The Wish of Loneliness

"Jay! I'm home," I stated as I opened the main door.

"Alfie, you're back. How's school?" Jay asked. I took off my shoes and went back to my bedroom. We talked as I walked.

"Err....great. I made a friend in school."

"A friend?!!"'Jay screamed. He was shocked.

"Yeah. His name is Kevin, he is a new student that has joined our class, we talk a lot about our hobbies, you know what? Kevin knows how to do karate, isn't it cool?!"

"It's cool......but Alfie, he had just transferred to your school today, right? He doesn't know about your rumors, if he does, it is a matter of time that he leaves you." Jay worried, he didn't seem to trust Kevin. I corrected him.

"To tell the truth, at first, I also worried about the same thing. But Kevin told me that he didn't care about my rumors. He talked to me and treated me like a real friend. He seemed different from other people in class....." I answered happily, without noticing there was a bright smile on my face.

"You sound very happy. I'm glad." said Jay in relief, he seemed pleased that I came out from my sorrows.

"Am I? Well, it is my first time to have a friend except you....." As I lowered my voice as I spoke, I placed my school bag on the floor. All of a sudden, I realized something.

"By the way, Jay. What you did today?" I asked.

"Ah yes! I almost forgot it. Look at this, Alfie!" Jay remembered and showed me a computer.

"Huh?!! That computer. It's mom's? Where did you find it? Wait, you can touch objects?!!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, although I don't know why but I can touch objects now."

"That's wonderful, Jay!" I cried in joy.

"And that's not all! While you are at school, I searched up on the Internet about more information about school bullying. I found out the best way is to report to teachers---"

"Jay. I don't want to report to teachers." I stated coldly, destroying the happy atmosphere.

"Huh? Why do you say that?!" Jay questioned.

"Those school bullying cases on the Internet are only for normal circumstances. Our case is abnormal, Jay. I can see ghosts and many students know about this. If the teachers know I often speak to the air, they may try to contact parents. And at the next moment, I will be treated as crazy people and send into a mental hospital.....................I don't want that to happen." I explained.

"But Alfie.....If you don't, you will keep on be bullied."

"I know......but I don't want to enlarge this issue. If teachers know about this, the bullies will know that I report to the teachers, I don't want others to take revenge on me."

"Then, how about we solve it privately? If you want, I can always scare off them."

"No, we can't! I hate violence. Besides, many classmates in class know I can talk to ghosts. If those bullies got hurt by flying stones or being punched by an invisible force. This will only lead my rumors to worsen."

"........Sigh.....If you say so......" Jay agreed and stared at the ground. He was rather disappointed. Sigh.......Jay must have used a lot of time to find solutions to help me. I really appreciate it but school bullying is not something that can be solved so easily. I thought. As I observed Jay, his jade colour eyes lost its glow, I felt sorry that I destroyed the atmosphere.

"By the way, did you find anything else?" I asked, hoping to change the topic. Jay's eyes lightened and sparked, he took back the computer and typed on it. I went near him to see what he was doing. On the screen, it showed a website called 'Ghost Hunting'. Jay scrolled down and explained.

"Except school bullying, I also found some information about ghosts. In the world, there is a small population of people who can see ghosts. They gathered around and created this website platform here called Ghosts Hunting. There are more than thousands of people typing messages here to discuss about ghosts. Among all the messages, there is a person called 'ESH Ghost Professor' who gives very reliable information about ghosts. It says here that everyone consists of some kind of spiritual power in their body called 'Wakan'."

"Wakan?" I asked.

"Yes, the more amount of wakan a person has, the more clearer he can see ghosts. However, if a person only has a very little amount of wakan, he or she cannot see ghosts. This explains why you can see ghosts while others can't." Jay stopped talking and stared right at me. He made a bright smile and continued.

"Alfie, your ability to see ghosts is not a curse. It is just your physical body is different from others."

"Not.....a.....curse?" I whispered softly, when I was about to realize it, words had already slipped out from my mouth. When I first realized I have the ability to see ghosts, I didn't care much. I didn't think it was a curse, it was a blessing instead. If didn't have this kind of ability, I wouldn't even be able to talk to Jay. I would still be playing with myself alone in the room. Even if this ability allows me to be isolated by other people, as long Jay is here, then I'm fine. I don't care about it. But now, after I heard what Jay said, perhaps deep in my heart, I do care about it.

