The Sunny Side of Life

Authors Note: Hello friends, welcome to The Sunny Side Of Life! I've always loved writing, somehow life gave me enough experiences to have plenty of stories. While exploring my creativity and seeing what it grows into, I'm creating more series on my Story Time Productions blog.  This feels like opening a hidden door that leads to another universe. In this universe, all of my creative stories are born. The Sunny Side Of Life is my latest creation. You can read this series for free on my Story Time Productions blog. But please respect my rights, I've already had enough people claiming my work as their own in the past. For a long time that made me close the door leading to my creativity. I began living my life in Suriname and exploring the world outside of me. But if there is a fire inside of you that burns for something, you will always return to those flames of passion.  I returned to my passion and the result is on your screen.😍Be warned, this story has some spooky elements.👻 I'm sending much love to my readers, and I hope you send some love back to my stories.😍💓Without you, Story Time wouldn't be what it is! You guys watch me grow as a writer on my content creation journey.  Are you planning your next vacation soon? Check out Expedia for the latest travel deals. As an Affiliate Partner, I earn a commission when you book through the link.  Expedia has travel options to take you around the world. From hotels to flights, it's an easy search away on Expedia.😊

                       Going back to Creepington

"I don't get it, Erica why don't you want to return home?". " It's not only a long trip, but the people back home can be intense. I left home for a reason Brad, I never want to return to that life. I buried my past and moved on. In my heart, I made peace with what I left behind. If I can move on and live with it then why are you so obsessed over this? ". " It can't be all that bad, if you go back you can make all of them regret what they did to you. You aren't a small-town girl anymore, you're Erica Lamache. " Things in your world and in my world are so different that you wouldn't be able to understand. The people back home didn't make me feel like I belonged. I was always an outcast and it didn't matter how much I did, somehow it was never good enough for them. Listen to me Brad, the people from where I am don't value the same things you and I do.". Erica, maybe you're just being too pessimistic. My grandmother always said that one has to learn to love the Sunny Side Of Life. "." Yeah, well where I'm from the Sunny Side of Life can get a witch burned!". 😅" What does that even mean?". "It's just a joke popular among the locals..". " So let me get this straight, You're at the top of your career right now."." Pretty much!.". " The agency you own represents the world's best athletes, artists, and actors."."Uhuh!". And you just won an award for best female entrepreneur of the year.". " You know those trophies aren't worth the drama. I think mine is already losing its color. At this point, it feels like I'm holding onto junk just because people assigned emotional and prestigious value to it.". " Is this the attitude that got you bullied back home?". " Actually it's the lack of attitude and not liking human blood in my food."😂" Stop making jokes like that. I refuse to believe that things were that bad.". " Let's change the subject because I don't feel like you would understand anyway. Besides talking about home can never be a good omen."." Why have you been walking around half-naked all day?"." Big Mike hired me to do a shoot.". " I thought you were done with that?". " That's what I keep telling myself until I need to pay the bills at the end of the month.". " I get it, these days life seems to be rough for everyone. We all just get to experience it differently.

Brad his phone began to ring.". Hold on for a second, it's Leshen. Hello, slow down. I can't understand a word of what you're saying! Are you stuffing your face with cookies again? Sweety, swallow, and then talk! I'm with Erica right now, we were just about to get some dinner. I'll text you the location and you can meet us there. Sure, see you soon.". " What was that all about?". " Leshen sounded very upset. I told her to meet us at the restaurant.". " Then we better hurry, are we taking your car or mine?". " We can take my car if you are going to pay for gas.". " Fine, I'll spot you again! But just know I'm keeping track of all these favors. One day you're going to owe me a huge one!". " When will that day be?". " That my friend, is what drives us to keep living until we reach the future.". " Where do you come up with these sayings?". " Oh, if you think they stink, I hope you never get to hear the popular ones from back home.".

