Ghostly Encounters

By:  Jen

 

Halloween Day

 

Jack O'Lanterns were lit on doorsteps throughout the neighborhood.  The street was filled with people, young and old alike as people rushed about gathering candy from strangers. The sky was turning from a light gray to a deep ebony shade as the clouds moved in. Night fell quickly, which was unusual for Orlando. Even at this time of the year.

 

The doorbell rang and Ashley Angel glanced at the mirror by the door, making sure his fake vampire blood was okay before opening the door.

 

"Trick or treat," a small girl about six said. She was dressed in a shimmering dress, fairy wings strapped to her back and a small halo above her head. Ashley grinned at her. Then he realized the girl was alone. He looked down the drive. Nothing.

 

"Hello. Where are your mommy and daddy?" Ashley dropped a candy bar in her bag.

 

"At home," the girl said simply.

 

"Home?" Ashley knelt in front of the girl. "Why aren't they with you?" The girl shrugged in response.

 

"Does your mommy know you're out by yourself?" the girl didn't answer him, so Ashley took it as a `no'.

 

Ashley looked up to see his friend, Dan, walking down the stairs.

 

"Dan! Take over candy duty for a minute!" Ashley remarked. Dan nodded. Ashley turned back to the little girl. "You come with me, sweetie," he held out his hand. Round green eyes gazed back at him.

 

"We're gonna go call your mommy, make sure she knows you okay," Ashley reached for the girls' hand, but she pulled her hand away and followed Ashley as he led her through the house to the kitchen.

 

"What's your name, sweetie?" Trevor, one of Ashley's friends asked, walking into the kitchen. Ashley went to pick the little girl up, but she stepped on a small stool and sat herself on the counter.

 

"What's your name?" Ashley asked, taking in her blonde hair, much like his own, and her emerald green eyes.

 

"Carly," the little girl remarked, looking around the house with interest.

 

"I'm Ashley," he grinned at her. "Well Carly, what's your last name?"

 

"Michaelson," Carly said distractedly as Erik-Michael walked into the room, dressed in pirate garb, a fake parrot was perched on his right shoulder. Ashley left in search of a phone book, while Erik and Trevor were let to entertain Carly.

 

"Aye matey!" Erik remarked, walking over to the girl.

 

Ashley returned with a phone book. He flipped to the `M' section. Erik walked out the back door, intent on going around the yard to scare trick or treaters.

 

"Dude, there are like twenty Michaelson's in the book!" Ashley exclaimed. "Carly, what's your mommy's name? Or your daddy's name?"

 

"Uh…" Carly thought for a moment. Then she shrugged a minute later. Trevor laughed at Ashley's exasperated expression. The doorbell rang, signaling it was time for Trevor to join Erik and Jacob terrorizing the trick or treaters.

 

"Carly? Do you know where you live?" Ashley asker her after he got her attention.

 

"Yeah," Carly remarked. She took a piece of candy out of her bag. "Is this okay to eat?" she asked, holding out a small candy bar. Ashley inspected it, making sure it was safe before nodding and

handing it back to her.

 

"Do you know how to get to your house from here?" he asked her. She nodded, taking a bite of the small chocolate bar. Ashley sighed happily.

 

"Good."

 

Suddenly, Carly yawned.

 

"Tired?" Ashley asked as Carly yawned again, nodding at him in response.

 

"You want to go home?" Another nod from her.

 

"Let's get you home," Ashley went to pick her up, but she jumped down from the counter and waited for him.

 

"Okay," Carly yawned. Ashley led Carly out to his car, made sure she had her seat belt on before walking around to the driver's side.

 

"Okay Carly, which way do I go?" Ashley asked, driving very slowly. Carly directed him, giving him the directions to her house.

 

"Are you sure this is where you live? Ashley asked. The little girl nodded insistently. Ashley wasn't sure if he believed her or not. It didn't look like anyone lived in the house.

 

"You're this is where you live?" he repeated.

 

"Yeah, I'm sure," Carly, remarked happily.

 

"Okay. There aren't any vehicles here, or any lights on," Ashley pulled into the driveway. "Are you sure you want to be here?" he asked as Carly got out of the car.

 

Carly nodded.

