Thursday, September 10, 2015

Lucas died two weeks, three days, and thirteen hours ago.

When he awoke half-naked and covered in his own vomit and piss in his bathtub, he knew that something was different. Of course, death was nothing like he expected. He could not float through walls, or move things with his mind. He was still stuck in this realm and was stuck with the limitations of a living being. He also still felt hunger, and thirst, and even had to relieve himself from time to time.

At first he was distraught. His sister left countless voicemails in his inbox before his phone service was cut off. Not long before that, he was laid off from his job. Not only had he nothing left, he was stuck for the rest of eternity in his boxers, chapped lips, and purple rimmed eyes.

Lucas opened his eyes to those of a cat staring right back at him, it's paws kneading painfully on his bare chest.

He grumbled, lifting the grey cat, and placing him on the ground beside the sofa he had slept on. "Pumpkin, ouch." He glared as he hoisted himself to an upright position.

Being dead and not leaving your apartment for two weeks had it's downfalls, unfortunately. The food supply had dwindled down to only a bag of pretzels and chunky soy milk. Filth and garbage littered the floor, and he was starting to reek of body odor and decay.

He looked down at his body, which was beginning to look emaciated and sickly, even more so than before. Perhaps this was what afterlife was like. Withering away in the In Between, until he became nothing.

"Is that what you want? Food?" The cat looked up at him expectantly, and licked his paw with a little mew. "Alright, buddy." He sighed, pulling himself upward. He stumbled a bit as he stood. He hadn't eaten in a few days. Perhaps it was time to treat himself to a few pretzels as well.

He dragged himself to the kitchen, which was no more than 8 feet away. As he poured the remaining cat food onto the ground (Now, where had that kitty bowl gone?), he noticed that his hands were shaking.

"Hey! It's your landlord!" A man was shouting behind his front door, and it felt as if the entire apartment was shaking with each pound on the door. Pumpkin skittered away to the bedroom. "You haven't paid your rent in almost three weeks. I know I've been loose with you, but now I'm cracking down. If you don't have the money in by Friday, you're gonna have to find somewhere else to live."

Lucas laughed, sitting on the kitchen counter munching on a handful of pretzels. Jokes on him, there was no way he could get him to leave unless he performed some sort of seance.

"Hello? I know you're there." The pounding continued for a bit longer, but eventually the landlord gave up with a sigh and left.

He was going to be here for ever and ever.

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