The Afterlife Read Free

out of my diapers, I had dreamed of flying, and I guess now that dream was coming true.
    Plus, I was invisible. A man tripping down the street couldn't see me—he was shoving a twenty-dollar bill into his wallet. He walked past me and hissed playfully at a stray cat hugging the dried bushes of that closed-down insurance company. The cat was carrying something gray in its mouth. A mouse? A pigeon that wasn't quick enough?
    Dead, with my eyes wide open, I began a new life without a body. I had nothing to fear.

    DOWNTOWN FRESNO . I floated into Longs Drugs right through the plate glass and positioned myself over the head of a cashier, her eyes narrow as hatchets as she announced over the intercom, "Rafael, code fourteen, aisle six." I knew the meaning of the code—a shoplifter was sliding something under his jacket. I glanced up at the sign posted above aisle six: shampoo and hair care products. My bad. A teenage girl out to improve her looks was snagging one thing or another, and I would have kicked down that aisle except I confronted my uncle Richard and my cousin Eddie—Richard was cradling flowers in his arms and Eddie had large bags of barbecue potato chips under his arms as if they were pillows. Their steps were slow, as if they were wading in water. Their eyes were puffy, their faces dark from not shaving.

    "
Tío,
" I called. I pointed a finger at my chest. "
Primo,
it's me."
    They couldn't hear me. They passed through my outstretched arms and headed to the cashier, whose hatchet eyes had become sharper.
    I had never seen Uncle Richard with flowers before, but then again I had never seen him cry before, like he did early this morning in his Honda. They were going to visit my parents, I realized, and they believed it was smart of them to bring something sweet-smelling to my mom. And the potato chips? Snacks for the ride over.
    At my parents' house, there would be others to lament my death at such a young age. Angel, mi
carnal,
would be there, with the cement bags of guilt on his shoulders.
I should have been with him,
he would argue with himself.
We could have took the dude!
"He would be alive," he would cry, and I would cry in return, "
Chale,
we would both be dead!" In the three fights that I seen Angel in, he had lost them all. The guy was just a chubby, peace-loving dude.

    I stood between Richard and Eddie. Richard said, "I feel weird." He rubbed his arm with his free hand.
    Right then, I understood my power. I was dead, but I could offer a chill as cold as ice.
    Eddie looked toward the ceiling. "It's the air-conditioning. It's set too cold."
    They bought their goodies and were out the door just as the cashier cried into the intercom, "Rafael, code fourteen, aisles seven, nine, and fourteen."
    Incredible,
I thought.
People lifting the whole store.

Chapter Two
    I PICKED UP right away that the dead can move with speed. For me, each step was nearly twice as long as my usual stride. However, if you're in the air flying, you hardly moved at all. You sort of strolled with your legs churning like you were on a bicycle. I giggled because it was a trip, me striding down the street and away from Longs Drugs, where I imagined the shoplifters scattering like chickens, stolen goods falling from their jackets and blouses—hair dye, lipstick, and bags of candies for those who couldn't wait for trick or treat! I was going somewhere on my own sweet time, and I was bouncing, almost leaping. I thought:
Man, I could have used this on the basketball court.
Me slamming the rock into a bent hoop with a ragged net. Then I would have made the team!

    I learned immediately that I couldn't pick things up. When I saw a quarter winking at me in the morning sunlight, I bent down to pocket that little piece of change. But my hand shoved right into the sidewalk.

    "Damn," I crowed as I stood up with a jerk. I studied my hand and wiggled my fat thumb that was bishop to all the rest of my fingers. I laughed at myself because what