THE BOY AND THE GHOST (BXB)

The Ghost Chooses The Mortal

Hey.

Hey, look at me!

I'm talking to you, scrawny guy!

I turn around to look at the speaker, only to find no one. Confused, I try to convince myself that I must have been hallucinating it. Putting my clothes in my duffel bag hurriedly, I close my locker and am just about to leave when it calls me again.

Are you deaf? Why aren't you replying to me?!

Puzzled, I look at the empty locker room, when suddenly, one of the lockers opens by itself and remains ajar. I approach it cautiously when something pokes me in the shoulders, sending electrifying chills down my spine, just enough to freak me out.

I instantly turn around, just to be met by the unfamiliar eyes of a...ghost. Yes, you heard it right: a ghost. I back away immediately, but since I'm not looking behind me, I trip over a bench and face plant into the ground, hurting myself. The impact with the floor befuddles my brain and it takes me a few seconds to process what is actually happening.

I don't dare to get up, for fear of seeing that thing again. But then, I realize that I cannot stay like this forever. I slightly turn my head around, hoping to see nothing but unfortunately, the thing is still here, staring at me with wide eyes. Suddenly, unexpectedly, it erupts into laughter, confusing and scaring the life out of me. Its laughter echoes through the locker room.

I get up instantly, not feeling scared anymore. The palms of my hands are red from the hard crash with the floor and I rub them together to sooth the numbing pain, all while avoiding the gaze of the laughing ghost.

After a few seconds, the ghost approaches me slowly and says, "Well, that was funny. It's the first time I'm laughing as a ghost. Man, mortals are so entertaining to watch, especially clumsy ones like you."

I raise an eyebrow at him, clearly not amused. Before I can ask for an explanation, the latter suddenly states, "Skayne Johansson, I choose you to be my mortal guide."