The picture book
Chapter 1

I was sitting on the couch reading a book, just having a lazy Saturday inside when my older sister comes barging in snapping photos of anything that got in her way. Moving my arm to try to dodge the blasts of lights, I grumble.

“What do you think your doing? Can’t I have a moment’s piece in here?”

She grabbed my book looking over at the title, then tossed it back into my lap. I picked it up hoping that Denise would get the point to leave me alone. Why did she have to be such a pain? I never poked my head in when she was using the darkroom. Didn’t she understand that reading time was private time?

“Do you really believe that junk in there? I guess you believe my camera is going to steal your soul like the Indians do. Why don’t you just chill sis, the camera loves you!”

I frowned, why did she always have to tease me about my interests? I scoop a handful of pictures from out of my book thrusting them out at her. They were all of me. Denise seemed to like to stalk me and surprise me by taking my photo trying to prove that I was beautiful or something. All I could see there was an ugly toad.

“I just like learning about the culture of Native Americans. You know that I wouldn’t be alive today without my aunt Ayita, whom I was named after. I wish you would stop teasing me about my interests. I encourage you to take photos. Just not of me. You should learn some respect for people!”

She rolled her eyes and grabbed the photos holding them up proudly.

“Sorry! Your so serious. I swear you were born an old woman Ayita! OK, I get it you need your space. I am just trying to help you see your not as terrible looking as you keep saying. Tell you what. Do a project for me and I promise not to take pictures of you for a month.”

I raised my eyebrow, ready to grab up any offer she gave me. A week without those shutters seemed like too much to ask. A month seemed like heaven.

One of those nagging feelings started to grow in my stomach, but I ignored it.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Well I found this old picture book. I was going to use it to store my best photos in. When I held it in my hands, I felt it was going to be important. I want you to make a collage of those photos I took of you in there. ”

That didn’t seem too hard. I grinned a bit, jumping out of my seat.

“Sure. If you add another month maybe I will even show it to you!”

“Dummy, how am I supposed to know you actually did it unless you show me. Your not going to trick me so easily. Maybe after looking at this project you will see why I take so many pictures of you!”

With a groan I started to run upstairs. I had to try to get that extra month! Even if I do find what Denise wants me to see I wanted her camera out of her face. Maybe I could show her how it was having a photo bug in your face all the time someday!

Ugh, this book is pretty ugly! I wiped off the dust, it was certainly going to need a lot of work! Maybe I should just leave it alone. My sister was trying to show me how lovely I was as I am, maybe this book was too.

Snapping the folder open, I hoped that it looked better on the inside then it did on the outside. As I did so a crackle of energy was released from the book, sending out jolts of light. At first I thought it must be static electricity, but when I saw a form of a young girl in pigtails I knew something strange was about the book my sister had found. I quickly picked it up and the form disappeared.

“Ugh, definitely letting my imagination run away with me.” I said carrying it with me in my room. I thunked it down on my desk looking over at the photos thinking of how to arrange them. Then I slowly opened up the book once more, and with a crackle the girl popped in my room again yelling.

“Why did you shut me back in there, I just wanted to help you!”

I jumped up, almost closing the book on the girl agian. But something about the urgency in her voice made me stop. I had a lot of questions to ask the girl, like where did she come from? Why did she want to help me for?

“Sorry, you just startled me. Just what are you some sort of genie of the book or something?”

Her face grew pale, obviously not amused by the joke. This is when I noticed I could see right through her. Was she...some sort of spirit? The Native Americans believed that everything had a spirit. Perhaps things that were man made could have one too?

“How I got here is a long story. I am not here to talk about myself. I am here to help you.”

“But...why?”

The girl suddenly had a look of anger on her face.

“Stop asking questions and follow me, I want to show you something.”

I didn’t understand, but I trailed the girl silently. When we were far enough away from anyone to hear I asked her another question quietly afraid she would yell at me again.

“I am sorry I didn’t mean to make you angry. I just wasn’t expecting to open a book and find a helpful ghost. Can I at least know your name?”

