Christmas Ghosts

My brother and his wife recently purchased a new house. New to them only, as it is really quite old. In Algonquins historic district it was built in the late nineteenth century. Having fallen into disrepair it was affordable. They have done a beautiful job fixing it up, or so I hear, I would put up pictures but they never send me any. As with any old house it has its creaks and groans, all the character that over a hundred years of standing will instill in a building.

Late on Christmas night it greeted my brother. Out of the dark he heard it, a distant “Hello”.

Sitting in the dark he doubted his ears, like any mature adult he didn’t believe in something as silly as ghosts. Just as he was laying down attempting to return to sleep he heard it again from the depths of the night, “Hello”.

Being apparently much braver than I and still not believing what he heard he rose from his bed to investigate. Down the steep stairs he crept with the voice calling to him from below, “Hello”.

In the front of the house light from the street cast waving shadows through the big stained glass picture window. No one stood outside, no one was at the door. But he heard it again, “Hello”.

Dark corners seemed blacker in the heart of the house, as its floors creaked ominously. It whispered to him”Hello”.

Convinced it was a prank he tore through the darkened house from widow to window. Though he peered through the wavy glass, there was no one to be seen. Yet the eerie voice echoed again “Hello”.

Through the kitchen he swept, the search growing frantic, onto the back porch. Some joker had to be in the back yard, it must be their voice he heard, “Hello”.

Then, again, right behind him it rang out, loud from the inky blackness “Hello”.

The hair on his nape rose as he turned to confront this voice that had invaded his home. “Hello?”

There it lay. On the floor at his feet, its eyes sightlessly returned his horrified stare “Hello”.

His sons toy. Its earlier bath not healthy for electronics. As he held it in his hands it uttered again that word so threatening only moments before “Hello”.

So much for Ghosts, he thought with a grin, and returned its cheerful greeting,”Hello”.

Happy Birthday Justin!