“Yazmine…Yasmiiiiinnne…Yasmine!” A deep, gruff voice called out in the small house.

“Just where did that little rascal run off to?” Jebediah Roberts scratched the back of his head. His short grey hair covered his head in a patchy mess. The big bushel of stark white hairs that covered his chin stood in contrast to his baked and wrinkled skin, which had the color of dark chocolate.

The near eighty years of his life hadn’t been easy, drafted into the Korean war and serving well into Vietnam. He survived being shot at, blown up, stabbed and beaten. And his biggest challenge to date was helping take care of an eight-year-old little girl. He was still spry enough to do what needed to be done, and he had a caretaker come by every so often. Not that he felt he needed one.

“I swear, girly, I'm gonna woop that behind red if’n yer planning on popping out and scaring me again,” Jeb grumbled as he slowly walked down the hall. Thankfully, his bedroom door opened, and out ran a tiny little girl with caramel-colored skin, her long twin braids flying behind her.

“I’m here, Grandpa!” She yelled out and tackled his legs, wrapping her arms around them, making him stumble slightly.

“Easy now, youngin, just what were ya doin’ in my bedroom, ya rascal?” Even though he had just threatened to spank her, he smiled down at her, his large hand stroking her soft brown hair on the back of her head. He had never loved something more than this little creature. He was there for her birth but rarely got to see her, with parents who were workaholics. Until this year, they finally agreed to let him take her for the summer.

“Playin hide an seek.” Yasmine said with a smile as she looked up at him, still attached to his leg like a leech. She had really come out of her shell in the week she had been there. Remembering the absolutely timid creature that didn’t even recognize him at first. It seemed like she had found her stride and was having a blast off playing with herself. The imagination of kids these days amazed him. He was always getting into trouble with his best friend when he was her age.

“You were playin' hide and seek by yourself, haha? Were ya hiding from me?” Jeb said with a grin laughing a raspy chuckle. Yasmine laughed as well.

“Hahaha, of course not, Grandpa, I was hiding while my friend was seeking! He tried to say that he found me, but I told him that you were calling for me so it didn’t count! Right, right!?” She asked, her smile never fading, but Jeb’s did. He didn’t know of any other kids around the area, and he certainly hadn’t seen any others in the house.

“Your friend? When did you make a friend? Where are they?” He had so many questions and concerns for what was going on.

“Yeah! He showed up and played with me when I couldn’t sleep. He’s really nice!”

“Played with you!?” His heart nearly stopped, but thankfully Yasmine continued.

“Uh huh! First, we played ponies, and then we played with dolls, and I think I fell asleep after that.” Jeb let out a breath, taking a deep breath. “He can go through the walls and become invisdable…Invisadabble, In-vis-ah-ble.” She beamed up at him after correctly pronouncing the difficult word.

“Invisible?” His worry started to lessen significantly. Again, he was amazed that she had come up with such a vivid imaginary friend to play with.

“Mmhmm! He talks kinda funny like you do, Grandpa!” Yasmine giggled a bit at this.

“Haha, does he now? And how do I talk funny.”

“You both call the bathroom a water closet and say things like." She paused to try to make her voice deeper. “This sure is swell, that’s a bit cattywampus, I’ll be darned!” breaking character to laugh loudly. Jeb laughed along with her. This imaginary friend sure sounded like it was based on him, and he felt a bit flattered.

“Well, it sounds like your new friend is my kind of fellow. Will I ever get to meet this fine gentleman?”

“Hmmm, I don't know. He is kind of shy, but I can always ask Monty for you!” Jeb's face fell almost instantly when he heard the name Monty. Yasmine quickly noticed, and her smile quickly vanished.

“Grandpa… What's wrong?” Worry quickly etched her face as she frowned up at him. He quickly tried to wipe the frown from his face for her.

“Oh, nothing, dear; I was just thinking of something sad.”

“Sad?”

“Mmhmm, you see, I used to have a good friend I called Monty.” His smile returned and Yasmine gave him a look of shock.

