Water Reclamation Dam: North America, West Coastline
- 40 years post apocalyptic event

“What do you mean I can’t pass” Gale the Ghoul yelled back to the Raiders face guarding the gate. “I was just here the other day picking up my stamps!” He pointed to the Raiders chest.
“Watch it Gale” Rick the Raider set up his hand and calmly said, trying to defuse the Ghoul. “Just because you and I have a friendly arrangement” Rick pointed back and forth several times with the sickle in his hand. 
“Doesn’t mean that they do” he pointed towards the line of other Ghouls waiting single file; the line stretching an uncounted distance back. The gate where they were rotating through was maybe a quarter way up the Dam’s long highway length. 
“Remember, this.....” Rick pointed to Gales chest. 
“Is a privilege” Rick pushed the quite words with his sickle slightly into Gales chest. 
Pulling Gales attention away from the other similar lines with similar inhabitants, different in looks and lines only, folding past the one with the Ghouls; lines along lines as wide as the Dam was. Levelling each other in length as they moved ahead at their own speed and pace towards their own gates; just like the interstates that used to connect them together in another line and another time.

Gale rubbed and pinched where his nose used to be, looking over the edge of the Dam; their line being the furthest on one side of the Dam. 
‘Privilege, a privilege I bought and paid for, a hundred fold over by now’ he rubbed under his black bagged and holed eyes, trying to rub an idea into existence that wasn’t coming.
Glancing back to Rick “Common, we can work somethi….” Gale was cutoff from the siren going off ahead of them at the gate where he was headed. The red pulse lighting the night sky over the Dam, blue flashes from tiny lights edging them in formation in the line he and them stood, strobing and beeping along with the light at the top of the gate ahead of them.
“Stay here, were not done” Rick pointed to Gales feet. Turning around just as quick, he walked towards the gate; the red flashing light and blaring beep guiding the Raider like a ship to a lighthouse.
“Stay in-between the lights and lines in your lane. Any deviation, will render you disqualified” the loud, thudding voice came over the large speakers along each of the gates roofs along the Dam.

Looking up to the gate ahead of him from the line, a singular figure was being forced to the side and down to their knees. Rick walked around to the front of the figure, the lights from the top of the chain link gate lighting the figures face slightly as he walked to the front of the kneeling figure. To their left was the edge of the Dam. The cement barrier that normally ran along it, was replaced by a small gap that opened over the edge of the Dam. An old bike rack sitting beside it, too dark to tell the colour or what was dangling from the rings that used to hold the bikes; only that what dangled was wavy and long, circular in length and it flowed and dropped from the rack and draped over the edge with the other circular rope like outlines coming from the old bike rack.
“You really thought this would work?” Gale heard Rick say to the kneeling figure. Reaching down he grabbed the top of the hair on the figure and pulled it up; the layer of an old Ghouls face slid up and off the humans face just as quick as Rick said the words.
‘They never learn’ Gale said to himself seeing the now human jerked up to their feet and pushed towards the ledge of the Dam.
“Wait, no please, wait wait” the human figure started to yell and beg as Rick pushed them towards the edge of the Dam. 
Their quivering body barely inching its way forward as Rick poked the back of the figure with his sickle; forcing it to stutter forward to the open edge overlooking the dark night sky of the Dam’s valley below them. 
“Please, I have a…..” The figure turned around and was silenced as they were cut open by Ricks sickle. 
Seeing the circular rope like shape thread out of the once human, Rick grabbed the end and wrapped it around the bike rack once over; leaning back he kicked the figure off the edge. Like a ball of yarn unraveling down a hill, the rope like circular shape flexed and slinked around as the once alive sack of weight tumbled out over the edge of the Dam. Turning back to Gale, Rick started to walk to him.

‘Fuck’ Gale searched around the Dam’s floor ahead of him, seeing Rick move. It felt like he took an hour a step. 
‘Yesterday’s stamps’ he blinked over the reminder coming back to him. 
‘I have yesterday’s stamps still’ Gale told himself, padding his pockets to check as he did. 
‘Yes’ he felt the wad of paper in his right pocket. Looking up to Rick walking towards him.
“Tickets, I have tickets” Gale held his palms out to Rick walking towards him. 
“Look” he reached down wand grabbed the bundle of tickets from his pocket; extending the ratted mess of canvas papers held only together by a small paperclip. 
“Here” Gale started to unfold the mess of papers; some damp with red stains, others faded with only partial images of lions. Flipping several back into his fingers, Gale grabbed one.
