I know its different from my usual stories but id love to hear your thoughts, the whole short story is in one part, please enjoy.

Its been a few years since the accident and I've come to grips with what happened, I have seen the whole world in that time, travelled to many different places and enjoyed every minuet of it, seeing all the different cultures and ways of living, the breath-taking views and scenery it really puts into perspective of how little we actually know about the world and really does make the saying 'life's too short' have so much meaning and no one really knows that meaning until its too late and they die. My life was taken from me in a tragic accident that is of no real fault of anyone. You could say the other car driver was at fault for being intoxicated but I hold no grudges towards her. I've seen her life after that day and I can honestly say she lives in regret. She was charged with manslaughter and imprisoned for 2 years. Some may say that it isn't enough for the death of a 18 year old by dangerous driving but she shows remorse, and, like I say, it was an accident, she was going through a rough patch in her life, got drunk and decided to go for a drive.

You see I was 18, just passed my driving test and was coming home, to where I lived with my parents in Salford, the UK, It was a nice quiet area. Everyone was just so lovely. I was an only child, my mother was a teacher in a preschool and my father worked in a local corner shop. I myself worked part time in a pub, I'd work weekends behind the bar and go to college during the week studding criminology.

It was like any other day, I got up, got dressed, had something to eat, told my parents I loved them and that I'd be back around 7pm, it was later than usual but I also had a lot of work to do so I could meet deadlines and then headed off for another day of college. I quite liked it in college, my tutor was so relaxed and my classmates always just got on with what they were supposed to do. There was the odd drama moment but that's college for you, and it was always over something so stupid, It usually included boys. I wasn't interested in the boys, I got teased for not having a boyfriend but I didn't care, boyfriends meant distractions and I couldn't afford to be distracted, I just wanted to get on with my college work and pass so I can go on to be something I aspire to be, a forensic scientist, I know I'd have to work hard and go to university to eventually get a degree in criminology but I believe I can do it with enough drive and determination.

I had just got through my classes for the day and headed towards the library to continue doing my work. I probably wont be the first to admit it was a lot of work but it would be worth it when I get to where I want to be in life. I saw my best friend on the way there. Roman was rather tall, he towered over my 5ft frame. He had brown hair and this weird eye condition that made one eye a different colour to the other, I can't remember the name of it, but, one was blue and one was brown, he kind of reminds me of David Bowie, just a more goofy version. He smiled at me as I approached him. "Why hello there Miss Lee" He gleamed and he got a head shake and an eye roll in return of his goofiness. "Hello Mr Evans" I smiled. We've been best friends for as long as I can remember, even gone to the same schools and now the same college, he studies Heath and Social care and although he gets teased for being the only boy in the class, I admire the fact he's standing out and pushing past the stereotypical male role in life and going for something he enjoys, disregarding what anyone else thinks. "So where you heading to?" he asks me
"The library, I've got a lot of work that needs doing that the deadline for is soon approaching" I explain
"You've worked hard all this year, can you not slacken off for a night? Play some video games or something with your best friend?" He argued to witch I shake my head
"I haven't got the time unfortunately" He then sighs and reluctantly lets me get on with what I'm doing "But I'll make sure I get the time after this work is submitted, okay?" I ask in a reassuring manner to witch Romans face lights up "Sure thing Robyn!" he exclaimed with excitement and ran off after he gave me a wink, that dork. I continued to head towards the library.

After a while I finally finished what I needed to and let out a sigh of relief once I had submitted it to my tutor. I looked over at the time and it was 6pm, that gave me an hour to get home. I tided my things up, well, more like shoved my belongings in my bag and headed out the college to the college car park where I had left my car, it wasn't much of one, a rather old Ford Focus, I believe it's from 2005, I could be wrong, but it got me from A to B with no problems. I started her up and decided since I had an hour I'd go a different way home, it took me slightly longer but I figured why not? It was around winter time and it was rather dark at this time but I took precaution.

