It worked she was flying well more like floating just outside her window, but it was still, "Awesome!" She squealed and heard a slight chuckle in the breeze. She couldn't see them but knew the three of them were right there floating too.
It is, let's fly. David says with glee.
It was like there was something invisible holding her up she could almost feel it too but before she could fully enjoy the fully flying experience there was a noise and she yelped as she is dropped a bit though something grabbed her quickly and before she knew it she was hanging by her hands from her window sill.
It was scary, and she almost started crying but a voice whispered, I've got you. It was Dwayne this time.
The cold wind like feeling had her hands and was around her waist too, she was safe but why did they let her go?
"Lily!" Came a shout from inside her room, it was her grandmother, suddenly solid hands found her own and pulled her back inside.
Her grandma was now holding onto her hugging her and the feeling from before was gone, pulling back from her granddaughter she grabs her by her shoulders to look her in the eyes and after a quick once over to see that she was alright asked, "Just what were you trying to do!?" It was asked in a worried tone, but the raised voice made her lower her eyes and her lower lip started to tremble.
Just then she hears a familiar voice telling her to lie and seemed to come from inside of her, it was all very confusing but... She listened.
"I... I saw a bird." Star looks at the little girl in disbelief, "You saw a bird? How did that make you nearly fall out the window?"
"I wanted to pet it... so I opened the window, but I leaned out too far... and fell." She started out strong but mostly whispered the last part as tears started to fall thus her grandmother dropped it not being able to interrogate her crying granddaughter.
"Alright, it's okay.. just don't try something like that again... the fright alone may have taken several years off my life." Star only half-jokes.
The girl nods and wipes at her eyes, "Why don't you come sleep with me tonight?" The older woman offered.
"No, I'm not a baby I can sleep alone!" Star sighs, "I know you can, but I want you to-" Shaking her head the little brunette presses on, "I promise not to do it again and I'll go right to bed!" After having said that Lily scrambles up quickly from the floor and hops onto her bed before pulling up her blankets, "See? I'm going to sleep now."
The older Emerson doesn't appear too happy with the younger ones' decision but after getting up from the floor and closing the window, making sure to pull the curtains closed tightly so there's no more birds for the little girl to see and glancing around the room warily she relents with a sigh.
"Okay, but I'm leaving the door open and I'll be sleeping just across the hall in the spare bedroom if you need me." She kisses her forehead before leaving.
Counting to one hundred slowly with her eyes closed the girl thinks that enough time has passed so she quietly asks, "David... are you a secret?"
It's quiet a moment longer before the temperature drops a bit and David's voice replies to her question with one of his own.
What makes you think that?
"Because you said to lie... you don't want grandma to know you're here do you, is that why you dropped me?"
Another laugh flows through her, sorry that was me, your grammy startled me but don't worry I'd never let you get hurt.
Paul's right you don't need to worry you're safe with us. The third voice which she identified as Dwayne spoke, it was getting easier to tell the voices apart.
"So, are you a secret?"
Hmm, no your grandmother knows we're around. She just doesn't know that we're friends with you. David says thoughtfully.
"Would it be bad if she found out?" Lily inquires.
Yes, she's afraid of us. Paul chimes in, but you don't have to be.
"I'm not, cause that'd be silly. Why would anybody be afraid of you?" Lily asks seriously.
Why indeed? David states more than questions in a sarcastic tone.
Another voice laughs at his words but Lily doesn't understand the joke.
People are scared of things that they can't see. Dwayne explains.
"Oh... well can you not be invisible then?" Her tone turned excited at the thought of actually getting to see the boys she was talking to.
Being visible would take more strength than we have at the moment, unfortunately. Dwayne answers.
Lily pouts but then gets happy again with her next question, "Then you'll be able to do it later?"
Possibly. David adds.
The smell of smoke surrounds her again and she wonders how can someone invisible smoke? But there was another question bugging her more.
"Are you guys ghosts?" Her mom said they didn't exist and she's never been wrong before but... well it made the most sense, didn't it?
David again answers her question with one of his own, If I said yes would that scare you?
She shakes her head back and forth, "No... so you're like Casper then?"
A familiar voice starts laughing hysterically at those words, quickly the girl sits up with a finger to her mouth she shushes him while giving a warning, "Be quiet or you'll wake up grandma!"
A slightly annoyed voice answers, it was David.
Your grandmother can't hear us and no we're not 'like' a cartoon ghost.