“I am Oliva, that is the only thing about me you are allowed to know.”

She moved to a tree leaning out her hand to it.

“Look in here.”

I reached in the hand, a bit frightened of what my fingers might touch. I found a box, and opened it finding some treasures. A wad of money and a few pieces of jewlery. One of the necklaces looked awfully expensive. I wondered just who it belonged to? For her to know about it, it must of belonged to her at one point. I figured that Oliva must of been a person at one point, but for some reason got stuck in the photo book. How, and why? I was afriad of asking, but what could she do to me?

“Oliva, I feel that I am the one that should be helping you. I know these things were once yours. You probably cherished them. Why are you here? And don’t say to help me!”

The ghost stayed silent for a long time staring at me with eerie eyes, almost like she was considering telling me the truth.

“Please, do not ask. Try to understand, try to be happy. I must be going...”

She then disapeared. I frowned a bit. Maybe this whole thing was just a joke that Denise pulled off somehow.

Storming in her room, I pointed my finger at her.

“What is up with this ghost thing, it isn’t very funny. I am going to tell mom and dad!”

“Calm down, I have no idea what you are talking about!”

I opened my hand showing her the things I had found.

“Some ghosts showed me these things hidden in an old tree.”

Denise looked in my hand.

“You think I could give up my hard earned cash just for a joke!? You know I save my money for film and stuff like that.”

I gulped giving a little shiver.

“Yeah, well joke is on you. I can tell by the look on your face that you believed it!”

Denise glanced over at my pale face and shrugged a bit.

“Stop trying to get out of your project. I thought you wanted me out of your face. It isn’t like you to make up stories like that!”

I ran up to my room and flopped on my bed, glancing at the now shut book. I just wanted to keep Oliva to myself. Part of me thought maybe we could help each other out more than the other could ever believe was possible.

I must of fell asleep, since my mother is standing there and yelling at me to get up.

I groan looking over at the clock.

“Why did you let me sleep so long!?”

“It isn’t my job to wake you up when you carelessly forget to set your alarm!”

Ugh, my mom was such a witch at times. I hurried to grab my things.

“You didn’t have to punish everyone for my mistake.”

“Everyone else is already at school, your going to have to walk there.”

By the time I get to school it will be already out I thought to myself. Dodging out the door I start swearing under my breath. I bet if Denise did the same thing she would of drove her there. It seemed like my sister had everything I wanted. My mother’s love, friends and even a boyfriend! All I had was a stupid picture book.

Rummaging in my bagpack as I ran along I found it. Though it wasn’t all dusty and dirty. I paused to open in feeling that familar tingle through my fingers as I saw the ghost exiting from the book and smile and wave over at me. I wasn’t too sure how she could be so cool and collected. But if she could get money for me and fix up my book certainly she could do anything!

“Well did you like what I did to your book?”

“Oliva, sorry gal but I have other more pressing issues then the book. I am going to be late for school!”

“Well you want me to help you or not, Skip school and find something better than it could ever offer you.”

I made a face at her, my mother would roast me alive if she found out I skipped school.Though if she could mange this outing I would have no doubt in my mind that this ghost could do everything she said.

“Alright , but if I get in trouble I am never opening that book again.”

“I know you doubt me, so I want to prove myself to you once and for all.”

“I just want to know, how can you tell what I want without me asking you!”

“Most people in the world want the same things, just follow without asking so many gosh-darned questions!”

I shrugged a bit and ran after Oliva. Might as well do it.

The worst case scenario is that I end up being the bad kid my mom is always saying I am.

As we walked a tune was running through my head. Poor little Robin. Walking, walking walking to Missouri. He couldn’t afford to fly. We have been walking so long I was starting to wonder if we were going to end up in some other state!

“Are we even halfway close to where we are going?”

Oliva gives a little lighthearted laugh, moving her hand to motion at a building that was in the distance.

“Sorry, we had to take the long way so they would think you stopped by after school.”

