48 Hours

It was cold, wet, and dark, as I laid on a highway in a pool of my own blood, thinking to myself, {What have I done with my life?, What have I achieved?, Did I do anything worth while?}, my vision was blurry and fading, as my life was coming to an end, the only thing I remember was the back of the car that hit me drive off into the night.

It took only seconds after I closed my eyes for the last time, before I felt my soul leave its physical body. When I opened my eyes again I was looking up and I saw the stars shining clearer than anything, as I started looking down I saw the city lights in the distance, the tail-lights and headlights of passing cars below brought me back to reality that's when I started panicking over the fact that I was floating in the air.

When I looked around I saw what was my body, being eaten by wild animals, on the side of the highway. Someone had gotten out of their car, and move my body to the side instead of calling the police or an ambulance, I felt angry and slightly annoyed at the realisation that there are people out there who are that cold and dismissive.

"Calm down my dear, there is nothing you can do about your mortal body now", the voice of a woman, came from behind me.

When I looked back all I saw was a clocked figure, no matter how hard I tried I could not see past the cloak.

"Who are you?, are you here to take my soul?" I asked the cloaked figure.

"Not yet my dear, you have 48 hours to wonder and get your self centered before going through judgement. Just say when you are ready and I will come collect you", The figure then faded away and I was left there to my thoughts.

As I drifted around for the first 2 hours of my ghostly life, I wondered what my family where doing, if they had noticed that I had not made it to the family Christmas eve gathering, or if they have been informed of my death.

Before I knew it I was outside my parents estate, everyone's cars were here and lined up like always, the lights were on and the decorations were up, you could hear the laughter from inside.

I floated in through the front door and went to the ball room where I knew everyone would be, but upon my entrance I saw my family laughing and cheering to what could only be described as my final moments of life.

Not only were they happy and laughing at my death, but they were also congratulating my older cousin for the contribution he made to the family by killing me.

I was livid and full of rage, the anger, hatred and betrayal I felt in that moment was undeniable, I then left the estate and headed to the one person I could confide in while I was alive.

As I arrived at the old art gallery in the west side of the city, I spotted the old beat up beetle parked in the alleyway. I floated inside through the window and saw my friend Sally Winters, the one person who I loved the most in my mortal life, was sitting on the floor, covered in paint, and singing along to our playlist, she had no idea that I was gone, and that my family was the one who killed me.

I sat there on the floor next to her and lent my ghostly head on her shoulder, as I sang along with her while she painted.

When she came to a pause, she got up and went for a drink, when I was alive we kept a small fridge freezer in the back room and kept it full of water, snacks, and meals we spent 2 days cooking and storing for when we spent days here getting ready for an exhibition.

I stood up and walked to the end of the hall and looked at the last painting I had done, it was of a black cat that kept wondering into the gallery and stealing our sushi, he was cute a little chubby and full of life. As I was lost in my memories of the cat, I heard a crashing sound coming from the room where Sally was painting.

I went back and saw that she was on the ground, her food scattered all over the floor and she was sobbing so loud that it made my still heart ache, while I was wondering down memory lane, the police arrived to inform her of my death, and that she would have to come and collect my items as she was my emergency contact.

6 hours into my ghostly wonder, we were at the hospital where she was identifying my remains', signing papers and collecting my things. She looked hollow and empty as she walked out of the hospital and back to her car, as she sat in the drivers seat she placed my items next to her.

Tears streamed down her face as she went through my phone and looked at all the pictures I took of her and the gallery, and the video's we took together when we travelled all over the world.

When she looked at the destination on my maps for my family's estate, she got angry and cursed at the people who were related to me, she knew better than anyone, better than me that my family didn't like or want me in their home.

As time went on and it was coming close to my time up, I called for the cloaked figure, they appeared before me with in seconds of me calling, "Are you ready to go my dear?" the cloaked figure held out their hand, "No I'm not ready yet, I would like to know is there anyway I can make one final gesture, do one final thing before I leave?", I was looking at what seemed to be their eyes, even though I could not see them.

Even thought their face was covered in a black haze I could feel the grin they made when I asked that question, "Of course you can my dear, follow me", I followed as they had said, they took me to a medium, a person who could see and communicate with the dead.