"Why can't she?" Lily continues to ask despite having maybe annoyed her ghostly friend, she was curious though.
Dwayne is the one that answers. She doesn't want to hear us, so she doesn't, it would take a lot of effort to talk to someone that isn't open to us.
The young girl just nods though she doesn't quite understand what he means by open to them and before she can think to ask about it the ongoing laughter distracts her as it only starts dying down enough for him to speak.
Oh man if only Marko was here to hear that... Paul laughs some more, or even just to have seen that look in your face.
A grunt is heard, she thinks it's David and he doesn't sound happy with Paul so he's probably talking about the look on David's face... Lily wishes she could see it too but is once again distracted by something else.
"Marko? Like Marco Polo?" The laugh that had died down after he spoke picks right back up.
If you ever meet him, you gotta say that!
Dwayne sighs. Don't tell her to do that, he'd hate it.
I know but that's what would make it so funny! Paul laughs.
"Is he a ghost too?" The ever curious girl asks.
Probably. Dwayne answers while Paul yells out, Ow, why'd you hit me for? Stop rolling your eyes at me!
'Ow.' Really? David questions.
It's a natural reflex! Paul says in his own defense.
"So, you're not sure if he's a ghost, why not?" Lily asks with a slight giggle at Paul's antics.
Because he's not here. David tells her in a more somber tone.
"Where is he?"
Was this the one they mentioned before the little girl wonders.
At our home still, I'd guess. Paul speaks wistfully.
"This isn't your home?" Lily asked in surprise.
No. David answered simply and plainly.
"Then why are you here and not there?" She questions curiously.
That's a long story... and you need your rest. David says in a no-nonsense voice.
"Aww, but-" Lily protests.
Go to sleep and I'll tell you the story tomorrow night if you want.
"Okay," She wanted to know now but Lily had a feeling if she kept pushing he'd just get angry she thought she had a pretty good inner mood meter detector, "Good night."
After they all give their good night responses Lily asks, "So I'll talk to all of you, tomorrow right?"
Tomorrow night yes. Once again it is Dwayne that answers her question he seemed to have the most patience for her curiosity she vaguely notices.
"Why at night?" Lily asks while barely holding back a yawn, guess she really is tired but the little brunette wouldn't admit that to them.
Ghosts have to sleep too. A voice snickered, it was Paul.
"Oh, that makes sense."
And to an eight-year-old it did, so shortly afterward she drifts off to sleep.
-
The next day Lily was with her grandmother at the kitchen table, Star had felt bad about not spending any time with her since her arrival and wanting to ignore some of the strange things going on around her by pretending everything was fine and making a day of it.
'It' being board games which for the most part wasn't really what the youngest brunette wanted to do as she'd rather play video games or even go to the boardwalk but was recently told by her grandma Star that she wasn't old enough... arguing that they had rides for kids like the Ferris wheel she wanted to ride didn't work in her favor especially after what happened last night.
Currently, the two were playing Life, after having played a long game of Monopoly and a short game of Clue already today.
"Stop. Get Married." Lily reads before sticking out her tongue at the idea, "Do I have to?" She whines which makes her grandmother laugh, "It's a part of life." Star hands the younger girl a blue figure to set beside her pink one in the car, reluctantly she puts it in the car with the character representing herself, "Not a part of my life..." The girl mutters under her breath.
"You won't always think boys are yucky." The older woman spins and also stops at the get married spot.
"It's not boys but marriage which means kisses and... babies, that's the yucky part."
After all, why would she ever wanna swap spit with some boy or change a drooling baby's diaper? No way not her idea of a fun life. That was totally not in her future! As her favorite anime ninja says 'Believe it!'
Star grabs another blue figure and adds it to her own car piece, "Hmm, you'll change your mind... I know since I'm in the car I'll name the other one Michael." Her voice is wistful as she speaks his name, "I know you should name yours too." Star adds more cheerfully.
Lily frowns and looks down at her car holding her pink figure and blue one, she didn't want to marry but it was just a game...
She was still never getting married but if it's not real then who should she marry?
"Okay, I'll call him..." Pausing and giving it some thought Lily grins before saying, "David."
Her grandmother gasps and she looks up in response her own smile fading, "What's wrong?"
Star's hands tremble a bit as she fiddles with her own player piece, "Why... why did you choose that name?" Lily shrugs, "I dunno, cause I like it."