“Ah, yes. I don’t think these have made their way west yet” Gale pinched and pulled a rectangle bill from the swarm of papers and canvas; this one the size of a hand and perfectly square, white pearl canvas framing a paper image. The image of a faded shark eating a tall spiked vine like tower.
“Hum” Rick groaned and grabbed the bill inspecting it, looking down to the wad in Gales hand after a moment. 
“Ah, but I think this is what you meant to show me” Rick tossed the bill in his hand away; pinching and grabbing the small metallic sheet about the size of a hand palm. Etched around the edges were stamped stars floating above two pyramids stacked onto each other; a mirage of trees and dessert filling the unstamped space behind the stars and pyramids.
’NO NO NO NO NO NO NO’ Gale started to tell himself, each thought stacking onto each other as his chest started to flutter. Looking at Rick holding the bill up in the air, he started to panic further. 
‘Fuck, if he takes the dock ticket I can’t leave. I can’t leave if I get to the end of this Dam’ Gale looked to the sign by the gate; CHECKPOINT 1/9. Looking back to Rick and then behind to the bike rack, the circular rope now calmly floating over the edge; started to tug and stretch. A faint blue hand reaching over the edge as it did. 
‘Oh fuck is that a Ghost?’ Gale tried to squint and answer to himself.

“Yes, this will do nicely.” Rick held it up in the air. Looking back down to Gale. 
“How did an old decaying Ghoul like you get a dock ticket? Hmm, you aren’t even ripe with scent nor young enough to regrow your tools with the haste of production” Rick pointed to Gales left hand; the last three fingers cutoff at the knuckles.
Looking to his missing finger tips he started to reply “I got it in exchange for….” He coughed and sputtered into the half left hand he held out. Leaning down he coughed several more deep wheezy times. 
‘My lungs don’t produce like they used too either’ he looked to his palm covered in blue and red liquid; white jelly spots speckled randomly in it. 
‘If I can get to the dock, I might be able to get help’ he looked up to the metallic sheet in Ricks hand, wincing through the pain his old lungs skipped by with. Wiping his hand on his leg and looking down to check his palm; he noticed the now human sized blue Ghost lift itself over the edge of the Dam. Seeing it float over to the gate behind Rick, and to where the bright flashing light at the top of the gate door stated to stop. The Ghost floated right through the wall and into the other side. 
‘Holy shit that is a Ghost, fuck the ticket’ Gale looked back to Rick from the Ghost floating through the gate wall. 
“Have it.’’ 
‘’Whats an old decaying Ghoul like me going to do with it?” Gale motioned to his chest with his half hand. 
“I can barely manage to get to this checkpoint, you think I can get past all nine?” He looked at Ricks face. Taking a moment to study his wavering look over the metallic ticket. 
‘He’s not buying it’ Gale taped his foot on the ground and looked to the checkpoint that the Ghost went through. 
‘Common, If I can get the ghost, I can get a ticket far down south. Not just the few days trip that Rick was going to take’ he looked back to Rick.
“Look, I got it from the trader that came through last week.” Gale thumbed behind him trying to sell the point. “Remember the pair that came from the Northern border?” Gale pointed back to Rick’s chest. “They were only here for a day or so” 
“Yes, I remember” Rick looked up from the metallic ticket to Gale. The grin on his face growing slightly. 
“But what did a Ghoul like you have to trade to someone like them?” Rick looked over the Ghoul in disgust. 
“Hum, what it cost you?” Rick stabbed the sickle point slightly into Gale’s chest.
‘Everything at the time, but nothing at the moment’ Gale thought through, trying to find the best version that might get him past Rick. Flipping to the bottom of the wad of papers he pulled the last small card out. The size no bigger than two fingers held out, punched holes in the various boxes taking up most of the bill; the top half of the card simply saying checkpoint pass. All of the squares on the card were punched through; roughly thirty or so.
“It cost me this” Gale handed the punch card to Rick. 
“It’s only the start of the period…..” Rick trailed off as he looked the punchcard over. 
“You stupid Ghoul, you thought you could trade your checkpoint markers for a dock ticket hey? What figured this be your last checkpoint so you wouldn’t need the rest anymore?” Rick started to laugh hysterically at Gale.
‘Fuck need to get to the Ghost before it leaves, who knows when the next one could happen. When did the last one get seen?’ He tried to think looking back and forth to the checkpoint gate and Rick. 
