Stella's Memory

‘So what do people do for fun around here?’ said Marvin, changing the subject.

‘I don’t know,’ said Stella. ‘I just come here.’

‘I mean, there must be somewhere else other than this graveyard.’

Stella stared at Marvin. ‘Don’t you like it here?’

‘Yeah, but I was just wondering what else there was?’ He looked straight into her face. Perhaps she knew of other ghostly places, places that might help her recall her own death… Whoa! What was he thinking of? He didn’t help spirits. Avert eyes, earplugs in, turn up volume… but this was different, wasn’t it? A teenage spirit - a girl! Perhaps…

Stella looked puzzled.

‘What’s up?’ said Marvin.                

‘I’m trying to think!’ snapped Stella, her forehead creasing up.

‘I was just asking,’ said Marvin, immediately regretting asking his initial question. He looked at her again.

Stella frowned. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know,’ she said. Her eyes flicked from one side of her face to the other. ‘Why don’t I know?’

‘Hey, it’s okay!’ said Marvin. ‘I-I was just trying to make conversation.’

Stella frowned again. ‘But I should know, shouldn’t I?’ She stood up and looked around. ‘I mean, there has to be something else around here, doesn’t there?’