Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Ashes to Ashes

    Do you believe in ghosts? How about an afterlife? That there is some kinda perfect place you go when you die? I never really did believe in all that junk. I mean, why should I worry about it? I’m alive after all. Well now I think I might have to reconsider. 

    My name was, no, my name is Ashlyyn Marie Sawyer. I don’t remember much about my life. I remember my name along with most things about myself such as my likes and dislikes, my favorite colors, and my favorite foods. But no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to remember my family or friends, where I lived or went to school. It all comes back as a blur of unfamiliar faces and places. Was I popular? Was I loved? Was I happy? I wish I knew. 

    It's been three years since I first came to New Dawn and that's given me plenty of time to accept it. I’ve made new friends who helped me through it all and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I’ve seen some amazing things that had you told me about before I would have never believed you. But before we get into that we need to start at the beginning of my new life.

    The first thing I remember was just how hot and bright everything was, it was like I was standing on the sun. It was way too bright to see where I was and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t move. I remember voices but not what they were saying. Then everything goes dark and the heat is quickly replaced with a biting cold. The voices were drawing closer and closer but still I couldn't make out what they were saying, it was as though they were all talking underwater. Eventually everything faded into nothing, no sounds, no cold, just me and oppressive darkness. I was sure it was all a dream and any second I would wake up. 

    After what felt like an eternity the cold returned as did the light but this time it wasn’t bright at all, it was rather dim. I could hear people speaking and I could feel something extremely cold across my back. Trying to move still resulted in nothing but slowly I was able to make out what I could see. There was an older gentleman standing above me, he was holding what looked like a tool of some kind. To his left there was a young woman who was rifling through what sounded like a very cluttered silverware drawer. After a bit I heard what sounded like a pump and slowly my entire body went even colder than it already was. I could no longer feel anything, it was like my entire body just stopped existing. Eventually the sounds stopped and the man walked away. He was replaced with the woman who was saying something but I simply couldn’t hear her. Then there was darkness again. 

    After quite some time there was what sounded like a large gathering of people. I could hear crying and I could hear a man speaking loudly over it all. Eventually there was what sounded like a machine of sorts and I could feel myself slowly sinking. There were several thuds and then it was just me and the dark again. I never was afraid of the dark even as a kid but for some reason I was absolutely terrified now. My mind began racing as to what has been going on. Was this really all just a long dream? When will I wake up? Where am I? Why is it so dark and quiet?

    Next thing I knew it was light again and I could hear birds chirping happily. I originally had thought that I had finally woke up but as I opened my eyes I didn’t see the ceiling of a room. I saw the sky. I sat up and looked around. First thing i noticed was I was sitting on the ground in front of a large stone, there were flowers and ahead of me there was a stone bench. I stood and tried to move to it but every motion I made hurt. Everything was stiff and sore. How long was I out? How did I even get here? Did I sleepwalk? Why do I hurt so much? 

    Looking around I saw row after row of stones like the one in front of me, to my right there was a large stone building and beside that was a small wood shack. To the left there the path I was on stretched towards a large iron fence. Nothing looked familiar but it all had the hallmarks of a graveyard. What in the world was I doing in a graveyard? Was I visiting someone? I barely had time to think about it before footsteps began approaching. Looking to see who was coming this way I saw a young man roughly the same age as me walking towards me.

    “Well good morning sleeping beauty! I was beginning to think you’d gone and died again.” he said cheerfully, a smile creeping on his face as he spoke. “Welcome to New Dawn! The hottest hotspot this side of the Styx! People are literally dying to get in!” He seemed very proud of himself, like he just told a really dumb joke and was waiting for someone to laugh. He sat down beside me and continued, “Hell of a way to wake up huh? Strange new place, some random strange guy talking to you. Cold aching through your bones, a feeling of dread and deep sadness welling in your gut all the while the world around seems so normal. Doesn’t feel real huh?”

    Who is this man? Why is he being so friendly like we’ve known each other for years? After a few moments of silence I asked who he was and how he knew exactly how I was feeling.

    “I’m Milo, the unofficial greeter for New Dawn Cemetery. Usually you would be greeted by the Ferrier for your arrival but she’s busy right now. I was going to wait on her but you looked like you needed someone to help clear things up so I decided I might as well introduce myself.” He offered his hand, “So once again, I’m Milo. Nice to meet you Miss.”

    I hesitantly shook his hand, “Nice to meet you too Milo. My name is Ashlyyn. But you never answered how you knew how I felt. Am I that easy to read?”

    He chuckled. “Well Ash, I can call you Ash right?” I shook my head in agreement. “Cool. Well Ash, it was more of an educated guess. Most of us were confused and a little distraught waking up here for the first time. I mean dying is kinda sca-”

    I cut him off before he could finish. “Dying? Are you saying I’m dead? How can that be when I’m right here talking to you?”

    “Well if it makes you feel better I’m dead too, have been for quite some time. But if you don’t believe me then I bet you to pick that up.” He gestures towards a single silver rose resting on the stone in front of us. “If you aren’t dead you should be able to pick it up right?”

You are reading story Transparent at novel35.com

    Despite my better judgment I decided to play along. I stand and go to pick up the rose but my hand passes straight through it stopping atop the stone. I try again and again and again but no matter what I still can’t even so much as brush the petals. Milo stands beside the stone and lays a hand on my shoulder.

    “Believe me now? Here watch this.” He rests a hand over the rose and slowly he grabs the stem and picks up the flower. “Put out your hand and focus, think about what it would feel like to touch this rose, feel its weight in your palm and the softness of its petals, feel the prick of its thorns and the damp of the dew on its leaves.”

    I did as he said and after a few seconds he places the rose in my hand but as soon as he lets it go it just unceremoniously falls to the ground, a few petals break off as it lands and are swept away in the wind. I try over and over and over trying to pick it up, tears streaming down my face. But it stayed firmly in place. 

    This can’t be true! I can’t be dead! I’m only 22, I’ve barely lived my life. It can’t be over already!

    “But it is.” Milo sat on the ground next to where I now lay. “And judging from your tombstone-”

    “What? What about the stone?” I sit up wiping tears from my face

    “Nothing important, but I did have a question regarding it. I’m just not sure how to go about asking it.” Milo stands and leans against a nearby tree.

    “Can’t be worse than finding out I’m apparently dead.” 

    “Well,” he chuckles. “It might be. You said your name is Ashlyyn right? Can I get a full name?”

    “Sure why not, not like it means anything anymore. My full name is Ashlyyn Marie Sawyer.”

       “You sure?”

    His question took me back a little. I mean, of course I’m sure it's my name after all! “Yes I’m sure.”

    Milo stood silently for a few moments before sauntering over to the gravestone. He silently inspected the tombstone from all sides, running his hands along the engraved nameplate. “If that's the case.” he paused “Then whose Levi?”

 

You can find story with these keywords: Transparent, Read Transparent, Transparent novel, Transparent book, Transparent story, Transparent full, Transparent Latest Chapter