Please don't break my shadow...

 

Andrea

 

Andrea thought that the day went slower after that, the minutes were longer, the jobs were tougher and people seemed to have a bit of an attitude.

When she finally came to her last cleaning duty, she started to feel normal again. Humming a small tune, she cleaned the bins in the work stations and went to start with mopping.

Nearly finished, Andrea thought with a smile on her face. But someone's voice startled her, turning that smile into a frown. Looking around, still holding her mop, she saw the normal comings and goings, which was strange because she thought that the voice was directed at her...

Andrea moved forward, going over the washed and slightly wet mopped floor, to the next room.

And she saw him again.

Just standing by the window, he looked at her, as though expecting her. Andrea dragged her mob and bucket from the hallway and went into the room.

She did wonder how she was taking the ghostly figure so easily when, she was sure, other people would run screaming.

"Hi, ah look, I'm not one to go out of my way for ghosts, can you just move on or something. If I keep seeing you or talking to you, I'm going to start looking like an idiot."

With Andrea saying what was on her mind she nodded, smiled and went to turn away but that voice, so much clearer now, said, "Can you hear me?"

His voice flowed over her like honey, she also felt like she was in the sun, heat pouring through her veins. It was a very strange feeling...

Andrea stood still for a moment, but starting to get a bit agitated, she said, "Not only can I hear you, I can see you."

Her eyes rested on the door, wanting to slam it shut behind her, but she just sighed.

The number on the door startled her. Looking back at her ghostly figure, chatting aimlessly about things she didn't hear, she simple said, "Goodbye."

And she hastily left the room.

 

That room that held so many sad memories for her, she wasn't going to spend another minute there!

How did being on the fourth floor by pass me and I not know? How could I have acted as though I was on any other floor?

Andrea, feeling lucky that work was almost over, quickly finished the mopping and nearly ran back to her locker.

I need to get out of here! She thought.

Only having eyes in front of her, so that no strange 'see through, annoying people' will stop her, she signed off and went to the car park.

In her car, Andrea felt like she could finally calm down and start breathing normal again. Putting her hands around the wheel and her head on her hands, she counted to ten.  Trying to put the past behind her, which she knew she wasn't very good at, she started the car and went home.

Andrea knew she had to work tomorrow and wanted to get a good amount of rest, as though that was the blame for her going somewhat crazy the last couple of days.

 

***

 

Having had missed dinner the previous night, she woke the next day starving. Feeling like the day had to be fresh, it meant for something fresh! A nice soft bun with egg, bacon, cheese and even a sausage, was making her mouth water. With more than enough time before work started, she went to a takeaway store and sat and ate it, with quite a Sunday morning approach.

Slowly biting her bun, she saw a family across from her. Curiosity flashed in her eyes as she wanted to figure out what they were doing.

They had most of their meals and were not all on their own seats at the table. The kids were on their parents laps, demanding their attention. One of the parents was looking at a map or some similar brocher and then looked at their watch.

They must be from out of town, she thought, although if they aren't, I don't blame them because there's so many timetables for the different buses and trains.

Andrea wondered where they were going. Near or far? It's still pretty early, so maybe a theme park or to the zoo. Andrea looked at what they were wearing and what they had with them. Hats, sunscreen and maybe togs in the bag. She decided it didn't lower the amount of places down by much, because it still meant  a water theme park, South Bank or any beach.

She made herself look away and called herself a sticky beak. It wasn't like she enjoyed it...It seemed like something she just tended to do. Predicting what was going to happen to small things, seemed like it was natural to her. Of course, sometimes she was wrong, but, there were times that she had been able to pick up on some things and determine exactly what was going to happen...

Just like how she had been overtaken by patterns, sometimes she was over taken to predict...It was strange, but again, nothing she could find answers too.

 

After Andrea gave up on trying to find their destination, she decided to get going to work, even though she would be half an hour early.

On the occasion of having some spare time, Andrea had her pencil and pad with her and made her way to the garden. Sometimes half an hour is enough time to write ideas, instead of drawing them and that's what this morning was going to be. It was just in case she were to forget about potential future patterns, or to give her something to do while waiting.

