𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚊 𝚁𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝? | Jenna Ortega

the "Ghost" of Halloween p.1

Astrid Deetz

I increase the speed of my pedaling, the wind tousling my hair. I was tired of arguing with my mother, tired of being teased for being a Deetz. Why did my mother have to be a crazy woman who thought she could talk to and see ghosts? But most of all, why do it on a TV show where millions could witness this disgrace?

I didn't believe in my mother's abilities at all, especially because, according to her, she couldn't even contact my father. The only person who truly understood me, the only person who, with her quirks, passed on to me the passion for horror, the only person I desperately wanted to see again in my miserable life.

The only person I would never see again. From today, my grandfather too.

I clenched my jaw, trying to mask my mood, and kept pedaling. My hands gripped the handlebars firmly, and I moved my legs faster, my gaze lost among the decorations for the upcoming Halloween party tomorrow.

My mother's wedding to her stupid partner.

I sighed loudly. My mother had ruined my favorite holiday. I ignored this thought and focused on the decorations: various hanging skeletons, spiderwebs, pumpkins, and strange monsters in the gardens. Children walked along the sidewalks, showcasing their spooky costumes.

I managed a small smile.

The sound of a horn blaring snapped me back to reality, and when I turned my head, I saw a black Jeep dangerously approaching my direction. My eyes widened, and I instinctively swerved the bike toward the sidewalk to avoid the car.

"Watch out!" shouted a man I was about to run over.

My grip on the handlebars became ironclad, and with all the fear and adrenaline in the world, I tried to dodge the pedestrians, receiving a few insults for my reckless driving. My eyes widened, and my breath quickened with each passing second.

The bike picked up speed, and I had completely lost control. I closed my eyes, seeing a fence coming into my path, bracing for impact. The sound of breaking boards echoed in my ears as a slope made me lose balance, crashing into a tree and falling to the ground.

A giggle made me lift my head.

I groaned in pain and saw a girl looking down at me with amusement from the treehouse I had knocked down. I rubbed my head, trying to alleviate the pain.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed.

The girl's eyes widened before she sat on the edge of the house. Y/c eyes watched me with curiosity and amusement.

"Are you okay?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about the fence; my family will pay for it," I said, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Oh, don't worry about it," the girl waved her hand dismissively, and I smiled timidly, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"Where are you from? I've never seen you around here; you're really cute, and I would have remembered you," she asked kindly, curiosity palpable in her voice.

"Mmmmhh... from there," I admitted shyly, pointing to the huge house visible on the hill. My cheeks flushed at her words. She thinks I'm cute.