Present Day:
My name is Alexis Hope, and I can see the dead.

Most people would be freaked out by me saying that, so I'll explain a little more.

When I was six, my mother's boyfriend was extremely abusive. He would constantly beat up my mother and I, until one day, he killed my mother.

These people came and they took my mother and me away. They put me into a car, but my mother wasn't with me. I never understood why they put my mother into a black bag, until a year after it happened, when I was 7 years old.

I realised it was, in fact, a body bag, but I didn't believe that my mother was dead, no matter how much the people looking after me told me she was. I didn't believe them because I could see her.

I know, freaky, right?

So, anyway, I kept trying to tell my carers that I could see her, but they didn't believe me and thought I was hallucinating, so they took me to a psychiatrist, and after three months of that doing nothing, they had me admitted to a psych ward for two years.

While I was in there, I met my best friend, Lucy Smith. Lucy was in there for the same reason as me, we could both see the dead.

We would always scare the nurses when they tried to give us meds, by saying there was a ghost behind them, and man, it was fun.

After a while of their treatments, we decided that the only way to get out would be to pretend that we couldn't see them anymore. So, by the time we got out, I was nine years old, and my carers didn't want me anymore.

They chucked me out onto the street and I stayed huddled up against a wall for two days until Lucy found me.

I found out that her parents had been murdered when she was five, and the police admitted her to the psych ward so she had somewhere to stay.

She taught me how to survive on the streets, how to get food, find shelter, keep warm and earn money.

By the time I turned 14, I was living the life. Lucy and I lived in a giant mansion, on our own, we were stinking rich, and best of all, we had the dream job.

But let me tell you, it wasn't easy.

You see, after about two years of living on the streets, I fell sick with what we suspected to be cancer, however, we didn't have the money to be sure, and we couldn't get the treatment to save me.

I was nearly dead, when one night, I saw an old lady fall down across the street from me. I knew I was going to die, but I also knew just how harsh the cold night was, and the old lady didn't seem to be getting up anytime soon.

So, I gathered the last of my strength, and I stumbled over to her and helped her over into a spot that wasn't as cold, and I sat with her until she could talk again. She looked over at me, almost as if she was astounded that I would help her.

"You look just like her. You saved my life. I guess they were right about you. You really are perfect for the job."

As always, my curiosity got the better of me, and so I had to ask more.

"What do you mean? Who was right?"

She smiled at me and closed her eyes, whispering quietly,

"Them."

I had no idea what she was talking about, but when I asked her more, she didn't answer. No matter what I said or did, she wouldn't answer me or open her eyes.

I had a sinking feeling in my gut, and I slowly reached over, with trembling hands, and put my fingers to her neck. There was no pulse.

To make matters worse, I couldn't see her ghost anywhere, so I couldn't even ask her that way.

Suddenly, I didn't know what had come over me, but I started to cry. I cried for the woman, but I also cried for myself.

I remember thinking that if I couldn't even help an old lady out, why should I even be alive?

Soon after, Lucy came back and saw me crouched over the woman. She just came over and sat down with me, and we stayed like that for a while.

All of a sudden, a man walked up to us and spoke to us in a soothing tone, and a calm voice.

It's kind of funny now, I can remember that conversation as clearly as if it happened yesterday. It went a little like this.

"Are you Alexis Hope?"

"Depends who's asking, who are you?"

The man smiled as if he was happy with my answer. 

"I am Benjamin, I was a friend of your mother's."

I quite clearly remember tensing up, as soon as he said that.

I may have been very young, but I was old enough to remember the times my mother would come home, all beaten up and bloody, saying she'd 'tripped' when she was out with her friends.

So, I took a guess that the guy I was talking to was a pretty shady person.

He must have seen my reaction because his smile dropped and he seemed upset, sad even.

He sighed.

"Look, I know you probably think the worst of me, but I promise you that I mean you no harm. I actually came here to give you a proposal."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "I know how sick you are, and I can get you the treatment you need. All I ask is that you come with me, and let me tell you what truly happened to your mother."

I narrowed my eyes at him, certain that he had something else up his sleeve.

I gave him a brief, cold smile.

"Sorry, but I would prefer to spend my last days out here than go anywhere with you, so the answer is n-"

"Yes."

I turned to Lucy, shock and betrayal on my face.

"Lucy! What are you doing?" She looked at me with sad eyes.

"Come on Lexi. Without that treatment, you will die, and I couldn't stand to live without you. Besides, this way you can finally get the answers to all the questions you have about your mother."

I was about to protest, but suddenly I started coughing, and to my horror, I coughed up blood.

After that, I lost awareness, and my ability to move, however, I was still awake.

I heard Lucy telling Benjamin to do whatever it took to save me, and I wanted to scream at her and tell her that I was fine, but I couldn't even protest when I felt myself being picked up and carried.

I couldn't tell where we were going, but once I felt myself get put in a car, I stopped fighting and succumbed to the darkness.