“You did!?”

“Yeup, we were closer than two peas in a pod. I remember we was little hellions as well. We got into a lot of trouble but always stuck by one another. For over a decade, we were all but attached at the hip. I just barely won over yer grandmother as well, I thought for sure she was going to ask him to go steady instead. Apparently, Monty only ever talked about how great a friend I was when they were together, so she decided to find out for herself. Yup…Up until we graduated high school.” His smile once again faded as he placed a hand back atop Yasmine’s small head.

“Then what happened, Grandpa? Did he move away? I had a friend at school that moved away and that made me sad.” Jeb gave the small girl a slight smile, and rubbed her head at her words.

“Something like that, darlin', he moved so far away that I never got to see him again. It was like one day he was there, crackin wise and bustin' my chops. Tellin' me that he was gonna get out of bed and steal my girl if I wasn’t careful… And then he was gone.” Jeb wrapped an arm around Yasmine, pulling her close to him. She could tell that he was hurting all of a sudden, so she wrapped her arms around him even tighter, giving him a squeeze.

“I’m sorry, grandpa. I hope you see him again soon,” Yasmine said, trying to cheer him up. Jeb paused but then started laughing a bit.

“Hahaha, I bet I will, Yazzie, I bet I will. Now then, come on, it’s time for lunch.” Smiling down at her, as ushered her back down the hall towards the kitchen, looking back for a moment at his bedroom door that suddenly closed silently.

“I want french fries!” The little girl yelled out pulling his attention back to her.

“How about some delicious creamed spinach instead?”

“Ewwwwww!” She complained while he laughed a bit more as they walked into the kitchen where their food awaited them.

That night Jeb sat on the edge of his bed, hunched over, his fingers laced together tight. He was lost in thought. There was no way that earlier was just some coincidence, that she just happened to name her imaginary friend after his childhood friend. But could it really be him? There was only one way to find out.

“Hey, Monty… Can you pick up the horn?” He mumbled out an old phrase that only someone his age might understand. He sat there for a long moment, just remaining silent. Not sure what he was expecting. Was he glad that he didn’t get a response, or sad? It was hard to tell, but he got his answer after a bit.

“Sorry… My lines have been jammed up for a bit.” A smooth voice called out from somewhere in the room. It took a lot to surprise Jeb anymore, so as he looked around for the source of the voice, a pale ghostly figure floated up through the floor and bed until Monty was sitting right next to Jeb. “It's been a while, Jeb… You got old.”

Jeb looked over and finally noticed Monty sitting next to him. His eyes widened, and he leaned away for a moment. The expression on the ghost’s face told him that he was in no danger. His face was a mask of nothing. It was one that made it seem like there was nothing beneath it. That what he was looking at was just a shell of a man.

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“Monty…Is…is it really you? You look exactly like I remember back when you…” Jeb’s words died in his throat.

“Back before I got sick?” Monty finished, making the other man frown deeply.

“Back when you were alive, Monty!” He said angrily. Monty raised a ghostly finger to his lips to shush the old man.

“Quiet, Yasmine just got to sleep.” Jeb’s eyes widened, and he reached out and grabbed Monty by the shirt collar, yanking him to face him directly.

“Just what the fuck do ya think yer doing with my granddaughter!?” He growled out, but Monty just stared back with empty eyes, staying silent. It took him a moment, but Jeb soon realized that he was literally grabbing a ghost. In shock, he let go. His hand felt a little colder, but not really different.

“How…Who… what are you?” Jeb asked in mild amazement. Monty silently fixed his collar and straightened his shirt back up.

“Don’t worry, I have no desire to hurt Yasmine, you, or anyone…I don’t really have any desires at all. For a long time, I have just been existing, watching, and helping with little things here and there. Thanks to your granddaughter, I found out that I can mimic human emotions pretty well. At least enough to keep a child placated.” Monty explained to Jeb as he looked forward again at the glass hutch that held the old man’s medals and pictures of his time in the service.

