Cost: 1.93

As I stared at the old house that had always belonged to the Simmons family, I felt a sense of nostalgia. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if they had heeded that warning. Old people aren't set in their ways, they're just stubborn. It upset me more about not getting to see their grandchildren after they passed away rather than their death.

There was August. She was the eldest child, and she was surprisingly sneaky. In an astonishing amount of situations, she could have called me out for being out of bed. As a child, she was chunky, and I was the same. Her hair was always knotted, her mother would exclaim it was a crow's nest. August would argue that she liked all birds. Then there was Mikey, the youngest Simmon, who was beyond smart for his age. He corrected shopkeepers about the correct tax with such aplomb. Then there was her, Quinn Simmon she was the one I swore always got away. I would be incredulous if I thought she played a role in ending my engagement. My fiance Gina, how would I describe her. My mom would claim she was right about how Gina was a cheating snake. I never did get my grandma's ring back. I bet she'll haunt me one day for that mistake.

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Did it happen to be a pure coincidence that she was sitting on a barstool in front of me? As desperate men crowded around her, she giggled. It was as if she knew she could play them. She had brown hair that was longer than I remembered. It was as if her eyes were a canvas of neutral pastels. The color of her lips was bright red. They hadn't been in town since their grandparents passed away, so it couldn't be her. Even know the house was left to them. Rather than sit there and let it sit there, it surprised me they didn't sell it. It can't be her up. I hear her laugh. "Quinn?" I asked as my heart beat rapidly. There is no way. She smiles and looks up.

It was pleasantly surprising to see her look at me excitedly. "River!" she asked. She hadn't seen me since we were about fourteen. Despite being a chunky monkey, I started taking lifeguarding lessons for a summer job, and the weight stayed off as I grew taller. She was my first kiss, even though I had the biggest crush on her. "Oh my God, how you've been, how's the family? Are they with you?" I asked. I did not mean this to come across as too desperate. "Just August, we're in that job program for the summer," she said. In town, there was only one house that provided housing for out-of-towners working the summer. There was more to it than curses. "In the haunted house, you couldn't pay me enough," I said. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, she blinked. "What?" she asked. "It's haunted that house," I said. "Oh, come on, there's no way." She laughed. When I was a child, I forgot she was a realist. She had no imagination at all. As I tell her the story, I tell her how the madame haunts the house and how people have gone crazy because of it. From the trolley tours that make its first stop, it should be obvious why mirrors are covered in sheets.

"For free.99, sounds like a deal," she chuckled. "Your grandpa believed in this stuff," I said. Although those two were close, they never agreed on that one thing. "And my religious grandma did not," she said. "Wouldn't it be cool if he's still planting tomatoes in his garden?" I asked. She chugged her drink. "Your one of those, I see," I said. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. "You know, what it means. It's on me the drink," I said, taking her empty glass as she left. Despite wanting to follow her, my shift continued for another two hours.

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Quinn was riding a bike from my house as I was walking home. As I walked toward my house, I slowly slowed down. After the engagement ended, I decided it was best to convert a shed into my own personal home. My parents are wonderful, but having been on my own for a bit, I enjoyed the freedom. I heard my mom say, "Hi River," as she bantered against the fence, a cup of coffee in hand. "Isn't it a little late for coffee," I asked. I looked at my mom and she smiled. "Who says it's coffee," she laughed. "Shame about that house," I said, staring at the porch falling apart and the crooked door. "Quinn is in town," my mom said. "I know," I replied. A smirk spread across her face. Looking up at the streetlight trying to resist the urge to stay lit, I explained, "I understand you did not care for Gina, but that does not mean Quinn is the girl for me." My mother warned as she headed inside, "Sometimes we get a second chance, don't be stupid."

"You know, she's right." Mr. Simmon agreed. Since they died, I have been able to see dead people. "Joe, why is she really here?" I asked. "I don't know, but I haven't seen her in years, Margaret! Quinn's in town," he called. My eyes watched Mrs. Simmon appear out of nowhere. There was a legend in this town that ghosts could choose their forever forms. The Simmons chose their late twenties and wedding attire. "Is anyone else here," she squealed. "August," I replied. She hugged me, squeezing the life out of me. "Quinn doesn't believe in ghosts," I said. "Nonsense, she can see them," Mr. Simmon replied. "How do you know that?" I asked. "She and August saw us after the hurricane many moons ago." Mrs. Simmon said. "And they're staying in that house," I replied. I didn't get a good feeling about them being there all summer. "Eliza's?" Mrs. Simmon asked, her excitement in her voice fading. As Mr. Simmon patted me on the back, he sighed and asked, "Can you watch over them for us?". I said, "I'll try, but they both seem different from the girls we knew." She held my hand, a bright smile plastered across her face. "I hope so," she said as she kissed me on the cheek.