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“I miss you. That’s weird to think about when we’ve never even been formally introduced. Gods, I’m talking to a wall.” I roll onto my back and throw my arm over my eyes. I have lost my fucking mind. I move my arm a bit and look at the wall again. I sigh and wipe the tears from my face. I get up, I dust off my pants and stare at the wall for what feels like the hundredth time in the last day. That pain in my chest twists some more when I don’t see him.
“I wish you were here.”
Chapter 1
Dana
It started with the rocking chair and not so much the chair but its occupant. An occupant who looks rather inclined to stay. She’s a gaunt, old lady and dressed in 19th century attire and she slowly rocks back and forth looking out at nothing. Her head twitches slightly while focusing on the fields out past my house. She’s definitely a new one that I haven't seen in this town. She must have been stuck in that house and to that chair. I shudder at the thought of how long she has been sitting in that chair. Alone. In the dark because that house has been vacant for some time. It was just bought by a young couple not too long ago.
I try to just ignore her and get into my car but my new neighbor comes rushing out.
“Hey! I happened to see you leaving and was wondering if you may want the rocking chair? We found it in the attic and we don't need it. Just clearing out the attic to make it into…”, the neighbor, Tanner, starts in on how he's turning the attic into some something or another as I walk over but at this point the old lady has rooted her stare on me and I can't seem to focus on what the new neighbor is saying. The old lady starts to open her mouth in a grotesque wide opening, a deep scream starting to erupt. The hairs on my arms start to rise and my heart starts to beat faster.
“Dana! Hi! How are you?” Tanner's wife shouts running down the front stairs waving frantically. I pull my eyes off the ghost for just a moment to glance at Tanner's wife. Then look back at the old lady who is back to staring at the fields. What the hell was that?
I turn back to them and try to focus on what they are saying, not wanting to be rude but this new development in my sight has creeped me out more than any other ghost ever has.
Let’s see how long it takes to spook the neighbors because I am nothing if not honest.
“Oh god, Tanner! You’re not trying to give that creepy ass chair to Dana are you?” She looks back at me, “Don't take that chair. I had Tanner bring it out as soon as I laid eyes on it last night. It gives me the creeps.” She glances quickly at the chair with a small grimace.
“I bet, there's a very creepy old lady sitting in it.” Maybe, I could have been less blunt about it but better they know. At least they were warned, right? I personally would rather know.
“An old lady?” She side eyes the chair. “I told you Tanner! I’m not crazy! Just take it to the dump! Burn it! I don't care how it gets gone, just get it gone!” Tanner just stares between his wife and I, completely confused about the whole conversation.
“Babe, it’s just a chair. I don't feel anything off about the chair...” he notices the scowl on her face and quickly adds, “I’ll get it taken care of right now.”
“Don’t put her back in your house.” I look over at the old woman who is still staring into the fields. “She's not right. I think it's because she hasn't moved on like she's supposed to.” I glance at my phone to check the time and realize I need to leave now if I don't want to be late to coffee with Noah. “If you burn it she may latch onto something else and I don’t want to wake up to your specter floating around your yard.” That may have been rude. “Uhh, please.”
“I have questions…like a lot of questions. I’ll supply the booze if you can explain…this?” Mischa asks hopefully. I think her name is Mischa but at this point it would be weird if I asked her name again.
“Uhh, yes, that's fine. I actually don't have work today and I'm just going to brunch. I can come by after? Probably in a couple hours.”
“Yes! That would be great! Thank you!” Mischa says to me as I walk backwards to my car. I give a little salute and turn around as I hear “See I told you Tanner, you never-” I can't hear her as I get to my car and unlock it but I'm sure it's along the lines of ‘You never believe me’.
I drop into my car; a small little car but it gets me from point A to point B and that's all I need. The fact that it was paid for in cash is also nice. Having more money to put towards the house is what I really want. I turn the car over and head to Corner Cafe. Cheesy since it's literally on a corner but it does make it easy for visitors to find. I back out of my driveway and see Tanner throwing the rocking chair into the back of his pickup truck. I giggle a little at the look on his wife’s face. I’m surprised they didn’t laugh me off their driveway. Maybe it’s because they are new to town? Who knows. I reach my hand over and turn up the music while I trek down the roads I have driven a million times before. The trees are starting to yellow and turn vibrant reds. The nights are getting cooler. The mornings however are tricky. It starts out cold but then by mid morning you'll be sweating in that long sleeve and cardigan you put on.