“But… why? Why are you still here? Why are you a ghost? Why Yasmine?” Jeb asked, feeling confused and a little frightened of what was happening, not for his safety. Death did not scare the old man. But he wouldn’t let anything happen to his granddaughter if he could help it. But what could he do against a ghost if he chose to harm her? That was what frightened him.

“Because she needed a friend… I may not be the best choice, but when I saw her crying alone in her room…It was the closest thing I have felt to emotion since I became… this thing. But to answer your other questions. I don’t know Jeb. The last thing I remember is going to sleep, and when I woke up again, I was floating over my own funeral.” Jeb’s eyes widened at this, watching his former best friend stare down at his hands like they weren’t his own.

“I…I tried to go, Monty. I put in for leave for the funeral, but by the time I got a response, it was already too late. I’m sorry. I truly am. It’s one of my life’s biggest regrets. I should have just got awol and came when I had the chance.” Monty literally rolled his eyes at Jeb’s heartfelt words.

“So you would have put your entire family at risk for a dead guy? What are you an idiot? You did the right thing. Janice and your son were there for you instead, so relax. It was a crappy service anyway.” The ghost said with a huff of mocking laughter. Jeb scowled at him but couldn’t help the slight smile that cracked the corner of his lips.

“You are still an asshole, you know that, right?” Jeb said, making Monty look over at him with bored eyes.

“Yeah, well, you are old, so I guess that makes us even.” Jeb laughed a little and rested his elbows on his legs as he leaned forward, mimicking Monty’s position. The two sat in silence for a long while before Jeb spoke up again.

“You really don’t plan on doing anything to Yasmine?” Monty shook his head to the millionth time he basically asked the same question.

“I may be dead, but I am still your best friend, Jebidiah. I would never, in this life or the next, bring harm to you or your family. In fact, I promise that I won’t even show up if she doesn’t ask for me.” Jeb nodded, feeling assured that Yasmine was in good hands...well, at least she would have a friend when she needed one.

“I just have one last question, Matt…How long did you know?” Jeb’s question was followed by a long silence, and Monty let out a long faux sigh. He knew exactly what Jeb was asking.

“Since I was fifteen…” The eighty-year-old man looked over at the ghost with genuine shock and pain in his gaze.

“You knew… for that long… and you never told me…” The first tear since his wife passed fell from the old man’s eyes. “Is… Is that why you always pushed people away? Why you never got serious with any of the girls you dated? Because you knew… that you were gonna die soon?” Monty nodded solemnly, still not showing any real emotion.

“God… damn it. It’s not fair… Its not fuckin fair.” Jeb grit his teeth as tears started to soak into his beard.

“I started gettin' these penicillin jabs shortly after that. They said it would keep it under control for a while… but not forever. At least I had a good friend by my side. It might not have been a long life…but it was a good one…Thank you for that, Jeb.” Jeb buried his face in his hands, barely able to contain himself.

“Grandpa…” A small voice called out in the dark. He quickly looked over at the door and saw Yasmine standing in the doorway. She had a night gown on that dragged slightly on the floor, holding a stuffed animal and rubbing her eyes. Jeb looked over at Monty but he was gone. Quickly wiping his face, he pushed himself to his feet with a slight groan before walking over too Yasmine and kneeling down next to her.

“What's wrong, sweetheart?” He whispered to her, holding her by the arms, trying to smile, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

“I had a bad dream…” She whimpered with a large frown. Jeb couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle, reaching up to stroke her cheek softly with his thumb.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Yazzie. I will come sit with you until you feel you can sleep again. Come on.” He said softly, slowly getting to his feet, which was a bit of a struggle at his age. But suddenly, it felt like someone helped him stand up. He looked around rapidly but didn’t see anyone or any ghost.

“Grampa,” Yasmine whined again.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m coming.” He said, giving his room one last look before walking out with her and back to her room.