I was almost home when this 4x4 Range Rover seemed to come from no where at high speed, on the wrong side of the road, I didn't have much time before we collided and I hit my head and I don't remember anything else from that night. I quickly realised that I was dead when no one seemed to be able to see me or hear my cries, I remember my own funeral. Seeing all the people attend, all my family and friends, the distraught look on their faces. Not only that but the anger in my parents eyes. It was nothing I'd seen before, it sent shivers down my spine to see how much anger and hurt was very clearly showing in my parents eyes, understandably so, They had just lost their daughter to an unfortunate accident.

That brings us to now, you see being a ghost isn't all that bad, you have no worries about money, you can travel where you want, when you want without worrying about transport. However it does get rather boring once you've seen everything there is, there isn't much left to do, so I had the idea to still pursue my dream, it may not be exactly what I wanted but it works for me. I went back home to England and became an anonymous police informant. I stared off with small stuff, local crime, arsonists, teens causing havoc, that sort of stuff. I write clues and bits of information that help the police catch criminals. I even helped find the woman in my case. At the start they were hesitant to follow my information, wondered if it were a prank, I mean who could blame them? I had to be specific in what I was writing, include things that weren't public knowledge yet, Get them to trust in me, once they did, it was a piece of cake. It's easy when you can see exactly what goes on. I just sign it with an 'A', easy enough, that way it can be anyone or any number of people.

I would often check up on my classmates and Roman, as daft as it sounds I would sometimes sit in the different lessons and continue to learn new things. I can tell that Roman especially out of all my friends, misses me the most. We did grow up together. I usually go home, to my parents and see how they're coping, they seem to be coping fine, going out to work still and mingling with new people, they don't go into my room though, its like they're trying to preserve it, keep it exactly how I left it, witch, to be honest, I didn't expect anything other from them.

My mother is 5ft 5 and my father is 5ft 9, my mother has blonde hair and green eyes, my father has red hair and blue eyes. My mother dressed herself casually, slacks and a blouse usually with minimal make up of rather subtle pastel colours and more often than not would wear high heels (on her days off work of course) My father on the other hand often wore jeans or joggers with a plain t-shirt and trainers. My mother had her hair down to her waist and always curled it, it took her hours to do, my father, he would often just comb it back additionally he wore black glasses but was always clean shaven. They were polar opposites but worked like yin and yang. It was nice to see them still propping one and another up and not letting my death affect them.

A few months passed and crime had gone down in the area of Manchester. The woman from the 4x4 that night had been released. She had continued to lead a sober life. Witch meant that with some luck she won't endanger anyone else's life. When my mother and farther heard the news of her release they began to get angrier and more vengeful by the day. They were no longer interested in work and started drinking during the day witch they never did prior to The woman's release.

They identified the woman as Sheila-Rose Black, age 34. She, ironically, Had almost black curly hair with brown eyes. She looked tired all the time, big bags under her eyes as though she hadn't slept for weeks. Her former partner was abusive, hence why she was drinking that night. She wore a navy blue track suit and underneath, a red t-shirt, she also wore black trainers. She looked like she didn't much care about her appearance. I emphasise with her really, wherever she goes she gets painted as a murderer and people cross the street when they encounter her. Sheila is a rather lonely woman really, she's just a human, like us all, who went off the rails and made some bad decisions, its not like she had any intention on killing a college student she'd never met before. It was an accident.

I always thought about sending Roman a sign that I was watching over him and looking out for him but I'm hesitant as he finally seems to be coping rather well and if I come back into his life now that I'm dead, it will just confuse him and make him upset and as much as id like him to know that I still care, I don't want him failing and getting into a state of depression again.

Roman always dressed somewhat smart, he would wear men's skinny jeans and a shirt witch looked nice with his dress shoes. His shirt was always tucked in and he would wear a matching belt. I on the other hand, never had a specific look to go with my sun kissed hair and emerald green eyes. My wardrobe was never the same from day to day, I might wear a skirt one day but joggers the next. I liked my attire to match the mood I'm in when getting dressed.