‘Common, just stamp the last square on the card and let me go’ Gale looked to the card in Ricks hand; it flapping with the last of Ricks gasps of laughter crawling to his hands.
“Here” Rick sliced the last square with his sickle on the card, tossing it into the air above them. 
“Not like you’ll be able to use it again” Rick started to cackle out.
“You stupid Ghoul” Rick looked to the gate and waved at it; it opening at the gesture.
“Go, it’s a good thing I got the last good trade from this relationship” Rick started to chuckle, pushing Gale forward out of the line and towards the gate into the rest of the Dam checkpoints.

Walking through the gate he started to look around franticly ‘Where is it, where is it?’ Gale looked around the cement square room; a long cement hallway directly ahead of him, crowded with Ghouls  slowly walking forward in pairs; the smell of their journey still lingering from outside. 
To his left was some large wooden storage boxes; to his right was nothing but a cement wall. Seeing the flash of blue creep into a large coffin sized box leaning on the corner, he rushed and side stepped towards it. 
‘Gotcha’ he moved to the side of the room.
“Psst, hey” Gale whispered ahead to the boxes that he walked up to. 
“You Ghost” Gale whispered again; leaning onto a smaller box to look behind the stacked boxes that created a small space behind them. Sitting on the floor the Ghost was silently weeping into its palms. 
‘Oh fuck’ Gale thought as he looked upon the sniffling Ghost. 
“Are you alright?” Gale asked the Ghost sitting on the floor.
“What am I?” The Ghost pleaded back to Gale; stuttering the tears silently over each word. The Ghosts faint but clearly eyes looking itself over as it sobbed and said the words.
“Your a Ghost” Gale answered back, leaning off the small wooden crate he walked behind them into the small opening shielded behind the crates. Sitting down beside the Ghost. 
“Do you know what that means?” He looked to the Ghost sobbing in its palms; the wet tears dripping through them onto the floor the Ghost sat upon. Seeing the Ghost look up from its palms; it looked to him and shook its head side to side. 
‘Shit’ Gale thought, looking around trying to think how to explain it. Looking around the small space around them; the Ghosts face never left his, staring for what felt like the line they left outside. 
“Okay, that’s fine. Let’s deal with that later, once were safe” he looked over to the Ghost and calmly said to it’s still slightly sobbing; but calming face.
“We’re not safe here?!” The Ghost started to sharply inhale over the words.
‘Fuck, poor choice of words Gale’ he looked around trying to think of something to calm the Ghost 
‘We are indeed not safe, but it doesn’t need to know that. Need to get this out of here and find another way out. Can’t bring a ghost through a Ghoul ranking zone’ 
“Hey, over here” Gale heard from beyond the crates they were behind, to the hallway that he was mere moments ago. 
“These ones here. Grab the lifter” Gale heard louder over the crates.

‘Need to figure something out quick’ he looked around to the crates around them. A large one just ahead of them. 
‘I might be able to fit in that’ he looked the crate up and down trying to size it up.
“Hey, move your head in that crate and tell me if anythings in it” he whispered to the Ghost pointing to the crate.
“What?” The Ghost replied and looked up from its palms again.
“Sssh” Gale put one of his half left fingers over his lips. 
“We need to be quiet, but look in the crate and tell me if anything is in it. If not, we can stay in it, and be safe for now” he whispered to the Ghost.
“Okay” It whispered back, leaning its head into the crate and back out just as quick.
“Nothing, empty” the Ghost looked to Gale.
“Perfect” Gale reached towards the crate and pried his hands around the edge of it. Slowly rocking it back several times; it peeled open enough that he could stick his hand into it. Pulling the front of the crate open on one side slightly; he stopped when there was just enough space to crawl into the crate.
“Here” Gale said crawling into the crate and reaching his hand out towards the Ghost after he did to help it into the crack as he would anyone else. 
“Right” he pulled his hand back into the crate. 
“Just float in once I close it and stay with me out of sight” he reached out and pulled the front board of the crate back; the nails creaking back into place as he pulled it shut into dark. 
The faint blue outline of the Ghost floating in, lighting the small space they both accompanied; no bigger could it hold one more of them if it tried. Sitting down in the crate beside the Ghost; its unwillingly ignorant innocence looked around the crate, its growing blue hue of contagious curiosity of the space spilled over into him as he looked the Ghost up and down and tried to figure out what to say.
