Hiraeth

Chapter 12

Samara Shaw

I wasn't allowed to watch scary movies or any movie at all when I was young. I was denied all access to the television, phones, laptops and everything that could connect to the internet. My mother always said they weren't good for me so I never got the opportunity to get my hands on one. I was only limited to books and poems so all my life, those were my only escape. Although, I usually had things to do but an hour or two everyday was dedicated to rest and I spent those times reading books.

However, horror novels were kept at the top of the library and I wasn't allowed to read them. My brother luckily had the chance to but I wasn't. Frequently, I would be drawn to such books and would stare at the covers for minutes, wondering what the thrilling title meant. They remained mysteries to me and I didn't go beyond staring at them because my mother never allowed me to. She said they were ridiculous and none of them were real but out of all I believed, that wasn't one of them.

I had a very colorful imagination, sitting alone in an event or the few minutes i spent awake before sleeping would make me slip into a different place in my head. Somewhere more colorful and live than the prison I called a life. Most were related to the books I read or pictures I'd seen so every once in a while, I would think of what the possibilities were if ghosts truly existed. It went on and on till I came with the decision they were real. Even then, I would still doubt every once in a while cause I had seen no proof of their existence.

There were ghosts in the school and I saw two of them in the hallway. That explained why they didn't hear my taps or see me. Everything looked so different, the lights went bright and both the two of them were not in uniforms like others. Then the lights suddenly went off and everything was back to normal. That was the only explanation for what I saw and I could not wrap my mind around it, I saw and heard ghosts.

"Am I insane?"

"Possibly"

"Lucy, that isn't helping in any way. I just saw ghosts and you don't look bothered at all"

"Isn't it obvious, because it's not my problem"

"It is, cause I'm your friend and roommate"

"I don't remember calling you my friend and it's not my fault you were unfortunately chosen to be my roommate"

"For once, can you just act like you care? I'm facing a real problem here, this is something beyond my understanding. I see ghosts and you're going to help me whether or not you like it"

"One day, you'll learn to act like you don't see them"

"Does this happen to just me or do you see them too?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Sarcasm is the last thing you should think of now, I need help and you're seeing this is as a joke?"

"You're lucky I'm being honest. If you were someone else, I would've left you to go crazy"

That gave me a lot of relief. The fear I had seen ghosts was burdening and was even more when I thought I was the only one. I guess that explained why she wasn't so bothered at the first place, because she had seen them too and also why she knew exactly who they were without an accurate description. I wasn't insane if it wasn't just me. In fact, it felt great I would not have to worry about my mental health. I only had to make sure I would always have someone by my side while walking through the hallways.

"I'm sorry about that, it's difficult to know serious when you're usually very sarcastic"

"Whatever, just hit the shower before diner starts and maybe you'll understand everything then"