I hit the library as soon as I could doing research on ghosts, specters, phantoms, spirits, whatever you want to call them. I read stacks on stacks of books to learn every possible detail that I could. I kept a book full of notes on everything and it got to the point I did nothing but research. Thankfully I already knew some things but there was so much more to learn when I thought I knew enough. I decided my brain had learned enough knowledge for the day and it was time to head out. Riding down the street I decided to take a new way home on a back road I hoped would be a shortcut. The road was pretty bare besides forest and smashed beer bottles and some garbage on the sides of it. At least it seemed pretty bare until I noticed an old junkyard that I didn't even know existed until now. It looked almost abandoned and like nobody's been there in years not even drunk teenagers looking for some trouble to cause. I was surprised by what happened next but I chose to go inside and see for myself what this place had going on. Usually I'd be too scared to go somewhere like this by myself and wouldn't have the balls especially now knowing ghosts exist but I just wasn't bothered. I squeezed through the chained fence gate and got caught by my backpack which was stuck pretty good. I took it off leaving it to hang on the fence till I returned and would try to get it off again. I made my way through rusting cars and parts as I stepped on broken glass. There was just something coming off from this place I didn't like and couldn't get used to. I believed I was right, there was nobody here there was no one at all, I believed that until I heard a noise.
BANG
It sounded like metal hitting a car or like someone hitting a homerun with the perfect swing. I started to turn in circles looking for a cause of the noise but there was nothing at all -
"Maybe something just finally fell on its own or something fell apart. That's very likely in an old junkyard filled with old junk cars" I tried to convince myself so I wasn't scared. I headed further into the place now a little creeped out like when you go in your dark basement and get creeped out then feel like someone's chasing you back up the stairs. I brushed off the feeling and started to think of it as a cool experience since I never did anything like this. I was always reading, drawing, listening to music, watching tv, just cooped up inside so to get out and explore an abandoned place I felt like a regular teenager. Sure It'd be nice if I wasn't alone and had a friend with me but considering my only friend was a ghost I didn't see that as a possibility. I started to feel better when all of a sudden something ran passed in the corner of my eye and underneath a car.
"You stupid, stupid idiot. Why would you come in here alone, now you're probably going to end up a skin suit or a mantle" I thought. My anxiety started flying off the charts as I seen something run by again fast.
"Come on Billy don't be ridiculous you know that whatever it is it won't hurt you. Well it most likely wouldn't hurt you, it'd probably kill you so fast it wouldn't hurt. Just slowly turn back and leave" I told myself as I began to make my way back to the entrance of the junkyard. I heard another noise and another that sounded like old rusted cans falling over and the sound was getting closer. Only a few steps away from the gate I got thrown down and pinned to the ground. I closed my eyes in fear and started screaming
"Don't kill me please, don't kill me!" A few seconds passed and I was still surprisingly breathing and without a scratch. I decided to open my left eye to peek at the creature who was taunting me and my life. Slowly creeping it open and my vision going from blurry to clear I knew exactly what it was, a dog. But it wasn't like any ordinary junkyard dog I mean sure it took me to the ground but it hadn't bit me yet or even snarled at me.
"Hey boy" I said opening my right eye and locking eyes with him before he barked in my face and I flinched. He then launched into licking the crap out of my face slobbering all over me. He was a massive, solid black Doberman and wore a spike collar around his neck. He stopped licking me which allowed me to see his giant sharp chompers,
"Yikes I'm glad you're friendly" I said to him. Looking closer I realised his ribs were showing a bit -
"You must be hungry huh buddy?" I asked now stepping up as he got off of me.
"I'll find you something to eat don't worry" I promised him as I walked back to my bag digging through it and pulling out three day old jerky. I could tell he didn't seem to mind it being a bit stale by the way he inhaled it like a snake eating its pray whole.
"You like that don'tcha boy?" I said petting him on the head and itching behind his ear. I couldn't leave him here defenseless so I knew I had to take him home.
