A Spicy Ghost Story

An Spicey Ghost Story

Shayna kneaded her temples with her thumbs. Words swam together on her white screen. Had his name been Carl of Clark?

She cycled a breath. Her small breasts rose and fell.

Cark. It had been Cark. She flipped through her notes. Lewis and Clark.

Wind beyond her window let out a loud howl. The pane rattled. A heartbeat squall splashed against the pain.

The lights flickered. For a fractional second it was as dark inside as out. Shay smashed alt-f-s. Word's save progress bar proceeded slowly. Fortunately, the computer did not blink out.

She cycled another heavy breath and slid down in her chair until her feet tapped the wall under the desk. Her skirt pulled up under her buttocks. Her ass practically hung off the chair. She stared at her report.

Okay, Shay, I've just got to— The lights blinked. Longer this time. Something smacked her window. The computer monitor darkened. An image appeared in its ghostly glow.

Shayna's heart thrashed within her breast. She jerked and her chair toppled. She shrieked.

Floor, as hard as concrete, kissed Shayna, hip, shoulder, head in three successive thuds.

"Ow."

Illumination snapped back.

"Ow."

"Shay?"

"Oh, ow."

"God, girl. What y' doin' on the floor?"

Shayna crawled to her knees. Her neighbor, Tiffany, stood in Shayna's door.

Tiffany's roommate poked her head over Tiffany's shoulder. "You 'k'?"

Shayna clambered to her feet. To ease the pull on her bruised scalp, she teased the scrunchy from her hair. Freed, chestnut locks dipped and bobbed before her eyes.

Really? Why can't I have straight hair, like, Sarah. And blond. Maybe I should bleach it.

"Shay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, Sarah. Just—" She paused. "—bruised."

Tiffany strode into the room. "You screamed, girl. And fell."

Heat kissed Shayna's cheeks. "I was startled."

"By the lights? Gee, that—"

Shayna didn't let her finish. "I thought I saw . . . something.

"In the monitor.

"A man."

Sarah had entered the room now as well. Her eyebrow climbed her scalp. "A man made you scream?"

Shayna blew out a breath that fluttered her locks. "It was on my monitor. Old guy. All white, like moonlight, or a black and white photo. Had crazy Einstein hair and a . . ."

"A?" Tiffany said.

"A lamp. A lantern. I think."

Sarah laughed. Tiffany's lips carved her face in a silly grin.

"You've been listening to Levi's ghost stories." Sarah laughed again. "I'm surprised your socks are still on."

Ghost stories? Why was Tiffany listening to ghost stories? Had she hooked up with Levi? "Okay – uh – whatever. I guess. I've got to . . ." Shayna waved at her computer.

"Girl, do you ever stop studying?"

"Not with midterms next week."

"Yeah, 'k' have fun with that."