Better Off Dead

The next day, Maya couldn't get the visit from that woman out of her head. She'd tossed that paper in the trash and picked it out several times by now. Finding herself unable to convey the meaning of it all inside her head.

It was natural she felt different. Perhaps it's because of the new medication she was on, or perhaps it is inevitable to feel that way after unexpected trauma.

The markings on her skin were almost completely gone. There was nothing to remind her that something rare as a lightning strike happened to her. It had no consequences for her.

Should that be possible? How can she always walk out of things like that, unharmed?

She was not unharmed. Her mind is the one always left harmed. There was nothing special about her, so how does she keep getting away? What does it all mean?

Perhaps it was a wrong decision, but Maya didn't mention yesterday's unexpected visit to her stepmother. Anna was a little disappointed she did not open the door for the electrician, but Maya couldn't face anyone after the meltdown this woman caused her.

It was hard to cope alone, but Maya persisted in keeping to herself. Luckily, Anna had been too preoccupied with finding an electrician who could come on short notice so they wouldn't have to spend yet another day in darkness to notice anything strange in Maya's demeanour.

When they arrived, Anna pestered them with a whole series of electrical problems. Maya wasn't aware of how much their house had suffered from that incident. To avoid being a hindrance, Maya spent the evening in her room unable to stop thinking about that strange woman and the meaning behind her cryptic pitch.

If it's some prestigious school, maybe she should accept it to avoid confronting all the people she ghosted in her high school. She has money. Her parents filled up her education fund, and Anna was kind enough not to spend it on herself.

Maya began fantasizing about it. She hoped it was far away. Far away from all the pain and suffering, from this bright well-lit glass house with big windows, that still seemed so dark for her, after knowing her parents would never step on its polished marble floors again.

Anna had already suggested switching schools. Though none of the options initially sparked Maya's interest, she now wondered if there might be merit in giving this new opportunity a try.

Now, home alone again, she walked toward the landline phone, ready to call the woman to ask for more information. If it is some kind of school, she better make arrangements quickly, as the school starts on Monday, three days away.

Maya reached for the phone, but a feeling of presence made her freeze. There was an undeniable feeling of someone standing right behind her. She did her best to ignore it, subconsciously grabbing the pendant of her necklace as a way to self-soothe.

The shrill sound of the phone suddenly rang, startling her.

Maya stared at the phone, waiting for it to ring again, to confirm she wasn't imagining it. And it did, startling her yet again. Cautiously, she picked it up and slowly placed it to her ear while turning around at a snail's pace.

"H—hello?" she said into the phone, her voice timid and shaky.

The voice she heard back somehow did not surprise her, despite not having heard it for years.

"Hello. Can I speak to Maya Watergate?" a worried woman's voice was heard.

"This is her," she made an effort to sound calm and blasé.

"Oh, goodness. You sound just like your mother."

"Hello, Mrs. Davis. My mother is…" Maya couldn't finish the sentence.

"I know, sweetie. I am so sorry."

"Are you calling about your son?"

She could hear Mrs. Davis confounded by her assumption.

"As a matter of fact, yes," she swallowed. "He… he had a car accident recently. Doctors were fighting for his life, but they say he is stable now," she said the last part quickly not to make Maya worry.

Maya knew that not to be true, despite his mother believing it.

"He's in a coma… You know, an acquaintance mentioned you and I remembered that you have experience with this sort of a thing."

'Experience!? Does she mean being in a coma or waiting for someone to wake up from a coma? Or… being crushed when they never do?'

"Mrs. Davis. Can we speak?" it was a different voice coming from the speakerphone, barely audible.

"Yes. Just a second," she said to the other person and returned to her phone call. "I just wanted to ask if you could come and visit him. I know he would appreciate it. It would help us all to have someone who'd been through it."

"Mrs. Davis…" they were persistent to gain her attention.

"Yes. I'll be right there," she got irritated at the other voice for disrupting her, but something made her listen to what he had to say.

Maya shut her eyes tight with a painful grimace, staying on the line as a mother was receiving the terrible news of her son's passing, unknowingly letting Maya listen through her meltdown. It was horrible to listen to, but Maya couldn't put the phone away. It was stuck to her ear in her clutching hand while tears rolled down her cheeks.