"C'mon boy, I'm going to show you where I live" I informed leading him out of the junkyard. Getting home I brought him to my side window and tied him to a pipe on the wall with a rope I found in the grass from when I'd get bored and jump rope with it. I never actually wanted to buy a skipping rope and kind of wanted to keep it a secret anyhow because it felt girly.
"This'll only be for a minute I promise, I just can't let my dad see you buddy." I walked through the house which was surprisingly empty and quiet. I didn't even realize dad's car wasn't in the driveway I was moving so quickly, checking mom's knitting room I seen she was sitting there in her chair. She was so still that I could almost believe she was dead if I didn't notice her chest slowly rising and lowering from her breathing. She looked so depressed and I often wondered what she'd be like right now if she was happy. On her wrist she still wore the bracelet I made her in grade three that spelt out "B E S T M O M E V E R" in beads. That made me feel good that she still cared about me enough to wear it, even if she couldn't show it. I hustled to my room and closed the door which was followed by locking it.
"I'm back bud" I said opening my window and reaching out to untie the rope and calling him inside. He almost went in a full circle moving so he could have some distance before running and jumping in my window like a show dog through a hoop.
"There we go" I said closing my window and looking to double check that I had closed my door behind me. He instantly made himself at home on my bed which covered my blue comforter in dirt.
"Ah shi- that's okay boy" I said with a bit of a laugh, I had an extra comforter in my closet that'd I'd switch to as soon as I could clean him.
"I'm going to go get you food, okay? So I need you to stay here and stay silent. Can you do that for me - I guess I should give you a name huh?.....what about Bandit? Yeah, Bandit I love it" I said and by the way he licked my hand I could tell he loved it too. I dug an old baseball out from under my bed and put it between his two front paws which he then clenched down on still trying to pant with it in his mouth. I gave a quick grin and then left my room closing the door and heading back to where my mom was. I looked at her through the crack of the door before I thought
"I'm sorry mom" and took three dollars from her purse. I mean it wasn't really being put to use besides buying more knitting supplies and dad paid all the bills from working his job. Any money mom made was from selling her blankets, sweaters, mittens, etc to locals. I then went back to the side of the house and looked in the window to make sure Bandit was behaving. He still laid on my bed with the ball in his mouth so I got on my (Mathews) bike and rode into town to the pet shop. Entering I seen Mr. Stewart behind his counter as always.
"How's it going Billy? I didn't know you guys had a pet, did you just get one?" he asked while filling a jar full of dog treats. I had to think quick he was the only owner of a pet shop and knows everyone in town, especially the pet owners.
"Uh, no just for a friend. I owed them one so they made me do an errand their mother originally sent them on" I said with an awkward half smile.
"Well what are ya lookin' for?"
"Some dog food but um preferably the cheapest bag you have, that's what my friend said."
"Okay well, in the back right corner I have some for two dollars and seventy-eight cents. Will that do?"
"Yeah that's perfect" I said sounding a little too excited before walking to the back of the store and searching till I found the bag he meant. I carried it up to the counter and threw it up and then placed down two dollars and seventy-eight cents exactly.
"Will that be all son?"
"Yes, thank you sir" I said hurrying out of the store and riding back home with one hand and the dog food over my shoulder. Once I got home I grabbed two bowls and filled one with water then as I got in my room opened the bag of dog food and filled the other.
"Now I don't know how the food will be but water is water" I said with a giggle turning around and almost dropping the bowls. The only thing that dropped though was my jaw because Bandit had ripped the baseball up to shreds along with one of my school notebooks.
"Welp I know for a fact Mr. Anger isn't going to believe the 'dog ate my homework' crap" I said placing down the bowls. Me and Bandit passed eachother as I went to clean up his mess and he went to eat up the food. It wasn't a big deal I barely ever took notes in Mr. Angers class anyways. I swear I have ADHD because I will constantly move and flick my pencil or chew on it and I get distracted by the sound of rain hitting the roof or a bird flying by the window. Of course I never wanted to say anything to my parents because if I did have ADHD knowing them they'd treat me even more different. He drank all the water and ate three quarters of the bowl before trying to lay back on my bed and take a nap.
