Casey (Ben 2)

Edit 1: Please keep in mind this is a first draft for my newest story, Casey. The story should be finished by August 10th. Thank you for your understanding.

Edit 2: Although, this is not the full story, I hope you enjoy… Casey (Ben 2) Part 1! Part 2 has no clear release at this moment, but it should be out by September. (Sorry for the late releases, I lost track of time.)

Edit 3: So sorry, but I was sick this Labor day weekend and was unable to work on the second half of the story. I hope you all under stand. The current release date for the whole story as of 9-2-25 is 9-10-25 which is a little more than a week from the previous date, sorry again.

Edit 4: Part 2 has been added on October 1, 2025 part 3 will be added.

Edit 4: Part 3 has been added; part 4 will be added by December 2025.

It’s been about seven years since I guess “my?” funeral. I met someone who changed everything. It went like this…

It was a Tuesday, and I was observing my family’s dinner party. Then I saw something strange out of the corner of my eye. Well at least I thought I did. I THOUGHT I saw a napkin move in the gust of wind when I “flew” by. I thought it was strange but I shrugged it off, figuring it was someone else. 

But then I saw her. I saw someone floating over the floor. I stared at them. They were hiding their face from my view and hugging a young girl who was sitting at the table. I watched as someone asked if the young girl would like a piece of bread. Then I saw it, I saw them look at me. I made eye contact with them then they looked away. She looked at the young girl’s plate, full of green beans, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. She whispered, “Oh darling, I miss you so much. If only I was still with you.” Then my wife, Paisley, asked if “Cleo” would like more pie. 

Cleo… Cleo… I wondered why I knew that name. Then, I froze. I knew exactly where I knew Cleo from. I knew her name from Iris. Iris is my daughter. My daughter, the one I lost six years ago. She passed away in a car accident. Iris was due to give birth only a few days later. By extreme chance, her child survived. I, sadly, never had any type of relationship with Cleo because, as you can infer, my body was pronounced dead, and my soul fights for access to the “real” world. But although I had found out why I know Cleo, there is still something I am missing.

A week later, I was wandering around my granddaughter’s birthday party when I spotted the woman from the week before. She was teary eyed while staring at me. Then I felt a rush of what I only can describe as joy. The woman… is my daughter.

“Iris?” I started to cry tears of joy.

“Dad?” She called out,“I, I, I can’t believe it!” 

I “floated” over to her as quickly as I could. As I hugged her, we cried. I knew she knew. I knew that she had known who I was for a long time, but for now, I found my daughter, and that’s all that matters. A few hours later after catching up while I cried, I asked,

“Where have you been! I missed you… I saw you last week. Why didn’t you say anything?” I questioned. It had been only three hours since I realized who she was and that was long enough to wait for an answer.

“I, I, well… I didn’t know if you…” Iris’s voice trailed off and then she spoke again, “I was worried for my daughter. I need her to be safe. I knew who you were since the beginning, but this is the first time in six years that Cleo has been safe and happy enough for me to take my eyes off of her. I lost my father because he looked away for seconds. I don’t want my daughter to ever face the same pain. Even if I’m not with my daughter I trust Owen to keep her safe.”

“I’m so, so, sorry…” I said weakly.

“Look, it was several years ago, I’m passed it, but I know everything.” She said with such sorrow that I wanted a black hole to open up under me and swallow me whole.

“What do you know?” I asked

“I know that you didn’t die seven years ago, I know in my heart that you died long before that.” Iris paused before continuing, “I’m not sure how, but the father I had as a child was strangely better than the father I grew up with as an adult.”

“I always knew you were smart.” I said softly.

“What do you mean by that?” I didn’t answer,"Dad?" Iris asked.

“I mean… you’re right. I’m not the father you knew for so long. I’m not the father that fell off a bridge. I’m not…” I had to stop myself, we both started to tear up, “I don’t think you will believe me but that “other father” in my body, was, well… he was Ben.”

