Totally Tragic

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth sat on a ledge, watching the owls. She found them fascinating creatures, and very pleasant to watch. She did love birds. The freedom that they had was admirable, something that she wanted for herself. A rare smile crossed the girls' face as one perched near her, hesitantly reaching out to see if it would peck her, chuckling slightly as it's beak snapped.

A shiver went right down her spine suddenly, making her stumble off the ledge and onto her feet, glancing round to see what on earth had just gone through her, scowling as she saw it. A ghost. Well that wasn't something you saw every day. "You!" she snapped, the owl she had been sat with flapping it's wings and disappearing. "Watch where you're going!"

[Annabeth Johnson]

Anna didn't like floating in the open, it made her feel vulnerable and lost. She much preferred pretending to walk. Even though she couldn't feel the solid ground beneath her feet, the thought that it was there comforted her. This was why she panicked when she accidentally flew threw the wall in the Owlery and onto the ground. She didn't mean to, but she hadn't been paying attention.

When she realized the ground beneath her feet had gone, she panicked and hovered back to the school as quick as she could, not noticing where she was going. It wasn't until she felt the shivering sensation of passing through someone that she realized she wasn't alone.

The girl snapped at her, and if she had still been human, Anna probably would have blushed in embarrassment. "Oh my, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, her hands going down to straighten her unmoving dress. "I didn't mean to do that, have you hurt yourself?" she asked worriedly, hovering closer to the girl, moving her legs as if she was walking, even though she was a few inches above the ground.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth watched the ghost straighten her dress and hover- no, walk towards her, raising a brow at the behaviour. From what she had been told about ghosts, she did not expect them to pretend to walk. It seemed like an incredibly strange thing for a ghost to do, perform actions like they were alive. She turned her eyes to the face of the ghost, who was shorter than her even with hovering a few inches off the ground, placing one hand on her hip and trying to decide what to make of the situation. Concerned about her safety? It wasn't like they'd bumped into each other.

"Just because you make me feel a little chilly doesn't mean I'm going to hurt myself. Honestly, I'm not a baby," she said, narrowing her eyes as she thought about the ghost. "Who are you anyway? I don't remember seeing any ghosts around here before, though I haven't been here long. Certainly not up here at the Owl House though. And you realise your dress doesn't need straightening, right?" Ah, having perfectly ironed clothes all the time. What Elizabeth would give.

[Annabeth Johnson]

Anna didn't like being reminded of the fact she was a ghost. She really, really didn't. A sad look crossed over her features but she willed it away immediately. She'd been a ghost for over many years now, she was supposed to be used to this. She was supposed to be used to the fact she couldn't actually hurt someone by sliding past them. Just like she should be used to the fact she didn't have to walk like a normal person did. That didn't mean she stopped though.

"It can still be an unpleasant sensation, and I don't know if I startled you," Anne said in a quiet voice, fingers knotting together as she sprawled her hands over her stomach. "I'm Annabeth. I'm not with people often, I didn't mean to interrupt," she told the other girl. Being with people meant being reminded she was dead. If she was alone she could at least pretend she was still there.

"I know it doesn't, I just like the feel of it as it slides through my fingers," Anna confessed, feeling yet another pang at the reminder she didn't change. This was exactly why she avoided people like the plague.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth noticed that the ghost seemed to either be really bad at hiding her thoughts, or just didn't bother. She could see the ways her words affected the girl, the sad look that took over her face. Elizabeth frowned, folding her arms across her chest. She did not feel guilty.

"Yes, well, be more careful next time and this won't happen, will it?" Elizabeth questioned. It was probably as close to saying she forgived someone she ever got. "I'm Elizabeth. People tend to irritate me," but this girl wasn't technically a person. Not anymore.

Her eyes surveyed the dress, before locking with the girl's eyes, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "It is a pretty dress. Certainly could be worse things to be stuck in."

[Annabeth Johnson]

"I will be more careful," Anna replied immediately. Avoiding people as a ghost wasn't nearly as hard as it had been at a person. The fact she could go through walls without much effort helped. Even if she tried to avoid it. The feeling of going through something still wasn't one that she was used to. Even after over forty years. It still felt unpleasant and sickening. Especially when the things were walls and furniture.

Anna smiled pleasantly at the compliment about her dress. Her hands stroked over the once yellow fabric, it had been her favourite dress. She wore it on every occasion she deemed appropriate. In some way, she was quite happy she'd worn it the day she died. At least now she got to spend eternity with it.

"I've met this ghost at Hogwarts. She died wearing her uniform, I can't imagine having to spend the rest of my life in those clothes!" she exclaimed, thinking about the formless robes that the other girl had been wearing. "I do wish though, sometimes, that I could switch clothing. My legs miss being covered," she admitted, her hand stopping to play with her dress so she could lay them both over her stomach again.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth nodded in satisfaction as the ghost said she would be more careful. Whens she moved on from being upset to talking about her dress, Elizabeth decided she was quite pretty when smiling. For a dead person.