A short half-hour drive later we arrived at the city's most popular rooftop restaurant. Our friend Leshen was already waiting there for us. She stood up in her gorgeous red dress to wave at us. Brad was the first one to receive a hug from the young model. " What's the emergency? You sent me off in a state of panic when I heard you cry on the phone.". Leshen her face turned serious. " You guys are going to think that I am crazy. But last night I was visited by Michael.". " Michael, as in your dead ex-boyfriend Michael?", Brad asked to ensure there was no space for misunderstandings. " Yes, but before you call me delusional you guys need to see this.". She took out her phone and began to play a video from her home security cameras. We could see Leshen making a cake in the kitchen.

She pours the flour into her mixing bowl and hums her favorite tune. Oblivious to her surroundings she doesn't notice the white blur entering the kitchen. Or at least on the video whatever entered her house seemed like a white blur. It moved towards the kitchen counter and threw some of her spoons on the floor. When it finally got Leshen's attention she screamed and threw the flour onto the white blur. But it went straight through it and made a mess on the floor. The white blob started to shift into a recognizable human form. We were all shocked when we saw Michael on the video. " Is this a prank Leshen? Because if this is, it's far from funny.". " No, keep watching Brad.". We shifted our focus back to the video.  It seemed like Leshen was having a conversation with the entity. But we couldn't hear a word, because the audio was scrambled. " How could this be? It was working just fine before you showed up.". " It's because he used a protection spell.". 

My two friends turned their confused faces towards me. " I'll explain it later, but Leshen I need you to tell me word for word what the spirit you saw said.".  The young girl burst out in tears and Brad handed her a towel. She sniffed hard into it and tried to pull herself together. " He told me to go to the cemetery. At first, I was scared of his presence but then he begged me to help him. He told me to go to the place where he was buried. Michael said a creepy witch doctor took him from there and put his soul in a bottle. He made me see these visions, I saw a weird-looking man collect souls from the cemetery. He trapped those souls in a bottle during the full moon night and brought them to a dark place. Michael said someone had helped him escape, but he couldn't stay for long. The witch doctor summoned his soul and he slowly began to evaporate in front of my eyes. I thought I had lost my mind until I watched the footage from my home security cameras.". 

" I don't think it was Michael." my friends were puzzled by my answer. " How are you so sure that it wasn't Michael?". " When a ghost leaves the room he or she doesn't leave behind a cloud of smoke. They transform into a small ray of floating light. This seems to be the work of a cloaking spell.". My rambling left my friends even more confused, but I had to get to the bottom of this. " There is only one way to find out what's really going on. We have to go to the cemetery right now.". Brad immediately protested. " Hold on now, if you guys want me to beat up someone you can count me in. But dealing with ghosts and evil witch doctors isn't my thing.".  Leshen looked at Brad with her sweet eyes. " Please Brad, if you don't want to do it for Michael at least come along for my sake.". Brad pondered it momentarily and placed his hand on his forehead. " Fine, but we better hurry. I want to avoid being in that cemetery if it gets dark. I am running and leaving you girls behind if we see ghosts or evil spirits.

I left a tip for the waitress on the table and we left. Leshen and I sat in the backseat of Brad's car.  I wanted to sit close to her and observe if everything was fine with her. Her aura felt distressed and confused. She tried to act normal but I had to be sure nothing had possessed her during her first supernatural experience. I held her hand and it felt warm. That was a relief!😤 When a human body is possessed it becomes as cold as a corpse. Only a cold body can house a spirit no longer a part of the living world. Leshen pulled her hand back when I held it for too long without saying a word. " What are you doing?". " I just want to be sure you are doing fine after such a scary incident.". 

She lowered her gaze and stared into the rear-view mirror. "It was hard to forget Brad after his death. I felt as if an important part of my being was missing. But I knew I had to move on. He wouldn't want me to be stuck in one place. I let go of him and tried to not think about what happened. Just when I made such great progress, he appeared before me. Maybe he doesn't want me to forget about him.". " Leshen, right now is not the time to be emotional. I know that seeing his spirit must have been difficult for you. But if we want to help him, your heart has to be strong! Whatever has a hold of his spirit, will feed on our fears, insecurities and sadness.". I didn't mean to be this hard on Leshen, but my words carried a heavy dosis of truth. 

