Ghost Kisses by H.L. Dyer (comprehension books .TXT) 📕

Michael then starts to fade out of sight with the pencil laying on the desk once more and the notebook closed.
Tammy sighs and then makes her way downstairs onto the back deck. She knew her mother wouldn't believe her if Tammy told her about Michael and what he just confessed. She stares up at the rafters of the roof overhead, rain pattering against tile and rolling down into the overflowing gutter. 'Michael said that his uncle is in a limbo, so it can't be that bad as long as he stays like that while we're here.'

She figured. Then, Tammy' mind begins to wander to when Michael showed himself. He was so young and had his whole life ahead of him. "Tammy, what are you doing out there? You'll catch a cold!" Her mother scolded. Tammy got up from the porch swing she was sitting on and went back inside. "Is everything okay?" Her mother asked. "Yeah." Tammy replied indifferently. "You don't sound convincing, Tam." "Look, I'm fine. Just the weather bumming me out, I'll get over it." She protested.
As the day dragged on, Tammy did her daily routine and when she had free time left, she sat on her bed and tried to read with no avail. "It's no use...all of this is going on way to fast! I have so many questions for him...." At the corner of her eye, she sees the book opened and the pencil scribbiling away. "Questions for whom?"

"For you, Michael, I just don't know where to begin!" Tammy said in despair. "Ask away."

"Well, do you still wish you were alive? What were your parents like? How long will your uncle stay in limbo?" "Okay....where to begin? There are times when I do wish I was still alive. I died young, so I wasn't able to experience what other people my age get to experience. My dream was to be a reporter, but so much for that. My parents....they were great. My father worked as a lawyer and my mother was any normal stay at home mom. We were pretty well off, we would take the occasional vacation to Arizona, Wyoming, sometimes even outside the states. We both agreed though that the best place to be was Ireland. It was so beautiful and inspiring. As for my uncle, who knows? He could be like that for a century, a decade, or even for as little as a few weeks. The most important factor is if we don't interact too often, that's basically the only way he'll be able to find out that there are living people here."

Tammy hesitated before saying, "I have one more question," When Michael made no reply, Tammy continued, "The night before you started writing to me, were-were you on my bed?" Suddenly, the book closed and the pencil dropped harshly with a clatter on the wood of the desk, startling Tammy. "Michael? Are you there?" No reply. "Did I say something wrong?" Tammy wondered out loud. That night, Tammy laid on her side, facing the window from which the faint singing of frogs could be heard. 'I hadn't meant to scare Michael away...I just hope it won't be for good.'

Tossing and turning, she was unable to get to sleep until three in the morning.
It had been a week without any interaction with Michael. She continued onward in school and at home like a normal teenager, but she was even more distant than usual. Tammy continuously thought about him, when he showed himself to her, when he wrote, and then finally to the question that startled him and she would finally come back to reality. The effects of her many sleepless nights soon took its toll on Tammy as she skips many days of school due to a bad cold, which didn't fair in her favor of sleep as she coughs from her sinuses draining to her throat. However, as time slowly progressed, the nuisance faded away. When Friday night came, she laid in bed when she suddenly felt the bed sink. She looked behind her, the weight was still there. "Michael?" She whispers. No reply the weight unchanging when she suddenly feels something to the feeling of a current of cool air wrap around her waist, causing her to gasp in surprise. Then she suddenly felt the effects of her many sleepless nights sink in and falls into a deep slumber.
That morning, Tammy slowly wakes up with the weight of the bed gone as well as the cool air against her waist. She got up and saw her notebook open and the pencil lying there. "Good morning."

was written on the page. "Michael, I'm sorry if what I had said a couple of week ago hurt you." Tammy apologized quietly. "You didn't hurt me, I was just afraid that what my reply would be would only endanger you more."

"You're not putting me in danger, Michael, how many times do I have to say that? If you have something to say then just say it." Tammy said. Suddenly, three little letters made the room spin and made Tammy's heart jump to her throat. "I love you."

"...What?" Tammy skeptically breathed. "I know it's sudden, at first I thought I was just confusing this feeling with the sudden social interaction after my years of loneliness, but as I watched you this week in your insomniac states...tossing and turning because you were concerned for me, plus your illness causing you grief and I couldn't do anything...I couldn't bear it. I wanted to do anything in my power to comfort you...and so, that's why I was by your side last night."

"You're right, Michael, this is too sudden! I've only been here for three months now, and you just now come out with this. I'm sorry, but I find this all hard to believe." Tammy said, shaking her head. "...That doesn't surprise me, usually you have a hard time believing anything. That was a stupid thing I said, so just forget it."

"You're not going to leave me again, are you?" Tammy asks quickly. "No. I said it was a stupid thing I said, not that it was false. I don't want to see you like that again."

"And what about your uncle, huh? You're so scared of him, what will he think about this?" "...I don't know, Tammy, I really don't know."

Was the last thing that Michael wrote before he disappeared again. Suddenly, Tammy's cell phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. "Hello?" Tammy sighed. "Hey, Tammy, do you want to come over and watch a movie?" Erin asked. Tammy wasn't sure how to reply. She didn't want to be bothered, but probably getting some air would help clear her head from all the drama with Michael. "Sure, why not?"
Erin opened the door a few minutes after Tammy knocked. "Hey, come on in!" Tammy followed Erin into the living room and sat on the beige couch silently. "So, what do you want to watch?" Erin asked. Tammy shrugged, "Surprise me." Erin then pops in the DVD and grabs the bowl of popcorn that was on the coffee table in front of them. "So, where's your parents?" Tammy asked. "They went shopping, we have a whole hour and forty-minutes." Erin replied. The film contained the usual horror movie elements: vengeful ghost demons and a lot of jump-scenes to spare. Tammy started becoming queasy in the stomach as she watched the ghosts kill their innocent victims. Not taking her eyes off of the TV, Tammy swallows back some bile before asking "Where's your bathroom?" Erin looks over at her and gestures with her right arm. "Upstairs and to the left." Tammy got up and practically ran up the stairs, stockinged feet thudding hard against the carpeted wood.
Shutting the door behind her, Tammy gripped the edge of the sink firmly, letting out sharp heaves of breath before running some water and washing her face to try to calm herself down. Suddenly, she hears a knock and from behind the door emanates Erin's voice. "Tammy, are you okay?" "Fine. Just give me a minute." Tammy croaks out. She then looks at her reflection in the mirror ahead of her, the same chocolate-brown eyes staring back at her, the same deep brunette hair flowing down her back, but her skin is pale and her face looks somewhat aged with the many nights of restless sleep. Her heavy breathing decreases to slow, deep breaths. "Tammy, I'm coming in." Erin said before opening the door. She then sees Tammy crouched on the floor, legs hugged into her chest across the room. "It's only been three months...I can' believe how much it's changed me..." She whispers as if she didn't notice Erin coming in. "Tammy?" Erin asked nervously, causing Tammy looked up at her. "What is going on? You've been so distant and tired lately. Plus those many days you were out sick-..." Tammy shook her head. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you." Erin sighs then stated seriously, "This looks like a job for a sleep over."
That night, Tammy sat across from Erin on her bed wearing their night clothes as she told her all that's happened up to now. Erin remained silent for what seemed like hours before she said, "So that's why everyone keeps moving out of that house so quickly...I heard rumors but thought that's all they were." "What am I supposed to do, Erin? Mom and I can't just move out, but if what Michael said was true, then we will be in serious danger." Erin shook her head. "You shouldn't have to go through all of this." Was all she could reply. "What's worse was that now, Michael said he was in love with me. I