Seeing Ghosts

Ghosters Attack

  It's been two months since my last encounter with the Ghosters. None of the teens have tried leaving Goldrush Valley since then. Which is good. Lysie doesn't really talk to me now. I'm not sure if she's still mad, or if she's decided to distance herself from the dangers that seem to follow me around.

  Ellen, Orlea, and Selene have come to our house often. Ellen especially. Denny and her talk a lot. He's interested in how Moon Spirits keep Ghosters away. And manage to cause people to see ghosts. Mark and I sometimes run into each other outside, but he's very distant. No matter how hard I try to keep a conversation going with him.

  Theo and Ginger have begun a study together. They plan to learn as much as possible about the different beings of our world. I like to listen to them sometimes. Theo is really into this. He's even been studying people from the past who have been able to see ghosts.

  Meanwhile, Graden has moved in with us. He sleeps in one of the other bedrooms. We got him a bed. Herm is really happy to have him around. Especially since he can actually talk to him. Graden is happy too. It does leave me feeling a little left out, after all, Herm was always the one I could see only. No one else. Now Graden can.

  "What are you sighing about?" I jump and turn around. "Mark!" He raises an eyebrow. "Yes, that's me." I roll my eyes. "Don't sneak up on me like that. Besides, I wasn't sighing." He nods. "Right. Bye." He turns and starts walking away. I frown. "Wait! That's it?" I run after him, grabbing his arm. He looks at my hand and stops walking. "Let go." I do. "Sorry." He turns.

  "Wait! Wait!" I move in front of him. "Come have a drink with me." He frowns. "I don't drink." I smile. "I don't drink alcohol either. I meant to come to the cafe with me. They have some of the best drinks." He sighs. "Fine. One drink." I nod. He's always so expressionless. His words too.

  We sit down and they take our order. "I'll have the strawberry milkshake." She nods. "A coffee." She walks away. I turn to look at him. "Alright, I've been wondering, as a shadow, do you need sleep or food?" He looks at me. "In shadow form I do not. In this form, yes." I nod. "I guess that makes sense. I mean, how would a shadow eat, right?"

  He nods. "Same way a person does." I frown. "Wait, really?" He nods. "That's awesome!" He shrugs. "Eres!" Herm hugs me. I look up and smile at him. Graden is beside him. "Hey, we didn't know you'd be here too. Hermes and I were walking around. We also went to look at clothing." He turns to me. "Does he always look for clothing for you? He was supposed to be helping me find my size, but he kept pointing out things for you instead."

  I smile. "Yes. He's always like that. He was always the one to help me go clothes shopping, so I guess it kind of stuck, even now." Herm smiles. "You two are close. He even hugs you." I turn to Mark and frown. "Wait. You can see him?" He nods. "All shadows can see ghosts. And no, your friend there is not a shadow, just a special circumstance. It comes from being close to the person before death, then keeping that tie after."

  Graden frowns. "Really?" Mark nods. "I've been wondering. Why didn't you say so on the first day we met?" He looks at me. "You didn't ask me." I sigh. "Well, thank you for saying so now. It's good to know why. When he first saw him, I was scared he was a ghost too. Then dad interacted with him."

"You interact with ghosts?" I nod. "Yes. I've never met anybody else who could though. Unless you can." He shakes his head. I sigh. "I didn't think so." Graden smiles. "We'll leave you two alone. Hermes promised to show me the haunting tree." I smile. "It's really big. Makes me think of the one back at our old house."

They nod and walk out together. I turn back to Mark. "So, do you have any other secrets about things I should know? Like why the Ghosters hate me so much. Or maybe why they tried to kill Herm and me before we were even born." He shakes his head. "No. I don't know why they want you dead so much. Just be careful."