Float On

[Alasdair Galloway]

BANG!

Alasdair had not been able to sleep for most of the night due to a combination of factors, but mostly because of the intermittent sound of gunshots being fired off by his neighbors in the apartment complex. Sure, it wasn’t the best place – things rarely worked and the landlords were more myths than actual living beings – but this was an uncommon situation. He had heard something about preparing for hunting rats or the like, but hunting held no interest for the young man. Research, however…

BANG!

Research was the other reason he hadn’t slept much. Tuesday night, Mallory appointed Alasdair as her new squire, and gave him the weapon to go along with that new title. A title, he hoped, would impress Max’s father should word get back to the man. After that, he had spent some time dancing with friends, this time hoping to pick up some moves that would impress Max herself. Returning in the early morning, Alasdair eschewed sleep in favor of researching how the spear worked, and its history. It was the history that kept him restless; the original owners died suddenly. This struck a nerve, as he was all too familiar with a death coming from nowhere.

BANG!

Attempting to get some sleep so late in the morning was fruitless. The loud noises and nagging thought in his mind conspired to keep him awake, and so Alasdair went about beginning his day. He hadn’t told Max about the news, but she was likely asleep now so he would wait. Instead, Alasdair considered doing more research into finding the cause of the sudden death of the original owners of the spear now in his possession; might as well go to the library to see what could be found. After showering and dressing for the day, he started to leave before stopping and looking toward the spear – considering if he should bring it along or leave it here. There wasn’t any need to take it, but perhaps he could get more practice in. A decision was made, and then Alasdair was out the door.

BANG!

He hoped by the time he returned that this would be out of their system, even if it came at the expense of some poor helpless rats. Maybe he would go to the Underground himself and see if he could rescue some of them, or at least set up some safe haven. Hunting for food or to control the population was one thing, but hunting for sport was another. These thoughts went through his mind until he felt a sudden sting to his side. It felt like a bee sting, but it was too cold for them now, and how did it get under his shirt and jacket?

“Shit! Hey, you okay?”

Puzzled by the question shouted at him and annoyed at the stinging sensation, Alasdair looked down to his side as the pain from that area started to spread. “Oh,” was the only word he could utter as his finger entered his body through the fresh bullet hole in his side. He felt a shudder of cold, and one moment later, Alasdair felt nothing at all.

[Alasdair Galloway]

My poor parents… having to bury both of their sons. That’s not fair. They deserve better. All I wanted to do was make them proud… as proud as Niall made them. It was hard but I was trying hard too. And Max! Max and I were just getting started. I think we were at least. There was a future with her – I saw it. I think she might have thought so too, but maybe I was getting ahead of myself. I really like her though. And we didn’t even get a chance. And Eden! I should have thanked her more for being so wonderful and kind to me. And Bailey and Phil and Rory and Mallory! Mallory… I was a squire for a day. Kind of let her down. Huh, I never noticed that I’ve been kind of making friends, for all the good that does me. Such a stupid way to go.

… why is it I’m still hearing my thoughts if I’m dead? This doesn’t look like Heaven… it looks like I’m still right outside my door. And glowing blue. I didn’t think being dead would be like this. Oh! The spear, you idiot. Good thing I decided to take it with me and haven’t gotten a sling for it. It made me incorporeal; saved my life. Must have been some instinct or something… Never would have thought to use it like this until I needed to. Great. So, I’m a living ghost with a hole in him. Gotta fix that up soon. Don’t know how long I can stay like this. So what to do?

Looks like those stupid kids ran off. I bet they didn’t even call for help. I’m going to pretend I’m a ghost and haunt them later. Those fucking jerks. Right! So! I wonder if I could make it to the hospital. Would they treat me, or just think I’m a regular ghost and exorcise me. I can’t talk in this state. Can’t hear either. I can still see… wonder how that is. Something to study later, but the fact is, I can’t explain to someone that I need them to fix that bullet wound in me before I die, since they’ll probably think that’s what killed me and try to help me to the afterlife or some nonsense. So... what now.

Guess I’ll just float on back into the apartment. I think… oh, right! After Phil had all those cuts and I was terribly unprepared to help, I made that worm. Stick it inside your wound and it reads your cells and replicates them and dissolves to be part of your body so it's like you never were hurt at all. That's the theory, anyway. Haven't tested it, and it will only work on me - if it works, but that’s all I need. So, things to do: find it, and figure out how to use it without, you know, dying first.

Wish I could see how deep the wound is. Maybe I can poke around inside… Cripes, that’s deep. No. No, wait… that’s just my whole hand going inside my body. Hm. Why are my clothes like this too? Is it some field around me? Or do I have to be in contact with something before I turn into a ghost, to make me a ghost. I wonder if I could somehow get my shirt and jacket off so I could check out the wound. Can’t grab them. Maybe, just concentrate… Oh! Success! Except I am completely naked. Right. Note to self: don’t do that in public. Oh look, the bullet fragments fell out of me too. Excellent!

So… that’s a big wound. They were going to shoot rats with this? Talk about overkill. All right, so where is that replicating worm… Hopefully not underneath the invisible helmet. Ah! There! Found it! Now what?

Right, so, reach out, put your fingers around it… And grab! Squeeze! Lift! Take hold of! Pick up! Levitate! Well… crap. Deep breath… even though I’m not actually breathing right now… focus. You can do it, Alasdair. Slow, slow, slow… Aha! Got it! That’s quite handy! Means I could do this with larger objects, or maybe other people! Right, so, focus. Just put that into the hole in your body… Have to hold it still while I become solid again. You’re going to feel pain, but you’re gonna be all right. You’ll turn solid, it will stick, and it will fix you from the inside, just like you designed. Hopefully. Just brace for the pain. Get ready to turn solid. Count of three.

One…

Two…

Three—"OW!!"