“Are we safe now?” The Ghost whispered, over the blue hue inside the crate.
“Yes, for now” Gale replied lowly. 
‘I think’ he questioned looking around the crate. 
“Whats your name? You must have had one?”
“I don’t remember” the Ghost looked back to him, the darker blue bags under it’s eyes starting to water again. 
“I know I had one, but everything is so fuzzy. I don’t know whats going on?” the Ghost sucked in and silently cracked over the words that drowned into its palms.
“I didn't ask for this!” it silently cried and stuttered out, muffling the last of the words into its palms again.
Reaching over to place a hand on it’s shoulder, Gale leaned forward to comfort the Ghost. Setting his tattered hand forward, inches from it’s crying shoulder he started to say “It’s okay, that’s perfectly….” He was cutoff as he leaned forward through the Ghosts shoulder and fell slightly into the other side of the crate wood. 
‘Shit’ he pushed back from the wall of the crate and back through the Ghost to where he was seated before. 
“Sorry, just wanted to make sure this side was good” Gale pushed on another wall of the crate; seeing the wood flex slightly back and forth. 
‘Ya that’s not going anywhere’ he hoped the naiveness of the Ghost would shadow the ignorantness of the old Ghouls tired mind.
“That’s alright, I’m still getting used to it too” The Ghost smiled back to him, sniffling at the old Ghouls graceless frail movements. 
“Maybe we can figure it out togeth…” the Ghost was cutoff as the crate shook side to side; the roaring engine of a lifting machine starting outside the crate.

“Sshh” Gale put his good pointer finger to his lips, pointing to the top of the crate with his other. 
The crate lifted off the ground. Feeling the movement of the crate they were in, it rocked down; the movement of what was carrying them starting forward.
“Where…” the Ghost was cutoff
“Sshh” Gale sharply breathed out as quiet and as quick as he could.
“I don’t think they can hear us that much” the Ghost smiled back to him. “It’s pretty loud out there and where in a crate” it shrugged back to Gale.
“What? Suddenly you have all the answers now?” Gale pushed back at the Ghost’s smile growing wider as he did.
“No, it’s just…” the Ghost stopped mid thought; floating up partially through the conversation up and through the top of the crate; the bottom half it still dangling in the crate. 
‘’For fu…..’’ Gale grabbed through the ghosts legs to pull it down.
Floating back down a moment later, it sat down where it previously was. “There’s no one around us” the Ghost said and shrugged to Gale; this time louder than the noise outside the crate, it’s smile radiating light teal glows as it did; growing higher and brighter for a few seconds. “Where do you think we are going?” The Ghost looked around the crate they sat in with it’s child like hesitate curiosity.
“Not sure, probably a warehouse of some sort. I have never been this deep in the dam before” Gale replied back.
“What’s a warehouse?” The ghost asked back.
‘You truly know nothing. A human born of a world that burnt it’s own kind to ash. Standing in one of it’s creators past works’ Gale looked the Ghost up and down; the memory of its dangling yarn of a human body pushed over the edge no more than an hour ago. Looking over the Ghost trying to think of a reply; the teary waves of sympathy for the Ghost rocking back and forth in his stomach as he did. 
“It’s a place where they store boxes like this one we are in” Gale pointed up to the roof of the crate and said, looking back to the Ghost to see if they understood it. Seeing its curious look over the roof of the crate in reply; nodding up and down in understanding as it did.
“Do you remember anything from before you where, you know” Gale said and waved over the Ghosts translucent blue body. ’Some sort of amnesia maybe?’ Gale tried to think back to what he knew of Ghosts; ‘aside from being so rare that borders years back got closed at a sighting’ his tired decayed brain, only able to grow the start of a memory; the soil of his head too rotten and dried with age and ware of the road to hold anything longer than it chose for him.
Starting to shake it’s head side to side to answer Gale, the crate rocked back and forth, cutting off the words the Ghost was about to say. Holding his stubbed hand out in a stop motion, and motioning a finger over his lips; Gale looked to the Ghost to make sure it realized to be quiet. Just as soon as his hands made the motion; the Ghost floated up and out of the top of the crate to look “No, wait” Gale whispered.
“Oh hello” Gale overheard outside the crate from the Ghosts mouth. 
‘Fuck’ Gale said to himself looking at the dangling bottom half of the Ghost; leaning on the side of the crate wall towards the voice.
“I’m a Ghost” The Ghost said in reply to itself.
