i see dead people

“Brody, have you met me? Being myself is definitely NOT going to work. Besides, everyone knows I’m hilarious,” He dismissed his friend’s comments with a wave of his hands before his eyes widened at the word ‘sex’. “Oh no, definitely not. I turn into a mess when someone remotely attractive says hi to me, how the hell would I be able to have sex with them.”

Brody smiled at his friend.  “I have met you, and you’re a great guy.  You just... need to let other people show it, you know?”

As Eugene’s eyes widened, Brody couldn’t help but laugh.  “Get you drunk, I dunno.”

Ella giggled.  “I’ll always say it, the awkward ones are the cutest.”

“Yeah, trust me I’ve heard – and seen, a lot of weird things in the two years I’ve been here. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve heard?”

Brody pondered for a few moments.  “I’ve heard of a girl who could control animals.  There was also a guy that could transform the properties of water.  He used it to turn water into beer.  Good party trick.  You?”

“A friend. Right. What, Mr Invisible?” Teagan rolled her eyes before pausing, arching an eyebrow. “Wait do you actually have an invisible friend?” Her eyes scanned the nearby area but she definitely couldn’t see anyone.

Brody nodded as she came to the realization that he did, in fact, have an invisible friend.  “Yeah.  Not the weirdest thing I’ve heard since I’ve been here.”

Anthony cocked his head slightly. “Interesting.” He bit his lip slightly, thinking about his brother, not sure if he was dead or alive. He hadn’t heard from his brother since the incident. He shook off his thoughts and looked back at the man in front of him. “Must keep life interesting, huh?”

Anthony let out a laugh. “A stalker, huh? Who is this stalker? Sounds interesting.” He began to smirk until he felt something beside him - but nothing was there. He smirk quickly faded and he stared back at the man. He leaned his head to the side. “Is your stalker here?”

“Oh, believe me, it does.  When I’m really tired, I can’t tell the difference,” he explained quietly.  

“Her name is Ella, and she’s a pain in my ass,” he replied.  

“Hey!  That’s not nice!”

“Hey, did you know that if you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.” Eugene grinned, shooting finger guns at the other. “What do you think? Good pick up line? Bad? Maybe I should try something different. Like… You must be a campfire. Because you’re super hot and I want s’more.”

Brody stared at his friend, unable to stop himself from chuckling.  He tried to hold it back, but the sound came out his nose as he shook his head.  “Try being yourself?” he asked slowly.  “Pickup lines only work if the person thinks your funny.  And funny is relative.  If you really like them... don’t go with the pickup line.  Besides, most long term relationships don’t start there.”

“Unless he’s just looking for sex, then it might work.”

Brody looked to the side, knowing his friend had a good point.  “Unless you’re just looking to hook up.  Then the second on might work.”

Anthony cocked his head slightly, staring at the man in front of him. He bit his lip, keeping himself from making another comment, and sat down quietly on the bench beneath him. He took another drag from his cigarette, “So some Sixth Sense shit, essentially?” He gave the man a smirk and let out a small laugh. “That actually sounds cool as hell. Can you, like.. talk to people too?”

Brody rolled his eyes, but nodded.  “Yeah,” he said, letting out an awkward little chuckle.  “Yeah, I can talk to them.  Some of them.  They have to want to talk to me first, if that makes sense.”  There were some spirits that simply meandered about their existence.  Others, like Ella, loved having a live person to talk to.  “It’s weird.”  

He glanced over at Ella.  “That’s who I was talking to.  A ghostly stalker,” he teased.

Anthony lifted up an eyebrow and eyed the area around the man speaking, not seeing a soul. He cocked his head just slightly and let out a small laugh. “A friend, huh? You look like quite the popular guy - all these people just flocking around you.” He stared at the man, taking a drag of his cigarette. “If you want me to leave - just fucking ask.”

Brody exhaled.  “Look, man, I’m sorry.  I didn’t want to come across as an ass.  I... my power is to see into a realm that most people can only rarely feel.”  He hated the phrase ‘i see dead people,’ and would only use it if someone pushed him hard enough.

Anthony was seated right outside the hallway. He grabbed a cigarette out of his pocket, sneakily lighting it. Shit, I need these. He took a deep breath, feeling relaxation go through his whole body. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the warm air flow through his hair. He heard someone begin to come out the door. Anthony stared at the man as he came out. As he spoke, Anthony gave a small chuckle. “Well Jesus Christ… and I thought I was a dick. Excuse me for just sitting here.”

Brody’s eyes immediately went from Ella over to the other man.  He sighed and shot a glare at his ghostly friend before shaking his head.  “Sorry, man.  I wasn’t talking to you,” he explained.  “I have this… friend… she’s rather attached and won’t… leave… me… alone…”  His tone was directed at Ella.

Meanwhile, the ghostly female was laughing hysterically at Brody.

Teagan ran a hand through her hair, heels clacking against the floor as she practically stormed through the corridors. The nerve of some people, sometimes she missed the isolation of jail. Hearing someone speak, Teagan whipped around, eyes narrowing instantly. “First of all, I didn’t even say anything to you, and there’s literally no one else here. Trust me pal, you don’t wanna start picking fights, especially with me.”

Ella was very good at getting Brody into all sorts of trouble, especially when he spoke to her with other people around.  He turned to look at the girl who spoke to him and blinked a few times before raising his hands, hoping that she understood that he meant no threat to her.  “I wasn’t,” he tried to explain.  He didn’t want to tell her that they were not alone.  That in fact there was more than just Ella around.

“Promise.  I have a friend that likes to make me look like an asshole.  I’m not, I swear.”

“You’re gonna be fine, Bro,” Ella smiled.  She was attached to him (why, Brody couldn’t figure out) and didn’t seem to ever leave his side.  She called herself his ‘spirit guide.’

“Can you leave me alone for one minute?” he sighed, not realizing that there was another staring at him, another person who couldn’t see Ella.