This morning, I woke up laying on my stomach, in Bethany’s bed. I didn't have to sleep..on account that I'm dead, and never get tired, but sometimes I like to do it anyway. I can still dream if I want to, and sometimes, reality can get really boring.
“Well look who's awake!” Bethany joked, as she walked out of her bathroom, dressed and ready to go to school.
“Well aren't you looking edgy today?” I smirked, noting her leather jacket and studded boots.
“Edgy…has a nice ring to it.” She smirked back, walking over to her mirror to check her hair one more time.
I got up out of the bed and stretched, then walked over to her.
“Well, I guess I'll be off.” She sighed, halfheartedly.
“Hey. It's Friday, at least. Cheer up.” I nudged her arm with the knuckle of my finger.
She flashed me an obviously fake grin for a second, before immediately frowning again.
“Hey, you and me are gonna have some fun over the weekend, alright?” I smiled at her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
“Alright.” She seemed to perk up a little bit more at that, and smiled.
“You'll be okay today..” I pulled her into a hug, and stroked her colorful hair with my fingers.
She sighed, and nodded into my chest, before pulling away and leaving out of the room.
I sat back down on the edge of her bed and thought for a moment, resting my head in my hands.
They'd better be nice to her today..
She's such a beautiful girl, how could anyone just want to make her cry like that?
That is a question that I would love to know. I've known the girl since we were kids. She's always been the same beautiful girl, with great music taste, sense of humor, everything. I know that she goes through her struggles, but she really shouldn't have to. She doesn't deserve to. And I can't help but blame myself for that. If I would've never walked into her life, things could be so much easier for her. She might actually be truly happy, for once.
And maybe she does deserve to know about me and how I'm here, but whenever she brings it up, it just reminds me that I ruined her life. It makes me feel like shit.
I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration, and sighed.
I wish I had it in me to tell her my whole story. But it also hurts me to talk about.