’No, for fucks….’ Gale started to think to himself; leaning back he corked his old knee back to his chest ‘Stupid Ghost, no wonder you died you listen like a stick’ he thought in frustration; dropping his foot into the side of the crate. The side snapping off and falling to the ground; crawling out he looked to his left and saw the pair of guards.
“Oh and who do we have here” The first guard stepped forward towards Gale starting to stand to his feet.
“Gale” he looked to the first Guard walking towards him. The second guard staying beside the crate by the Ghost. The warehouse space was small that they stood in, and tucked away in the corner by a pair of shelves. Looking to the crate on the floor to his right, he saw the crowbar sitting on it; the hooked end pointed forwards towards the guard walking towards him.
“Gale, Rick let me in. Here let me grab my punchcard” Gale started to walk forward towards the crate on the floor to his right. Pulling out the mess of tickets, he extended his hand towards the guard. “Here” he looked at the guards face and tossed the tickets up into the air. Looking down to the crowbar on the crate, he grabbed it and swung the hooked end into the guards head; pulling him over into the crate he came out off earlier as the hooked end caught the guard like a fish on a hook. Pulling his body towards the crate to his left, dragging the sack of a guard with him; he let go of the crowbar and rushed forward to grab the second guard that was a few steps ahead of him. Reaching both his hands towards the spear the guard was holding; he grabbed it and started to pry it back and forth.
“Hey over here” The Ghost shouted from atop the crate to Gale and the guard fighting over the spear. The guard looking up to the Ghost, Gale seized the opportunity and closed his eyes and rammed his head forward into the guard. Felling the impact, but not seeing anything but the snap to black; he felt the guard fall slightly back. Snapping one of his eyes open, he saw the guard holding one hand to his face and off the spear; grabbing it out of the guards hands he spun it around and thrust it into the guard; letting go and falling back onto the ground as he did. Landing on his rear; he started to see specks in his vision as he coughed and wheezed; each one sparking his vision harder with each gasp of air. Looking down to his hands he coughed into, he saw the red and dark flood in his palms as he faded out and fell back passing out.

“Wake up!” The Ghost shouted over top of the man. Looking around the space, the crate was opened that they took here. The two other humans dead on the floor, gargling and drowning from the singular impacts the Ghoul was able to must into them before falling over; the bright silver floor now filled with dark red and blue pools staining the surface. 
“Wake up!!!!” The Ghost yelled louder, floating its face down over the Ghouls. Yelling one more time directly into his face “WAKE UP!” the Ghost screamed at Gale.
“AAHHH” Gale yelled back to the Ghost; snapping his eyes open at the screeching pinch his ears ringed into his head. ‘Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’ ringed and repeated in his old tired head. “Fuck, you don’t have to yell” Gale muttered out, reaching down to his sides with his hands to start standing up; the Ghost floating back up slightly and away.
“Sorry, I didn't know what to do” The Ghost sheepishly replied back, floating a bit further away and to Gales side as it did.
“It’s okay” Gale said rubbing his forehead with his good right hand. “I just need a mom…..” He cut himself off; coughing into the palm he rubbed his face with. Seeing the blood pool in his palm; this time darker and more thicker than before. 
“Are you alright?” The Ghost whispered; floating back over to Gale; settling on the floor beside him by a crate he started to lean on. 
“Ya, just need a minute to catch my breath” Gale replied back under his breath, wheezing each word out.
“Are you sick?” The Ghost looked the old decrypt Ghoul over, too tired and slumped over to move much more for the moment.
“I’m a Ghoul, I’m always sick” Gale coughed out, looking at his palm; this time no blood, just dried spit. ‘Need to move’ he looked over the two Guards final coughs on the floor. Trying to get to his feet with his hands, he slumped back onto the crate. ‘Not yet’ he told himself taking a breath, ‘But need to soon’ he told himself looking back to the Ghost.
“Why did you tell them you where a Ghost?” Gale muttered out, closing his eyes; leaning his head back onto the crate as he did.
“I dunno, thought they might be able to help” The Ghost looked back to him and replied; shrugging as it did. 
“Ya, lets not do that again” Gale opened his eyes and looked towards the Ghosts faint blue humming face. “It’s best if we keep your whole Ghost business to ourselves, for now” Gale told the Ghost, looking back to the bodies on the floor “Unless we want to deal with this again” he waved to the bodies and looked back to the Ghost. Its uneasy and squinted eyes wrapping around the crowbar sticking out towards them from the first guards head. 