The brunette grimaced at the idea of being stuck in her uniform, trying to imagine it. "Ugh, that would be horrible. I'd much rather it be clothes of my own chosing. and I've seen that uniform, I wouldn't be caught dead in it," she chuckled at her own joke.

"It suits you, and you have nice legs," Elizabeth said, smirk still on her face. "So you can't be too upset about it. "Though I think I'd pick trousers."

[Annabeth Johnson]

Anna felt the familiar feeling in her cheeks that meant that she was blushing, even though it was impossible for the other to see, seeing as she wasn't coloured. "Thank you," she said, realizing that she had no idea how to react to a compliment anymore. She hadn't had them in a long time. It made her quite uncomfortable. She wondered if she had to inform the other girl she had nice legs too. Which she did. Anna decided not to say it.

"I wouldn't want to be stuck in trousers all my life, I'd much rather be it my dress," she said instead, twirling in a circle, pretending as if the fabric moved around her. It did move, but it returned to its original spot immediately. Anna sighed quietly.

She brought one hand up to her hair and twirled the end of the braids between her fingers. "What brought you up here then?" she asked curiously. She didn't want the girl to go yet, the conversation hadn't been so bad so far, and it had been a long time since she had someone to talk to.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth imagined what the ghost's face might've looked like if it wasn't void of colour, feeling herself begin to relax as the ghost girl got slightly awkward about the compliment. Making other people feel uncomfortable always made her feel better.

She watched the ghost twirl, looking up at her face as she sighed, observing her every action. Elizabeth had a tendency to do that. "It's a dress you're very fond of then?" she found herself asking before she could stop herself.

At the quesiont of why she was here, Elizabeth moved back to resting against the ledge, her hands against the stone, looking out at the owls once again, shrugging lightly. "I come here often. I like the birds. The freedom they possess," she trailed off, turning her eyes back to the ghost. "What are you doing here?"

[Annabeth Johnson]

"It's my favourite," Anna said cheerfully, her hand stroking the fabric once again. Touching herself was the only thing that was possible. And other ghosts. She could touch other ghosts as if they were human like her, but Anna never wanted to. She didn't know any ghosts she wanted to touch in the first place. All the ghosts she knew were old, apart from the one at Hogwarts. But that ghost was just very unpleasant.

Anna followed the girl's gaze to the birds, moving slightly closer so she could hover her own hand over the ledge. As long as she didn't touch, she couldn't go through and she could just pretend.

"I don't know, I wasn't really planning on going anywhere and I ended up here," she said, shrugging. "I don't have much to do nowadays. The hours kind of drag by, most of them I can't actually remember. I can spend days hovering around without realizing that days have actually passed," she confessed. "Time is a strange thing."

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth noticed that the ghost did seem to attempt to do human-like things, as if she were alive. Placing her hand on the ledge, the way the ghost always seemed to touch her dress. It made Elizabeth wonder how long the girl had been dead for. She assumed it would be rude to ask however.

"I suppose when you can't remember them they might seem shorter," Elizabeth mused, watching the birds again, wondering if her parents were expecting her to write to them. They'd probably tell her if they were. "Time seems to disappear while I'm up here, I enjoy the way the sun moves," she assumed that commenting on the way it warmed her would be insensitive even by her standards.

"What do you do with your unlimited time then?" Elizabeth asked, voice disinterested despite the fact she was curious.

[Annabeth Johnson]

"You should spend an entire day doing nothing but staring at the sky, it's beautiful," Anna told her, tossing her braid over her shoulder so it fell down her back. "Though I don't know many people who'd have the patience for that. Certainly not when I was human, I haven't met many people since I died," she told Elizabeth, moving so she was now seated on the ledge, her legs dangling over the edge.

"I think about things. There is not much I can do, seeing as I cannot touch. I often wish I could do something simple like holding a pencil or being able to turn the covers of a book. Just so I would have something to do with my time, but I can do nothing but wish," she muttered with a regretful sigh.

What was unlimited time if there was nothing Anna could do with it. If she got the chance, she would give it all up for one more day as a human. Just one more day.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth snorted lightly. "I'm not sure I know many people who'd have the time for that," she murmured. The idea of spending an entire day staring at the sky wasn't entirely unappealing.

As the ghost mentioned how she hadn't met many people since she'd died, Elizabeth took it as an invitation to speak on the matter. "How long has it been since then?"

"Perhaps you need a page turner," Elizabeth joked. "I can't imagine wishing is a productive use of your time. Would make it slightly despressing."

[Annabeth Johnson]

"You'd have to make time," Anna replied simply, even though she knew many people simply couldn't make time to stare at the sky all day. And even if they did, they couldn't enjoy it because they kept thinking about all the things they would have to do when they were done.

Anna bit her lip at the question, fingers nervously twitched together as she counted the years in her head. "I was born in 1958. I died in 1974, so I've been a ghost for 38 years," she said softly, her own eyes widening a little as she realized it had really been quite long. "It doesn't feel like that long," she added quietly.