I pull up to the cafe and park along the street right in front of the cafe. I’m surprised I found a spot so easily. Usually it's pretty packed by now and you have to park down the street or around the block. I get out and double check my pockets for my wallet and turn towards the cafe and take in the beautiful 19th century building style. I've always loved this town for it. When they ‘update’ buildings they keep true to the Victorian era and they do it well. It's like walking back in time. A lot of buildings even still have the ‘crown glass’ which is mostly on the top floors but still nice to see.
I walk up onto the sidewalk and pull open the door. I instantly spot Noah waiting with a coffee in hand reading something on his phone. I walk up to the counter, put in my order and plop down next to him. Noah jumps and almost spills his coffee everywhere.
“Dana! Jesus and his disciples! Stop doing that!” He admonished, while slurping coffee off his thumb.
I give a sly smile “But why would I ever do that? It's too much fun spooking you, plus gives you a taste of what these specters do to me everyday. And not to mention you deserve it.”
“For what? I have been a good boy.” He wiggles his brows and winks. Ugh, if he only knew what that does to me. Before I can start squirming in my chair he speaks. “How are you? I haven’t seen you in a week.”
“I've been good. Strange dreams and got to see a creepy new old lady in my neighbors driveway,” the waitress calls my name to come grab my coffee and breakfast sandwich. “Hold on.” I tell Noah and walk up to grab it. As I walk back I get a whole body shiver, gooseflesh spreading down the entirety of my back. I come to a stop and look around. I see nothing out of the ordinary except a bunch of people staring at me wondering what new weird thing I may unimpress them with today. I shake it off and head back to the table. Noah gives me that “what just happened’ look. I sit down and shake my head.
“I don’t know, I just got the shivers. This morning was strange too. I walked out of my house and the neighbors had a rocking chair that was inhabited by an old lady. A dead old lady. A little old lady that obviously hasn't moved on. She was wearing a 19th century dress and she just stared off into space.” I pause for a drink. This is the only place that can make a caramel coffee taste like coffee and not just caramel and sugar “Anyways, the neighbor came out asking if I wanted it and I of course said ‘no’ but the weird thing was when the old lady snapped her attention to me. Her mouth got hugely wide and this low creepy moan…scream? Came out but suddenly stopped before it started when the wife came out.” I took another sip and pondered it. I've had ghosts reach for me but never anything like that. Sometimes they try to talk to me and they will latch on and drain my dry of all energy. It’s awful. I hope things aren’t changing. I can barely deal with what I already have. What if they start talking to me? Then again, maybe, if they can talk to me on their own they wouldn’t drain me.
“Well, I hope you told them to get rid of the damn thing. You told them–”
“Not to burn it. Yes and yes, all of the above.” Noah gave me a look that told me he did not appreciate me cutting him off. If there's one thing to know about him it's that he hates being interrupted and lateness. Sometimes his personality doesn't match his look. He's clean shaven and dresses in jeans, shit kickers and t-shirts. He’s got sandy blonde hair that has unruly waves and curls everywhere. His dark brown eyes are framed with thick lashes. Perfect eyebrows to match. Always looking like a lumberjack but he looks so good; if the stares he gets are any indication.
I used to have a crush, well, still have a crush on him but after years of pining for him silently, I gave up on that. Mostly. At this point I just don't want to ruin the only friendship I have. Especially one this important to me. There was one drunken evening not too long ago when we kissed and boy did we kiss but nothing ever happened after that. Neither of us talked about it and that was the end of that. It hurt but I chalked it up to drunken mistakes. I also can't say much because I never said anything about it either. I never brought it up, probably would have made things weird. Yes, it was for the better. I can't imagine him and his witty banter missing from my life. He's been my rock since my mom passed and before that in school when I was the social outcast.
“Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt.” I say with a giggle and a bite of my sandwich. Noah rolled his eyes and drank his coffee.