Jebediah gripped the medical pendant in his bony hand that shook with trauma. His breath was ragged and shallow. He was lying in the middle of his floor after accidentally catching his foot on his recliner. He pressed the emergency button that he kept around his neck at all times. But something inside of him could tell that whoever was coming wouldn’t be able to do anything for him. They weren’t coming to save his life. They were coming to collect.

At the ripe old age of ninety-four, he had no desire left to continue this shell of a life it had become. He had been independent for as long as humanly possible, and lasting this long was honestly a huge feat on its own.

“M-Monty.” He rasped out for the ghost that had all but vanished a few years since the last time Yasmine had visited. He only hoped that the spirit was somewhat around still. From how little dust had been collected on the shelves, he was pretty sure Monty was still around.

“Tell me what you need Jeb.” Monty’s voice was barely a whisper but Jeb heard it clear as day. A smile coming to his cracked lips.

“Good, your ass is still haunting me, heh…heh.” He let out a coughing laugh but grimaced as it caused his chest to contract in pain.

“Rest, someone will be here soon.” Monty tried to assure him, but Jeb just shook his head.

“It's too late for me…I won’t be getting up from this spot. But I need you…to do something for me.” It was easy to tell that the old man was barely hanging on at this point, but he couldn’t pass on just yet.

“Name it.”

“I need you… to take what you can… from me. I don’t know…why you haven't been around, but I’m guessing… it’s the reason Yasmine stopped throwing such a fit that day. Why she forgot…your name, forgot about you…You didn’t want her to be sad…You love her… As I do. Please…let me make it up to you. Let me be a part of your future.” He had to pause to catch his breath in deep gasps to speak as it got harder and harder as each moment passed.

There was nothing from the spirit for a long while. The sound of an ambulance’s sirens was fast approaching. Finally, Monty responded.

“Jeb, I can’t.”

“You can!” Jeb shouted, causing himself to go into a coughing fit.

“Okay, okay, please, just calm down… I don’t know what this is going to do, but… I think… yeah, this is it. Jeb are you sure?” A smirk crossed the old man’s face at this.

“Come on now, don’t be such a wuss.” Jeb let out a raspy laugh as he closed his eyes and rested, feeling his heartbeat becoming sluggish.

“I… I will make it as quick and painless as possible…Please, rest well…Thank you.” With that, a tendril of spectral energy extended from seemingly nothing. It slipped past Jeb’s gasping lips and down his throat. The old man felt nothing and as soon as a small ball of light was extracted from his body, he faded away in an instant. Gone from this world and on to the next.

Monty’s soul then absorbed the remaining life energy that Jeb had so graciously gifted to him. He felt himself surge with power, and so much of what he had sacrificed in the past came back to him. The feeling of being able to take shape again came to him, as did the ability to speak louder than a whisper. The energy was addicting, the power he felt almost over whelmed him. As the EMT’s rushed into the house, it took every ounce of willpower to resist attacking the pair that came to aid the old man, who they were far too late to help.

Once he regained control of his senses, he knew what he had to do. Rushing into Jeb’s room, he opened the case that held all of his memorabilia and photos and grabbed the only one that had both of them in it when they were teens. He hid it in a secret compartment that only he knew about, which held his greatest treasures.

With that photo safe, he waited for the EMTs to leave while he hid in the home's crawl space. A sudden and volatile rush of emotion overtook Monty. His entire being vibrated with energy. It started as a dull roar, but soon, he was screaming as loud as possible. His wails rattled deep into the night, the pain and anguish of being the one to take his best friend's life searing his soul. Why did it have to be him to bear this awful burden?

“Ahhhhhh!” Yasmine awoke screaming as loud as she could, drenched in sweat. She felt awful, she was dizzy, sick to her stomach, and wanted to sleep, but all those paled in comparison to what was now in her mind. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Burying her face, she started to sob, crying harder than she ever had before. The memories of the past flooded her brain. All she could do was cry, cry until she had no more tears to shed.