Simon's first day
It's been years since Simon visited an old town far from his big city life, he always
dreamed of living in a peaceful place and finally got the chance when he saw an old
worn out place for sale. The retailer said that no one would set foot in the place
of fear it was haunted, and that's why it was so cheep. He took a deep breath as he
walked off the train, taking his luggage. The moving crew had already moved his other
things in his new home so all he had left was a back bag and two hand luggage. With a
smile on his face a new beginning was just about to start out for him as he headed
towards his new place.
Adrian the towns baker welcomed him as he passed by. "So, I see someone finally bought
the Walker home," she said with a smile. "My name is Adrian, and my brother and I run
the bakery here," she dusted the flour from her hands to her apron as she set a apple
pie on the windowsill to cool. "Mind you our town isn't always this quiet, you've just
managed a train between dinner and knock off time for the men. Now you wait right here."
She disappeared into the small building returning a minute later with a small covered
basket. "Consider it a welcome to town gift, I doubt after unpacking you'll feel much
like cooking a big supper," her genuine smile never faded as she spoke her tone much
softer than her words would make it seem.
"uh...." Simon was speechless and nodded with reconization, soon looking down at his
hands how they were full already from what he was carrying. "Thank you very much Ma'am,
I never been to this side of town, but I have traveled here and there." He looked over
at the Walker home. " Oh sorry, my manners are so horrible. My name is Simon, Simon
Wilson. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. Adrian. Thank you for the meal." He placed
one of his suit cases down to shake her hand, later finding away to hold both suit cases
as well as the gift. "I heard the place I’m moving in is haunted, is it true? It doesn't
look haunted to me."
"Some people have said it's haunted, mostly the ones who've all moved out. However so far no one in town has ever heard nor seen anything unusual about it." She paused as a sharp thud sounded from that back. "That would be my brother Ambrose, he's a woodsman by trade," As she spoke the taller man walked into sight carry a small load of fire wood and stacking it neatly onto a pile at the side of the house. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I hope you come to enjoy your time here Mr. Simon. I should let you be on you way, I still have work to do tonight." She let him go on his way and returned to her bakery, the strong smell for sweet bread following her as she walked.
Simon grinned as he watched Adrian walk back into the bakery, not meaning to gawk. He shakes his head and finally gets to his new place, struggling to get the door open, but manages. He places his suit cases on the nearby coffee table and takes the gift from Adrian finding a spot on the floor to eat, deciding that he’ll unpack in the morning. The food smelled wonderful and tasted better than anything he ever tried. He grinned planning to thank Adrian in the morning. After he finished eating he walked over to his back bag and opened it up taking out a few candles and lighting them as he took out his Journal, recording his journey to his new home. He yawned a touch seeing how hollow the house was. “Give it a few days and it’ll be home sweet home.” He spoke to himself looking around at the boxes and furniture cluttered everywhere.
Not soon after he settled in Simon could hear a small clatter upstairs, upon investigation he could only find a small silver handled brush left by some previous owner, the rest of it's set sitting dangerously close to the small vanity's edge seemingly where it fell from. Once he reached the downstairs again he could see his journal not on the page he left it and moved slightly across the floor.
Scratching his head he just shrugged and made sure all the windows were closed. He places the brush and the rest of it’s set next to him, thinking maybe he should ask his neighbors or the baker who it belonged to and if he could mail it to the owner. He didn’t think much of it. Being alone for the first time in a place called haunted gave him some chills, but not enough to scare him silly. He just picked up his journal and looked over it, soon going back to the last page he was writing on. When he was done he placed it down and searched a box, taking out a sleeping bag and some clothes from another box to change into for bed.
As soon as he started changing he could hear a slight "Eep," barely seeing a shadowy figure ducking down behind something. Upon investigation he could see a young girl no older than sixteen hiding behind the dusty couch. The dark working successfully to hide her different nature.
Simon’s face went blank for a moment as he rubbed his eyes some trying to figure out what he was seeing. He reached down towards the young girl. “May I ask, what are you dong in my home?”
"Well I'm not exactly in your home," she answered moving fast to her feet and moving backwards. The candlelight reflecting off of a shiny object somewhere behind her. "Well I guess I am, aren't I?"
