When Josh had left, the house was extremely quiet once again. It felt strange to Tyler this time, because of how quickly he left. Usually, back when he was still alive, Josh would hang around until past a decent time and then finally crawl out of the door. This time he had left in an instant, and Tyler hadn't truly been ready for him to go.

The soft, steady beat of his heart was the only noise he could hear. He stared out beyond the tiny slit of curtain covering his window and looked at the dark, star-filled night. Tyler began to wonder if Josh's warning was real, and if he really would be visited by another spirit. 

That's insane. He thought, sighing as he discouraged himself from such thoughts. I've been tormented by spirits before, but not in the appearance of an everyday person. But, then again, that was surely Josh. And he wouldn't lie to me. Would he?

Tyler was lost deep in his mind, swimming around his weary thoughts. He laid his head back onto the couch, his body sitting on the floor in attempt to fight the constant nagging drowsiness of sleep.

Suddenly, a sparkling light started faintly pulsing in the room. At first, he wrote it off as simply the flashing television. But when the brilliant fire seemed to grow, spreading all the way up to the ceiling above, Tyler couldn't help but pay it some more mind. Radiant and ever throbbing, the light blinded Tyler's tired eyes and he attempted to find out what it was, but all he could make out was a simple glowing figure at the center of the intense gleam. 

"Hello?" Tyler heard his own voice croak out softly. He moved to his knees, shielding his eyes with his hand. "Who are you?"

The pulsing slowed and the gleam faded. Tyler moved his hand and, when his eyes adjusted, he saw a simple man who was still surrounded by a gentle glow. The man was short, not too short but shorter than Tyler, and his hair was somewhere in between ginger and dirty blonde. A velvety black fedora dangled from one of his hands and a pair of glasses were in the other. He looked like any normal civilian, but something about the way his kind face shimmered told Tyler otherwise. 

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Past," the man--or being--said, setting the glasses snugly onto his face and inspecting the fedora. "I do believe your friend has already warned you of my coming," 

The being's soft tone and almost smiling face put a bit of Tyler's worry to ease. But only a bit. 

"Yeah, that was almost an hour ago." Tyler replied quietly. "Tell me, why are you here?"

"Did you not already inquire that from Josh?" the spirit asked, fitting the hat upon his head and gaining a delighted grin at it's appearance. 

"I did, but you're not Josh. I want to know why you're here. And from you're own mouth."

"Very well," the brilliant spirit nodded, clasping his hands and standing straighter, his sparkling eyes upon kneeling Tyler. "I am here for your welfare. Rise, now, and step towards me."

Tyler looked skeptical, his eyes tracing over this strange being as he weighed his options. A flash of two blood-red eyes and a sharp toothed grin came to his mind. He decided to go with the strange being rather than linger in Blurryface's familiar habitat. It had to be safer and the being looked kind.

"Okay," Tyler sighed, lifting himself to his feet and stepping towards the figure. 

The man smiled as Tyler met his eyes and he put forward his left hand. Tyler glanced unsurely at the man's hand and slowly moved to give him his hand. 

"Prepare yourself," the man said, still smiling. Tyler hesitated.

"For what?" Tyler asked, looking back up at the being's face. Suddenly he felt the being's hand grab his own and they were no longer in the apartment. 

Instead, Tyler and the strange man stood in the middle of a worn road. The night was black and the chilly wind whipped at Tyler's bare arms. But he simply ignored the cold and stared in awe at the silent street around him. 

"No way!" Tyler softly exclaimed, a slight twinkle in his weary brown eyes. "I grew up here, this was my home."

A crisp smell floated on the winter breeze and brought back a flood of memories to Tyler's mind. He couldn't name the scent if he was asked, but it forced him to recall wonderful things from his childhood. He remembered exploring the nearby creek, watching the shimmering stars, and riding bikes and skateboards down the worn and beaten asphalt. 

"Then you know the way?" the spirit asked. 

"Know it! I could get back home, backwards and blindfolded!" Tyler replied, a slight laugh in his voice. 

"Lead the way," the being nodded with a smile. 

Tyler sprinted off, savoring the sting of the cool air and the sweet silence of the simple neighborhood. He hadn't realized how much he had truly missed his childhood home. Up the front porch stairs he climbed, not missing a beat as he burst through the door right into the living room. 

A wave of warmth and Christmas joy swept over him as he stared in happy shock at his parents, young and content, sitting on the couch arm in arm. They were quietly watching a little kid mess around on the floor, their faces glowing with gladness.

"Mom! Dad!" Tyler cried out, not believing his eyes. "You look so young. . ."

The spirit appeared at his side in a flash, not walking but simply coming out of thin air. He gazed briefly at Tyler, seeing the man's amazed expression. 

"They can't hear you," he explained, shaking his head. "These images are merely shadows of your past." 

Tyler took the information and processed it for a less than a second before turning his eyes to the dark haired kid playing on the floor. His eyes widened as he heard a simple melody dink along from in front of the child. 

Slowly, he made his way over to the kid. He glanced at the family ornaments hanging from the tree on his way by and felt his heart swell. Then, as he sunk to his knees, his eyes fell upon a little keyboard, only a child's toy. Tyler watched, hot tears filling his eyes, as the little child in front of him stared, mesmerized by the simple toy. 

"That's me," Tyler whispered to the ghost. "When I first discovered that I wanted to learn about music."

Tyler just watched the child, letting himself cry at the memory of the moment. 

"How much do you love music Tyler?" the ghost asked, tilting his head.

There was silence for a moment. Then Tyler slowly shook his head, keeping his eyes on his younger self, "I can't say in words. It's impossible to even compare the feeling."

The spirit watched the young adult, sitting on the floor in silence and awe. The child continued messing with the little keyboard, an adorable smile crossing his chubby face. The adult smiled along with the child, his brown eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. 

"Let's move onto another Christmas," the ghost suggested, his face delighted at the holiday scene. 

Tyler glanced up forlornly at the ghost. He didn't want to leave yet. But before Tyler could reply, the spirit took a hold of his arm, and it suddenly felt like he was being throw through a roof and up into a freezing cold wind.