Michael's Ghost Girl

Of Girls and Ghosts

"That's the most intelligent thing I've heard you say," a female voice said.

There, in the corner of the room, he saw Mariah standing there, a shimmering presence in the half-light. "Guess you didn't know that it's not easy to keep ghosts away. Especially ghosts with something important to tell you. The protection candle was a nice touch, though."

After weeks of playing hide and seek, Michael was genuinely surprised that she was actually speaking to him. He'd burned the candle the medium gave him, and for a few days, he felt relaxed and hopeful. He had not seen Mariah since he'd visited the medium, but now she stood before him as if she were truly flesh and blood. He didn't know how to react or what to say, but the words, "What do you want?" spilled out of his mouth.

"I need your help, and you need mine if you want to protect your sister," she moved closer to him, close enough that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted. He never believed in ghosts before, but there she stood; looking like a girl who was alive, not dead. To make matters worse, he now realized she was not just pretty, she was beautiful. Her eyes were midnight blue and her dark brown hair fell around a delicately featured face. He found himself wishing that she was alive and real. If she were a girl from his school, he knew that no matter how hard he tried not to, he'd fall in love with her.

He wasn't ready for this, wasn't ready for her. He had no idea of what he'd expected a ghost to be like when he didn't even believe in them. The world had suddenly changed, all his beliefs had been shattered by the pretty girl standing before him. Her beauty wiped out all the preconceptions and fear he might have had. I think I'm falling in love, he thought.

"Don't do that," she said as if she had guessed his thoughts.

"Do what?"

"Look at me all moony. Look, someone is living not far from you who's been watching your little sister, and if you don't do something, she's going to end up like me." She stopped at that as if she were reluctant to say more.

I'm not looking at you all moony, he thought defiantly, even though he knew he was. "And what do you want, Mariah?" he said, trying to recover himself. He steeled himself, staring hard at her, wanting her to know he knew her name.

She tried to recover herself. "How did you know my name?" It was as much a demand as a question.

"I had help," he admitted, "But you should know, you were there."

He reached out to put his hands on her shoulders—a thing he somehow couldn't seem to help, but his hands closed on empty air as she vanished from his bedroom. Books starting flying off his shelf and landed on his bed. The last book to fall hit him square in the face. Whatever it was, he'd really set her off. It could have been him trying to touch her, or the longing he when he looked at her. Looking at her had made him want to hold her, kiss her, and feel her silky hair against his cheek.

Mariah returned to the old house and found Crazy Girl waiting. She paced around, calling Michael names, swearing that she'd stay away from him for good. She turned and looked at Crazy Girl. "He tried to touch me!"

Crazy Girl couldn't take it anymore and started laughing. "You mean you were afraid he'd try to kiss you, don't you? Is this because you're afraid you want to kiss him, too? I got news for you. You're already half in love with that boy—and you know you can't have him. You've had a thang for him since you first went to his bedroom. Don't try to deny it. I know what I know and that boy's made you crazier than I am. We ain't like live folks; so if you have a chance to be in love, take it. Don't be a fool."

"Were you ever in love?" Mariah asked.

"I thought I was in love with my no-good pimp boyfriend, and look where it got me. He put me on the streets and I got grabbed by a monster that liked to kill teenage girls. No," she shook her head, "You can't have something real that's gonna last, but you can have something good that will last for a while. I can tell when someone's in love, and you got it bad. And if he wanted to kiss you, he's got it bad too".