howlsentiment - Tumblr blog

[howlsentiment]

Chapter 1 - Another Day

*buzz buzz*

“Wake up buddy, it’s time for a new day” a dark sullen voice said.

*buzz buzz*

“We have business to take care of”

*buzz buzz click*

“I just need 15 more minutes, after fifteen more minutes exactly i’m sure I’ll wake up reinvigorated with the energy to start my day” the boy thought to himself. His world was now fading into a dark cloud as he started to doze off.

*buzz buzz*

“Breakfast is ready sweetie come and get some!” This time it was a much softer, kinder voice that greeted him. “If you don’t come down soon it’ll get cold!....or I’ll eat it all”

“Mmkaaay I’l be daown in won minet” the boy replied sleepily. He wasn’t going to be down in one minute. The boy wasn’t a spry one, but he wasn’t particularly lazy either. He just always had a hard time convincing himself that his bed isn’t where he should always be. He lay in his dark room which wasn’t of much note either. A computer and a few books is all that could really be seen around and a messy desk where rarely any time was spent because he much preferred the bed. He was a college loner, not because he was particularly awkward or because he was particularly ugly, but instead by choice. He was actually particularly liked by most people, especially it would seem so by the man sitting in his room with him.

“Get good sleep sleepyhead?” The boy nodded

“Alright good, you have another long hard day of work today, these spirits aren’t gonna pass on themselves”. This man was no man, he was death incarnate, some would say a grim reaper. It would seem this boy had a gift, ever since he was in middle school he started noticing that he could see the dead, and all at once he started noticing the strange man too. He didn’t know really what he could do with his power other than get picked on at school for being scared all the time. This made him become distant with his fellow classmates and thusly he started attending school alot less just to avoid interaction and found peace within himself...and this man

“You haven’t found me many ghosts recently i’ve noticed, have you been getting lazy ? If you get lazy you know I’d get angry, and you know what happens when I’m angry right”

The message was coming across loud and clear, his tight grip on the twined scythe and sunken eyes would strike fear to anybody in the world and fear that this day was his last, but to him, it was a wednesday.

After a good 5 or ten minutes he heard the voice come from downstairs again,

“I made chicken porridge!”

This time he did not hesitate. He hastily rolled out of bed, put on one of his 3 outfits that he cycles through and ran down the stairs. But as he approached the stairs he noticed he might’ve seemed too excited so as to not show how happy he was, he slowed down his speed as he descended the stairs.

“Good morning mom.”

“Good morning Sol, how come you couldn’t greet me with the same enthusiasm i heard when i told you i had chicken porridge for you?”

His mom was a kind soul, with nothing but love and warmth in her heart. Even though they wouldn’t always get along, she would always prioritized her son's happiness and safety in every situation. He’s always relied on her whenever he felt down, and even though there were times where he felt that he was taking advantage of her and maybe he hurt her feelings, she would never take it out on him, she would always just smile and tell him that everything was alright.

“Sorry” he smiled with the might of his 8am energy and repeated himself with a chuckle “Good morning mom, I hope you didn’t wake up too early to prepare this”

“Don’t worry about me sweetie, I never get sleep anyways” she smiled and snickered over the sink continuing to wash the dishes. “I’ve been noticing that you were feeling down so I wanted to surprise you with something nice this morning, you know, to kickstart your day a bit!””

He knew that was exactly what she was doing, and without a secondary motive to been seen from miles away. He knew by the way she prepared the meal. Rice slow cooked in the broth from the chicken in a boil with alot of nice chopped garlic with eggs salted perfectly finished with green onions. Everything he loved and nothing he didn’t. She didn’t even mention the lil sausages she prepared on the side to pair with the meal.

“You didn’t have to mom, I’m feeling alright. It’s just...you wouldn’t understand.”.....

….

….

Sol’s mom continued to stare at him as if she was waiting for something to emerge out of this awkward pause. Her kind eyes piercing through him as if they were daggers.

“...thank you mom”

“You’re welcome honey, and yes I wouldn’t understand what you’re going through, but I can still try to cheer you up” Her smile glowed even warmer as if otherworldly. “How’s school been for you hun?”

“Oh you know, math and books, and writing and pencils, oh and im drinking ALOT, like a WHOLE TON, and I’ve been partyiiiiing and oh yeah a whole bunch of drugs too”

“Ooooh no im sooooo scared, I would say that if I wasn’t happy that if this were true, you’d at least finally have friends to be doing the drinking and the drugging with”

“Well I have-”

“She doesn’t count” She said sternly, ending with a smile. Sol has had only one friend his entire life. Her name was Madison and they met at both of their lonely spots they would have throughout the school. At first they would just eat lunch silently distant from eachother, but one day when Sol noticed Madison didnt bring lunch, he offered part of his food because his mother would always overpack his lunches. And just like magic, a friendship was born.

“You have to get new friends, its not healthy to only have one friend, and you’re such a sweet person, I’m sure if you had the chance to talk to anyone they would become close to you immediately.”

“Oh sure here let me just get new friends, easy done, all I have to do is get over my crippling social anxiety and I’ll just BAM super popular kid COMING THROUGH” He said this a bit harsher than he intended mostly fueled by the anger he felt from feeling like such an inept person and as he looked over at his mom, he noticed her weakened disheveled look.

“I’m sorry mom, I promise I’ll try harder okay?”

“That’s my boy” She smiled and continued her work

Sol finished his and went over to put the food bowl away and help his mom.

“What are your plans today mom?”

“Oh the usual, clean, watch some TV, go on a walk, maybe spook a few neighbors along the way oooOOOoOOoooo”

Sol chuckled, “Don’t spook them too much, they’d want you to keep ‘haunting’ them instead of me” A big grin spread across his moms face and she just said

“You know I’d never leave you, you’re my precious child”

“I know mom, I know”

After they finished washing the dishes he went upstairs to pick up his backpack and the man was still there waiting patiently.

“Did you save me anything?”

“Fuck off”

“Woah woah woah language mister. I don’t know how you think you’ll help all these spirits pass peacefully with a mouth like that. Tut tut, did your mom teach you those words?” The man said.

“Yes actually she did” The boy continued the get together his things to get ready for school. “I don’t wanna hurt anyone.”

“Why do you insist on helping these people? They’ve never helped you”

“I’m not Helping anyone, it’s just easier not to deal with people’s sad emotions...and ghosts are annoying”

He finished packing up his bags and ran back downstairs.

“Goodbye mom ! Don’t spook the neighbors too much!” He said hurriedly running through the door.

“Sol you forgot this !” His mom runs out to the half indoor sol and hands him his lunch.

“Mom I’m an adult, you don’t have to pack me lunch all the time I can just buy it” He looked embarrassed at the school lunch with a big heart drawn on top of it.

“Once you have friends to get lunch with we can talk.” She said with another one of her smiles. She leaned over to give him a kiss on his forehead but as she went for the kiss,

She passed through him.

“Oh right, I forgot that I can’t do that anymore” She looked as if all her strength was sapped out of her, and joy leaked out of every crevasse in her body leaving just an empty husk.

“Yeah, if you keep doing that you’re gonna undo all the dak-juk did” sol said light heartedly to lift the mood. This did not work.

“Sorry” She looked sadder than ever, that bright beautiful smile was not replaced with a grey and muted one as if she was seeing her whole life work collapse infront of her. Seeing how upset she was, Sol kissed two of his fingers, and placed it on his forehead. This did seem to work and some of her glow was restored in her eyes.

“See you mom” He said with a grin, “Spook the fuck out of our neighbors for me”

“Language!”