 

"Thank you," she told Ashley as he got out and walked around the car. "Thank you for bringing me home at last," she smiled as he knelt down to her level.

 

"You're Welcome, Ashley flashed her his best grin.

 

"I will always remember you, Ashley Angel," Carly remarked. She leaned forward and gave him alight kiss on the cheek. So light, in fact, that Ashley wondered if it had really happened or not.

 

"And I will always remember you," Ashley promised even though he knew that he might forget her.

 

"My mommy and daddy should be home soon," Carly said when Ashley hesitated to leave.

 

"If your mommy and daddy aren't home soon, you know where I live," Ashley stood to his full height of six feet. Carly nodded and smiled before walking toward the house.

 

Ashley walked to his car and hesitantly got in. He backed out of the driveway slowly and drove away.

 

~*~

 

Ashley walked into the living room. Jacob and Erik were hiding in the bushes in front of the house, scaring the last few trick-or-treaters. Dan was still passing out candy. Trevor lay on the couch watching a marathon of horror movies. A commercial came and Trevor looked up, nodded and went back to watching the marathon.

 

Ashley washed the fake vampire blood off him before he showered. Ashley walked out of his bathroom, a towel draped over his shoulders.  He sat on his bed and wondered if Carly's parents had gotten home or not. Ashley looked up when Erik-Michael ran up to his room.

 

"Ash, you've got to turn on the TV!" he grabbed the remote from the top of the TV. Erik switched the TV to a news program.

 

"Six year-old Carly Michaelson was found a block from her elementary school this morning," the anchor said as a picture of Carly, dressed in her Halloween costume flashed the screen. Ashley's mouth hung open.

 

"The child was struck by a car and thrown forty feet into a wall. Funeral services will be held on Monday for all interested in attending," the anchor continued.

 

"It can't be! I just dropped her off! It wasn't even an hour ago!" Ashley exclaimed. "You saw her!" he stood, grabbing Erik's shoulder and shaking them. "It wasn't that long ago! You saw her!" Ashley exclaimed.

 

Ashley sunk to the bed.

 

"I just took her home," Ashley said numbly, "you saw her. You know I'm not crazy."

 

"I know, Trev, and Dan saw her, too," Erik told him.

 

"They're wrong! They have to be wrong!" Ashley stood. "I'll be back in a little while!" he called as he ran from the room.

 

"Where are you going?" Erik yelled after him. Ashley didn't stop as he ran down the steps and out to his car.

 

Ashley drove, remembering the directions Carly had given him, until he ended up in front of her house. Lights from inside illuminated the lawn. He parked by the mailbox. He could see a woman in her early thirties, he guessed. She sat on a couch next to a man who looked a little older than she did, crying into his shoulder.

 

Ashley was numb. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be.

 

~*~

 

"Where were you?" Dan asked when Ashley walked in the front door.

 

"Her house," he remarked. "She's…" Ashley walked into the living room. The guys were watching the same marathon Trevor had been watching earlier.

 

"Guys, you saw her right?"

 

"I was the only one who didn't," Jacob remarked as Ashley sunk into a recliner.

 

"She's dead. She really died this morning," Ashley whispered. "It was…"

 

"A ghost," Trevor remarked. "You helped her home, helped her cross over or whatever it's called." Ashley thought about that for a moment.

 

"I guess so," he said. "I'm going to bed."

 

~*~

 

Ashley woke to the sound of someone saying his name.

 

"Ashley?" Ashley looked to the side of the bed. Carly stood beside his bed.

 

"Carly?" he asked, sitting up. "You…you're dead."

 

"Uh-huh. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I had to get home. Thank you so much," Carly remarked.

 

"You're…. really dead?"

 

"Yes. I wanted to thank you again before I go." Ashley didn't say anything.

 

"Why me?" he asked a moment later.

 

"You were the first person who saw me," Carly shrugged. Then she cocked her head to the side, as if listening for something. "I have to go. Thank you Ashley."

 

"You're welcome," Ashley remarked, confused about the whole situation.

 

"I'll be watching you," Carly said before she disappeared.

 

"Goodbye, Carly," Ashley whispered before falling into a deep sleep.

 

The End

 

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