My name is Melinda Gordon. I'm married, I live in a small town, and I own an antique shop. I might be just like you except that from the time I was a little girl I knew I could talk to the dead. 'Earthbound spirits' my grandmother called them. They're stuck here because they have unfinished business with the living and they come to me for help. In order to tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs.
Melinda was walking to the car park, sending a text to Delia while trying to balance a cup of coffee and her car keys on the other hand. She looked up and gazed at the stars. A chill rushed over her when suddenly she heard something in the distance which snapped her back to life.
While others would pass subtle noises like that off as the wind, Melinda knew better. She was being very careful these days after receiving many signs leading to someone close to her - or potentially Melinda herself - dying. Melinda shuddered at the thought but continued walking on to her car.
"Jim?" Melinda walked in to the house, dropping her keys on to the table. She walked in to the kitchen and saw the tap was still running. "That's odd" she thought. She turned the tap off and turned around and gasped in shock.
"Y-you… can you see me?" a boy - no more than 15 years old, was standing facing her.
"Yes." Melinda replied, gazing at scars all over the boys face.
"Why can only you see me, and no one else can?" his voice was shaking and Melinda noticed he was holding in slight tears.
"You don't understand?" Melinda's face dropped. She hated having to explain these things, especially to young people. "What's your name?"
"My names Damien. Damien Fallow."
"Your family can't see you because… they can't. You're dead, Damien…"
"What?!" Damien stepped back, angry. "You're crazy lady!""Damien-"
"No! Just stop! I'm not dead, I'm not!" The water pipes in the kitchen burst and started leaking on the ground causing Melinda to jump. She felt water in her throat, and grabbed on to her neck as a reflex. Suddenly the feeling in her throat stopped, and she looked around the room to find Damien - who was gone.
Jim was repairing the burst pipes while Melinda was drying the water.
"So, do you have any idea of what killed the boy.. Damien, was that his name?"
"Yes, it's Damien. And I'm not sure… the pipes bursting, the feeling of water in my throat - it makes me think he might have died by drowning, but then the scars on his face? It's all confusing."
"What makes you so sure that the scars aren't from something that happened before his death?"
"They seemed too… fresh."
Jim stood up and held Melinda's face in his hands.
"Promise me, Mel, that you won't get in too anything dangerous. I love you, and we're trying for a family now and I don't want to put you at risk."
"Don't worry, I'm limiting how many Ghosts I help now." she smiled as Jim leaned in to kiss her.
"Wonder how long that will last" Melinda did a fake gasp and laughed, and picked up some of the water that had leaked from the pipe burst in to her hands and threw it at Jim. "Oh now you're asking for it!" Jim smirked, and they got in to a water fight and kissed each other again.