“Do they all want to hurt us?” the Ghost looked back to Gale from the staked husk on the ground.
‘No they want to take’ Gale rubbed his missing fingers and thought over; the snippets and flashes of what they took. The years gone by, jumbling each memory; feeling the sharp pressure above where his nose used to be, he closed his eyes. ’They took them, and left the reminders’ he opened his eyes, looking up from his stubbed left hand.
“Yes, they do. They want to hurt us and take what they can” Gale looked to the Ghost and replied. Searching its faint dimming and brighting face as it looked him back. ‘And if I’m not careful they'll take you; my ticket out of here’ he looked the Ghosts face up and down as he thought; it’s eyes looking between him and the body on the floor. It’s fluttering spooked eyes moving a bit quicker with the seconds as it did. Reaching down to his sides, he started to lift himself up with the strength of the moments rest; standing up, using the crate to pull and prop himself on he looked down to the Ghost still sitting on the floor. “We should move, before someone else comes and finds this” Gale waved to the ground, the Ghost looking up and locking its attention to him as it floated up to his level.
“Okay, where are we going?” The Ghost floated around the bodies on the floor, looking to Gale as it did; not taking its eyes off him.
“Can you go that way” Gale said and pointed past the corner of the warehouse they were in, towards the opening around the corner. “Can you see if there is a door or a way out over there?” Gale looked back to the Ghost and asked its wondering eyes around the warehouse and the corner he pointed towards.
“Sure” the Ghost floated away and towards the corner.

Walking over the bodies, he reached down and started to pad the pockets of the crow bared guard. Patting the front pants pocket, he moved up to the jacket and felt the disappointment of the first set of pockets yet again. Moving towards the other guard he stepped over the spear spiked out of the chest of the raider, and repeated the same gestures yet again. Felling a circular tube in the jacket pocket he pulled it out; a red wax seal, with a sickle and a lit torch criss crossing each other at the centre of it’s rolled up contents keeping it together.
‘An official order?, what’s a raider have with an official order?’ he rubbed the seal over, starting to peal it back, he saw the hue of the Ghost in the corner of his eye; standing up and putting the roll of paper in his back pants pocket as he did.
“Find anything?” Gale asked the Ghost floating down towards him.
“Ya a doorway, it goes down a hallway. Says elevator at the end” The Ghost floated down beside Gale standing up from the bodies. “Did you find anything?” The Ghost asked him, looking the speared guard over as it asked.
“No, nothing useful at least” Gale looked up to the Ghost. “That elevator should take us out of here, lets go” Gale said walking past the Ghost, looking back to it floating behind him as he stepped over the speared guard and towards the corner to the doors out of the warehouse.

Opening the doors up, the hallway was long and made of cement no different, than the dams roof they waited on earlier. Evenly spaced out on the walls of the hallway were figure heads lining and marking the hallway down towards the double doors at the end of the hallway; the only doors at the end. Lighting the hallway were torches above each of the figure heads along the walls, just as evenly spaced as the figure heads; dim light showing the dried drip of the war paint from the figure heads below them. Dozens of them lined the walls, ending just at the doors at the end.
“What are they?” the Ghost muttered, floating up and towards the first mantle on the wall. 
‘Dissidents of darker times’ Gale thought back through the years looking at the lines of them, the skulls of the dried and bare ideas too old and dated to fight for.
“People that didn't know when to stop” Gale looked at the first mantle, rubbing the steel holed and horned helmet sitting on it. 
“Did you know when to stop?” The ghost turned back and looked at Gale.
“No” Gale looked and rubbed the reminders on his left hand. “I learnt that much later on” Gale looked from the Ghost to the mantle and back to the Ghost. “Lets go” He pointed past the Ghost and to the doors at the end of the hallway “We should keep moving before someone finds out where here” seeing it look down the hall and start to float down it as he said the words.
Walking towards the double doors at the end of the hall, Gale reached and pulled the doors open to the elevator.
“Do you want me to see whats below?” The Ghost asked Gale opening the doors and looking the elevator over as he did.
“Sure” Gale looked down at the elevator floor and replied, ‘Not that there is much too see I imagine, but keep it busy’
“Okay” The Ghost replied as it floated down into the elevator shaft below them. Floating back up a moment later and floating right to Gales face; the blue hue of its face lighting Gales in the dark elevator they were in. The creaking of the elevator inching them down further into the Dam as the Ghost looked Gale over in quivering fear.