I watched carefully as my parents went further and further downhill. I just wish I knew what they were thinking. This really isn't like them. They were acting rather strange to say the least. Pacing all the time while shouting something along the lines of "How could they release her!? That Sheila? That monster, that got behind the wheel under the influence and our daughter paid for her sinful actions!" my farther would shout to that my mother would agree replying with "The justice system doesn't care about our baby. I think its time that we took justice into our own hands" I froze at that very sentence. My heart sank, I couldn't believe what I just heard her say. What is she thinking about? Surely she doesn't want to murder Sheila? More and more questions popped into my head and I needed to clear my head, I headed towards the nearest beach.

The beach was peaceful, it was about 10 at night, the waves were calm and the world appeared as though it had come to a halt as I sat here reminiscing over the haunting words of my mother, I would have never thought in a million years that I would hear my mother condone such wrongful acts of violence.

As a ghost I have the luxury to go wherever I see fit, and after the trial I searched in answers of the type of woman Sheila-Rose was, and my search lead me to her parents' bungalow, they were saying how this was out of character for Sheila. She was a well educated woman of class, she was driven, smart, she didn't let the smallest of obstacles get in her way, she was a business woman who had her own line of clothes this was all until she met Derik, it was seemingly love at first sight, but over time, he started showing his true colours and intentions, he wanted her money, he didn't want her at all, it was all a façade. He became abusive towards Sheila and as a relatively small woman with not much weight behind her she couldn't stop Derik, She would hide her marks with make-up. Her business was just starting up but she had been born into wealth so she was well off.

As I sit here on the beach I'm torn between what to do, I set myself out to help the police and if my parents act upon their words then it will become a police matter but I don't know If I should do the moral thing and turn them in or if I should just leave them to it, they're my family after all, I just don't want them to take the life of a woman whom has done her time in prison and seems remorseful, full of regret, a woman who has been through so much in her life. She's trying to do good, she's learned her lesson, she then shouldn't have to be punished more. I sigh. I have to turn them in before they can do anything they may come to regret, but how am I going to make the police see that this is a potential threat? Will they believe me? Its not an active crime, they may not take my tip off into consideration. They already have enough work on their plate without dealing with an anonymous tip off that the parents of a dead girl who has been dead for a few years now is planning a potential murder. I decide to go back home to see if the situation has developed.

When I got home I was not surprised to see that they had come up with a full murder plan, I'm not entirely sure what in entails as I must have missed it, all I heard them say was " So that's the plan then" and they went off to bed. I just wish I hadn't have left, or I would have known what they had planned.

A few weeks passed and my parents were acting normal again, like nothing had happened. I'm still on my guard and still trying to figure out how to stop them, So far my mother has written a letter, thrown it away and started to write another one. I don't know who It's to although I can only imagine its to Sheila, they never hand write anything, let alone send it in the post, they would usually send an email.

My mother had eventually written a letter she was happy with and sent it out to Sheila. I set out to see what it had said, so I reluctantly went to see Sheila, Once she had read the letter, that was hand delivered to her, I went to read it and it was a letter leading her into a false sense of security, explaining that my parents wanted to meet her and get her side of the story, try to forgive her, or at least understand why she did it.

The day came where the 3 would meet at my parents house, according to the letter, they wanted her over for a chat and a coffee. My parents wore what they usually would and Sheila made and effort, she made her look like the classy woman she once was, hair tied back, a black pencil dress and heels, her make up elegantly put on, not too much either. I must say she does scrub up well. I had already sent anonymous tip offs to the police, explaining how I feel my parents are going to kill Sheila-Rose Black, Like I had thought, they didn't take it seriously enough, well, apart from 1 cop in particular, he was the one who would trust my word in the first place.