She didn't hear the exact words the other person said, but it was clear from her whimpering. Maya already knew it. She knew it the moment she picked up the phone. Because Leo was now standing right in front of her.

"Oh, God. Maya! Are you still there?" she was sobbing but trying to calm herself down after just realizing Maya was still on the line.

"I am so sorry for your loss," she mustered, barely audible.

Maya quickly hung up, unable to bear any second longer listening to her cries. She crumpled up to the floor, hugging her knees and clutching her necklace.

"It's not real. You're dreaming. He's not there. Wake up," she was whispering to herself.

The face of the person in front of her changed when he heard 'he's not there' and realized she meant him—his eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. Leo lowered down watching her carefully. He looked just like Leo she remembered, but grown up. No longer a thin blonde boy, but a fairly attractive freakishly tall young man.

She refused to look directly into his eyes, believing denying he was there would make it untrue. But she couldn't resist it forever. Eventually, her eyes met his dark brown eyes and they lighted up, realizing she was, indeed, seeing him.

"No way," he expressed disbelief. His voice was deeper than she remembered. "You see me, right?"

While hopelessly hiding behind her hands, Maya made a squeaking sound. Peeking through her fingers; unable to look away. Has she finally gone completely insane?

"You kept the necklace I gave you," he noticed.

Evaluating if she should talk to him or just pretend she couldn't see him and ignore this happening was keeping her occupied. What was a normal reaction to seeing someone who wasn't supposed to be there?

"I… I found it in our buried treasure the other day."

The widest smile lit up his face. This was the final confirmation that she could, in fact, see him and hear him.

"How… how can you see me? I did just die, you know."

"Why are you here and not with your mom?" deciding to scold him, Maya shocked even herself.

"Well, she didn't react to anything I did so I figured it was useless. Then I felt a strange pull and here I am…"

Maya was clutching the necklace, as she listened. It sounded rather fantastical…

'Haa… Have I finally started losing it?' It was too much for her. "Okay. I need to wake up now," Maya whispered.

"Wake up? But you're already awake. This is real, Maya." Leo had a genuine smile on his face as if elated this much was true.

"It can't be. If it were, I wouldn't see you, but… my mom."

Leo winced, then shrugged. "Maybe you'll see her too."

"Where is she? Can you find her there?" she looked at him with a pleading expression.

Leo hesitated. "I don't know. It's not exactly a place. I'm just here."

"Why are you so calm?" her tone was lightly accusatory.

Maya began hyperventilating. It started to catch up to her.

'I am seeing a ghost!'

"Why not?"

"You just, freaking, died!" Maya usually didn't feel a need to swear, but this time it somehow just came out of her.

Leo shrugged. "There's nothing I can do about it."

"Why not go back to haunt your body? Or, to try to get back? I'm sure there's… It hasn't been that long…"

"I can't."

"Why not? Why don't you try? Why does everybody just die and leave me? Why not fight?"

Maya was nearly shouting at Leo. Her feelings of frustration about her recent father's death were surfacing and somehow she found herself lashing at the spirit of her childhood friend she hadn't seen for many years.

She was angry at her father for not fighting hard enough. She begged him, every day, for more than a year, to fight for her and stay, not to leave her all alone, but he died anyway.

Why wasn't he here? To at least say goodbye. Why was there just someone to open her old wounds she didn't realize still hurt so much?

Not knowing what else to do, Leo suddenly hugged her.

It was surprisingly comforting, and she wondered why it felt so real.

'He wasn't really there… Why can I feel him?'

Feeling awkward she was just comforted by a ghost, she reached back for the phone. Determined now, she dialled Daria's number. Then, waited for the answer while receiving confused looks from Leo.

"Maya? Is that you?" Daria was quick to answer.

"How different?" Maya went straight to the point.

"Sorry?" the woman sounded confused.

"You said I was different. Special. Describe it. How different? Like, some kind of powers different?" Somehow her mind suddenly remembered that kid who told her she was a superhero.

"Yes. That's exactly what I meant. Can I come and talk to you in person? It's harder to explain like this."

"Are you offering me an enrolment in some kind of a school?"

"Yes. But it's more complicated."

"I'm in."

Maya had no hesitation. She was ready. Life had finally pushed her enough that she felt there was nothing more left to lose.