“What?, What did you see?” Gale snapped to the Ghost illuminating his face; if it had its prior host their noses would be touching.
“Nothing” the Ghost giggled and floated back away from Gale
‘Fucking Ghost’ Gale told the Ghost in his head, shaking it away as soon as he did; the trailing smile of them both easing the pair.
“I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor” Gale smirked and leaned back on the elevator wall
“No, just everything else it seems” the Ghost floated beside Gale, looking to him and mimicking his posture as best it could floating against the wall; un-crossing it’s leg just as Gale did, it looked back up to Gale.
“Look I don’t know what we are going to find at the bottom of this, but maybe try and…..” Gale was cut-off as the elevator shook and shuttered to a stop. “Shit” gale looked to the door as the elevator started to stop. “Float up” Gale turned to the Ghost; it already floating part way through the roof of the elevator. 
Just as the door started to open, Gale turned to see Rick’s face smirking and laughing at him as the door opened. His once sickled hand now holding a long metal handled grabber, a handle and trigger at one end, and two curved prongs at the other end. Seeing the curved pronged ends start to glisten with yellow sparks of electricity, Gale looked back to the ends of the Ghost trying to finish it’s way out of the roof of the elevator; as he looked from Rick to the Ghost, the yellow lighting shot past the side of his face; blinding his vision as it scraped against the side of his face. Blinking thrice over, he saw the blue of the ghost start to shutter and spark green as the curved prongs grabbed the leg of the Ghost and started to pull it down. The screams and cries of the Ghost’s innocence now marred as the jolts of the yellow sparks grounded it back down to the ground; the echoes of the Ghosts once purity now culpable and spavined as Gale heard the last of it’s echoes before falling into his own.

“How did you think YOU of all could get away from this” Gale heard as he tried to blink his eyes open, the specked foggy image of his surroundings starting to come clearer with each one; the sounds of the water rushing out of the dam and flowing out to the lake and river that sat below it flooding his ears. Looking to his left and blinking open he saw the Ghost held in place by the yellow lighting tracing the outline of it; held by one of the two guards standing with Rick. Past Rick directly ahead of him, the two guards on either side; he could see the start of the docks that lead out to the lake; ‘We made it’ he looked past Rick and back up to him ‘We almost made it’ he tried to fix and untangle in his degraded and deteriorating mind.
“Get him up to his feet” Rick stabbed his sickle towards the Guard on his left, the guard reaching down and grabbing Gale under his right shoulder; the shucked husk of his body too tired and failed to assist in anyway.
“Take me” Gale reached out his left hand to Rick, as he did he felt the glass shatter in his throat; all he felt was the mist come from his mouth as his eyes closed for him. Rasping several times, and opening his eyes he saw the sickle come up to the side of Ricks head as he did. Just as sharp and quick as what was left of the side of his tired eyes picked up on the sickle; it came down along with his only finger left on his left hand. Watching it flip and tumble down; he tried to listen to Rick’s manic sickened voice.
“Oh look, that one was for blooding my shirt” Rick looked down to his shirt and to one of the guards; the unkempt contempt of his voice cutting sharper than the sickle that brought the deliverance down to his hand. “And look we still have one more” Rick lifted Gales thumb up with the blade of his sickle. “One more in exchange for the Ghost” Rick leaned in and whispered into Gales ear. “Do you even remember the three you lost? Hmm, the three we took?” Rick leaned back and waved to the group. “Do you remember how we dragged and hanged them?” Rick leaned back toward Gales face; the raptured euphoria in his voice almost outweighed by his depraved devilry. Rick leaning back to the group of two guards; looking to each back and forth to them as he finished the words. Gale standing ahead of him and the Ghost kneeling down in it’s sparked manacles holding it down; crying out sounds to help it.
“GALE” the Ghost cracked out as the guard to Ricks right shocked it over and over; it crying out louder with each one.
‘I remembered them once’ Gale looked to his thumb from the crying sobs of the Ghost; to his side towards the guards face holding him up. Feeling and tasting the blood in his mouth from the cough; he sucked back and spit directly into the guards face. The guard letting go of Gale as he put his hands on his face; now slicked with the disease of the decayed Ghouls lungs. 
Looking to Rick, he kicked as hard as he could right in-between his legs; the man slumping and bowing to the ground. Grabbing the blade of the sickle in Ricks hand, he gripped it too the point it dug into his only fingers left on his right hand. Twisting the blade around in Ricks hand; cutting the blade deeper into his hand as he did, he pulled it out of Ricks hand and rammed it into the guard’s neck shocking the Ghost and let go of it as he did. 
