It’s ridiculous to think ghosts could be about in sunlight, but there she was, I had
seen her before and I wasn't scared. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as I sipped my coffee. The ghost was openly studying me, so I in turn gave her my full attention. Perhaps she was twelve or thirteen with a steady gaze and soft brown eyes, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
Daylight, no sheet, I could just see my husbands eyebrows rise in that supercilious
way if I told him that there was a ghost, wearing jeans, in our kitchen. She was certainly a ghost, the kitchen clock said 10.20 and I could read it through her shirt. What do you say to a ghost? I waited hoping she would speak first.
If I reached out, would my hand go through the shirt?
The ghost smiled,could she read my mind? That wasn't in any movies. I suppose I’ll have to speak first, perhaps it's ghost etiquette to only speak when spoken to. The ghost smiled again.
“Now look here,” I said,’ I don't think you should be able to read my mind if I can't read yours”
'What makes you think you can't read mine' the question was there, but the girl hadn't spoken, I could feel her speaking to my heart.
How silly, drinking coffee and mind reading with a ghost.
“How did you die?”, the words came more easily.
“Do you have unfinished business?” Surely all those movies couldn’t be wrong.
'Well no, I haven't died, but I’m not born yet either', her spirit sounded small and lost,
'I need your help because I want to live.’
“I don’t understand, who are you?” I gasped as I felt her reply.
'You're my mother,or you could be if you help me.’
“How can you be mine? If you can read minds you know I take contraceptives.”
How could I bring any child into this marriage? I studied my bruised cheek in the window.
“I’m not your mother and you wouldn’t want him as a father.” It sounded harsh,
“I can’t protect a child from him. I’m sorry, I wish you were mine.”
'I could be if you leave before he comes home,” her eyes were warm and pleading.
‘Leave and I will be your child in the future, stay and he will kill you tonight.’
“I can't leave, he will come after me.”I panicked,“You can't want him as a father , you would never be safe”
'He isn't my father, my father is in your future. A safe future, if you leave now.’
This beautiful girl could be my child , I stepped closer, her image wavered.
‘Hurry, leave now!’
“How will I know your father?” I asked, grabbing the case hidden in the broom cupboard after yesterday's beating.
The child had gone, but the thought came to me with her laughter,
'I have his eyes'
seen her before and I wasn't scared. I watched her out of the corner of my eye as I sipped my coffee. The ghost was openly studying me, so I in turn gave her my full attention. Perhaps she was twelve or thirteen with a steady gaze and soft brown eyes, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
Daylight, no sheet, I could just see my husbands eyebrows rise in that supercilious
way if I told him that there was a ghost, wearing jeans, in our kitchen. She was certainly a ghost, the kitchen clock said 10.20 and I could read it through her shirt. What do you say to a ghost? I waited hoping she would speak first.
If I reached out, would my hand go through the shirt?
The ghost smiled,could she read my mind? That wasn't in any movies. I suppose I’ll have to speak first, perhaps it's ghost etiquette to only speak when spoken to. The ghost smiled again.
“Now look here,” I said,’ I don't think you should be able to read my mind if I can't read yours”
'What makes you think you can't read mine' the question was there, but the girl hadn't spoken, I could feel her speaking to my heart.
How silly, drinking coffee and mind reading with a ghost.
“How did you die?”, the words came more easily.
“Do you have unfinished business?” Surely all those movies couldn’t be wrong.
'Well no, I haven't died, but I’m not born yet either', her spirit sounded small and lost,
'I need your help because I want to live.’
“I don’t understand, who are you?” I gasped as I felt her reply.
'You're my mother,or you could be if you help me.’
“How can you be mine? If you can read minds you know I take contraceptives.”
How could I bring any child into this marriage? I studied my bruised cheek in the window.
“I’m not your mother and you wouldn’t want him as a father.” It sounded harsh,
“I can’t protect a child from him. I’m sorry, I wish you were mine.”
'I could be if you leave before he comes home,” her eyes were warm and pleading.
‘Leave and I will be your child in the future, stay and he will kill you tonight.’
“I can't leave, he will come after me.”I panicked,“You can't want him as a father , you would never be safe”
'He isn't my father, my father is in your future. A safe future, if you leave now.’
This beautiful girl could be my child , I stepped closer, her image wavered.
‘Hurry, leave now!’
“How will I know your father?” I asked, grabbing the case hidden in the broom cupboard after yesterday's beating.
The child had gone, but the thought came to me with her laughter,
'I have his eyes'
