100 HAUNTINGS

Three: Jess

When I knew she was already dead, I never saw her again.

When me and my family moved to a house in the hills, I met a girl named Jess Collins. She lives in a small house fifteen minutes away from ours. We hang out by day, and finish at night. My parents always wonder why I go outside after school and meet up with someone. My brother Max, who is just eight years old, followed me one day at the house, without seeing him. He is just one suspicious little guy.

I met up with Jess inside the house, and hanged out with her.

She sat on the chair beside the window and looked outside.

She sighed. "I wish I could see my parents again." She said.

"Why not? I mean, why don't you go find them and I'll come---" she interrupted me.

"My parents are already dead." As she said that, I became sad for her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I said.

Then she smiled. "You wanna play?" She asked me.

"Yeah! What game?" I was excited.

"It's called find the pieces. I'll hide pieces of paper around the house, and you'll find it. Plus, I'll be hiding too. Once you've found it all in ten minutes, you shout 'I found the pieces' and I'll show up." She explained.

As we started, I faced the wall in the kitchen, counted up to 100. I heard her going upstairs, then going back down. Then before I counted to 90, the footsteps I was hearing was gone. It was quiet.

It was weird, when I stopped hearing Jess's footsteps. When I walked around the house, I kept hearing footsteps in the room I walk in, but there was no one inside. I saw a piece of paper, until I found ten of them.

"I FOUND THE PIECES!!!" I shouted out, so she could hear my voice if she's somewhere far upstairs. I was waiting for her to go down, but I didn't hear her footsteps.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder, surprised me. It was Jess! How could Jess be downstairs when I heard her go upstairs? That's weird.

"Good job! Now you know the game." She said.

Then I saw a little boy, which was Max. He was looking at me, with a shocking look. I went towards him, and I kneeled down.

"Max! What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I followed you! Let's go home, Beth."

"I'm still playing with Jess. You go home now, Max. Mom will be looking for you."

"Who's Jess?"

Then I pointed at Jess. "That's Jess, Max."

"I don't see anyone Beth."

"What? She's here, standing behind---" and as soon as I looked at the back, Jess was gone.

"There's no one here, Beth. I was scared. You were talking to yourself." Max said.

What? Then Jess? Who is she? Is there something I didn't know about her? I need to know it.

The next day, I didn't go to Jess's place. I went to a historian who I knew, named Rosie Watson. She worked there for fifteen years. I hope she knows about Jess.

As I went in, she greeted me when I walked up to her.

"Well, well, Beth! Long time, no see. What do you need?" She said nicely.

"Hi, Rosie. Do you have information here about the Collins' residences in the hills?" I asked.

"Yes, I have. Section 12, first row." She said, smiling.

I went to section 12, and there was a small box, where there was something written on it.

Collins, 1955. That's what it says. I opened the box and put it on the table, and saw a bunch of pictures, old letters, and a diary. Rosie came up to me, and sat in front of me.

"Say, what made you got into the Collins' history, huh?" She asked.

"Uhhh, I met Jess Collins when we moved to the hills." I said, as she gave a strange look.

"What?" I asked.

"Beth, Jess Collins lived in 1948. Then she died in 1958." Rosie said.

Jess is a ghost? No way.

"Tell me more." I whispered. I wanted to know, even if I was scared.

She sighed. "Her mother Annie Collins, gave birth to her on April 13, 1948. Her father Dan, was angry, because he didn't want a kid. So, Annie took young Jess away from him, and moved in the hills. Somehow, Dan found them, killed them both, and buried their bodies under the house. People said, their souls lived in the house and never left. Dan died, ten years after he killed his family." Rosie explained.

I can't believe it. Jess is a ghost. I've been playing with her since we moved there, and now, I now know she's a ghost. As soon as I went home, I went to bed. I didn't eat dinner.

The next day, after school, I went to Jess's place. She wasn't there. I was waiting for hours, and she didn't show up. Then I heard a noise, from the kitchen. There was a paper, tied in a rock. There was a letter, for me.

Beth, now you know my secret, and I will not show up anymore. I was about to tell you, but you didn't wait. I have to go, back to my mom. See you, when I come back. From Jess.

That was the last thing I ever got from her. Of course, because she was dead.