Little Ghost - Mall Watching

[Posted by Ted H]

New day job brings crazy hours. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

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[Little Ghost - Mall Watching]

They never found the right guy, and Starbucks was slow that morning, so they ended up at the mall sooner than they thought and watched the old people doing their laps before the stores opened. They sat on one of the benches by an exit where the elderly shuffled their way passed. There they remained, at times talking about random things of no consequence, other times remaining silent, and other times going into elaborate anecdotes from their lives whenever someone walked by that reminded them of something interesting.

Sometimes someone would wander by to sit on their bench, and they’d oblige even if the person wouldn’t be affected by them remaining. They’d make a game out of having a one-sided conversation with the people sitting on their bench until they finally left for one reason or another. They stayed until the sun set and darkness reigned outside once more, finally leaving when the mall stores began to close up and there were no more mall goers to watch and comment on. Kristina found the whole day cathartic. She had a chance to decompress her mind from everything that had transpired onto her in the last 24 hours.

As they walked through the Saturday night streets, and the late-night college student crowd as they bar hopped, Kristina let Ricky lead her in the direction she felt the fallout shelter was. “Were you scared?” she asked when they finally got away from the crowds. Ricky was in the middle of some thought when he looked to Kristina and apologized for not hearing her.

“When you died. Were you scared?” she asked again “I was terrified as it happened.”

“I was lucky,” Ricky said “I was high as hell so I didn’t realize I was dead. At first, I thought I was having an out of body experience. I mean don’t get me wrong, I was freaking out after the fact, but I guess I was lucky that I wasn’t aware of my death until it had already happened. How are you feeling now that you’ve had a day as one of us?”

Kristina paused a moment. “There’s no getting used to this, is there?

“Yeah,” Ricky said with a smile “What we are, it ain’t natural. That's what someone told me when I was in your shoes.”

Little Ghost - We're All Bad Guys

[Posted by Ted H]

My little side project has become as obsessive as it's name suggests. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my first obsession...

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[Little Ghost - We're All Bad Guys]

“Oh, well, I was just curious,” Kristina said, not looking to verify that there was indeed someone that stupid that they’d reject going to Heaven. Her plan now was so stop talking and avoid attention, perhaps get Jamal and Mike to start arguing again, anything if it meant avoiding scrutiny. Her hopes were short lived, however.

“So,” Cheryl said as she clasped her hands together and rested her face against them “What was it that clinched your fate?”

“Hmm?” Kristina hummed, unsure what the question was.

“Your unspeakable sin,” Cheryl elaborated “Your irredeemable crime. What action did you do that was so heinous that it merited instant rejection from the pearly gates?”

“Oh, well...” Kristina trailed off. If she could sweat, she figured it would be pouring down in buckets right now. She wondered how effective she could play dumb to these people, or if it were easier to lie outright. What could she think of on the spot?

“What makes you think I’ve done anything wrong in life?” she blurted out “I’m innocent, I swear,” she forced a smile for effect, getting a laugh from Sammy, but not satisfying Cheryl. The woman shrugged one shoulder and kept her eyes on Kristina. Did she know? Was Kristina making it too obvious? Was the joke a bad idea and now they’ll see right through her?

“Oh, don’t be embarrassed,” Ricky assured her “We’re all bad guys here!”

Little Ghost - Orientation

 [Posted by Ted H]

Situations at my day job have kinda taken center stage, but I'll still try to churn out some updates here...I've got some backlog remaining for LG before I have to worry about writing new stuff, though I'd love to sit down one of these nights and power out something...

Help might be on the way in the near future though...stand by...

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[Little Ghost - Orientation]


“Kristina!” Clifford called from the back. The other ghosts occupied themselves in their conversation while Kristina approached Bill and Clifford. “Don’t freak out,” Clifford said “We’re all safe here.” Kristina nodded slowly, not sure what was happening. “This is Bill,” Clifford continued “He’s a Reaper.”

“In a room full of ghosts? Are you sure?” Kristina said.

“Yeah,” Bill said “Not all Reapers are the same. I’m a regular kind. The scary kind the others are talking about are known as Hunter Reapers, or Predator Reapers. It depends on where you are. Some regions have their own variation for the title.”

“I don’t understand. What’s the difference?”

“You’ll know a Hunter when you see one. Trust me.”

“This is a lot to take in.”

“We figured,” Clifford said “It’s time we give you a proper orientation.”

“Well, I got my new name figured out, apparently. Is that part of my orientation?”

“Meh, I guess,” Clifford said “But let’s start simple. You are a ghost, officially known as a runaway.”

“Oh God, there’s classifications of ghosts too?”

“Sure. Three types. Temps, Waiting and Runaways,” Clifford explained “Temps are ghosts just long enough to find out they're dead. Then a Reaper will send them off to their final reward.”


“Like a ray of light in the sky taking you to Heaven?” Kristina asked, a sickening sense of dread surrounding her.

Little Ghost - Kristina Car Crash

[Posted by Ted H]

Either I neglected it for the last few years, or I did it and forgot all about it, but last week I make sure to get the "Pure Human" collection post set up and added it to the header with the other complete works.