It was about half past 2 and Sheila had almost arrived at my parents' house, time to try once again to get the polices attention to the matter. I had my note written out, it read 'Mr and Mrs Lee, family of the victim Robyn Lee, Talk of murder to Miss Sheila-Rose Black, plans to meet at the Lee house today at 3pm, Signed, A' I took it to the police station in a final attempt to stop my parents. I put it on the unoccupied desk like the rest of them in the past and waited for someone to spot it, a few minuets later, the cop I had mentioned saw said note and decided to inform his colleagues but to no surprise, they practically laughed him out the door. Well so much for that idea.

I hurried off back to the house it was about 10 to 3 in the afternoon and Sheila had just knocked on the door, my father had answered and invited her in.
"Hello Miss Black" my farther smiled softly glad you could make it, I know how odd this must be for you, but we only want to understand your story" he continued
"Thank you Mr Lee, I know how you must feel about me and I'm grateful that you're willing to hear my story" Sheila replied, riddled with guilt.
"Please, sit" My mother said as she gestured to the sofa. Mrs Black nodded and went to sit on the sofa. She looked out of her comfort zone, understandably so, she's sat in a stranger's house explaining to the parents of the child she accidentally killed in a car crash about why she got into the car that night.

I have one more attempt to save Sheila and that's Roman, I hurry off to his house, It's a Saturday so he's not at college. I go to where Roman is sat, in his bedroom, looking through his phone at pictures of me and him, I need him to see that I'm here. I spot the paper on his desk and start writing, once done a scrunch up the paper and throw it at him, he looks awfully confused and hesitantly picks up the paper and reads it: 'there's no time to explain, my mother and farther are planning on killing Miss Black, please, you need to do something, signed, Robyn' Roman stares at the paper for a few more seconds and throws it away shaking his head, going back to scrolling through his phone. I need him to know I'm really here, I need to say something only we know.

I pick up the pencil again and start writing. 'Remember when we went on the camping trip with school and I was scared as I'd never been away from home for so long? You consoled me and told me everything was going to be alright and tried to make me laugh with the time you embarrassed yourself at a small gathering you had with your family and the family friends? I still cherish that day' I crumpled it up and threw it at Roman. He read the paper and sat shocked "No one but Robyn knows that." He muttered. He looked up to see me still holding the pencil in my hand and I started writing yet again. Roman hesitantly came over to his desk and saw what I was writing 'Its really me, Robyn, I need your help, my parents are planning on killing Miss Black in the name of revenge, they're all in my house right now, we don't have much time, you need to help me stop them' He looks in my direction "but....h-how?" he stutters so I continue to write 'you need to tell the police that you've heard cries of help coming from my house and they need to come asap' "O-okay....Hey Robyn?" 'Yes?' I write "I missed you" he cries 'I missed you too Roman' I leave it at that and put the pencil down. Roman gets up runs to my house with me.

There's no time to loose, Roman rings 999 and waits for the operator. He tells them what I told him to, now we wait. Sure enough 2 police cars show up at the house, the police are dressed in riot gear almost, they bang on the door and with no answer they shout that they're coming in, sure enough they find my parents stood over Sheila while she cries in the corner, blood on her face, fresh cuts on her body and a knife in mothers hand. "Put down the weapon ma'am" The cop from earlier shouts firmly. Mother turns to face him
"She killed my daughter...." She turns back to Sheila "An eye for an eye" there's an evil glint in her eye. Roman pushes past "Stay back kid" the cop insists "She's armed and dangerous"
"You think killing Miss Black will bring back Robyn?" He quivers. Mother looks at Roman "She was your best friend, this monster killed her, she had her whole life ahead of her and it was ripped away from her, now she has to pay" Father interjects his gaze not breaking from Sheila. He pulls out a pocket knife and slits Miss Black's neck in one quick swoop, blood gushing out the open wound, all over the walls. Roman stands there in disbelief as he witnesses the life drain out of Sheila, her eyes going dull and her body limp. The police rush over to my parents and arrest them. My parents didn't fight, they did laugh however, claiming that their actions were for me. I couldn't look at them.

My parents were trilled and my father plead guilty to first degree murder, my mother plead guilty to attempted murder and assault they were both imprisoned for life. A minimum sentence of 25 years.