I stood up, and in the blink of an eye, my body quickly dissolved from existence, and I was now standing on a street corner in the large town that I live in.
This town is a place where all of us phantoms go. It's not heaven, and it isn't hell. Somewhere in-between, I guess.
Not every dead person comes here. This is a place for the victims of untimely death. Victims of suicide. People who were unfairly killed, or without justice. More specifically, this is a place that people go, after they are murdered.
This place doesn't have a specific name, but a lot us seem to enjoy calling it, Shadowland. They decided to go with that, because “Land of the Shadows” sounded too cheesy. Ironic, right?
I walked down the sidewalk, until I reached the bar that I've been coming to for the past three years.
I walked in, and sat down on a stool at the bar, next to some guy with a buzz cut. The bartender automatically handed me my usual beer, and I took a swig out of it.
Buzz cut guy turned to look at me, and smirked.
“Don't you think you're a little young to be drinking?” He joked.
I shrugged.
“Not like I'm getting any older.” I chuckled, causing him to laugh as well.
Our actual ages don't change at all, but we can still physically age. Physically, I'm 18.
“Cheers to that.” He chuckled, clinking our bottles together, before tilting it back to his lips.
I gave him a friendly smile, and held out my hand for him to shake.
“I'm Alex. Alex Gaskarth.”
“Rian Dawson.” He smiled, as he shook my hand.
“Say, Rian..” I started, as I leaned back over the bar.
“How come I've never seen you around here before?”
“Eh, I'm around, sometimes. I spend most of my time six feet.” He answered, after taking another swig of his beer.
By “six feet,” he means, Six Feet Under The Stars. It is the state of being on Earth, after death. As you know, I go there everyday, to see Bethany. We're allowed to go six feet, in case we’re feeling nostalgic of our old lives. We all have the ability to make ourselves visible to humans, but we aren't supposed to. We do our best not to disturb the lives of others. I wasn't supposed to make myself visible to Bethany, but I was just a scared and confused little kid, who wanted a friend. No one can find out about it, though, or I'll be in huge trouble.
“Ah. So.. When did you get sent over here to Shadowland?” I asked him.
“You mean, when did I die? I died back when I was 15. I'm 22, nowadays.” Rian answered.
“How about you?”
“Six. Currently 18.” I answered, taking another swig of my beer.
He nodded, and did the same.
After a moment, I spoke up again.
“So..have you figured out how you died?” I asked cautiously, knowing that it can be a touchy subject in conversation around here.
“Yeah, I've put the pieces together. Nothing I wanna talk about, though.” He took another swig.
I nodded in agreement.
“Me neither.”
There was a silence for a moment, before I spoke up once again.
“So…random thought. Say, you have a friend….who's a human.” I started.
Rian raised his eyebrows, and turned to give me his full attention.
“And…she wants you to basically make yourself visible to everyone. Do you do it?” I began to worry, wondering why I'm telling him this, knowing that I could get in some deep shit for this.
“Whoa whoa whoa…what are the circumstances?”
“Say, she struggles with a lot of things, because you came into her life and fucked it all up. Being visible will make things easier for her, and also prove that she's not crazy.”
Rian looked at me with a thoughtful, but concerned expression.
“Dude..don't you know what you're getting yourself into?”
“I don't know what you're talking about. This isn't real, it's just a random question that I thought up.” I quickly denied, surely probably giving myself away.
“Right… Well, I'm sure that Odine wouldn't be too happy to hear that you've made yourself visible to a girl..let alone all of mankind.”
Ryden Odine is basically our ruler. He isn't God or anything, but he's like our god, in a way. He owns Shadowland, and calls all the shots around here. He also has some power over Earth, as well. He has the power to erase the memory of a human, in such cases like if they have been exposed to one of us. He can erase their memory of ever seeing, or knowing us. I wouldn't want that to happen to Bethany, because then she wouldn't know who I was, anymore.
Trying to make yourself visible to a human, let alone all of mankind, would be highly risky. The worst punishment you could possibly get from Ryden Odine, would to be killed.
I know what you're thinking.
How could you kill a dead person?
Well, when we are killed, we get completely erased from existence in both Shadowland, and on Earth. Any trace of your life on Earth is erased. All of your belongings are erased, your grave is erased, and any memory that anybody, (including your family), ever had of you is completely erased from all existence.
Those of us in Shadowland will still remember you, but we are ordered to act as if you never existed. You just disappear, and never ever return; not even in another dimension, or afterlife.
“But what if you desperately love and care about this person? Wouldn't you risk it?” I continued to ask.
He stopped to think for a moment.
“I can see where you're coming from, you might feel really guilty for negatively affecting her life and all, but this would be a very big risk you're taking. But hey, if you've managed to hide her for all these years, maybe you can hide whoever else you come in contact with. It's still really risky, though.” Rian gave me my options to weigh.
I really wanted to be there for Bethany, so that she wouldn't have to live this way anymore. But, it would still need some thinking over.
I just nodded, and took another swig of my beer, in thought.
“Thanks, man.” I nodded to Rian.
He smiled at me.
“No problem, dude. If you do go through with it, then just be careful. And, no worries, I won't tell anyone.” Rian winked at me, and I grinned and nodded in thanks.
“Hey, bartender! How about two more for me and my new buddy, here!” Rian ordered to the bartender, who gave us both another beer, in the blink of an eye.
We honestly didn't need a bartender, or any worker, for that matter. We have an endless supply of everything in this town, no one pays for anything. But, the more evil bunch of us, (shapeshifters and those who seek revenge or have committed a crime), are ordered by Odine to be workers. They're basically his prisoners, which he uses as his servants; or minions, if you will. We don't necessarily need them, but Ryden likes to keep a natural order of things, much like the system that people on Earth, use.
Rian and I clinked our new bottles together in cheers, before drinking them.

I went to bed that night, with my eyes open wide; thinking about my conversation with Rian, earlier.
What if I do it?
What if I don't?
I just want to make Bethany happy, without killing myself off, in the process.
Whatever happens, happens.
I shrugged, and decided to go to sleep.
I’d think more about it, tomorrow.

Notes

*Bethany's Outfit*

Ugghhh this is late, I'm sorry :(

So yeah..the only way to get into Shadowland is by murder or suicide. So what happened to Alex?
DUN DUN DUN.
You'll find out eventually xP

So how was your week, you guys? ;)
I have a shit load of homework fml.
I'll try to update tomorrow if I can, though.

Thanks! :)

Title cred: The Boy Who Could Fly- Pierce The Veil