Ah. I wish she told me that. Heck, I wish she would give me any clue of what we were going to be doing at all! The building came nearer. I read the sign. Wake forest baptist medical center. A hospital? What made Oliva think that anything I wanted was there.

“Now, you are going to have to sign up to be a volunteer.”

Cleaning out bedpans wasn’t my idea of fun.

“You know I am starting to lose faith in you again!”

Oliva gave me a harsh look.

“Please just trust me. Make sure to sign up for the burn unit.”

I shrugged a bit, well maybe there I wouldn’t have to do anything gross.

It wasn’t so bad working at the hospital, but it wasn’t anything I would wish for that was for sure. A nurse showed me around the place. Most of the things they wanted me to do was pretty standard like changing bandages. But they still insisted that I have a mentor.

“Ah it seems like Laura is finally here. She should be with you shortly.”

As the girl walked over, I couldn’t help noticing something familiar about her. Though a smile was on her face it seemed that her lips were crinkled with sadness. She glances at a clipboard and then at myself.

“Ayita? You must be the new blood here. That’s certainly an unusual name.”

What was it that seemed so familiar? So lost in thoughts I was that I sort of zoned out on what she was trying to say.

“Huh? Oh yeah it is a Native American name. I was born on a reservation. Without my namesake I probably wouldn’t be alive today..”

Laura laughed as she motioned me to follow her.

“Sounds like you had too many people commenting about your name.”

Nodding I watched as she showed me some basic procedures that I already been shown before.

“I swear my name is a curse. So...why does this hospital think I need a mentor for? It isn’t like your showing me anything I don’t know already.”

She gave a little smirk.

“Mostly to watch over the new folks and make sure they don’t totally mess up. Why do you think your name is a curse? It seems rather exotic to me.”

I made a face, people with normal names couldn’t understand how annoying it was.

“When you have a perfect sister named Denise, and here you are with a name that doesn’t really suit you it seems like a curse.”

She laughed.

“I know how things are with sisters. What do you think your name should be? I think it fits you, myself.”

I always imagined Ayita to be some beautiful princess, with long wavy hair. Sort of how my namesake looked when she was younger. I shook my head. I was baring so much of myself to this stranger. Perhaps it was because she looked so much like someone else I knew.

“I think I would make a good Janet. It sounds plain and ordinary like myself.”

Laura glanced at me, then looked at her watch.

“Well I would like to chat up some more, but there is some other stuff I need to do around here. I think you had enough mentoring for now. Would you like to come over to my house and hang out sometime?”

I just realized why Oliva took me here, to make a friend. That is what I always wanted. Most people I had a hard time talking to. I felt inferior towards them. I wasn’t sure why that Laura made me feel different than anyone else, but I wasn’t going to skip over this opportunity!

“I would like that.”

She grinned and started to scribble her phone number on a piece of paper.

“Here’s my number. Don’t be afraid to call me anytime. I guess I will see you around here since your going to be volunteering here. See ya!”

Then she walked off.

As I was walking home in a daze, I realize that Oliva had disappeared. Just where did she go?

“Hey, Oliva thanks for the friend. It seems like I can trust you. I can hardly wait to see what you have in store for me next!”

The ghost appeared nearby with a guarded smile on her face.

“It wasn’t any trouble, as long as I am around I will help you with anything you need.”

I couldn’t help wonder how she knew what I needed. She was a ghost not a genie. My face fell when she said that. I was really starting to like having her around. I guess I should of known that she wasn’t going to stick around forever..

“Ah your going to be leaving? I will really miss you. But I guess since I have a friend to talk to I really won’t need a ghost. You should really get back to where you belong. Just what will it take to get you back?”

Oliva seemed to become even paler than she already was.

“As long as you need me I will be around.”

It seemed like she was hiding something. I had so many questions that I wanted to ask.

“Just how did you die anyways?”

The ghost became silent and disappeared. I should of known not to ask that. She seemed unwilling to give information about herself. Well I couldn’t waste time worrying about a ghost. I had other things I needed to do. I ran on home.

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