Ghosts

Claire

I was an ordinary person

I was an ordinary person, I'd say. I didn't really get into much trouble. If I was mad at anyone, I wouldn't say anything. I didn't like conflict, never really stood up for myself. Was I a doormat? Sure, as long as others were happy. I made sure to keep the peace. I said yes to everyone, I came off as very reliable, but I also stayed in my lane. 

I lived with two friends and my cat Oscar. Him and I were joined at the hip, he was my baby. I dedicated my time between him, uni and work. My life was very structured and I liked it that way. That was until things started to change. I was suddenly able to see ghosts. Crazy, I know. Let me set the scene. 

I was five, I had that breakthrough moment where I said "I'm going to remember life from now on", and I did. I was lying on my back in my bed, staring at the wall. I was sentient. Months went by, when one day I was looking in the mirror and suddenly, a ghost appeared. 

At first, I thought it was my own reflection. But no, they were standing next to me, beside me. I did the only thing you could do in that moment, I screamed. My parents came running in, asking what was wrong.

I stuttered "A- a- a- GHOST!" and pointed directly at the figure in the mirror. 

My parents looked in the mirror and laughed, "No silly, that's you!" 

I was flabbergasted, that was definitely not me. 

From then on I refused to look in that mirror, in fear that the ghost was going to come back, but from then on nothing appeared. We moved houses two years later. 

I lived about my normal life. Went through primary school, high school, and made my way into university. No dramas, no ghosts. It felt like a distant memory, a dream. A figment of my imagination. I ended up thinking that it never even happened, tricking my brain into not understanding what was real and what wasn't. 

So when I saw another ghost at the ripe old age of 22, you can understand that I thought I was insane.