Iris gasped, “You mean… my best friend… might as well have killed my dad? No! Ben would never. It’s not true…”

I hugged her. Ben and Iris were friends. Good friends I might add. Every time Ben appeared (which was a very rare occasion) he would play with my two daughters. Although Jasmine was terrified of him, Iris only saw a kind heart. I didn’t know why Ben would ever want to switch places with me. Well, until he did. Life as a body-less soul is boring. I mean BORING!! I can’t even eat my favorite foods or hug my daughters or my wife or leave their side. Ever since the night I was “possessed” I haven’t been able to leave the house without “following” someone out the front door. But it makes life hard. I have been in this “ghost-like state” for almost twenty five years but Iris, only seven -which don’t get me wrong it is still a long time but compared to twenty five, not really -and Iris already found a way to get around on her own. I NEED to figure out how she does it. Iris, of course, is VERY intelligent. I mean the type of intelligence that could build a complex drone in twenty minutes, and she has. But either way, I want to know how she can freely roam the city.

I “flew” over to the chair in the corner that Iris was in a day or two after our last conversation, “You know Iris, for the years that I have been “dead” I have always had to follow someone to get around. But you can aimlessly wander through the city without a care in the world.”

“Okay?” She questioned, “Why does that matter?”

“I want to know how you-” I got cut off.

“No you don’t.” She said quickly.

“But I just want to-” She cut me off again.

“I promise you you don’t want to know.” She said as she “walked” away.

“Please Iris… please.” I pressed although she had me questioning if I really DID want to know. After a few minutes of pleading, Iris cracked,

“Fine. But you're going to hate me…”

“Please Iris, please tell me. Nothing could ever make me hate my daughter.”

“You’re still connected to a body…”

“You mean-” Iris cut  me off but this time was different, instead of arguing she agreed with me…

“Ben’s not dead, he left.” She said downheartedly

“Where is he?”

“Tony’s Supply Store. He’s selling his friends to others. He’s haunting the city.” She paused, “Hundreds of ghosts have been sold already. Our neighbors bought a ghost named Cassie. She seems genuinely nice. But she is young. My daughter's age. I heard her talking to herself last night, she wants to steal her body. Like Ben did you.” Iris started to cry, Iris was panicking, realizing what she had said. An hour later, Iris was still crying, screaming how even Owen can’t protect Cleo, telling herself that Cleo is no-longer safe, telling herself that she is a horrible mother.

“Honey, Cassie is a child. You are a children’s doctor, WITH a bachelor's degree in child psychology. You are smart. You can save Cleo.” I whispered, “Now get some sleep, in the morning we will think of a plan.” She nodded.

The next morning I woke up Iris. She had clearly been crying before she fell asleep. I hugged Iris and told her to be strong.

“...For your daughter.” I said.

She nodded with tears in her eyes. “I think I found a way to fix everything. But I’m no murderer.” Iris looked at the floor.

“What do you mean? I know that you're not a murderer.” I asked, fearful of the answer I knew was going to come.

“Ben is still in your body. He is still hurting people. He is still smart. He still needs to be stopped.”

“What, you went to the funeral, you saw him, he is gone, Iris, he can’t hurt Cleo, Cassie can’t know him, she’s too  young.” I started to panic, was Ben still alive? Could he hurt Cleo? My stomach dropped, what if she’s right? I know Iris is smart but she has to be making this up, this can’t be real, but then Iris continued.

“Dad, I know,” She paused before continuing again, “but he’s not dead, tonight, tonight I’ll show you him. I’ll warn you now, he is nothing like you remember.” A tear rolled down her face.

“What do you know?”

Part 2:

I wish I could gag, but I haven’t eaten in over 25 years. It looked like he hadn’t slept in years, which he likely hasn’t.

“Did I really look like that?” I said in disgust.

“I told you.” 

“Ya, ya. What is the point of this again?” I know better than to question Iris but right now I don’t know what other options I have.

“Study his actions, observe what he plans on doing soon, and especially find out what he wants out of my daughter.”

