The playground was built next to a cemetery.

Why?

It was thought that if orphaned children were buried there, then they would have a place to play at when they died.

And it was said they actually did.

Children of all ages would go and play. A few said they met the actual ghosts of the children who died and were buried there.

There was a little girl, Harriet. She was 6 when she visited for the first time. Harriet was orphaned herself. She returned to the orphanage one day, looking excited and joyful. They asked her what happened, why she was so happy.

And she responded with: "I made a friend today. His name is George."

The next day when she visited the playground, an older boy from the orphanage named Louis got curious and went too.

When they arrived, Harriet immediately ran over to some swings and started talking to... To nothing. Louis was about to ask her who she was talking to. And then Louis suddenly heard a faint hello from behind him. He turned and saw another boy, around his age, who smiled at him and waved.

"Who are you?" Louis asked. The boy skipped closer and said, "I'm William, but my friends used to call me Will." Will was really chirpy.

"Used to?" Louis asked, wondering if the rumors of ghosts in that park were actually true.

Will nodded grinning and responded, "Yeah. They all died, and so did I."

"If you're dead, then how can I talk to you?" Louis asked, perplexed.

Will thought for a second, and then said, "I'm not sure why, but some people are, like, special and they can see certain ghosts. Honestly, I have no idea why you specifically can see me. I've tried talking to lots of other people, but they don't really, you know..."

Louis was intrigued. They sat on a bench and talked,about what it felt like to be dead, in comparison to being alive; the differences in the times they lived, what happened to William's other friends and how Will died (in a fire).

"They were buried in other places," Will explained, "so I never get to see them. Really you're the only person I've talked to for decades."

"Can't you go visit them?"

"I could, but I have no idea where they are."

And they chatted for another hour or two and then Louis decided he had to leave.

"You'll come visit me, right?" Will asked miserably. "I'm just really alone here."

Louis replied with a hint of a smile, "Yes." And then he and Harriet returned to the orphanage.

It was like that for 3 more years, and strangely both seemed to age those 3 years. Everyday after school Louis would go to that park and chat with William. Sometimes they talked about how strange it was that they became friends. Occasionally they would play tag. Other times they would just walk around the cemetery and tried to guess how all those people had died. Louis really enjoyed doing so. Of course he had other friends, but he rather be at the park with William. Louis eventually turned 17 and sadly had never been adopted and had to get a job, but promised to keep visiting Will.

He did, but not as much.

One night, while walking back to his small apartment from working at the coffee shop, he was mugged. Louis, getting a surge of adrenaline, attempted to fight back but was shot.

That was how 18 year old orphaned Louis died. And, to William's great surprise and pleasure, he was buried in the cemetery he always visited.

The two visited different places around the country again and again, enjoying themselves in the strange... fun and joy of the afterlife.