Ghost Monk

          
The alarm beeped, just before it was thrown against the far wall. One last half-mangled squawk later, and the poor thing had beeped its last. Next to the clock’s spot sat an empty bottle, the label reading 180 Proof Scotch Whiskey. Only several tufts of tangled golden locks could be seen as Eiri turned over, intent on going back to sleep.




          
“Now, that wasn’t very nice of you, Eiri. I thought you had better manners than that.”




          
Honey-colored eyes snapped open from their cocoon under the soft pillow. It couldn’t be… No, it’d been just a dream. A really fucked up, too-much-deadline-stress related dream. One he was still having.




          
“I know you’re awake, Eiri. I can tell by the way your body moves as you breathe. So you might as well get up.” Kitazawa wagged a spectral finger, using a quote he’d given Eiri seven or eight years ago. “Procrastination is the devil’s weakness.”




          
I’ve finally cracked. Eiri slowly raised his head from under the pillow. Kitazawa was sitting on the other side of his bed, back leaning against the headboard. The pupils of his eyes narrowed to pinpricks as he began to whimper.




          
“Oh, now don’t start THAT again. Didn’t we do that last night?” Kitazawa leaned closer, causing Eiri to scoot back so far that he fell off the bed. Eyebrows arching, he remarked, “Well, it seems you should work on your landings from it, rather than who’s IN it… shouldn’t you?”




          
“How are you here!? You’re dead! I killed you! I killed….” Tears began to sparkle in Eiri’s eyes. “Please, just leave me alone. Haven’t you done enough to me?” His voice had cracked, and he felt dizzy, lightheaded.




          
“You did kill me. I am dead.” With a quiet chuckle, and a crinkling of the golden brown eyes, Kitazawa replied, “Surprised the hell out of me last night when you actually saw me this time.”




          
“T-This time?” Eiri’s eye was beginning to develop a tick.




          
A quiet smile emerged, full of love, twisted though it might’ve been. “Eiri, you didn’t think I’d have left you all alone, did you?”




          
“The idea had passed my mind. Frequently. Yes.” Eiri grumbled. Kami, he’s been haunting me?!




          
“Oh yes, Eiri. I’ve been with you, through everything you’ve gone through since I’ve died.” Kita paused, tilting his head in remembrance. “I must admit, I’m a bit disappointed in you for some of the women you’ve chosen over the years. Though I do admit a fondness for your little pink-haired one. He reminds me of you when we were together. On the other hand, your body has become a spectacular package of…”




          
“STOP IT!” shouted Eiri. He really didn’t want to remember what Kitazawa thought about his body, or know what he thought about the women. That was it, that had done it. Eiri pulled himself off of the floor and, barely leaving time to grab his essentials (cigs, keys, wallet and phone), he tugged his overcoat on over the pajamas and all but bolted for the car.




          
When he got there, Kitazawa was already sitting in the passenger side of the car, waiting for Eiri. Leaning his arm along the edge of the open door, the golden eyes flashed towards a clear yellow. A bad sign. “Get the fuck out of my car!”




          
Kitazawa shrugged, unfazed by Eiri’s anger. “Sorry, but I can’t do that.”




          
“Why the fuck not!? You got your ghostly, imaginary, spectral, plasmatic fucked up ass in there, you can get the fuck out! NOW!”




          
“Truly sorry to disappoint you. But I can’t.” Kitazawa continued to smile at his ex-pupil, which pissed off the novelist even more, reducing him to two word answers.




          
“WHY NOT!?”




          
The answer, honestly and brutally spoken, echoed through the blonde’s soul. Whether or not Eiri wanted it so, whether or not Kitazawa wanted it so, the answer was, “Because you are mine. Forever.”




          
“FUCK THAT! GET OUT!”




          
“Sorry.”




          
Eiri’s eye was twitching. He was also beginning to be aware of the fact that people were watching him yell at the top of his lungs to an empty car. Slamming the door shut, he turned and stomped off towards the train station. If he couldn’t drive, he was going to sleep his way to Kyoto, trying to drown out his nightmares.




          
With the quiet smile still in place, Kitazawa floated just above, and to the left of, the soul he was forever bound to.





TBC