Looking to Rick slumped over his knees; Gale looked to him ‘I may not remember them anymore, but I remember you took them’ he felt the anger enflame up in his stomach and into his only good hand; mangled and dangled from the grip of the blade it still flexed as he reached forward toward Ricks neck; falling onto the ground on top of him as he did. Kneeling over Rick, he gripped and started to strangle him; the body twitching as he leaned into it. Feeling the pop and suck of air, Gale turned around and was sharply knocked back as the guard that he coated with blood earlier leaned down and punched him off Ricks windless pipeless husk. 
*SMACK* feeling the blackened impact on his chin, Gale lost all sense of sight and sound as he slumped down and smacked his holed and hollowed skull onto the ground from the impact; blacking out momentarily as he did. Opening his eyes a few moments later; he saw the yellow etched and traced hand of the Ghost reach towards the Guard that knocked Gale out; and grab it’s chest. The flash of blue and yellow sparks erupting from the guards eyes and mouth as the Ghost started to yell inaudibly right into his face; everything went bright white like the clouds he could only describe not remember nor see anymore, just before he passed out he heard the echo of the Ghost yell his name.

Opening his eyes, the now green Ghost; like the old pine trees that littered the lands of the now ashed and combustable barbarous wasteland they now roamed. It was as bright and florescence as it leaned down beside Gale.
“Gale” The Ghost whispered and leaned down. “Wake up Gale” the Ghost panicked using it’s now usable hands to shake him back and forth as quick as the panic was starting to volley in it’s voice as it repeated it all. “Gale, Wake UP! Gale” the Ghost started to squall and weep. ‘I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what happened’ The Ghost shook and pushed Gales chest back and forth as it pommeled around on the docks they were on. 
Opening his eyes, he saw the water flowing in the river leaving the bottom of the Dam, rushing into the spillway at the start of the lake. The sun starting to set over the horizon of the lake. The last of the boats starting to undock and voyage away into the lustered hue of the orange and wine red pair of suns setting over the lake. Seeing three faint shadowed figures in the distance of the longest dock leading out to the sunlit lake, one of the three shadows darker and taller than the others; started to float towards them as Gale looked up to the Ghost.
“Go, it’s okay.” Gale reassured the Ghost, seeing the once exhilarated smile; now yammering mourning over him.
“You can come with me. I can use my hands now” The Ghost held them up. “I can carry you” The Ghost started to set it’s hands under Gale as to pick the Ghoul up.
“No” Gale tried to lift his slivered and incised hand up; failing before he could get it no further than his chest. “I’ve had my time.........” Gale coughed out; sputtering the words over the pool of red and blue swamping out of his mouth and onto his chest.
“No, no no no no” The Ghost snivelled onto his chest; pounding it as it lifted it’s final time and fluttered back down never to come up again. “Where am I going to go?” The Ghost looked up from it’s hammered balled fists, it’s eyes sopping and glazed with tears smogging it’s vision as it looked over the lake the two suns were setting down over. The orange and wine red starting to radiate the three shadows floating towards the docks ahead of the Ghost.
“You can come with us” The first dark black shadow floated up to the Ghost, extending its hand down to help it.
“We can help” the Black shadow kneeled down beside the Green Ghost. “These are others just like you” it waved back to the other two smaller black shadows floating behind it. “Whats your name?” it turned back to the Ghost.
“I don’t know” The ghost sniffled; it’s green and yellow eyes blotting out the light it once radiated as it looked to the black shadow.
“That’s alright” the black shadow smiled, waving it’s hand back to the other pair of smaller black shadows. “They didn't either”, looking back to the Ghost “Would you like to come with us? We can help you choose one?” The black shadow stood up, reaching it’s hand down to help the Ghost up from the ground it knelt over Gale. 
“I think so” The ghost reached up and took the black shadows hand; looking back to Gale as it was helped up.
“It’s okay, his time is here” the Black shadow breathed. 
“It’s time to start your own” the Black shadow looked to the Ghost as it lead them away from the dam’s docks and rivers towards the lake and the sunset; towards the smaller pair of shadows.
Gale looked upon the sunset brightening the last blinks his tired eyes could. The outline of the Ghost going where it needed. Where it had to go, where it was brought too. Where he made peace with his time and the mistakes that plagued his disease inside and out.