Proving a point

"AUGH!"

"Wait! Calm down! I- I'm not scary! I won't hurt you!" She slows to a stop and turns around to face me.

"What do you mean, you're not scary? You're a ghost!"

"Not at heart! All I want is a friend! Please! No other ghosts exist in this place, so I have no friends!"

"Wait, this place is haunted?! Why would I move here..."

"No, it isn't. I'm just here. I don't haunt people! I don't scare people! I just want a friend. I just don't want to be lonely."

"OK, I feel you. I can't find anyone that's, you know, special. I also don't have any friends because I'm not the most popular person... I keep getting fired from work, so I moved here."

"I can be your friend!"

"Really?" She raises her eyebrow at me.

"Yes! Please! I promise I will never scare you, or haunt you."

"UH, ok, I guess. Just- Just don't tell anyone. I don't wanna be made fun of..."

"Ok. I won't if you won't."

"Deal. Wait, but how exactly can I see you?"

"Not sure. Are you related to a seer?"

"Maybe. My mom always said that my aunt was a witch."

"Yeah, she probably was. Now, which room is your bedroom?"

We became good friends. She FINALLY got a job and would leave the house early every morning. We never did find out why she could see me, but I did some research on my own when she left for work. Her aunt was never a seer or witch. No one in her family was. But that just couldn't be. She wasn't dead, as everyone else could see her. She had no siblings, and her dad left when she was a baby. I wondered... Could he have been a seer? I'll never know. She told me that he fled the country.

"Marsh? Where- Oh, there you are."

"How was work?"

"Good! There's a new guy in the office. His name is-"

Riiiinnnggg!

"One sec, Marsh. Hello?"

"Who is this?" I hear an old lady's voice.

"This is Jill Gramb. Who do I have the pleasure to be speaking with?"

"Jill! Oh, this is Dina! Your mother!"

"Mom? Is it really you?"

"Yes! And I have big news!"

"Good or bad?"

"Horrible. Your father- He came back here. I saw him heading to work this morning."

"Really? Where does he work?"

"That big apartment building next to Dunkin'."

"You're joking. That's where I work, mom!"

"He must be spying! He always wanted you back..."

"What do I do, Mom?"

"Keep away from him, my dear. Don't let him do anything to you."

"I won't, mom."

"Oh, bingo starts soon. I must go. Bye, dear. I love you."

"I love you too, mom. Bye." She hangs up and rubs her forehead.

"You okay, Jill?"

"Yeah. I- I'm just stressed."

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay. Just do what she told you to do, and you'll have nothing to worry about."

"Yeah. You're right. I don't have to worry. Well, I should get going on the laundry. Behave."

"You know I always do!" But once she's upstairs and humming over the piles of laundry, I glide over to the phone and check the number. Hm. I then quickly drift upstairs and sneak her iPhone out of her bedroom. Wait. This can't be right. The numbers don't match.

"Hey, Jill? Did your mom get a new number, or..."

"Oh, you are so nosy! No, she was just using the nursing home's number. Don't worry. I know that's her."

"Ok... And don't call me nosy!"

"Hehe! Ok..." She gets back to the laundry. And me, being Marshell, I glissade downstairs and make a call.

"Hello?"

"Who is this?"

"Is anybody there? Hello?"

"I'm here! Who are you?"

"Please don't call this number again. I can't hear you, whoever you are."

The old lady's voice rang in my ears. That sure didn't sound like the same person from before.

“Jill?”

“What, Marsh?”

“Can I go out?”

“Yeah, but hurry back. I’ll make dinner soon.”

“Ok, I will.” I slip through the crack in the door and float towards the nursing home.

I slide through Dina’s door, and see her in her bed, reading a crossword puzzle workbook.

I rattle the door handle, knowing Dina can’t see me.

“Hello? Is somebody here?” She cranes her neck as the door slowly opens. I grab the crossword puzzle book out of her hands and throw it at the opposing wall.

“Augh! This place is haunted!” I see her pull a necklace out from under her gown. She presses a little button on the side of it, and a nurse comes in shortly after, gasping for air.

“What is it, Dina? Are you ok?”

“No! This place is haunted!”

“What do you mean, it’s haunted? What happened?”

“The door opened and then my book through itself across the room!”

“Nonsense. You should really get some rest, Dina. I can wake you for bingo.”

Wait. I thought bingo already happened! I look at the schedule posted on Dina’s wall next to the TV. Oh, they have bingo every hour here. Makes sense, as everyone is old.

“No, I swear it happened! I promise you, Marcy!”

“Don’t be silly, Dina. Ghosts aren’t real.” I gasp. I yank her ponytail, and luckily, as she screams, the doctor appears right behind her.

“What happened? Why are you both screaming?”

“Oh, it was just you. Why would you do that? It scared me!”

The doctor, looking confused, shrugs and goes to turn the TV on for Dina. 

“Dina is saying that this place is haunted.”

“It is! It really is, doctor! Believe me!”

“Now, now. Get some rest, Dina. I’ll check in on you later.”

“Fine. But don’t forget to wake me for bingo.”

We all leave the room. Yes, me included. I’ve been out for long enough. Dinner will probably be ready soon.

This isn’t over. I’ll be back tomorrow to haunt Dina again. And I’ll prove to everyone that GHOSTS. ARE. REAL.

THE END