It was eleven in the evening. People were doing some late night shopping. Angel sat on the curb looking at the people rushing by. She was bored. She had wandered around all day and hadn’t really done anything. But then again Sligo wasn’t the most alive place on earth. She got up and decided to go back to her room. She walked trough the park. She stopped when she saw a few boys play basketball. She wanted to join them but knew she couldn’t. The light of the hospital showed up. She entered the hall and walked up the stairs. One of night sisters looked up and said ‘Hi Angel. Are you back again?’ Angel nodded. She walked in her room. A boy was lying in her bed. Machines surrounded him. The nurse followed her. ‘What is wrong with him?’ Angel looked at the boy. ‘He just had open-heart surgery. His name is Nicky. Be nice to him.’ Angel smiled.
‘Anna, I always am nice.’ Angel touched the boy’s face. ‘Is he asleep?’ ‘No, he is in a coma. He had a heart attack during the op.’ Angel looked at Anna. ‘Do you think he can see me?’ Anna shook her head. ‘If he believes he might.’ Angel sat down at the chair. ‘Is there any news?’ ‘I’m sorry dear. No one knows anything.’ Angel sighed. ‘If they don’t find them, I might have to hang around for a while.’ She looked at Nicky. ‘I even might enjoy the time.’

Nicky stirred and felt a cool hand touching his face. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around. There was nobody in the room. A nurse entered the room. ‘Nicky, my name is Anna. I’m the night nurse.’ ‘Somebody touched my face.’ Whispered Nicky. ‘Angel told me you were awake.’ ‘Angel?’ ‘Hi Nicky.’ Heard he say someone. He moved his head. ‘I don’t see anybody.’
‘I’m here.’ Nicky looked at the door. ‘Angel, stop fooling around.’ Anna smiled. ‘Angel used to stay in this room. She likes to fool people around.’ ‘Where is she?’ All Nicky heard was a girl giggling. ‘Angel.’ said Anna. A girl climbed on to his bed. ‘Hi, I’m Angel.’ Nicky looked at her. Angel grinned at him. ‘I like playing tricks on people. It’s gets me through the tough times.’ ‘What happened to you?’ ‘I got stabbed.’ ’Jeez.’ Nicky looked at her with pain in her eyes. ‘Are you okay now?’ ‘Ooh yeah, I didn’t survive it but hey that’s life. Or should I say death.’ Nicky looked confused at Anna. ‘Angel passed away several months before you came in.’ ‘You are joking me, right.’ Nicky looked at Angel but she was no longer there. ‘Believe in me, Nicky, only then can I come alive.’ Whispered Angel. ‘She is gone.’ Nicky looked at Anna. ‘She is a ghost?’ Anna sat on his bed. ‘Angel has some unfinished business to take care off. When that is finished she will really leave us.’ ‘How come you can see her and I couldn’t?’ ‘I believe in Angel. When you believe you can see her.’ ‘Weird hospital.’
Nicky closed his eyes. Anna got up and left his room. Angel was sitting at the counter. ‘I’ll make him believe.’

That night Nicky had a weird dream. He saw Angel dancing in a club. She was talking to several people. ‘Angel are you leaving?’ ‘Yep, I have an early lecture tomorrow and I want to be awake to follow it.’ One of her friends hugged her. ‘Do I need to walk you to your car?’ Angel shook her head. ‘No, it’s parked a block away. I’ll be fine.’ Angel waved at her friends and walked to her car. At the entrance of the parking lot were some boys standing talking to each other. When Angel past by, one of the guys turned around. ‘Have you got a light?’ ‘No, sorry, I don’t smoke.’ ‘Too bad.’ Angel saw the streetlight reflect in the blade of the knife but it was already too late. Angel fell to the ground clutching her stomach. ‘Help.’ She whispered.

‘23 year old female. Stabbed in her stomach several times. ‘The nurses lifted her on to the bed. ‘She is having a heart attack. Start CPR.’ The doctor looked at his watch. ‘Take her upstairs. Put her in a room and call her parents, so they can say goodbye to her daughter.’ Nicky saw Anna hugging a girl in the room they had brought Angel to. When Anna turned around he saw that she was hugging Angel. Nicky looked at the bed. Angel was also lying in the bed. ‘Nicky, Nicky.’ He opened his eyes. Sweat was running down his back. ‘I didn’t mean to scare you.’ Angel sat next to him on a chair. ‘I need you help, Nicky.’ ‘Why?’ ‘You saw in your dream who killed me. I can’t tell the police any more. You can.’ ‘But…’ ‘That is my unfinished business.’ Nicky looked at her. ‘You are beautiful.´
Angel blushed. ‘Hey you blushed.’ ‘We ghosts have feelings too.’ Nicky started laughing but immediately grinded his teeth in pain. ‘You shouldn't be laughing.’ Angel said with a smart look on her face. ‘Are you buried yet?’ ‘I went to my own funeral. Now I know who my friends are and who I can go haunt.’ Again Nicky started laughing. ‘Try smiling first it doesn’t hurt so much.’ ‘I’ll try. You are not making it easier for me.’ ‘Who are you talking too?’ Nicky’s best friend stood in the door opening. ‘I was talking to…’
‘He can’t see me or hear me.’ Said Angel. ‘I was talking to myself. It gets lonely in here.’ Angel poked his side. ‘Oow.’ ‘What? Are you in pain?’ ‘No Bryan, just some phantom pain.’ Angel started laughing her head off. ‘I hadn’t heard that one yet.’ Nicky started smiling. ‘Nick? Are you all right?’ Bryan looked worried. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine.’