Sitting down in her usual place and opening her pad, she wrote, togs, buns, eggs, bacon and cups. Looking on her notes she noticed that this week wouldn't be a curtain week. Smiling, she wrote down cheese, cheese can be so good for patterns. They come in so many ways and colors!

One day, someone had said something about one of her cheese patterns, that it was nice shading, Andrea had just agreed and then laughed when she was no longer close to her. She was sure that person had no idea that the main idea had come from cheese.

 

"Sorry to interrupt you, but what do those words mean?"

Andrea stopped, looked up and saw him...The ghostly figure was also sitting on the bench with her. She decided to answer, but with concealment. "They just give me ideas for something else is all".

Something went through her, she wondered if she should be concerned that she was talking to a ghost. She also wondered why she wasn't scared, what she was feeling instead, was actually bothered and just wanted to be left alone.

Closing her pad, Andrea went to stand up but he asked her before she got away, "Ideas...For what, may I ask?"

With his true interest, Andrea couldn't help but answer, "I do patterns as a hobby, I like putting things that have nothing in common together."

Andrea opened her pad again, to a page where one of her patterns where, and showed him. She watched him intently as he looked over her work and after a long ten seconds, or so, he finally looked up at her and smiled. "That is beautiful, indeed."

Andrea stared at him, his voice seemed soothing to her, melting down the way she had just felt bothered.

She didn't know if that's what she expected, by telling him, but it still stunned her for some reason. Was it because she knew he generally meant what he said?

After a short silence, she noticed he was still looking at her with that same small smile and eyes that made him even more charming.

Coughing once, she continued, "I get rare ideas from here for some reason, not that those ones sell, but I like to think I make some unique patterns." Andrea couldn't help smiling, remembering the cheese pattern again.

Suddenly she shook her head, Andrea wondered if she was dreaming.

 

"Why have you appeared in my room, and why do I see you randomly?" He asked.

She hadn't even thought about it! He didn't even look like he cared too much about the answer...Was he perhaps?...Nah, why would he just want to talk to me!? He was a ghost!

For some reason, she hadn't tried to understand why he was here in the hospital, he just was. If you're going to see a ghost...A hospital seems like a normal place. Right?

She thought quickly and responded, "Why are you here? As far as I'm aware, you're a ghost. What didn't you finish?"

Andrea sighed, knowing she was letting her unsociable side through to look like an attitude.

With no questions answered, they both frowned at each other.

Andrea stopped and killed the silence, "What do you mean, 'in your room'?"

He answered, smiling again, "That is correct, you are in my room,  not all the time I may add, but you appear randomly. I wonder if it works outside…" Andrea watched him look around, but he didn't move.

"So you're not a ghost? You are actually somewhere in this world? What the?" Andrea raised her eyebrows ready to get up in bewilderment.

 

Nothing seemed to be making any sense, she thought, this ghost might not even know that he's dead for crying out loud! Maybe attitude was a good way to go about this!

"We call ourselves Spirits…Ghosts are not here. I'm not even certain on what a ghost is." He smiled and eagerly put out his hand, "Let me introduce myself, my name is Cameron."

Andrea heavily sat back against the chair, this is starting to get disturbing, she thought, and maybe I'm still asleep. Remembering that he was waiting for her to return his introduction, she said, "Andrea." And went to take his hand.

They're hands flew right through each other, but left a shiver down her spine, leaving Andrea more excited than scared.

Cameron breathed in sharply and said, "Well, this is not ordinary."

Andrea nodded, seeing that he was a little bit upset.

Speechless, she tried to think of ghost stories that may have come into her past and tried to remember what had been said. Ghosts stick around because of unfinished business, you can't touch them and they make you cold, give you shivers and only existed in movies...

Andrea sighed and wondered, now, if any of that was true. Being able to see Cameron and talk to him was outstanding in many of the views that just went into her head.

She thought that maybe he might know more, "Do you know of this happening before?"

He seemed quite certain with the shake of his head. "I do not."