“For the last time, Cassie is just a young girl.”

“You don’t know that…”

“Fine, maybe I don’t, but look at the way she acts, she acts like a child.” I started to whisper towards the end of my sentence. He is getting closer. A little too close even. It’s strange honestly, Ben is dressed like he’s from the middle ages, which I wouldn't be surprised if it was true.

Just then, Cassie glanced at Ben and winked. Then, Ben looked over the counter that we were hiding behind and seemed to make eye contact with Iris. But he turned around right after. I waited for Ben and Cassie to get far enough away and then I whispered to Iris.

“Did he see you?”

“I- I- I don’t know, he looked right into my eyes but seemed to be unfazed.” Iris responded in a hushed voice.

“Well either way, let’s make sure he doesn't again.”

“Oh ok” Iris whispered

We waited for Ben and Cassie to walk into the storage room, then we left. Honestly, I now understand why Iris is having panic attacks about Cassie. She clearly knows what she is doing by working with someone like Ben. Ben is scarily intelligent which makes him even more dangerous. But Cassie, I don’t know what about her makes her seem witful, but she is. Iris is smart though, we are going to stop them, I hope… Later that night, Iris and I went to a family dinner at this new halloween themed restaurant. Little did we know Cassie followed our every move.

“Stay out of sight, or else, do you hear me, Cassie!” Said Ben angrily.

“But, Cleo has not yet lived her life, I don’t want to take it from her…” Cassie whispered.

“Do it or you know what will happen to Lucy.” Ben angrily.

“Okay…” Cassie whimpered and a slow tear fell down her face.

As Cassie “walked” to Cleo’s school, she began to cry again. Then, right outside of the school doors Cassie tripped. She sat up and held her head in her hands as she began to panic.

“What if I can’t do it?”

“What about Lucy?”

Just then Cleo’s class came outside for recess. The class walked right past Cleo, then strangely, Cleo walked out of the line. As she walked, her eyes softened and she looked Cassie in the eyes. Cleo sat down next to Cassie and began to talk quietly, almost too quiet to hear, but it was perfect.

Part 3:

“It’s okay, I fall sometimes too. Do you need a band-aid?” Cleo spoke with such concern, in fact she talked like a therapist, a therapist with the innocent voice of a young child. Cassie looked shocked that Cleo could see her. She soon hid her look of bewilderment and slowly shook her head “no”.

“Here, come with me.” Cleo said while grabbing Cassie's hand and hurting to catch up with her class. 

“Sorry Mrs.” Cleo said as she pulled Cassie over to join her class on the swings.

“I’ll push you.”

“Okay.” Said Cassie weakly as she pulled herself onto the swing.

Cassie flinched as Cleo started to push the swing.

“Why are you pushing an empty swing?” Katie smeared

“Don’t mind her.” Cleo said, “She’s just jealous that you’re too good for her.”

“That’s okay.” Cassie said, beaming. She had never had many friends before but she would much like for Cleo to be one of the first.

“What’s your name?” Cleo asked, realizing she had not asked yet.

“My name’s Cassie, what about you?”

“My name’s Cleo.”

Just then Cleo dropped to the floor and fainted. The students who had previously picked on Cleo had run to get the teacher while Cassie held Cleo’s hand. Cassie looked terrified. Cleo’s primary teacher ran over while the others called the cops. Luckily the hospital is only 10 minutes from Cullmon’s Private Elementary School, so an ambulance arrived in under five. While waiting on the first responders to arrive, the teachers for the other first grade classes had led their, and Cassie’s class inside to watch a movie. 

The paramedics put Cleo on a stretcher and brought her to the hospital. No one acknowledged Cassie as she sat in the ambulance. The Principal called Cleo’s emergency contacts and informed them of the situation.