"Would be quite handy, I'd need someone else to set it up still, and I doubt there'd be many people who'd want to help a ghost," and the fact that tended to avoid people didn't help either. "It does make it slightly depressing. But I rather wish about something than forget about it," she told the other girl.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth watched the ghost carefully as she explained how long she'd been dead for, looking for signs of dicomfort, or signs of anything really. She smirked slightly at the last comment. "I imagine time flies when you have so much of it, though I imagine that's a good thing. That makes you, what?" she paused, doing the math quickly. "Sixteen when you kicked the bucket? Not too old, huh? Did you go to school here?"

She had to roll her eyes at the idea of there being no one to help a ghost. "Oh please, this place is full of people who would be willing to help, I'm sure. I bet you haven't even asked, just assumed there wouldn't be. You won't get anything if you don't go looking for it."

[Annabeth Johnson]

"I was sixteen when I died, yes. My little sister was only ten," Anna spoke up, biting her lip as she thought about Piper. Sometimes she wished her sister had chosen ghost life as well, at least then she wouldn't be alone. Then again, she did not wish her faith to her sister, so somehow, she was also glad Piper had moved on immediately in the way she hadn't been able to.

"People make me nervous. What if they tell me no?" she blurted, fingers playing with the edge of her braid. "And they remind me of the fact that I'm dead," she admitted, realizing this was the first time she said it out loud. She should be more careful, and not put her heart on a platter like this, but she couldn't help herself. It felt so nice talking to someone again after such a long time.

"At least if I avoid them I can still pretend."

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth raised her brows in surprise at the mention of a little sister, the words leaving her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. "Your little sister died with you?" she asked, looking down, slightly confused as she suddenly felt embarrassed for the question. Considering what she'd asked so far, she didn't think it was that much more personal. There was something touchy about 'little sister dying' however. Though she wouldn't feel at all touchy if her younger sibling died. "Sorry, you really can just tell me to shut up."

Elizabeth scoffed, folding her arms across her chest, observing one owl swoop down, feeling a rush of pleasure at watching it. "Honestly, if you're so bloody scared to ask, you don't deserve it," she snapped, though it wasn't entirely heartfelt. "I don't think you can avoid people to pretend you're not dead. You are. Enjoy it."

[Annabeth Johnson]

Anna bit on her lip at the question, she assumed it was her own fault. She was the one who brought up her sister in the first place. She nodded slowly. "It's okay, I don't mind you asking. Yes, my parents and my sister got in a car accident. We all died, immediately, but I was the only one to choose this above moving on," she confessed. "I miss my family, but I comfort myself with the thought they have it good where they are now," she added, even though she hadn't meant to say that out loud.

The words hurt her more than she tried to let on. She bit down on her lip again, letting the feeling of guilt wash over her. It was her own bloody fault, just like Elizabeth told her.

"I guess I don't deserve it then," she said quietly. "And being dead, or a ghost, is really not that enjoyable," she muttered.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth searched for something to say. She wasn't familiar with death, she'd lost her adoptive grandparents, but death had never upset her. She'd never been attached to anyone enough. "At least they have it good, and at least it was immediate. I imagine that makes the memory of your death less...traumatic," Elizabeth grimaced at her word choice. "Sorry, sensitivity isn't my strong suit. Nor is understanding. I've never been particularly close to my family."

At the doormat-like response the ghost gave her, Elizabeth scowled slightly. "Oh for goodness sake, if you're so timid you can't even ask someone I'll help you read," she said, still feeling slightly guilty about getting onto the topic of the girl's sister. This would make up for it. "Grow a backbone, you'll need one if you're going to be about for a long time."

[Annabeth Johnson]

Anna bit her lip, not knowing what to reply to the girl so she opted for silence. However, when she kept talking, Anna felt herself grow more and more uneasy. She wasn't ready for this kind of talk with a human, and she had no idea what to say now. She bit her lip harder, and if she had been living, it probably would have been bleeding right now. Ghosts didn't bleed though.

"It's not your business," she said quietly, even though she tried to bit it at Elizabeth. "You don't get to decide for me. I don't know how to do things, and you can't tell me how I should be doing them. It doesn't work like that!" she continued, and then she floated away without waiting for an answer. Because secretly she knew that the other girl was absolutely right. She just wasn't ready to admit that yet.

[Elizabeth Holloway]

Elizabeth raised a brow at the ghost as she seemed to attempt to snap at her, surprised that the girl even had it in her. It certainly took Elizabeth by surprise, if nothing else. She wasn't sure if she should be offended or clap for the ghost actually standing up for herself.

She chose neither, and watched the ghost wander off, completely distracted from the task at hand. She was interesting. More so than the people Elizabeth had met so far. She almost felt guilty for upsetting the ghost.

Almost, she repeated, turning back to the birds. Only almost.

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