A Strange Stranger

"What.... What do you mean?" I responded him quite overwhelmed.

"You don't have to be so scared. I'm not gonna take away that charm. Relax. I was literally trying to save you earlier, remember?" He said

"It's not like I'll let you take it away just like that! How do you know about ghosts anyway?" I ask him I was still having hard time trusting him so I maintained my careful stance.

"I happen to be one of them." he states matter of factly.

"So? That makes you trustworthy?" I don't know why but I was still wary of him. After knowing that I could potentially be destroyed I can never take a stranger casually, that too someone who knows what I am.

"Well, no... but what else am I supposed to say? Don't worry I'm not a charm-destroyer?"he tries to reason with me, while finger-quoting the words 'charm destroyer'.

"Fine, show me your charm and I'll at least believe that you're a ghost." I offer.

"I can see you!! What else could I possibly be?" he rolls his eyes at me exasperated. "But even if you insist, I can't right now. Not while I'm possessing this guy." he points to himself.

"Wait, you're possessing someone." my eyes widen, since I did not realize that sooner. How do you even tell the difference? Sure alive people can't, but can dead people? I have to learn that.

"Of course, look carefully this guy looks exhausted. He's supposed to be sleeping while I was borrowing his body." he explains further.

"Well that explains the sleep-deprived face." I comment.

"Well yeah! I look far better than this." he proclaims defensively "I thought you were a civilian. You don't think I'll come and save an alive person like that and make them more confused, would you? "

"You could have manifested your apparition." I suggest

"People know who I am, or I was at least. It hasn't been that long for me yet. If anything I'll drive someone to their death instead of saving them if they happen to know me beforehand." he rolls his eyes again.

"So... that's why you could see me, You're like me! You're a ghost too! It's not my apparition. Oh thank God!" I sigh in relief. " But still stay away from me!" I warned him.

"Alright. What were you doing up here anyway? Trying to re-enact how you died?" He smirks.

"No! This is not how I died... I think."

" What do you mean 'you think'? You don't remember?" his raises his eye.

"Yeah." I say. I'm tired of explaining everything everytime. I'm not gonna say anything more.

"Wow! Maybe then you did commit suicide. You know what go ahead and jump maybe you will figure it out." I moves his fingers pointing down.

"What!? Why?!" Is he crazy? A moment ago he wanted me to not jump and now he wants me to jump. Sure he found out I'm dead, but that doesn't mean he'll encourage me to jump. I think he suffers from split personality or something. Maybe ghosts have that too.

"You're curious right? I'm sure you wouldn't be back from junction point unless you were really that curious about your death. Most people who come back are the ones who're curious about their death." He replies.

"Why? Aren't they supposed to remember how they died?"

"Well if that's so, how come you don't remember?" he gives me a look of haughty derision

"I'm special. I don't remember anything." I roll my eyes at him.

"Wow you're really screwed up, aren't you?" He nods head while chuckling. This guy finds it funny? And he says I'm the one who's screwed up. What a weirdo.

"Well Miss Special, I'm not kidding when I say you should try jumping. Memories or not, powerful moments like death have a great impact on our souls. You will definitely feel something, if something related to your death is there. Or you re-enact your death." He explains. "Thanks to that every time I see that ba****d, my head starts to hurt." He continues in a murmur. Fortunately as a ghost I could hear that as well.

"Thanks to who now?" I ask.

He looked up as he realised I heard him. But he didn't seem to mind.

"This guy. He's a criminal. I was working undercover with him you know, tailing him, before he found out who I was and to get rid of me, he shot me in the head" He said casually as if it was no big deal. I mean sure he must have been prepared for the consequences but I would still expect him to be a little more sensitive.

"You sure look very traumatized at that." I say sarcastically as I roll my eyes at him.

"You don't have to believe me now. But someday you will, when you found out how you died. That feeling of impending doom of death, everyone has that.It's strong enough to retain itself even after death." He said it seriously this time.

Hearing his words suddenly I remembered the day I first saw Timothy. The almost car crash scenario which made me numb and confused and my apparition manifest followed by the chaos in the street. That confusing moment suddenly started to make so much sense. So maybe my death was due to a car crash. I mean why not? But do every accident victim get the choice of coming back? I wonder.

"I... don't think I committed suicide. If you what you're saying is correct then my death could be due to a car crash. I.. did have a feeling similar to that."

"That's weird. Accident victims rarely get the chance."

"They do? So maybe mine had to do something with accident?" I suggest.

"Maybe a murder?" he suggests non-challantly. "That would be so cool."

I stare at him wide eyed. His priorities amazed me. Did he like murders or what? Every thing related to death amused this guy, as if more horrifying it is the better.

"Let's not get carried away, I still have a lot to find out." I say to him awkwardly.

"Well, I have to say though. I'm glad you didn't commit suicide.In my experience, that's the worst. I have a friend who committed suicide and to this day he regrets it."

"And how long is this 'to-this-day's is?" I raise my eyebrow at him.

"Almost half a century? Give or take"

"That's... quite long!? I'm surprised he stuck around that long. I mean it's rare to stick around when you killed yourself to get out of this mess, right? Why would you want to stay back in the same mess"

"I guess. But then again the mess doesn't follow you after death". He says. "Honestly I think Ken is much happier as a ghost."

My eyes widened at that. "WHAT!!" I almost shout. "wait, Ken?! As in Kenneth Welsh?" the sweet kid who looks like a 20 year old?"

Now his eyes widened at my statement. "Do you... Know him?" he asks me terrified.

"Well yeah. I've been living with them in their house for a while now. What's your name.?" I ask curious about this friend of Ken's.

"I.. I don't want to say." He almost whispers.

"Why? You are a friend of his right? Let me verify if you're being honest or not.Ill ask him if he knows you or not"I'm retaliate, while folding my hands trying to appear dominant.

"You don't really have to. I'm okay with you not believing me. Just don't tell Ken I said anything about the suicide." He looked terrified.

"Are you... afraid of him." I ask quite amused at his behavior.

"What? NO! I just don't want to jeopardize our friendship. It's strained enough due to Margaret and Carter."

"Whats that got to do with anything?" Wait! Do you work for Carter?"

"No??" he raises his eyebrows as he hopes I'll believe him, so I narrow my eyes at him. Seeing how that was not gonna happen, he sighs.

"Never mind. I'm Oliver Montez." he extends his hand.

"I'm Chloe." I say. I reply with a smile. He might have touched my hand before when he pulled me up, but I'm not going to let him this time. It seems he is somehow related to Carter. Did he say he say he's friends with Ken? Does Margaret know? Or she is okay with just Oliver.