Still staring at her, he added, "Spirits like us, only communicate with transpers or the Azulious. There is normally no other communication of any other kind."

Andrea asked, "What is a transfer?"

Cameron laughed and said, "A transper is a soul being trapped in their mind because they need to learn the spiritual way. They hold memories that continue to disturb them and stop them from becoming a spirit. They are on other planets, in a holder and we, the spirits, help them. Some are able to make it to our world by doing the transition, which is overcoming and accepting something vital. I believe each transper is different to what they have to achieve to become a spirit, but...Most seem quite determined to continue through their turmoil, as though they believe they belong in their holder."

Andrea stumered, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Cameron smiled, he seemed to be patient, and that was slowly annoying Andrea, "…I am a spirit, it is what we are called…"

Andrea interrupted, "We are known as humans."

"There you have it, now that is informed, second, is our job, as being a spirit, is to help with the callings..."

Again, Andrea interrupted him, "What's a calling?"

Cameron thought for a moment, then answered, "Well, the transpers have their demands, could be as easy as nutrients, to as difficult as stopping them from going into extensive and painful turmoil. For some reason, as far as I can recollect, it is jobs we have always had to fulfil. And to do that, a calling is made to take us to them."

Silence filled the room and Andrea looked around, wondering whether to be uncomfortable or not, but found somebody starring at her. No one she particularly knew personally, but knew of as another worker like herself. The person had been caught out starring at her, but instead of looking away, she caught her acquaintance waving at her. Andrea waved back and looked at her watch.

Time to go, she thought, wake up Andy!

"Time to do the 'job' that you fulfill, then?" Cameron asked, as she got up.

She nodded, not having anything else to say but, "Goodbye Cameron," still trying to be polite.

 

***

 

Saturday's were in different locations, no fourth floor. And with the change in routine, Andrea found it quite easy to accomplish her days work with no big problems. She didn't understand what was going on with Cameron though and that was making her a little clumsy. Andrea also decided that when she got home, she would look up ghostly stuff and hope that it wasn't as rare as she thought, maybe even offload to a professional.

With the idea of being left alone and the ghost finding the 'light at the end of the tunnel', a touch of enthusiasm went through her. Normality sounded good, something she was used to.

By the time she got home, Andrea was exhausted. Working overtime lost her excitement of going on the internet, instead she made a sandwich and sat down on her couch to watch TV.

 

***

 

Andrea woke up the next morning, realizing she had fallen asleep not making it to her bed, which was something she didn't normally do. Feeling awkward, she stood up and wondered what has gotten into her lately.

A shower first, she thought, then the internet, knowing she had to get rid of the biggest thing that has happened recently...

The internet didn't supply her with much that she didn't already know. People talking on YouTube about ghosts moving on and some pictures. She did get one number that lived in Queensland, all the other numbers where from overseas.

When she'd decided that information was enough for now, she went to give them a call.

As though talking to 'ghosts' was a full-time job, she found herself talking to a machine, leaving her name and number, she hoped that they would get back to her soon.

Andrea wanted to do something fun but knew that if she didn't go see her brother for at least half an hour, they would be on her back big time for the next week or two. After she rang them up to see if that was ok, she got her notebook and pencil and got in the car.

 

Her brother seemed to be over enthusiastic when he opened the door to let her in. Big smiles didn't win Andrea over, only made her concerned and suspicious, she knew her brother was up to something.

Walking into their loundroom, Andrea saw what all the fuss was about and sighed. Another attempt at match making.

The other male in the room was fair haired and had quite a big smile, showing his teeth.

Mumbling her hellos, Andrea sat down and gave a stern look to her brother, who only brushed it away with a nod towards what's his face.

"Andrea, I'd like you to meet a mate of mine, Sean. Sean this is my little sister, Andrea"

Sean got up out of his seat, to give Andrea's hand a shake, and gave her another big, toothy smile. Andrea smiled back not wanting to be rude.

Boy was her brother going to cop it!

"Well, I'll get the barbecue going shall I?" Her brother said, and off he went.

Andrea was pretty sure he wanted to skip away and have his wife pat him on the back!