"Well... can you pick another one that you like?" The girl frowns at those words and asks, "Why?"
Star sets the little car figure down, "You know what never mind, I'm suddenly hungry how about dinner?" Not waiting for her granddaughter's response, she gets up and goes over to the fridge and starts rummaging around.
Lily thinks her grandma is being strange but well she's an old lady and old people were funny that way, at least that's what she decides to tell herself.
Having nothing else to do and not wanting to watch or help cook she leaves the room and goes to watch tv until dinner is ready.
Once again there's nothing on the television so mostly she just sits on the couch zoned out staring at the screen, earlier before her grandma decided to make a board game day for the two of them she'd found herself back at the spot with the dead ground and delivered it more flowers. Lily was pretty sure that's where her ghostly friend's bodies were buried but she didn't really want to think about that part of what being as ghost means...
The dead part, meaning that her friends died... she didn't like death it was scary.
The ghosts though weren't, and they made this vacation interesting at least the night part anyways her days were somewhat lacking but at least it was better than being at home would be.
Usually, the last thing she wanted was for the sun to go down because that meant she'd have to go to her room while her parents screamed about stupid things... even her mom but it was still completely her dad's fault she thought stubbornly.
This summer though Lily had just started counting down the hours until she could see well not see but talk to the ghosts again, maybe tonight they could play a game... not a board game though.
"Dinner's ready!" A voice calls pulling her from her thoughts but before she can make her way back to the kitchen her grandmother comes to her with a tray, "We're eating in here?" The young brunette questions.
"I thought tonight we'd have dinner and a movie." The girl agrees though silently asking what movie because the channels here suck, but Lily wasn't going to say this aloud.
Luckily Star plugged in an old VCR player and had some tapes lying around thus the two watched 'The Brandy Bunch Movie' and ate grilled cheese and tomato soup.
After they finished eating Star went to the kitchen to drop the dishes off in the sink for later as Lily watched and laughed at Marsha getting hit in the face with a football when Star came back she had some homemade chocolate chip cookies and milk. It was by far the most fun she'd had with her grandmother thus far, but it was over too quickly luckily that meant it was time to get ready for bed which also meant her ghosts would come out soon.
"Make sure to brush your teeth really well after those cookies." Star tells her, and she nods while heading upstairs, "I will!"
Inside her room, she changes into her nightgown the one with the bunny hood attracted to it, it was her favorite one and good at keeping her warm too and since her friends made things a little cold it worked despite it being summer.
Looking around her room for a sign that the ghost boys were around she decides they weren't yet before doing as her grandmother told her and going to brush her teeth.
-
Downstairs Star was doing the dishes after putting away the remains of the game Life, she wasn't going to be able to look or play that game any time soon... of all the names her granddaughter could have picked...
Shaking her head, she dries off her hands and decides to go check on Lily, walking up the stairs deep in thought when she suddenly stops upon hearing a voice.
It was Lily... was she talking to herself Star wondered, she's yet to hear her do so but maybe it wasn't usual for the little girl with that in mind she continues her climb.
Until she hears laughter coming from the bathroom, that was a little strange what could she find funny by herself? Walking up to the door Star raises her hand to knock when she hears a second name she wished to never hear again.
"Stop it," Lily giggles, "Give me back my toothbrush Paul."
Star feels lightheaded, her heart stops... this can't be happening.
Without a second thought, she slams open the door to see Lily looking at her in surprise and a lone toothbrush covered in toothpaste laying innocently on the floor.
Silence rang throughout the house until Lily broke it.
"Grandma are you okay?"
Lily thought she looked like she saw a ghost or something but that was impossible because her ghosts were invisible.
"Who," Star stops to swallow her throat dry, "Who were you talking to just now?"
Frowning the girl hears once again a voice telling her to lie, of course, she didn't need to be told that to know that she should and would do so again, "Nobody."
Star trembles and wishes that were true, "Don't lie to me!" Her voice is raised and causes Lily's eyes to widen in response, "I'm-I'm not... I was just talking to myself."
"No, no you weren't!" Star storms forward and grabs her arm before pulling her out of the bathroom into the girl's temporary bedroom. Letting go of her when she finds what she's looking for Star grabs Lily's unused cell phone and thrusts it at the stunned girl, "Call your dad," Looking at the phone being handed to her and the woman holding it out her lip starts to tremble, "Why?"
"Because you're going home!"