“Actually you are.” He sighed until he noticed the reflection and took his glasses off, cleaning them thinking it was a vision problem, only to place them back on his nose and go silent, backing away, he trips over a few boxes and manages to get back up feeling behind himself, searching for the door while keeping an eye on her.
She watches him with wide eyes, playing with the messy braid her hair was in. "Oh, right... you're going to run away now," she said softly realizing he had discovered what she was. "You know, your probably going to fall right into the cellar if you keep heading that way," she slowly sank to sitting on her knees much as she had simply drifted down. "it's not like I'm a bad ghost, I mean yea I'm a ghost and all, but still I wouldn't run away from me all the time."
Simon took a quick glance back seeing what door he opened up before realizing she was right. “But, you’re a ghost, you can’t be afraid of yourself.” He stuttered. Taking a deep breath he wondered if moving here was really a good idea, then it dawned on him. Maybe living with a ghost wouldn’t be so bad, at least he wouldn’t feel lonely in this old house. “ He gained his composure and walked over to one of his suit cases, taking out his stress medication, swallowing two pills down, relaxed more. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I still think I’m a basket case, we’ll not me but my doctor thinks I am from my old home town. But, this is to good to be true. To bad no one will believe me. So what’s you’re name miss? Mine’s Simon.”
She blinked a moment "Basket case?" but then brightened up quickly. "My name is Ami," she stated smiling. "Where is your old town? Is it big? Is it far? I've been living here for as long as I can remember. And I can help you if you want... but I tend to make a mess, but I don't drop everything all the time see!" She moved over the table lifting the brush into the air holding it steady for all of five seconds before it hit the table with a loud bang. "But... sometimes I get all shaky from my hands but I'm still getting better." She paused a second floating in mid air before coming up with an idea. "I can help you clean, I can get dust off real good with a dust rag because you don't have to hold them steady!" She paused a second slowly floating down so her knees were again the wood floor. "Would that be okay?"
He sighed and made a small grin watching her as she floated. “I hope I’m not a basket case. As for dusting, sure, but in the morning.” He let the other questions pass his mind purposely, for he really didn’t want to talk about his home town and the flaws it brought with him. “You sure are lively for a Ghost, Miss Ami. So how long have you been living here? How did you come to being Ghostly in this house? For example, were you murdered or died of an illness?” He slipped on his t-shirt to sleep in and took his glasses off, setting them on a box near his sleeping bag. He blew out all the candles but one and lay in his sleeping bag to hear her story if she let him.
She watched him a moment then laid down several feet away from him mimicking his pose on the floor. "I was just turning sixteen when I died, it was on the day of my birthday, I know because my tombstone said so. I don't remember dying, but I remember chasing my puppy out into the snow without any shoes on, we ended up lost in the woods all night long and well into the morning, and then I was watching my family at my funeral. Everyone in the whole town was there, but none of them live in the town anymore I guess, at least I don't see them in any of the windows. Momma let them bury me with my puppy, her name was Japhia she has blue eyes even though she was almost a whole year old." She looked up at the ceiling a moment before going on. "I guess I ended up here because I grew up in this house, my bedroom is upstairs at the end of the hallway, but somebody boarded it all up, but that's okay I just go through the door anyways." She paused thinking about his earlier remark, "Have you met any other ghosts to know I'm lively, momma always said I was spirited is that the same?" She looked up at him, the blue in her eyes shining against the candle's light.
He listened intently to her story and took a deep breath. “Sounds like you froze to death.” Thinking about it for the moment, he yawns again, getting sleepy. “I’m sorry you don’t remember much on how you died. In the morning I’ll take the boards down from your room, okay?” He laid down on his side placing his arm under his head.. “As for lively and spirited, I guess you can say they’re sort of similar.” He pulled the sleeping bag over his shoulder a bit and smiled. “I had a near death experience and lost loved ones before, I guess you can say cause of that I can see strange things, though I rather not have others know about it. Otherwise people would call me crazy and I’ll never make any real friends. But the past is past. I’m starting a new leaf here and I don’t want to become an outcast cause of my strange sightings.”
Ami mimicked his pose further, "I watch the people in the town sometimes, they all seem very nice, so I'm sure you will make lots of new friends," she didn't need to sleep herself, but lying still and dormant wasn't hard for her to do anymore, she would get bored but not as much as she would have years ago. "I don't think you are crazy, and I'll be quiet and hide if you have company so no one will think you are."
