The Ghostly Harbinger

“Mom, why did we have to move again? I hate packing and unpacking.” Sebastian whines. “Well, we would not have to, if you did not get into trouble in every town we have been to.” Declares Katie. “Ugh, it is just a little marijuana with my friends.” Sebastian turns away shaking his head.

He was always getting into trouble with the new friends he made after each move. Drinking, smoking marijuana, and staying out late. This was their seventh move in ten years, and with his junior year of high school approaching in two weeks, Katie hoped it was their last.

“Here take the rest of your stuff and start unpacking your room. We have a lot to do over the next few days.”

Sebastian plops onto his bed with his boxes at his side. “Well, at least this room is bigger than our last home.” His eyes search the room, taking in the new environment. “And I have a good view from my window!” He slowly walks over to check out the scenery. 

Something catches the corner of his eye. It was his neighbor. A girl around his age just staring out her window towards him. She was smiling and waving. With a bit of surprise and shyness, he hurriedly closes the blinds.

“Oh, she’s cute. I have a cute neighbor, maybe we can become friends.”

Sebastian rummaged through his box of clothing and slowly put everything away. To him, it felt like a chore. It was the same long, drawn-out process of packing and unpacking pretty much every year. 

Hours pass by as Sebastian tackles each box. “I am not even halfway done.” The old grandfather clock in the living room gongs as it strikes 10 P.M. 

With an exasperated look on his face, he decides to call it a night and pick it up in the morning.  

Sebastian always liked an east-facing room to get the morning sunlight. He enjoyed getting things done earlier so that he could have the rest of the day to himself. In this case, he had more than half to unpack and make it his new home. 

He opens his blinds to get more light in and sees Kristina at her window waving and smiling again. “Whoa I didn’t expect to see her up this early too.” Says Sebastian. He smiles and waves back. “I think later today I’ll go over and meet her.”

After what seemed like an eternity for Sebastian, he was finally done unpacking his room. He glances at the window and sees Kristina, but this time she was just staring back at him. “She never seems to leave her room.” He thought. He runs down the stairs and yells out to Katie, “mom, I’m going out I’ll be back later.” “Ok, but don’t stay out too long, I’ll need your help with the living room and then we’ll have dinner.” Katie yells back. The screen door slams shut creaking each time the door bounces off the frame. 

Cautiously Sebastian approaches his new neighbor, both excited and nervous. “She seems like a sweet girl; I hope we can be friends.” He thought. Sebastian knocks on the door and an older lady in her 60’s answers. “Hi, I am your new neighbor Sebastian.” “Well hello Sebastian, I am Ms. Pederson. I wanted to come over and introduce myself first but haven’t been able to get out lately.”  

“I saw your daughter waving yesterday and I just wanted to come over and say hi.” Says Sebastian. “Oh Sebastian, you must be mistaken. My daughter passed away 13 years ago.” Suddenly Sebastian turned pale white and looked like he was going to pass out.  “Are you ok? You look like you saw a ghost.” asks Ms. Pederson “I-I-I am ok, I think I have the wrong house.” As the words shake out of Sebastian’s mouth. 

With a confused look Ms. Pederson said invitingly “Why don’t you come on in and get out of the cold.” 

“Would you like anything to drink?” Asks Ms. Pederson. “Oh no I’m fine, thank you though.” As the words continue to tremble. “I’m sorry I didn’t come over to welcome you and your family first, it’s just that I still have not gotten over the loss of my daughter. I loved her so much. Says Ms. Pederson. “What happened to her if you don’t mind me asking?” asked Sebastian. “No, I don’t mind, I wasn’t able to think about it, let alone talk about it a few years ago. I’ve made peace with it.” 

“Kristina was such a sweet, loving girl who got along with everyone here. She loved school and was on track towards a full scholarship in biology. Unfortunately, she got mixed in with some other kids who liked to do drugs and had an overdose of fentanyl-laced marijuana. When I found her in her room, I couldn’t believe it really happened. She never did drugs before.”

The conversation continued for a while, as the new neighbors got to know each other. “If it is one thing that I want you to promise me Sebastian, is that you won’t make the same mistake as my Kristina.” Pleaded Ms. Pederson. Sebastian grew quiet, taking in all the advice and the terrible misfortune that happened to Kristina. What troubled him more was that he saw her ghost. He didn’t know what to think of it, and surely, he wasn’t going upstairs to find out if she was still there.

“Welp it’s getting late, mom is expecting me home soon.” Sebastian didn’t want to seem rude, but he wasn’t lying. On top of that, he was mixed full of emotions and really questioned his choices up until now. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting you Sebastian, and I so hope to see you again soon. It’s nice to have visitors every now and then.” Said Ms. Pederson in a calm voice.

After dinner, the phone rings. Sebastian was just about done arranging the living room furniture when his mom comes into the room. “I just got off the phone with Billy’s mom. He died from an overdose earlier yesterday. That is terrible, he was such a nice boy and a good friend.” Katie said. “You see, Sebastian, this is why I wanted to move to a new place so that you can focus on the sports you love without hanging in the wrong crowd. Look, your new school has a great wrestling team that you will be part of in a few weeks. I know you will do well here; I can sense it.”

At that moment Sebastian knew why Kristina appeared. It was not to scare him like he pictured all ghosts do. It was to warn him of what would be his demise like Billy and Kristina. “I don’t want to die, I just liked hangin’ with the guys and having a good time. I guess it truly is not worth all this trouble after all.” Sebastian thought. 

He realized that moving away from his friends was not the solution. He was the one who decided to smoke and act out. It was up to him and only him to make a change in his life for the better. 

“Mom!” yelled Sebastian. “What is it, honey?” Replied Katie concerned. “I promise to never smoke or anything ever again I swear. Honestly, I never really liked it.” Exclaimed Sebastian. 

“I just wanted to have fun with my friends. The truth is that I know that I could get into the state university on a scholarship for wrestling and focus on a business degree and that matters more to me. I had already spoken to the coach the day before we moved, and he promised to help me get onto the state team after I graduate. “I believe in you, just no more smoking and getting into trouble, then you’ll be fine.” His mom said.

That night as he closed the blinds, he didn’t see Kristina peering from her window. He wondered if he would ever see her again. “Perhaps only in my dreams as a vivid reminder of what I don’t want to become.”