Andrea would have felt better with her sister in-law in the room but assumed she was in the kitchen getting the salad together.

Stuck in the loundroom, Sean spoke, obviously by chance of making the better of the situation, "I hear you like to make patterns, I saw some of your work on the dining room table. Impressive."

Andrea was quite elated with the opening line, her work was her favorite subject, "Thank you, and yes I make patterns for tablecloths, curtains and covers."

Not going into much detail, Andrea purposely gave him little to work on. She was a bit worried though, with the way he was looking at her, he wanted to keep the conversation going, so she added, "I like to think of it as a hobby that might be able to pay a bill once in a while."

"Well wouldn't that be nice, to have a job and that be your hobby hey. Being a mechanic with your brother, certainly wasn't my idea as a hobby, I just seemed to be good at it."

With his job entering the conversation, Andrea was already bored, still, she has to give the 'impression' that she tried, so she asked him, "What is your hobby?"

Sean sat back, breathing in, looking as though he had that many to choose from, nearly making Andrea laugh.

After a moment, he answered, "I like to think I'm a photographer. I've been able to travel and take pictures from overseas and bring them back home to Australia. The problem is, it hasn't gone past that...All the pictures I've taken are within family, so I haven't sold any."

"Oh," was all Andrea could reply with. She wasn't unimpressed, just bored again. "Well I'm just going to go speak to Lyn, see if she needs any help."

Andrea got up, nodding her apology, and went to her sister in-law to vent.

 

Her brother's house was so much bigger then hers, so much more space. It was obvious that a child lived here, with toys on the floor and a baby seat at the dining room table. Andrea walked past it and sighed. This place was far from the calling of hers.

In the big kitchen, that held probably every dish and saucepan, whether you needed it or not, was where she found Lyn. Looking at her and the house, it seemed wrong. It seemed like it was too big for her. They had a room they didn't even use and a huge backyard that was too big for one little toddler. Andrea wondered for a moment if they hadn't completed their family yet.

"Did you know about this?"

Lyn let out a little yelp to Andrea's sudden voice and turned. "Well hello to you too Andy! Ah, well, look you know how he is, he just wants you to be happy, back to normal again."

"So what, I'm not normal now?" Andrea started to get angry, Lyn seemed to always put her foot in her mouth and she must remember to take it easy on her, because her brother was the real culprit. At least she could call on Lyn's honesty, she wasn't good at keeping secrets.

Andrea tried again, "Is there a chance that Mark will stop anytime soon, at trying to match me with someone. I'm fully capable to do it myself."

Lyn looked at Andrea and raised her eyebrows, looking like she didn't agree at all to what Andrea just said, and replied, "Ah…I'll try to talk to him again. But Andy..." Lyn looked unsure whether to continue or not. "He's just trying to look out for you, he doesn't mean any harm."

Andrea sighed, munching on a piece of carrot, and said, "I know, I know. I won't get mad at him, only if he stops it. This is the last one Lyn, understand!?"

Lyn nodded, being small and petite it matched her nature. She seemed to let people walk over her too much, sort of made Andrea protective of her, and it made her feel bad to use her for this small matter.

 

Before Andrea left the kitchen, she gave Lyn a hug, to assure her that she wasn't upset, and went to find her niece. Soundly asleep in her bed, Andrea stared at her. How it would be nice to be a child again, Andrea thought, no worries and responsibilities. Life just gets harder and harder, there should be a choice to get older or not, even time to go back to being a 'child' again, when things got too hard. Her niece moved slightly but didn't wake and Andrea walked out knowing that if she woke the little toddler up, there would be hell to pay! Andrea smiled, not hell from the parents, but from the little one herself.

Relying on Lyn to do her dirty work for her, she went through the rest of the barbecue as smoothly as she could, not giving the oppression that she was interested or available, but more so that she was full of respect and politeness. Andrea hoped that didn't make him more interested...

When her niece finally woke up, it was even easier, focusing her attention on something so gorgeous, was a lot more satisfying!

Strangely though, it had been awhile since she had spent so much time here at her brother's house, and it took her till it was time to go to realize this fact...

 

***