Anonymous / 2024-10-31
It was a cold Halloween night, the moon full in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the small town of Eldridge Hollow. Among the rustling leaves and flickering jack-o'-lanterns, a new ghost stirred—James, who was experiencing his first Halloween.
James floated through the old forest towards the town, his translucent form shimmering with excitement. He had only recently become a ghost, having met his unfortunate end in a rather mundane accident at the age of 10. Accompanying him was Star, a shaggy black dog with bright, intelligent eyes and a big wagging tail.
“Tonight is special,” James whispered to Star, who barked in agreement. “Halloween is the only night when the barrier between the living and the dead is so thin.”
Star’s ears perked up as they ventured around the tree line of the hollow, being sure to stay out of sight. The air was thick with anticipation; children dressed as witches and superheroes scurried about, their laughter echoing through the streets. James watched them with wide eyes, remembering his own Halloweens filled with candy and mischief.
As they weaved their way around the trees, they stumbled upon a group of children gathered around a bonfire telling ghost stories, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames. James felt a pang of nostalgia; he longed to join them, to share his own tales. But how could he? He was a ghost.
Suddenly, one of the children—a girl with curly hair who was dressed as a minion—looked up. “Did you see that?” she asked her friends, her voice barely above a whisper.
James froze. Could she really see him? He floated a little bit closer, intrigued yet nervous. Star padded beside him, his tail wagging as if encouraging him.
“Maybe it’s just the wind,” another child said dismissively, but James felt a spark of hope. He decided to reveal himself. “Hello!” he called out, his voice haunting, echoing.
The children gasped, eyes wide in disbelief as they turned toward him. “A ghost!” shouted one boy, jumping back in fear.
“Don’t be scared!” James pleaded. “I’m not here to frighten you. I just wanted to hear your stories.”
The girl with curly hair stepped forward cautiously. “You’re… friendly?”
“Yes! My name is James,” he replied, feeling more confident now that they weren’t running away in terror.
With that introduction, James began to share his own tales from his past—stories of his adventures from when he was alive. The children listened intently and Star sat beside him, his head cocked to one side as if he understood every word.
“And then,” James laughed softly, “I fell into a pond while trying to catch the falling leaves! I didn’t catch any leaves that day but I did catch quite the cold!”
The children erupted into laughter; their initial fear dissipated like mist in the morning sun. They took turns sharing their own stories of Halloween adventures, embellishing tales about haunted houses and spooky pranks.
As the night wore on and the bonfire turned to embers, James felt an overwhelming sense of joy. Halloween hadn’t been as bad as he expected it to be—instead, he found a group that welcomed him; sharing laughter and stories.
Soon it was time for him to go. The moon was high in the sky, signalling the late time.
“Thank you for letting me share my stories,” he said softly, floating in place next to the log he has been “sitting” on.
“Will you come back next Halloween?” asked the girl with curly hair—whose name was Julia, as he had learned.
“I’d love to,” James replied with a warm smile, despite his cold ghostly form. “And I’ll bring more stories!”
As he floated away into the night with Star at his side, James felt lighter than ever before. This Halloween had been more than just an adventure; it had been a reminder that even in death, connections could be forged anew.
And so they vanished into the shadows of the trees surrounding Eldridge Hollow—two friends bound by stories and memories—ready for whatever adventures awaited them next year under the light of another Halloween moon.