Also, this makes 4 updates in 2021, already halfway to what I was able to accomplish all of last year. Seems that my new years resolution is working out...

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[Little Ghost - Kristina Car Crash]

They entered the back yard of a one-story ranch house. It was a small yard with a garden in the corner and a blacktop half court with a basketball hoop on the far side. The trio stopped short of the court. “Just so you know, there’s a stairway of sorts here,” Clifford said “Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean you won’t drop down when you reach it.”


Kristina gave a small laugh. “Oh, don’t worry,” she said “I’m aware of a whole bunch of rules that I can’t understand!” Clifford pondered what she just said, then gave up after a few seconds and shook his head. “Let’s have mister expert over here go first,” he said as he referenced a smiling Sammy. “Sure,” Sammy said as he stepped forward “We wouldn’t want anyone to fall and break their leg.”


“That was the first time, and you lied to me where the drop was,” Clifford chided.


“It’s still freakin hilarious when a ghost cries out ‘Oh God I’ll break my leg!’ as he flails his arms in the air!” Sammy said with a laugh.


“So, what staircase?” Kristina finally asked.


“Just watch, honey,” Sammy said as he walked a few feet onto the court, then began descending into the pavement as if he were traversing stairs. “Right this way,” Clifford said as he followed. Kristina stuck close as Clifford disappeared into the basketball court. She lightly put her foot where both men began to drop and found her foot went right through like the court was merely an illusion. She crept her way down until only her head remained above ground.

Pure Human

Pure Human
by: Ted H

James Blake and his partner head to Albany to investigate the scene of a grisly attack on a family. Blake must find the paranormal origin to the creatures that slay in the night before the world is overrun with more. But with the signs of the origin all pointing away from the supernatural, just where does the line between human and monster lie?

-2015 National Novel Writing Month Winner

Ungodly Hour

Illusion Breaker

Look Into It

Day Drinking

Dream

Ninja

To Albany

Time Stop

Eating

Magdalena

She Must Work Out

It Came in Through the Woods

When You Dream

Reaper at Work

Nurse Gossip

Dog Hunt

I Think I Found Fido

Embrace Eternity

Breakfast at Anin's

Apples

Common Sense

Charming

Clyde vs Whitey

Who Dat Is?

Couples Counseling

Big Men on Campus

Impure

Dr. Watterson

The Melrose Theory

Attempted Arson

Shadow Caster

Pecking Order

Dead on a Mountain

Doing a Thing

To the Gas Station

Born from Nightmares

Go Time

Trick Plays

One Problem at a Time

Let Me In

Be Gone

Ethics and Morals

Closure

Little Ghost - Others

[Posted by Ted H]

Yeah, 2021 is just more of the same from 2020.
Same year, new, even worse flavor.

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[Little Ghost - Others]

She ran and ran and ran, not tiring one bit and too scared to stop. Charles would be on her if she stopped even for a second, or at least that was her belief as she ran. Without a sound, someone ran past her. Kristina sounded a desperate wail as she halted and was about to change directions when it registered in her mind that it was someone else and not Charles. A second figure, also not Charles went by after that and Kristina watched as they sprinted away until the second figure looked back and saw her standing, then called for his companion to stop.


Both males jogged back to Kristina while their eyes darted around. “Can they see me?” Kristina said to herself. “Why’d you stop?” the first man said. “Ummm...” Kristina tried to answer before the second man broke in “I don’t see anything. I told you it was probably a false alarm.”


“I wasn’t taking no chances,” the first man snapped back, then looked to Kristina “You gave us a scare, lady,” he said as he cracked a relieved smile.


“You can...” Kristina found herself at a loss for words “You can see me?” she finally asked.


“Sure as shit,” the man responded as he looked to his companion.


“We obviously see you,” the second added “We saw you running first, remember?”


“I ain’t ever see her before. You think she’s new?”


“Oh yeah, definitely new.”

Little Ghost - Charles

[Posted by Ted H]

Today is January 17, 2021....Or December 48, 2020? Based on how the world still is, I don't think we're out of the woods yet...

...Also check out my new side project, MLB Showdown Obsession, if an obscure and defunct trading card game interests you...

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[Little Ghost - Charles]


It took longer than she thought it would, and more than once she got caught up wandering into the maternity ward looking at babies, but Kristina eventually found her way to the ICU where she hoped Ryan was. She came across various people in conditions ranging from near death to recovering from surgery. Many different people, but no 20-year-old males from a car crash. Just to be sure, she doubled back to every room on the floor, but no luck. Eventually she gave up when she realized she was entering her third lap through the same rooms.

The room she was in belonged to an elderly woman hooked up to oxygen. Her breathing was labored but her sleep was sound. Kristina approached her bedside slowly, not wanting to disturb her before she realized she wouldn’t be able to anyway. She watched the old woman sleep, heartbroken at this lonely woman alone and slowly dying, but then jealous.

This woman had her life. She lived. She married. She had children. She had grandchildren. When the next day comes, that family will likely be here by her side again. Then back again the next day. And every day. Every day until the end. She’ll die surrounded by loved ones. People who care. She won’t die in an ambulance. She won’t die with a stranger fruitlessly trying to save her. She won’t die young with an entire life stolen away from her.