Dark Menace

Ghosts Aren't Real

While temporarily throwing the countless thoughts and memories into the very back of my never-ending running mind, waiting to be shredded and stripped into pieces like paper. A brief conversation with my cousin Abe certainly kept me at a stable level. Abe was particularly about the only family member that I could genuinely trust right now. Everyone else? Not so much. I mean, would you trust your family with the current life problems you're facing after they've deliberately thrown hardcore accusations directly at your face along with the rest of the world?

No? Me neither.

"How long has the entire house been silenced ever since I stormed out the front door just a couple of minutes ago?" I suddenly had the urge to ask Abe as he quietly got in the car from the other side, unintentionally slamming the door shut while doing so. Before answering my question, I watched him as he rubbed his bare hands together pretty roughly and slightly exhaled on them. I eyed the dashboard, immediately turning the small knob for more heat.

"Quite a while I should say. The tension is about as thick as hard on the cement around everyone in there. Had to get out of there before my cause of death streamed suffocation by multi-layered tension." He joked nonchalantly while pulling out a cigarette pack.

I raised my eyebrows for a split second and stared intensely at the house that was currently illuminated by the many lights that glowed in almost every room. Ugh, I don't even know why I even decided to show up for "family dinner" tonight. It wasn't like I was technically invited, anyways. "Are you planning on staying for dessert?" He asked, smudging the end of the cigarette into the glass cubed-shaped ashtray that poked out slightly from under the dashboard.

"No, definitely not. I really think I should just head back to campus. An hour-long drive isn't exactly that long but the dead silence in this car by myself will be. I need to get to my dorm and try to cleanse my mind for the rest of this very evening." I yawned, stretching my arms out as I eyed the gray Buick's license plate numbers one more time. Staring at the plate immediately dreaded me into my thoughts of the unpleasant conversation I never even asked to have with...Mason. Thinking about everything he said quickly sent severe chills down my cold spine.

"Do you...feel like talking about anything before you go? Anything that's floating at the surface of your mind right now?" He questioned me suddenly as I tightly hugged my small body, silently wishing I hadn't stepped out of my dorm room today and remained safely under the conserving warmth of my soft velvet blanket and moodily snacking on a half bag of Cheetos.

"At this point everything is floating at the surface of my mind, Abe. All over the freaking place to be exact and...I honestly have no idea what to do." I let out a frustrating sigh, looking up to view myself through the rearview mirror. As soon as I glanced in the mirror, I spotted a figure in the backseat staring directly at me in the eyes. I jumped hard in reaction, gasping very sharply as I swiftly flipped around in my seat to find the seat dead and empty with no sign of him again.

I closed my eyes very tightly and took a deep breath to calm my rapid heartbeat.

"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?" Abe quickly shot up after my sudden reaction. I glanced at him instantly, not sure if I should exactly elaborate what I just saw to him. For one, ghosts aren't real, never has been, and never will be which means that I will definitely sound like I am nothing other than this psychotic introverted freak who's mysteriously seeing ghosts and also currently accused of murdering her-

"Nothing...I'm-fine. Yeah.." I breathed, pushing my hair back behind my frozen ears before adjusting myself comfortably in the driver's seat. "Are you sure? It doesn't seem like you're fine from the way you just jumped-" "I said I'm fine, Abe." I snapped abruptly, keeping my head still as I spaced out the windshield at the gray Buick once again. On the corner of my eye, I saw Abe stare at me in silence for a few short seconds. I knew cutting him off mid-sentence was harsh and totally uncalled for, but him displaying his concerns and sympathy was something everyone thought I didn't deserve and if the world is suddenly against me right now, then I don't want that for him.