Ghosts

by Cluny Smith, age 10

My name is Esme. I hate ghosts. They terrify me. Anyway. I’m hungry. Candy. Candy is the best after all. I call my friend Sal. “Hey Sal want some candy? I’m going to Artelli’s.” “Okay,” she replies. “When should I be there?”

I thought for a moment. “2 o’clock,” I say. “Okay. I’ll be there,” she says. “Great.” I hang up and put on my shoes. Artelli’s is far away from my house so I have to get ready in advance to get there at 2:00pm. It’s 1:30pm. “Mom, I’m going to Artelli’s!” I call. “Alright! See you!” she calls back. I practically leap out the door. I need to run to get to Artelli’s now! I get there are 2:07pm.

“Where were you?” Sal asks. “You know I live far away.” I take a deep breath. “I ran the whole way.”Sal sighs. “It’s okay. Let’s go.” Artelli’s was almost closing, so only a few people would be inside. When I open the door, I am surprised. There is absolutely no one inside. Artelli’s is popular, so it is weird that there is no one inside. Also, the lights are off, so at first I thought Artelli’s had closed early, but that clearly isn’t it. The door is unlocked and Artelli’s is always locked after closing. Sal stepped in. “Hello?” Sal calls. “Sal!” I pull her back. “We don’t know what’s going on in there!” Sal laughs.

“What could it be Esme? A ghost?”

I shiver. “Maybe!” Sal gives me a funny look. “Ghosts aren’t real, Esme.”

“I know,” I say.

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“So why are you being weird about it?” Sal demands. “I don’t know!” I shout. CLANG! A sound like something fell comes from a room in the back. “Come on!” Sal calls, running behind the counter.

“What? Are you crazy?” I ask.

“No,” Sal says. I run after her. “But what if- what if?” “There’s a ghost?” Sal put a hand on her hips. “The lights are off, not a ghost, Esme.” Sal laughs. As if the words have summoned her, Ms. Abbot, the cashier at Artelli’s comes out of the back room. Ms. Abbot is nice, but is deathly afraid of blood. Once, Sal came in to get a candy bar and Ms. Abbot made Sal leave just because Sal had a cut. “Hello, girls. Sal. Esme.” Her voice is funny but I ignore it. Everything here is funny. Ms. Abbot is a pale old woman with straggly gray hair and knitted sweaters, but today Ms. Abbot looks like a ghost, and it makes me gulp. Her face and hair and skin look blank and whiter as if the life has been sucked right out of her. Sal stumbles back. “Oh, hey . . . Ms. Abbot.” Sal stares at Ms. Abbot as she drags herself toward Sal and takes two things out of her back pocket. One is a black handkerchief and the other is a small polished blade. “Ahhh! Esme! Help!” I run over and snatch the knife out of the ghoul’s hand. How is this Ms. Abbot? What is she doing? How do I stop her? I wonder. I know! Ms. Abbot is scared of blood. Maybe her ghost is too? I take the small dagger and gulp. I quickly stab it through my hand and blood flies. Pain overtakes me, but Ms. Abbot screams and vanishes suddenly. Sal runs over to me and it all goes black.

To be continued!

December 2022 41