Ghost Human Bones

Emilian

The sky is black with limited stars. Fitting for this lonely evening.

I’m sitting on the couch in my dark living room. The basketball game is on, but I’m staring at the five-figures in my spending account from the bank portal on my phone. There were more than a hundred in the envelope Misa received from Timothy, I’m certain. I had my glasses on when it happened.

He can’t be paying her to date him, could he?

Hmm…

If I were to throw in half of my savings with the sum in my spending account, Misa could live comfortably forever for one night with—ah, stupid. That would never happen. She probably hates me now after the things I said about her in class. I have to get myself together or my temper will destroy me like mom warns… Once I get over my shit test score, I’ll be fine. I’ll take the weekend to reset.

I could use that rock Misa offered the day of our placement test. What did she say about it? Something emotional balance.

Hmm.

Why can’t she be an ugly troll under a bridge?

Why is she so…

For the hundredth time tonight, I pace across my living room, looking out the window, listening for the sound of car doors closing, but there’s nothing. Misa’s still on her date with that idiot. It’s been hours. He can’t be that interesting. Besides, she threw away the flower he gave her on the first day of class. The only logical conclusion for Misa’s ongoing disappearance is Timothy kidnapped her.

What next? I take the stand as witness for the prosecution at her murder trial? With my mother’s influence at the crown, perhaps she could make arrangements so that I could execute Timothy for Misa’s murder. Although, that could be seen as a conflict of interest, and it wouldn’t bring her back.

No… She’s alive. Stop thinking the worst about everything.

Over and over my mind goes back to Misa in that sexy pink dress, leaving with that idiot kissing her lips, pressing her against the door, grabbing her ass. She threw away his flower.

What changed between them so fast?

A heavy frustration weighs me down the longer she’s gone. I can’t take it anymore.

I search for a stock photo of snickerdoodles on my phone and add it to a new text.

Hey Mom, made that snickerdoodle recipe you sent me. Turned out good. Sent a pic.

C’mon, open it… open it.

Cookies? I know your grades better be up to par when I get the next report.

Seriously? No hello back? Just click on the attachment and don’t worry about my grades.

Did you get the picture?

My phone chimes.

In the top right corner of my screen, a hollow white circle appears. Finally.

Yes. The cookies look great Mili. It’s late. Going to bed. Love you.

Bed? Already? It’s a little after eight. Dad was right, Mom is an old lady.

LYT

I close the message and press the circle. The picture I sent is bugged and acts as a door into her device once opened. Since she’s employed by the Crown, her work phone is ripe with tools to access sensitive data. It’s Grim Systems shadow technology at its finest, personally recommended by dad. Covert. Illegal, but no one would find out. After mom and dad separated, he used shadow technology to keep tabs on her after he had dreams of a dragon sweeping mom off her feet. Of course, nothing happened. Mom is still very much… Mom.

From the Crown People Search database where every breathing soul is listed, I type in the name: Honey, Misa.

One result pulls up.

My breath catches as my eyes roam over Misa’s driver license photo. Her dark hair is long, and full of curls. She’s in a cotton candy pink blazer with nothing beneath, it looks like. The merry hue mixes attractively against her sun kissed skin.

That smile… What is she so happy about?

And she wears glasses?

I scroll past her photo. I feel ashamed looking at it, like she knows I’m watching.

Additional data loads the further I go:

Misa Honey W – 22
Occupation: Student, Librarian
Native Land: Fortune
Hair: Black
Eyes: Gray Blue
Weight: 119
Height: 5’ 2

Wow, she’s tiny compared to me, and my age.

There’s not very much information after, only previous addresses she’s lived in Fortune and her current place, apartment 134, beside mine. At the end I find the abbreviation NLK: No Living Kin.

I sit back in my chair, wondering if my heart is solid as stone.

On the first day of class Misa asked if she could sit with me, but I told her to go away, then I hurt her hand. She doesn’t have anyone else in existence, and this is how I treat her.

I’m scum.

There’s no reason to treat her the way I have. I’d be pissed if I caught Timothy slamming her fingers the way I did with that chair.

Hm.

It’s too late.

Misa’s already sleeping with the enemy. Maybe. Hopefully not. She’s not. She’ll sleep in her own bed tonight and Timothy will go to his trash home and supplement by jerking off.

I’m not doing any better sitting around here.

There’s so much I’m missing out on already if I weren’t so focused on school. Once this semester’s over, I’ll be in the clear. Plus, there’s the graduation trip to Synestia coming up. I smile thinking about it. The sun on my face, crashing waves, adventure. That place is wild.

Misa’s in the water, waiting for me to come in—

No. She isn’t in Synestia with me, or here or anywhere.

I scroll to her photo again and imagine working in my future office at Grim Systems. Misa comes in to talk to me about… papers… She unbuttons her blazer. Nude beneath… Hmm. Misa on my desk…

I close out of her photo only to open it again seconds later.

Damnit.

I think I like her.

But when is she coming back?