"Alfie?" said Jay, interrupting my thoughts.

"Ah....sorry. What were you saying again?" I asked.

"I'm talking about ghosts. Here, it states that when ghosts appear, they will possess on a human called host, the more wakan that host has, the stronger the ghost is. If a ghost is very strong, he can interfere in the real world more and talk or touch humans."

"I see. So that means because I have huge amount of wakan so that's why you can talk. But the host humans we saw at streets don't have that much wakan, so that's why the ghosts that possessed them can't talk or think. I think I get it but are you sure this is reliable? There are all sorts of fake rumors on the Internet."

"Don't worry. I already gave it a test. Look! It states here that ghosts cannot leave the human they possessed too far away. Today, I tried to go outside and stay as far as possible from you. After around half an hour, I started to feel sick and dizzy."

"Dizzy?! Are you alright!?"

"I'm fine. I feel better when I go near your school."

"Please don't scare me, Jay."

"Why are you scared?"

"Huh? Of course I'm scared. If you are sick, I don't know how to cure you. It is not like I can bring ghosts to see doctors! Next time, when you want to have an experiment, you need to tell me first."

"Ok...ok. I will. Calm down, Alfie." As Jay told, I calmed down myself and changed the topic.

"So.....what else you found?"

"Well, I also found that ghosts are created by their host's desires deep in their heart."

"Desires?"

"Yes. I'll give an example. If a host has a strong desire to have more money, a ghost will be created and it will possess on the host and eventually take actions to steal money from others."

"To say it simple, ghosts grant the host's wishes.....wait, does this means that...." An idea popped out from my mind.

"Alfie, do you remember the first day we met?" Jay asked suddenly. He was thinking the same thing.

"I think I remember it. You appeared in my room suddenly."

"Did you wish for something that day?"

"I think so. Well......I was lonely at that time so I wish for a friend to play with me and a family member to care about me."

"That's it, Alfie! You wished for a friend and family member. I appeared at your room so as to grant your wish. This is the reason why I appeared in your room!"

"So, this all comes from my wish?"

"Yes! I'm here because of you! Alfie, there is a reason for everything. As long as we solve the problems one by one, they will eventually all disappear. So, promise me, don't bear everything on your own, ok?"

"I'll try."

"Great! Then, let's leave that aside and play some games instead. I'll get the board games!"

"Wait!"

"What's the matter, Alfie?"

".....err....today, Kevin told me that we need to have a hand shake when we greet people. But when we meet at the first day, we didn't have a handshake, right? So, I'm wondering whether you touch me now."

"Yeah, I nearly forgot! Let's try." Jay reached out his hand in front of him, I reached my hand out slowly, my heart was pounding. Swallowing my saliva, I stared at Jay's hand. His skin looked smooth and silky. I wondered what the texture of Jay's skin felt like. Besides, what is the body temperature of Jay? Wait---do ghosts have body temperature anyway? Thousands of questions popped out in my mind, as my hand went closer towards Jay's, the more excited I was. Our fingers were so close that they were going to touch each other.....

Yet, they didn't.

Jay's hand went past mine.

"Looks like we still can't touch each other," I said.

"Wait. Let's try it again. Remember that I came from your wish? Maybe if you wish for me to touch you, I will be able to touch you," Jay suggested.

"Ok. Are you ready?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Here goes," I stated.

My hand went pass through Jay's.

"........"

".............."

"Alfie! One more time. This time think harder!!" Jay insisted.

"Err....I'll try."

"Here goes."

Sadly, my hand still went past Jay.

".........."

"................."

"......................"

"Argh! Why can I touch objects but I can't touch Alfie?!!"

"Well, it is already a miracle that you can touch objects, we can't ask for more," I said.

"Yeah, but I can touch real objects now so I thought I may be able to touch you."

"Jay...." I sighed.

"But I'm not giving up! I'll find a way eventually!" Jay shouted loudly. Although I don't know how humans can touch ghosts, I believe Jay can find a way. Or at the very least, I wish he can.