Ghost Kiss

Lily

     I woke up the next morning. My back is a bit sore from sleeping on the floor. I laid all my blankets down to form a bit of a mattress but it's just not the same. Thank god after I'm done at the diner I'll be going to the furniture store to get some things. A bed is at the top of the list. Saving money since I was 16 years old has really paid off and given me a nice little nest egg to get the things I need and this house being a bargain helped too.

     I go to the bathroom and do my business and I brush my teeth. After I get dressed I decide to go to the diner a little early so I can eat breakfast since I didn't get to the grocery store yesterday. I'm so happy I was able to save the fridge that was already here. I can't wait to stock this kitchen up.

     I'm ready to walk out the door and realize that my keys are gone. "That's weird," I say out loud. I always put my keys with my wallet. There's no way I left them in the truck, my dad would never forgive me for that. I'm running all over the house looking for them. There are only so many places they could be. I was only in the kitchen, living room, and bathroom all day yesterday. And the house is virtually empty. There's nothing with a drawer that I could've put them in. Except for the kitchen! Did I put them in a kitchen drawer yesterday? I try to think but I must've.

     I go into the kitchen and search every drawer. They are all just as empty as they were yesterday when I was done cleaning them. I don't understand. After exhausting every area downstairs possible and going out to my truck to make sure they aren't there regardless of my dad teaching me better, I get the thought of upstairs. It's impossible for them to be upstairs, I've never gone upstairs. But my keys definitely aren't down here or out in my truck.

     I head upstairs. For no other reason than to prove myself insane for even thinking they are up here since I never came up here yesterday. I open a door and it's to a bedroom. Kinda small, and completely empty. I even open the closet in the room and it's empty as well. I head down the hall and open another door. It's the upstairs bathroom. Just as dirty as the one downstairs. At least I know what I'm getting myself into with this one.

     I go across the hall and open another door. There's a bed in here. Extremely dusty. Webs in certain places of the room. There's a dresser, also covered in dust. I open some drawers and they are all empty. As they should be. I open the closet and see some dresses still hanging up. There are some boxes covered in dust on the floor of the closet. I make a mental note to come back to the room and go through those later. I don't have time right now. At this rate, I'm not going to even make it to the diner by 9 for the paperwork let alone to eat breakfast beforehand.

     I go down the hall and there's one more door. I open it. There's another bed, just as dusty as the other one. I open the closet and there are a few shirts and pants hanging there. More dusty boxes clutter the floor. I make another mental note. I go to the dresser and open the drawer to check inside. It slams shut on me. I pause, I don't know what to think. I open the drawer again and it slams shut again. There must be something with a spring underneath the drawer so it automatically closes maybe? But why is it so violent? I go to the next drawer and the same thing happens. I just pause and stare at the drawers. I'm not sure what to make of it but I have no time to take apart a dresser right now.

     I go to leave the room but the door slams shut in front of me. I'm startled at first. There must be a draft. I go to open the door but it won't open. Did the door jam? I'm turning the knob and pulling with everything I've got and it's not budging. I can't even call for help because my phone is downstairs next to my wallet. Who would I call anyway? I don't know anyone in town and would I just wait here in this room for two hours while my mom or dad drove over to let me out of the room? Not a chance.

     I look around the room to see if there's anything there that I can wedge the door open with but come up empty-handed. So I go back to trying to pull with all my might at the door.

     I must've pulled too hard because my hand slipped. I go flying backwards on my butt and I try to catch myself but that was a mistake. A spiraling pain shoots up through my wrist. I grasp it with my other hand and hold it to my chest as my face pinches up in pain. "Ow!" I scream and I try to fight back the tears. How could such a good day start out like this?

     Suddenly the door flies open. Cradling my injured wrist to my chest and using my other hand to get myself up, I stand and walk out the now-open door. Confused as to what happened, I head downstairs. And right next to my wallet where they should be are my keys. "What the hell?" I say in utter disbelief.

     I look up at the clock and see I've got 15 minutes to get to the diner in time to fill out the paperwork. Oh, thank god I can still be on time for her. Do you know how embarrassing it would be to be late the day after telling someone they won't regret the decision of hiring you? Unbearable.

     I grab my keys and decide to just baby my wrist as much as possible without letting her know it's hurt just yet. I'll stop at the store before I go to the furniture place to grab a wrap for it. I know it's not broken. Just sprained and probably bruised. I'll figure everything else out later. I head out the door and get in my truck and head straight to the diner.