Brad stopped the car. "We are finally here, let's hurry and check it out. I don't have a good feeling about this, but I can't let you girls go in there alone.". We opened the doors of the car and the outside world began to change. Before our eyes blinked twice, the sun had disappeared. It was replaced by a full bright supermoon. I knew that only magic from the underworld was strong enough to do this. Brad his doubts began to resurface. " Let's go, just stay close to me and you guys won't have to be afraid.". " Look at you being the brave one," Brad murmured. I ignored his remark and led them into the cemetery. A cloud of thick fog appeared from nowhere. Leshen broke the silence with her soft voice. " Don't you think it's weird that they called this place Wake Up & Live? Who comes up with such a name for a cemetery?". 

" Probably someone trying to be funny!". Brad answered. We walked past many graves and the further we got the darker it became. Finally, we saw a familiar tombstone. It was the place where Michael was buried. The fog slowly began to lift and we heard a sound that wasn't coming from us. The sound of bell chimes followed footsteps. We saw a dark shadow walking towards us. Once the figure was close enough we saw it was the Grim Reaper. Or I knew it was him! Brad already pissed his pants when he saw the skeleton point his finger at us. He signaled us to come over to him. " Let's run!"  Brad whispered. " No, we shouldn't do that. It isn't a good idea to tempt an angel of death. You guys stay here and I'll see what he wants.". I left my friends behind and went to meet an old friend. Brad and Leshen called out my name so I would return to them. I ignored their fear-filled voices. I was now standing before the tall angel of death and stared straight at his empty eye sockets.

" Morkomai, I have been waiting for you.". " What's going on old friend?". " Sinsus has been wreaking havoc in the underworld. He has been stealing souls from under my scythe and he uses their essence to feed the dark forces. He plans to destroy all the realms. Even the one you fled to. ". 

"How does all of this involve me and my friends?". " Not long ago, he stole the soul of your friend from this cemetery. He knows your secret and plans on using the spirit to lure you back home. Eventually, you'll have to return to Creepington and stop his evil plans before he comes for you.". " If I go back home, he gets his wish.". " Morkomai, don't let this world make you forget who you are. You have made powerful allies, take them along and you will be successful on your mission. They will help you find the strength to face your enemies back home.". " What are the lords back home doing about Sinus? This shouldn't be my job! I left Creepington in the hopes of never returning. " You haven't been home in a while. Things are no longer the same Morkomai. Right now you must make haste before it is too late to save your friend's spirit.". The fog clouded my sight again and lightning struck in the sky. A breeze of wind cleared all the fog from the cemetery and the angel of death disappeared. Now the coast was clear, my friends ran towards me. " What was all that about?" Brad asked. My friends were worried about my encounter with the scary entity. But I was grateful for the advice from an old friend. Leshen asked if I was hurt. I reassured them that I was fine. " Brad, do you remember when I told you it was a bad omen to talk about home?". " Yeah, I do.". " Well, this is what I meant. Now we have to go back to my hometown to find Michael and set his soul free.". " We have to go all the way to the south?". Well, technically I lied. My hometown isn't in the south of this country. It's more located in the southern part of this realm.". " Did that skeleton guy do something to make you crazy?" Leshen wanted to know everything that the Grim Reaper told me. " We don't have enough time to talk about this. Right now I need you to drive us, Brad. When we arrive in Creepington, I promise to tell you guys everything. It's best if we don't stay here for too long. You never know who or what might be watching us.". 

Morkomai her senses were correct. Unbeknown to the friends they were being watched by an ugly demon hiding behind the tombstones. He had overheard the conversation between Morkomai and the angel of death. Now he was ready to return to the underworld and report to his master.

                            To be continued...

I hope you guys love my free story! Halloween is approaching and that means it is time for more spooky stories on Story Time Productions. Stay tuned!