swish of the water as it lightly lapped the shore.
He sat down on the bank and finally let the tears come. It was only the second time in Keenan’s life that he allowed grief to take over his self-control. The first had been when his mother had forgotten him when he was four and no one could find her. She appeared the next morning all sunshine and apologies, but even at that ripe young age, Keenan knew she had spent the night at the bar… or somewhere even more unsavory.
The tears on this particular night were abundant; they washed over his heart until everything trembled into sobs. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, but finally the tears dried up and he was able to breathe without the waterworks. A kind of euphoria settled over his shoulders that spun the matter between his ears. He felt better.
With a final deep sigh, he focused on the water, uncertain what his next move should be. A mist had gathered over the lake until it hung in a sheet of white that illuminated the trees around him. Keenan was impressed; he had never seen fog this thick.
It was only then that something caught his eye… something that shouldn’t exist.
The clouds parted and out of the water rose a black woman in a ratty blue housedress with large curlers all over her head. She had no legs that he could see, and he could just make out the lake through her. It was very disconcerting and Keenan couldn’t make any sense out of it.
Apparently, there were geese on the water because all of a sudden the air exploded with their noisy squawks, their wings flapping like crazy, their necks thrust out toward the opposite shore as they churned little yellow legs as fast as they would go.
Keenan got to his feet not believing what it was he was seeing. When she smiled at him, everything went loose and he wet himself.
“Hello, honey. It’s a beautiful night, don’t you think.” It was the second time Keenan had seen a ghost, but the first time one had actually talked to him. He began a journey that would take him to worlds few living even knew existed.
* * * *
When Keenan got to his house, he unlocked his front door, balancing what was left of the large popcorn he had brought with him from the theater. He heard a familiar voice drifting in from the living room and smiled. Constance was back.
He was never happier to see her drifting there surrounded by a dozen other ghosts. The conversation took an abrupt halt as soon as he came into view.
“Kee…” Constance floated across the room, fading out and in as she went.
“Where the hell have you been?” The voice coming out of Keenan’s mouth was unsettling. It sounded mad.
Constance stopped a few feet from him and put translucent fists on phantom hips. “Well that’s a fine howdy-do.” She shooed the rest of the ghosts away and followed him to the couch. Her normally joyous face crinkled with concern. Keenan swallowed hard against the fear creeping up his gut.
“Sorry I disappeared last night.” She hovered above the coffee table, her curlers bouncing up and down every time she moved. When she looked down at her hands, she said a little sheepishly, “She wasn’t too rough, was she?”
Keenan rubbed his eyes and rested the popcorn container on his knees. “I’m fine. Just a little shaky. Reggie told me about her last night. He says she probably won’t show up again.”
It was hard for him to keep the disappointment out of his voice and even harder to admit he had actually enjoyed it. Something deep inside him wanted more of what happened last night. Wanted it so bad, it was suffocating his normally cautious responses. That scared him…it was just too creepy. He sat back, took a handful of popcorn, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Constance folded her arms and pulled back her chin. “Something you not tellin’ me, child?”
The last thing Keenan was going to do was discuss his sex life with Constance. He had enough problems talking to her about his regular life. “I just want to
He sat down on the bank and finally let the tears come. It was only the second time in Keenan’s life that he allowed grief to take over his self-control. The first had been when his mother had forgotten him when he was four and no one could find her. She appeared the next morning all sunshine and apologies, but even at that ripe young age, Keenan knew she had spent the night at the bar… or somewhere even more unsavory.
The tears on this particular night were abundant; they washed over his heart until everything trembled into sobs. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, but finally the tears dried up and he was able to breathe without the waterworks. A kind of euphoria settled over his shoulders that spun the matter between his ears. He felt better.
With a final deep sigh, he focused on the water, uncertain what his next move should be. A mist had gathered over the lake until it hung in a sheet of white that illuminated the trees around him. Keenan was impressed; he had never seen fog this thick.
It was only then that something caught his eye… something that shouldn’t exist.
The clouds parted and out of the water rose a black woman in a ratty blue housedress with large curlers all over her head. She had no legs that he could see, and he could just make out the lake through her. It was very disconcerting and Keenan couldn’t make any sense out of it.
Apparently, there were geese on the water because all of a sudden the air exploded with their noisy squawks, their wings flapping like crazy, their necks thrust out toward the opposite shore as they churned little yellow legs as fast as they would go.
Keenan got to his feet not believing what it was he was seeing. When she smiled at him, everything went loose and he wet himself.
“Hello, honey. It’s a beautiful night, don’t you think.” It was the second time Keenan had seen a ghost, but the first time one had actually talked to him. He began a journey that would take him to worlds few living even knew existed.
* * * *
When Keenan got to his house, he unlocked his front door, balancing what was left of the large popcorn he had brought with him from the theater. He heard a familiar voice drifting in from the living room and smiled. Constance was back.
He was never happier to see her drifting there surrounded by a dozen other ghosts. The conversation took an abrupt halt as soon as he came into view.
“Kee…” Constance floated across the room, fading out and in as she went.
“Where the hell have you been?” The voice coming out of Keenan’s mouth was unsettling. It sounded mad.
Constance stopped a few feet from him and put translucent fists on phantom hips. “Well that’s a fine howdy-do.” She shooed the rest of the ghosts away and followed him to the couch. Her normally joyous face crinkled with concern. Keenan swallowed hard against the fear creeping up his gut.
“Sorry I disappeared last night.” She hovered above the coffee table, her curlers bouncing up and down every time she moved. When she looked down at her hands, she said a little sheepishly, “She wasn’t too rough, was she?”
Keenan rubbed his eyes and rested the popcorn container on his knees. “I’m fine. Just a little shaky. Reggie told me about her last night. He says she probably won’t show up again.”
It was hard for him to keep the disappointment out of his voice and even harder to admit he had actually enjoyed it. Something deep inside him wanted more of what happened last night. Wanted it so bad, it was suffocating his normally cautious responses. That scared him…it was just too creepy. He sat back, took a handful of popcorn, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Constance folded her arms and pulled back her chin. “Something you not tellin’ me, child?”
The last thing Keenan was going to do was discuss his sex life with Constance. He had enough problems talking to her about his regular life. “I just want to
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