Virtual Ink February//March//April 2014 | Page 30

GHOST HOME BY EMILY WHITE A riana was in the park, watching her little sister and her friend play. She huffed, hating the fact that she had to babysit them. They were old enough to take care of themselves! She looked around and scowled, seeing a group of teenagers her age at an ice cream shop across the road. “Lucky you,” she grumbled. She crossed her arms and went back to watching the two girls, wishing to be with her friends. Why did she have to do this? She wasn’t even being paid to do this. It was a waste of her time and a burden. A moment later, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She looked around, confused. She spotted a boy near the water fountain, standing under a tree. He was looking at her. He was tall, maybe three or four inches taller than herself. He had short, dark brown hair that ruffled in the breeze. She narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully. Once they were inside, Marlee and Bethany went downstairs into the basement to watch television. Ariana went to the kitchen, got an apple, and went up to her room. She flopped onto her bed, pulling out her phone. Munching on her apple, she texted her friend about the incident in the park. hey Jamie. The creepiest thing just happened to me. hey Ari. What happened?? This guy in the park was being really weird. He kept staring at me, then just vanished! lol maybe he likes u ;) He continued to stare her, his hands in his pockets and leaning lazily against the truck of the tree. Ariana felt uncomfortable; she didn’t even know him, yet he acted like they did, or at least once had. She quickly gathered her things, not taking her eyes off of him. She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. His green eyes locked on her brown ones. He didn’t look away; he just stared into them, unmoving. Ariana tried to do the same, but she just couldn’t. She turned her back to him, calling to the girls. idk he freaked me out lol lol u never know! g2g bye k bye “Marlee! Bethany! Time to go!” she called. She turned back to the boy. But there was no boy. He was gone. Puzzled, she stared at the spot he had been only moments before. “Ari, what’s wrong?” her sister Marlee asked, as she and Bethany trotted up to her. “Huh? Oh, nothing,” Ariana mumbled. She looked at the tree again, then looked at the girls. “Come on, we’d better get going.” She took them by the hand and walked them back home. Ariana sighed and put her phone away. She got up, going to her window. She watched as Marlee and Bethany played in the backyard with the dog. She walked downstairs and outside. She chuckled, seeing the dog chase them around. Then, a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked over, curious as to what had moved. She saw his bright green eyes before she saw him. Her heart stopped, seeing the same boy from the park standing in her yard. She got up and went over to him. “Hey,” she called as she walked up to 30