Melinda closed her eyes. She could feel Jim as the mattress slanted. A perfect night. No ghosts or anything. So far, at least. She could swear she felt something, though.
Melinda took her daily route to Same As It Never Was Antiques. She stopped in The Coffee Shoppe to get Andrea and herself some coffee. On her way out, two kids, about 13, were sitting on the edge of the water fountain. They reminded her of Jim and herself. Sweet. She saw them yesterday, but they had both seemed nervous. She watched as for the first time they held hands.
Soon, the boy, alone at the time, entered the shop. "Hello," called Andrea; and Melinda come from the back. "Are you looking for anything in particular," she asked with her famous smile. The boy nodded. "A gift for my new girlfriend, Lily." Andrea asked his name. Harris. For no reason at at, Melinda mentally stored this. She walked over to a shelf and took down a jewelry box. She opened it up. Inside, Harris examined it, and dropped a ring. Then he paid and happily left the store.
It was raining that night. Normally on ghost nights it was a storm. This one must be weak or calm. Jim and Melinda were watching a romance movie when she first saw the ghost. Jim noticed his wife becoming uncomfortable.
"He or she," he asked, knowing his wife.
"She."
"Age? Gender?"
"Girl. Looks abut 12." Melinda stared at the ghost. She seemed to be staring at the TV. Roger and Roberta were kissing. The ghost seemed really mad and angry. Then her bottom lip quivered and a tear ran down her cheek. She saw Melinda and disappeared. "She's gone," Melinda whispered. Jim knew it wasn't into the light. If it was, Melinda would look happy.
Once again, it was off to Same As It Never Was. Only this time, Melinda was deeply troubled. She heard, yes heard and felt, emotions of angry and sadness though the night. This ghost really needed her help.
Once again, she walked past Harris and Lily. Only his time, another girl was with them. It was the ghost. She had mid-chest length black hair and big brown eyes. Her eyebrows were perfect, obviously waxed her lips were small, pink, and big. She had pink braces. She was a very pretty little girl. She watched the young couple talk with a mix of curiosity, anger, jealousy, and sorrow. Her face had many light freckles. Harris leaned in and gave the girl a small kiss. She fell over backwards into the fountain. Harris followed her. Ghost girl had her lips pursed in a slight evil, happy grin.
Melinda walked into the store. The girl followed. "You gave him that box," a raspy whisper echoed. It was like breeze. Simple, sweet.
"Who are you," Melinda questioned.
"Erin." The girl's body shook, her eyes solid with a menacingly glare. "I know you, Melinda. You just want to help," Erin sneered. Miss Prep.
Melinda's eyes darted around the room.
"Harris is mine! We owed our first kisses to each other!" And then Erin was just gone. One thing stuck in Melinda's mind. Erin's hair was wet, like it just came from the shower.
"Harris," Melinda sat down next a damp boy. She asked him about Erin. And he cried. "She died. No one really knows how. I miss her so much. Then I asked her best friend, Lily out. Here's her address." He scribbled it down, and she told him of her gift.
(A/N if Melinda keeps telling everyone, Every person in Grandview will know!)
That night, Melinda went to the house. It was burned up, but Melinda steeped in side anyway. She heard someone cry out from the upper level. Dangerously, she made her way up the stairs into a bathroom. A middle age women was screaming at a girl's body. She told her to get up so they could escape the fire. Melinda asked who the women was. Arielle. Erin's mother.
"She was taking a shower when something started downstairs. There were gunshots. My husband and I went to sleep. She had turned off the water to make sure no one heard her. I told her to get up so we could go get help. Then, a door slammed. She began to sweat as she crouched there, waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Erin looked so scared. Then we saw smoke coming into the bathroom. She panicked. Instead of grabbing a towel and climbing out the window, she turned on the water. Soon the whole bathroom was ablaze. And all she could do was wait under the water. Eventually the smoke killed her. My baby."
Melinda called Erin's name. And she told Erin exactly what happened that night. And then, getting in her red Jeep, went to find Harris.
Harris was in the park.
Melinda explained how Erin felt and why she couldn't move on.
"Erin," cried Harris, "I still love you so much. Lily was just so lonely with out you. And so was I. Please understand!" Erin began to cry. She leaned in close to his face. "I love you."
"Shes about an inch away from your face," Melinda said. Harris leaned in and kissed her, hoping he wouldn't miss. But he could feel her. And then a bright light came.
"She went into the light," Melinda said, as she and Harris watched Erin go home to her family. Her mom appeared by her side and they went together, hand in hand.