Iris and I were watching Paisley clean the house after the family dinner Sunday night. Our family had become super close after losing not only a father, but a daughter as well. Just then my wife’s phone rang, disrupting the peacefulness of the afternoon. Paisley pick up the phone and started speaking. “Yes, this is Cleo’s legal guardian, what’s wrong?” I could barely hear only a few words from the other side of the phone. “Cleo… accident… hurry.” Paisley started to panic. “I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

Paisley sprinted to the car after grabbing her shoes and keys in a blur. Paisley called Jasmine and told her what happened. Only then did me and Iris catch the whole story. Cleo had fainted during recess after being spotted talking to someone who wasn’t there. Iris was hyperventilating now. Fear coursing through her eyes as I laid her down across the car seats. I sat next to her head, gently whispering to her, “It’s okay. It’s okay.” 

Paisley turned into the hospital parking lot and rushed to the ER. I wish we could stay in the car but I knew me and Iris would be better off if we left now. Iris’ eyes widened as we floated past everyone in the ER who all looked miserable. If Cleo could skip the line, she must be pretty bad. Right now I need to be here for Iris though so I tried not to think about it. Paisley walked nervously into room 736. We followed her. I held Iris’ hand as we walked in. She was trembling and refused to continue walking as she saw Cleo in the hospital bed. Iris started to panic just then Cleo’s head nurse walked in and told Paisley what happened.

“Cleo has a brain tumor. We are waiting on lab results but we believe the tumor has been there her whole life. It seems to be caused by an infection that Cleo had when she was born.” 

Cleo was starting to wake up as her nurse walked in. “We got the lab results back.” The nurse said with a grim expression. We could tell something was horribly wrong. “It’s not cancer, but the tumor has a rare mutation that causes white blood cells, which normally are used to attack infections, to die.”

Paisley and Jasmine had to sit down, Cleo is too weak for this world now, and there is nothing we can do about it. 

Just then Cleo opened her eyes slowly and winced. The nurse gave Cleo more pain meds and walked out quietly. Cleo seemed to be staring at the door. I turned around to see Cassie teary eyed in the door frame. “What did you do?!” I started but just then I noticed that Cassie was shaking violently. Iris turned around and hugged Cassie so tight she might pop. “Iris what are you doing?...”

“Hugging a young girl who might lose her best friend; Cleo.”

“What?” I felt so clueless and lost. My enemy was being hugged by my daughter while my granddaughter fights for her life.

Iris nodded towards me as if she was asking Cassie to speak, and she did. She wiped her running nose as she started. “I was at the. The. The school. Ben made me I swear I. I. I would NEVER.” Her voice was coming and going but I listened growing more and more worried as Cassie talked, “I fell on my way in and Cleo helped me up. She helped ME. Out of the whole world she help the clueless one being made to hurt her. We went and played on the swings until she, she, she…” She didn't have to finish, I knew exactly what she was going to say.

“Fainted” I finished for her. Cassie was shaken but nodded. “How could she see you? Our own family can’t see us but then you come along and all of a sudden the living can see ghosts!” My voice was rising and I had to stop before continuing. I already don’t get along with “Ben’s little puppet” but I don’t need to make anything worse. “What did you do?” I said in a low, intentionally threatening voice.

“Dad!” Just then I realized Cassie was crying in Iris’ arms. “It’s not her fault! I did a study in college that matches up with this but…”

“But what?!” I demanded before Iris continued.

“But, you are not going to like it. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Iris…” I started before she finally told me. She talked quickly so she would not start crying before she finished. Her tone made me think of how hard this must be for her. Her (technically unborn) daughter is about to die if the doctors don’t figure out what is wrong, and soon.

“Sometimes, when near death, people can see the dead. Usually only when they are within hours of death…” A tear fell down her cheek, slow, deliberate, this was no accident. A few more tears fell as Iris wiped them away. She held Cassie close as they both tried to calm down. I felt helpless just standing there but I knew it would be better if I stop talking and watch until Iris speaks again. After a few minutes, Iris spoke up, not loud, but just loud enough, “Cleo might only have a few hours left, or…” Iris had to pause; and right before continuing, an alarm went off.