt her sympathy growing as he described the details of his life to her. And she thought life hated her. Some kids had it much harder than Az ever would, living or dead. She felt an instant appreciation of Oliver's politeness and considered him a friend, and would from now on. Just like Evane, he struck a pang of familiarity in her as well. Then Az realized: he was the ghost that had welcomed her into Everlost, as she guessed he did with all other ghosts. And to think that she had been mad at him, taking her frustration out on a child! Az felt her shame growing, but masked it.
She nodded in response to his inquiry. "I died not too long ago and I recently woke up. I've only been here for a few weeks. In my opinion, death is also pretty good. You can't feel anything and you get to play pranks on the living or beat up people who are being rude or egotistical. But I... I just..." She struggled valiantly to keep her voice from becoming a wailing plea that would've resembled a Banshee. "I just wish I had a chance to say good-bye," Az finally forced out, her mood spiraling downwards. In spite of this, Az felt better than she had when she first came to Everlost. It was one matter to keep your depressions locked up inside you; it was another to talk about them to someone you knew would understand, someone who wouldn't have a difference of opinion. Not like everyone had to agree with her, but sometimes it was just nice to feel that you were right instead of wrong. Az knew some people would've blamed her for her death and turned away. But just like her, most ghosts were sympathetic. Hoping she wasn't sounded somewhat emo-like, Az flinched at the thunder and lightning that instantly came, realizing she had only been one step away from being hit by lightning only moments ago.

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[Oliver]

Oliver listened to her explain to him how she died. So she had AIDs. Apparently a deadly desiease in todays world. "No one can blame a person for choosing to take there life. It is the persons wish to do so, not others." He said to her rather calmly. "I used to pick the pockets of others and steal food from shops just to survive. I think I once worked in a Workhouse, I don't remember what they hade me making but I do remember running away when I was seven. When I was 8 I met this boy who taught me the fine art of Picking Pockets and stealing food, as well as safe places to sleep. Always look for buildings that no one lives in, places that have been empty for years, or unlocked buildings."

With this Oliver grew quiet, as if deep in thought suddenly, before he continued. "They called us Street Urchins. No adult really cared much for us, just left us to fend for ourselves. I...I remember one night It was cold, rainy like tonight, and I was in a hurry to find a place to sleep." He said, wiping a tear. "Every place seemed locked, everyone was home or heading home to escape the storm, but the Stable, this one, was unlocked. I went inside, fell asleep on a pile of Hay in that corner..." He said pointing to the Stable nearest the door he was sitting at before. "and I fell asleep just like that. Next thing I remember I was woken up by this fat bloke who was shaking me and asking me 'What the hell are you doing tress...tresspa..."He couldn't remember the word the guy had said so he thought of something else that meant the same. "breaking into me Stable.' And he shook me, hit me, over and over. Finally he tossed me into that wall over there..."He pointed to the wall behind him. "and I hit me head on the wall. Cracked it open, that did. I felt blood pouring from me head, and everything was getting dark around me. Finally I just decided to give up, and I died. I...I remember the black tunnel with the light, walking toward it I guess. I remember the boy who bumped into me from behind, and...we fell from the tunnel, I landed right at the spot I died at, and him...I don't right bloody well know really. My mate Axe was the first to welcome me when I woke up. He said I was out Nine Months and it was near Winter."

He sighed and looked at the door. "They caught him in 18...1880 I think, and hung him for what he did, but they never dug up our bodies and they're still buried...over there." He said pointing toward the Window. "Being newly dead is a bit scary." He admitted. "I never had anyone to say Goodbye to." He admitted. "But sometimes I wish I made it to Heaven, at least to see what me Mum & Dad looked like." He told her, his face showing sadness. "Me & Axe used to try and see who could get hit by Lightning first. It...it felt weird when the Lightning hit you, almost like..." He couldn't think of how to discribe how it felt, so he let it linger. "We never had to worry about AIDs back when I was alive, only Rabies and Smallpox and Pneu...Pneumon...Bloody hell is that word?" He asked himself, rambling on and on, finally happy to have someone to talk to.