THE DAY I WAS A GHOST

Doreen Williams

I woke up on October 5, 2017 at 6:00 am. It was a regular Thursday morning, so I just sat at the end of the bed needing a hot cup of tea. At work the day dragged on as usual, until I received a call from one of my nieces. She sounded a little shoveled and out of breath. She said “auntie can you call me from outside?” I go outside to return the call. She said AUNTIE DIED! and I screamed WHO! Because I have five sisters and I am the youngest. She said “Maryann” I screamed up to heaven.

All of a sudden everything switched to slow motion. I felt myself falling to the ground. In the distance I see a lady, before I knew it, she was pulling me up. I don’t remember if I even hit the ground. I just remember yelling NO, NO, NO. She’s my favorite sister. My niece said, “calm down, I am coming to pick you up, because she is still in her bedroom”. When we arrived, I refused to go into the bedroom. This was my second sister that died in her sleep. With my first sister Juanita, what I saw with my own eyes, I never want to see ever again. My mind took a picture and burnt it in my brain.

 With this sister, I sat in the hallway and held on to the banister and just cried. I needed a cigarette, so I went outside just pacing and crying. Finally, a lingering look at her building shoved me back into slow motion. Two people came out of her building with a body bag which contained my sister. I felt sick and needed to throw up. All I could do was scream. It felt like gasoline was thrown on my body and a lit match was flicked at me.

When I arrived home shocked and shaken, I was listening to music having a few drinks and I must have cried myself to sleep. When I opened my eyes, I was in an elevator feeling confused. When I looked to my left there was my sister Maryann. She was dressed in all white, with a white smokey mist around her. She looked confused. I was crying and calling her name, but she ignored me. It was like I could feel all of her emotions. My body was shaking all over. Suddenly, the elevator stopped and I was frozen in time, waiting for something to happen. 

Quickly the doors slid open and I heard a collective gasp IT’S MARYANN! I felt complete love and comfort along with my shock. There was my beautiful loving mother standing in the front, weeping with her arms open. Behind her was our family members who had passed away. I could see them clearly. I tried to greet them, but everyone ignored me and hugged Maryann. When I reached to touch them, my hand went straight through them. I felt like I had on an invisible cloak. In my confusion I thought to myself, why am I seeing this?  

My mother walked Maryann away from everyone, as I follow them emotionally broken. When they stopped, my mother said “You will be missed”. She motioned her to look down. below their feet was a glass floor separated into squares. Each square was lite up and you could see different family members and her friends in different squares crying. With my own eyes, I saw myself in my apartment. I was alone having some drinks listening to music and crying. That really freaked me out! How could I be here with her and there in my apartment at the same time? I REALIZED THEN THAT I WAS A GHOST!   

 I jumped up looking around for Maryann. I realized that I was in my apartment in my bed. I touched my shirt and face which was wet from tears. I jumped up out of the bed, dropped down to my knees and thanked God as I cried with joy. I knew that she was alright and in the arms of my mother and the rest of our family. I will live with that dream for the rest of my life.

                      I LOVE YOU MARYANN ALWAYS AND FOREVER.