"Hello, Clarissa, I have someone who is here to ask for a favour, if you are willing to help" the cloaked figure didn't even knock or ask for permission as they sat on the sofa while the lady known as Medium Clarissa Gongsworth, a well known medium was drying her hair in her bathrobe while sitting in her lounge chair watching a horror movie.

"Not at all, Death, I would love to help anyone who is in need of it, so what is your name my dear and what can I help you with?", Clarissa said while leaning forward and offering me a seat on the sofa.

I looked at her then at the chubby black cat laying on the coffee table Infront of me, I gave the cat a <so you have a home and an owner> look, then sat on the sofa and lent forward.

"I need help in redirecting my money and writing a new Will so that the people who are responsible for my death don't get anything", the look on Clarissa's face was priceless, she knew just how petty I was, and she loved it.

She got her laptop out and then started working on moving my money around, I gave her all my passwords and details, when she finally got into my accounts she was amazed at what she saw.

Bank 1 - Main Account - Balance $45,000.

Bank 1 - Savings Account - Balance $298,000.

Blank 1 - Business Account - Balance $56,000.

Bank 2 - Main Account - Balance $167,000.

Bank 2 - Savings Account - Balance $1,592,243.33

" What would you like me to do with each one?", she said while giving me a questionable look, "Don't look at me like that, I own a business, and work as a free lance artist. For now can we write my Will, she got her papers out and then started writing what I requested be on it.

The next day when my family went to the court house to get my Will and see what they had gained from my death, they saw Sally sitting in the waiting room, my mother went over to her and told her to leave and that she had no right being there, but as she was trying to drag sally out, a lawyer came over and told her to leave Sally alone as she has every right being here since her name is in my Will.

When they headed into the court room and sat down, you had the lawyer in charge of my family, my lawyer and Sally sitting across from them, then the judge began reading my Will.

"I am here today to read and distribute the requested items on the Will to the recipients, my name is Judge Liam Neil Haze", he shifted in his seat to get comfortable as this seemed like it would take a while. The whole time me and death were standing next to Sally and my lawyer.

"Ok, I Gina. Rane. Kellingham, am of sound mind and body, as I write this Will under no influence, nor am I being forced have written this Will as I wish it to be. My house on ******* street, my 2 cars and my precious dog (June) will go to my dear friend Sally Winters" the look on my family's face when he read the start of my Will made every thing worth while, I was grinning ear to ear in glee and enjoyment as I saw their hopes and greed shatter into a million pieces.

"My business will be passed on to my secretary Bill Gale, My art and gallery will go to Sally Winters on the 1st of January after my death. In *****Bank Main Account - The Balance of $45,000 will go to my lawyer, Kevin J Wilkinson", The supprise on his face made my day as I knew he was struggling to pay for his daughters surgery, she needed a new lung as hers was crushed in an accident a few weeks ago, the surgery would cost $25,000, and he would need time off work to help her recuperate, and that costs money. "*****Bank Savings Account - The Balance of $298,000 will go to Cancer research and studies, *****Bank Business Account - The Balance of $56,000 will go to the animal shelters, *****Bank Main Account - The Balance of $167,000 will go to Sally Winters" Sally's face as she heard what I had left her was priceless, I loved her and knew she worked herself to the bone to provide for her siblings, but she would never accept the money I offered her when I was alive, the only way I could get her to accept it was for it to be in my Will, as I saw tears streaming down her face and the silent cry she gave out, I gave her a hug from behind and lent my head on hers.

"*****Bank Savings Account - The Balance of 92,243.33 will go to medium Clarissa Gongsworth, *****Bank Savings Account - The Balance of 1,500,000 will go be divided and given to *****Hospital, *****Collage of medicine and ******Orphanage. this is signed by G.R.Kellingham.

After the court and the Will distribution, my family were completely gobsmacked and horrified, just as Sally left the court house and my mother was heading over to her to take everything I had just given to her, the police arrived and arrested my mother, brother and my cousin for my murder, and if your wondering how they found out, I had Clarissa send an anonymous email to the police.

I looked at death and gave a genuine calm and sincere smile "I'm ready to go now"...

THE END