"No, no boy we need to get you cleaned up" I told him then peeked out my door and lured him to the bathroom. I patted on the tub and he jumped in then I turned on the water to be lukewarm for him. As soon as he noticed the water coming out of the spout he began licking it as it fell.
"Jeez boy how thirsty are you?" I asked and he looked at me to start licking my face. I started scrubbing him with soap and filled the cup we used to rinse after brushing our teeth with water. I used it to wash the soap off of him while making sure I didn't get any in his eyes.
"Now boy, hop out and I'll dry you off with this towel" I said but Bandit didn't agree to my idea. He did jump out of the tub but that was followed by him shaking profusely getting water everywhere.
"I should've seen that coming I guess" I laughed and started to dry the rest of him then snuck him back into my room. I changed my comforter throwing the dirty one in the hamper thinking of the fun I'd have trying to explain that one to mom. He got up on the foot of the bed and went in about eleven circles before laying down and then getting back up and doing six more. I laid in bed with him trying to make room for myself and was happy with the little space I had. Looking at him sleep peacefully away clean and fed made me feel like I was finally at home. At this moment I realized why dogs were called the man's best friend and then thinking of best friends I realized I had been so busy with Bandit I forgot all about Allison.
"Shit" I said sitting up which made Bandit raise his head up and over look at me. This was the only other time I hadn't met her at the cemetery and I felt just as bad as the first time.
"She'll forgive me, she forgave me before and I just have to simply explain finding Bandit. Maybe I can even bring him to meet her" I thought getting excited. I laid back down and so did Bandit then we both fell asleep in a snap of a finger. We were both exhausted from our busy days and who knows how long he had been awake with no food or water. Halfway through the night as I laid there I felt like I was having sleep paralysis. I couldn't tell whether I was awake or asleep but no matter what I couldn't move. Everything around me was pitch black and then all of a sudden a car drove by me. It was the same vehicle from my previous dream, the one that had crashed into the tree. It was a blue 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 and as it drove I stayed behind it but I wasn't moving on my own. I couldn't even see my arms or body so I knew it had to of been another dream at this point. But why, why was I dreaming about this car and why did Allison need me to see it so bad. Trees started to appear around the car along with a road underneath it. Coming from the car was "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers but you could just hear it over the roar of the engine. Then the music and the engine went silent and all I heard was a loud screech from the tires and the car swerved into the tree I had seen it hit. I heard the sound of the engine again but it was quieter now and the song was skipping. It kept singing "somebody to lean on, somebody to lean on, somebody to lean on." I was moving towards the passenger side of the car before something grabbed my shoulder and whipped me around. It stood what looked to be seven feet tall in an all black cloak. I looked to my shoulder to see a skinless hand that was just a skeleton, then looking up the creature bent down to reach eye level. I heard noises that sounded like a million people whispering and some screaming. The creature leaned forward and it's face was unveiled it was a skull that somehow still stared into my eyes with empty black holes. It opened its mouth to speak and spiders came crawling out and then I woke up screaming.
"What the hell was that?" I heard from the living room and then quickly hid Bandit in my closet. My dad pushed my door open and asked
"Why the hell are you in here screaming?"
"S-sorry, I just seen a spider.."
"Well stop being a little sissy and get to bed, you have school I'm the morning" he said before slamming my door. He then reopened it to say
"I thought you broke your door?" and I just stayed silent and slowly shook my head. He gave a
"Hmm" and then closed it again, I took bandit out of the closet and went to sit on my bed.
"Crap I didn't even think about school, how am I going to hide you while I'm gone boy?" I said now wide awake and terrified to go back to sleep. Bandit came up on the bed and nudge his head in my armpit so I lifted my arm and wrapped it around him. He laid down and put his head on my leg and closed his eyes -
"At least someone will get some sleep tonight" I said knowing that we made eachother feel safe. But there was nothing that could make me feel safe enough to go back to sleep after what I just seen dream or not, it meant something.